Driving Tips in NYC
If you’ve never driven in New York City before, beware: you are now entering the Twilight Zone. Well ok, it’s not that bad, but it sure is different from driving anywhere else in the country. New Yorkers take their driving seriously, and that means they won’t take any slack from out of town tourists. So remember to keep your head when driving – be decisive, go with the flow, and for goodness sake KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING. With that said, here are some essential NYC driving tips from Prestige Car Rental - the experts in New York driving.
Watch for fast changing yellow lights: The warning light at all New York City intersections is only 4 seconds long. That’s right, 4 seconds. So don’t even bother trying to make it. No true local will blow their horn at you for stopping when you see the yellow light; in fact, they’ll probably respect you more.
Don’t turn right on a red light: This is a law in every NYC borough, not just Manhattan. However, there are exceptions to the rule. A wordy sign in black lettering will denote corners that allow right hand turns on the red. They read “After Stop Right Turn on Red Permitted”. Tricky intersections where this exists are First Ave and 39th Street, and the 36th Street entrance to the Midtown Tunnel. If you miss one of these signs while driving in New York, don’t worry – the blaring horns will make you aware of your mistake almost immediately.
Parking violation tow trucks have a sixth sense in this city: Don’t believe us? Park illegally and see how long it takes for your car rental, passenger van rental or large SUV rental to be towed. A small army of meter-reading parking attendants are also unleashed on the city every day as well, so be sure to keep your parking meter fed. If you’re really going to be a short while, Prestige Car Rental recommends having a licensed driver sit behind the wheel of your idling car. This is called “standing” in NYC. Standing is allowed in most non-parking zones in the Big Apple; however, if a police officer or traffic cop asks you to move, it’s best to listen.
Understand Manhattan’s layout before setting out in your van rental: Avenues run north-south. Odd-numbered streets go west; even-numbered streets got east. Two way streets are scarce in Manhattan, but include Houston Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street and 34th Street. Generally you cannot turn left onto these streets during the day. Also, watch for reversed directions. During rush hour, certain lanes are closed or reversed in order to relieve gridlocks. These streets are normally the ones leading to bridges and tunnels. There are plenty of signs warning travelers of this change, so be sure to look for them when traveling through the city.
Don’t expect drivers to signal before cutting in front of you: What would NYC be without impatient cab drivers and crazy New York driving? Although it’s law to signal before changing lanes, in the City it’s almost always ignored. However, it’s normally quite easy to spot a car that’s thinking about cutting in. For one, chances are he’s done a number of times in front of you already. Also watch for a sharp turn of the wheels. This sign is normally a display of intimidation; chances of the driver actually going all the way are slim. Simply hit your horn and the driver will normally get the point. Don’t bother getting mad – this is a part of New York City traffic you just have to live with.
Don’t be scared; be smart: You shouldn’t be afraid of driving in NYC. You should however, be prepared. Plan your route ahead the night before and include alternate routes in the case of an accident or road work. And please, for the sake of all NYC drivers, DON’T SIGHTSEE WHILE DRIVING. This is how accidents happen. If you want to take a look at something, hop on a tour bus or pull over and park your affordable car rental. These NYC driving tips will save you and many other drivers a lot of hassle.
