New York City, famously known as the Big Apple or the city that never sleeps, is the largest and most influential American city, encompassing Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. When it comes to financial power and the most interesting commercial and cultural values, New York City is at the top of the list. 

However, although New York is the most populous city in the United States, there are a lot of people who don’t know how to behave there, especially when exploring the breathtaking streets of our amazing city. 

Thus, whether we are talking about tourists or native inhabitants or whether you are going for a walk in Central Park, Times Square, or visiting the Empire State Building, you have to know the things that you should never do there. Of course, we are not talking about real New Yorkers who already know them. The truth is that you can make mistakes even though you were born there, but it’s important to fix them. 

So, here are some things that you should never do in New York. Read on to find out more info!

Real New Yorkers never stand in the middle of the sidewalk

Unfortunately, there are a lot of tourists who stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take a selfie or check their map and it is quite annoying for people who are in a hurry to go to work. We have to admit that living in New York is fairly difficult and expensive because everyone is in a hurry, traffic congestion is ubiquitous and people have to get to work on time to make money to meet their needs, of course. 

Even though you are a tourist and don’t know all the informal rules of the city you are visiting, it’s important to care more about other people and try to avoid clogging up the sidewalk. If you want to take a photo of a certain building, try not to get in their way.

Don’t stick to the left side of escalators

As you already know, each escalator has a sign which warns you to stay on the right side of the escalator if you are not in a hurry, because otherwise you risk getting in the way of other people who are in a rush to go to work or arrive on time somewhere else. The left side of escalators is for people who want to walk. 

That being said, this is a walking etiquette rule that should be followed not only in New York City but throughout the world. As I said before, if you stay on the left side, you will block anyone behind you who wants to walk past you. In fact, it’s important to take into consideration that there are people who have to complete a lot of tasks every day, and sprint walking is essential in their case.

Never lean on the subway or bus poles

Leaning on the subway or bus poles is one of the most common rude behaviors that people use to do when they visit a new city. This is also an impolite act performed by individuals who are simply lazy to adopt a normal position when they use public transportation. However, according to experts and real New Yorkers, leaning on the subway or bus poles can be considered disrespectful, because these poles were created with a specific purpose: to help you stay safe during the ride. 

It’s no secret that you don’t want to put your hands on those poles because they are probably full of germs and viruses (maybe even the new coronavirus, Sars-Cov-2) but you have to use hand disinfectant or a paper towel if you want to stay safe. In fact, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the subway and bus poles are often disinfected.

They won’t be fooled by scammers

Unfortunately, we all can be the victims of a scam in our city at some point in our lives, but it is a mistake from which we learn how to protect ourselves and never trust strangers again, even though they are well dressed and don’t look like they are about to scam us. In fact, native New Yorkers know that being one of the biggest cities in the world, there are a lot of people who want to steal your money and then disappear in the crowd. So, the main rule that you have to keep in mind when visiting this city is to never trust a stranger who wants to help you or vice versa. 

In addition, you can also find restaurants in New York that can try to scam you by hiking up your bill and adding things you didn’t order. Other scammers (also known as Scalpers) will also try to sell you fake tickets. In other words, you have to be careful and stay away from scammers as long as possible. If you really want to help someone, try to donate to an animal shelter or something like this.

They know that they can’t pay with credit cards everywhere

As you already know, New York City is the financial and commercial power of the world, but it doesn’t mean that you can use your credit card everywhere. So, if you want to visit the city that never sleeps, it doesn’t hurt to have some cash with you. 

Yet, it’s important to remember that there are some places, such as restaurants, bars, and so on, that accept only cash payments. Moreover, you also need cash for tips to servers, cab or Uber drivers. It is important not to take more money with you than you normally spend and do not fill your pocket with huge amounts of cash.

They don’t use public toilets, especially at night

Native New Yorkers know that using public toilets, especially at night, can be quite dangerous because there are a lot of criminals who want to take advantage of your belongings and vulnerability. In general, public toilets are intended for tourists or homeless people and they are often used during the day when it’s urgent or by those who have company. 

So, you should know that there are other options that you should consider, without opting for public toilets, such as the supermarket toilets, large-chain bookstores, various restaurants and bars and so on. Even though some of them are intended for customers or staff only, you can ask nicely if you can use their restroom. Better safe, than sorry.