Driving standards across the U. S. Vary greatly depending on the city, its region, primary function and planning. While most cities allow people to travel through with very few issues, a few are famous for their extreme conditions. When it comes to the list of worst places in the states to navigate a vehicle, New York traffic is second only to Los Angeles, CA.
When most people are asked for their opinion about driving in the city and its boroughs, they will generally advise that anyone who is not extremely familiar with the streets stick to public transportation. The subway is by far the quickest way to make any distance, followed by the buses and cabs. When going just a few blocks, many even suggest that walking or biking could be faster than taking a car.
Navigating downtown will require both driving finesse and personal confidence. One should be aware of how far ahead their turn is and plan to switch lanes as soon as possible since this task is not easily performed. The folks who drive their daily routes are often quite intolerant of anyone trying to go against the flow or holding things up more than normal.
A slow, barely moving crawl would be a more accurate description than a flow. During the work day, 16mph is the average speed though at certain peak times it will drop to about 6mph. Congestion is just something most people plan for.
Multiple factors contribute to the frequent jams and occasional gridlock that occurs in the streets of the big apple. First of all, the city is a leading business metropolis filled with corporate headquarters, leading fashion houses, premier shopping and exquisite dining, not to mention Wall Street and the United Nations. The second big issue is that many areas are only accessible through the limited number of bridges and tunnels leading into and out of them.
Unless one has a dedicated space, parking in the downtown NY area can be a bit of a nightmare. The garages are quite expensive and the parallel spots along the streets can be rather hazardous to use. Anyone deciding to take their vehicle into the city should be prepared to pay lofty fees for the covered structures or allow a lot of extra time to search for an open slot on the ground level.
When it comes to traversing a few city blocks, many people have decided to switch to bicycles which are both faster and better for one's physical health. The lanes that are provided for bikes are considered less of a rule and more of a general guideline. Because a lot of drivers view these areas a convenient parking, cyclists are forced to ride the sidewalks or become daring enough to zoom through the narrow open spaces between the barely moving vehicles.
Many radio stations provide up to the minute reports on which areas to avoid and there are televised channels and websites available for people to view the live feed from street cameras. There are certain days that are far less congested than others, mainly because many of the corporate business offices are closed. Before traveling, one should check to see if any celebrations or events like parades, fleet week or marathons, are scheduled.
When most people are asked for their opinion about driving in the city and its boroughs, they will generally advise that anyone who is not extremely familiar with the streets stick to public transportation. The subway is by far the quickest way to make any distance, followed by the buses and cabs. When going just a few blocks, many even suggest that walking or biking could be faster than taking a car.
Navigating downtown will require both driving finesse and personal confidence. One should be aware of how far ahead their turn is and plan to switch lanes as soon as possible since this task is not easily performed. The folks who drive their daily routes are often quite intolerant of anyone trying to go against the flow or holding things up more than normal.
A slow, barely moving crawl would be a more accurate description than a flow. During the work day, 16mph is the average speed though at certain peak times it will drop to about 6mph. Congestion is just something most people plan for.
Multiple factors contribute to the frequent jams and occasional gridlock that occurs in the streets of the big apple. First of all, the city is a leading business metropolis filled with corporate headquarters, leading fashion houses, premier shopping and exquisite dining, not to mention Wall Street and the United Nations. The second big issue is that many areas are only accessible through the limited number of bridges and tunnels leading into and out of them.
Unless one has a dedicated space, parking in the downtown NY area can be a bit of a nightmare. The garages are quite expensive and the parallel spots along the streets can be rather hazardous to use. Anyone deciding to take their vehicle into the city should be prepared to pay lofty fees for the covered structures or allow a lot of extra time to search for an open slot on the ground level.
When it comes to traversing a few city blocks, many people have decided to switch to bicycles which are both faster and better for one's physical health. The lanes that are provided for bikes are considered less of a rule and more of a general guideline. Because a lot of drivers view these areas a convenient parking, cyclists are forced to ride the sidewalks or become daring enough to zoom through the narrow open spaces between the barely moving vehicles.
Many radio stations provide up to the minute reports on which areas to avoid and there are televised channels and websites available for people to view the live feed from street cameras. There are certain days that are far less congested than others, mainly because many of the corporate business offices are closed. Before traveling, one should check to see if any celebrations or events like parades, fleet week or marathons, are scheduled.
