Ask me anything about New York.

[empirestate]

Inspired by the fascinating AMA thread about Russia...but obviously a little more tongue-in-cheek.

What questions would you ask someone from New York if you've never been here (or before you'd traveled as much as you have now)? It might be interesting–if perhaps a little risky–to examine a few of own closer-to-home stereotypes.

[hotdogPi]

Would I need to carry my physical vaccination card with me, or does a smartphone screenshot count? Also, does this apply upstate?

Where do people live in Manhattan? People can't live in businesses.

[webny99]

Here's a question: are you talking about the city, or the state?   

[JayhawkCO]

Where is the best pizza in NYC and why is it in Staten Island?

Chris

[empirestate]

Would I need to carry my physical vaccination card with me, or does a smartphone screenshot count? Also, does this apply upstate?

A screenshot of your CDC card may not be accepted everywhere, since it can be faked. But you can link your vaccination data to the Excelsior Pass and display that from your smartphone wallet. That's what I do and it has always been accepted (even once out of state, in Connecticut).

EDIT: Yes, the same methods (CDC card or Excelsior Pass) would be valid statewide, although most areas don't have vaccination requirements as broad as NYC's.

Where do people live in Manhattan? People can't live in businesses.

They live upstairs from businesses. :-)

In fact, while the major core areas (Midtown and the Financial District) are primarily commercial or office space, there are residential units all over the borough. While detached single-family homes are basically unheard of, the most common type of residential building consists of several floors of apartments above a row of storefronts, and that could be a 5- or 6-story walk-up, or a huge high-rise.

In wealthier areas you'll find rows of brownstones (town houses, some even single-family); elsewhere, there are numerous campus-style public housing complexes. And you may even find a few legit houses, such as in Marble Hill.

Where is the best pizza in NYC and why is it in Staten Island?

Chris

Because all of the small business in Manhattan are closing down, and all of the pizza there is tourist-grade.

Here's a question: are you talking about the city, or the state?   

Exactly.

[NE2]

Which mile of former NY 178 was SH 185?

[jlam]

More of a NY State question: Which do you use more when you travel to western New York: the Turnpike or I-86?

[empirestate]

Which mile of former NY 178 was SH 185?

Probably one not all that far from SH 183.

More of a NY State question: Which do you use more when you travel to western New York: the Turnpike or I-86?

Depends where you're traveling from, but from where I live I would use I-86 (by way of I-84 and NY 17). From the capital district, on the other hand, you might be inclined to use the Cherry Valley Turnpike as a fun "blue highway" route. But for the fastest route, you'd probably just take the Thruway.

[JayhawkCO]

Are there any beaches nicer than the ones in Orleans County?

Chris

[abefroman329]

Admit it: NY-style pizza sold by the slice, and not from a fresh pie, is actually kind of gross.

[webny99]

More of a NY State question: Which do you use more when you travel to western New York: the Turnpike or I-86?

Depends where you're traveling from, but from where I live I would use I-86 (by way of I-84 and NY 17). From the capital district, on the other hand, you might be inclined to use the Cherry Valley Turnpike as a fun "blue highway" route. But for the fastest route, you'd probably just take the Thruway.

NY 17/I-86 or I-80>I-380>I-81 are generally the preferred routes from downstate to any destination west of I-81. The Thruway between Albany and Syracuse is obviously the best route from Albany to points west, but it doesn't have much utility for traffic between upstate and downstate.

The answer could also be "both", as it is in my case: if I was heading downstate I would use I-90 to Syracuse, then I-81 to NY 17/I-86.

[webny99]

Are there any beaches nicer than the ones in Orleans County?

Certainly, on Long Island   

(Elsewhere upstate too, of course)

[thspfc]

Have people from upstate NY accepted that people tend to associate "New York"  with one of the most famous cities in the world, as opposed to the largely rural and nondescript area that is upstate by comparison? (I know that there is a lot to like about upstate but IMO upstate residents should not be offended by "New York"  and "New York City"  being synonymous.)

[Roadgeekteen]

What is you guy's view on Massachusetts and New England?

[webny99]

Have people from upstate NY accepted that people tend to associate "New York"  with one of the most famous cities in the world, as opposed to the largely rural and nondescript area that is upstate by comparison? (I know that there is a lot to like about upstate but IMO upstate residents should not be offended by "New York"  and "New York City"  being synonymous.)

For the most part, yes. I mean, it's certainly not a dynamic that anyone upstate loves, but it's also accepted as a part of living here, and isn't something that's going to change anytime soon.

And anyone who has visited Upstate NY probably realizes that it's actually not nondescript and arguably one of the most interesting states east of the Mississippi (at least in terms of overall diversity; a state like Vermont is obviously much more interesting/scenic on a per-square mile basis), so I tend to think of "NY=NYC" as simply uninformed, not necessarily an upstate snub.

One thing that bothers me, though... why is Josh Allen pictured here? It's clearly about New York City sports:

https://twitter.com/sportscenter/status/1446192773074456577

[triplemultiplex]

And for a certain segment of the population "New York" only means Manhattan, not just the city as a whole.

Also this kind of thing, lol :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PfHZi9MJnI

[SkyPesos]

Why does Ithaca (Cornell) lack a 4 lane connection to the interstate system?

[Flint1979]

Why does Orleans County exist?

[webny99]

Also this kind of thing, lol :
[video]

Well, true...  at the end of the day the one thing a real New Yorker wouldn't do is stop to answer that question! 

[webny99]

Why does Orleans County exist?

So we can debate about "when is a beach not a beach?"

[webny99]

Why does Ithaca (Cornell) lack a 4 lane connection to the interstate system?

It certainly should, but traffic to Ithaca approaches from so many different directions that no single approach has gotten bad enough for it to happen. The NY 13 corridor heading northeast to Cortland/I-81 is actually the busiest route to/from Ithaca, but at least that corridor has a reasonable alternate, at least for car traffic, through Freeville/McLean.

[empirestate]

Are there any beaches nicer than the ones in Orleans County?

No, all the rest are spoiled by allowing the public to swim from them, so they are much less pristine.

Admit it: NY-style pizza sold by the slice, and not from a fresh pie, is actually kind of gross.

I'm sorry, that's not a question.

The Thruway between Albany and Syracuse is obviously the best route from Albany to points west, but it doesn't have much utility for traffic between upstate and downstate.

That being said, I actually live far enough north that the Thruway comes out almost even time-wise to I-86 for going to western New York. (I know, I was a little surprised myself.)

Have people from upstate NY accepted that people tend to associate "New York"  with one of the most famous cities in the world, as opposed to the largely rural and nondescript area that is upstate by comparison? (I know that there is a lot to like about upstate but IMO upstate residents should not be offended by "New York"  and "New York City"  being synonymous.)

Absolutely not. Heck, people upstate haven't even accepted the city itself, let alone other people's perceptions of it!

[SSOWorld]

Have people from upstate NY accepted that people tend to associate "New York"  with one of the most famous cities in the world, as opposed to the largely rural and nondescript area that is upstate by comparison? (I know that there is a lot to like about upstate but IMO upstate residents should not be offended by "New York"  and "New York City"  being synonymous.)

For the most part, yes. I mean, it's certainly not a dynamic that anyone upstate loves, but it's also accepted as a part of living here, and isn't something that's going to change anytime soon.

And anyone who has visited Upstate NY probably realizes that it's actually not nondescript and arguably one of the most interesting states east of the Mississippi (at least in terms of overall diversity; a state like Vermont is obviously much more interesting/scenic on a per-square mile basis), so I tend to think of "NY=NYC" as simply uninformed, not necessarily an upstate snub.

One thing that bothers me, though... why is Josh Allen pictured here? It's clearly about New York City sports:

https://twitter.com/sportscenter/status/1446192773074456577

Should the Giants and Jets count? They're in New Jersey - if thy do, why not the New Jersey Devils?

[webny99]

One thing that bothers me, though... why is Josh Allen pictured here? It's clearly about New York City sports:

[tweet snipped]

Should the Giants and Jets count? They're in New Jersey - if thy do, why not the New Jersey Devils?

Exactly... in no world should all 3 NFL teams count but not the Devils.

If it's referring to the city, then the Bills make no sense. But if it's referring to the state then no NJ teams count, and that would be even weirder.

[webny99]

Have people from upstate NY accepted that people tend to associate "New York"  with one of the most famous cities in the world, as opposed to the largely rural and nondescript area that is upstate by comparison? (I know that there is a lot to like about upstate but IMO upstate residents should not be offended by "New York"  and "New York City"  being synonymous.)

Absolutely not. Heck, people upstate haven't even accepted the city itself, let alone other people's perceptions of it!

Now I'm curious if this is serious to some degree, or completely tongue-in-cheek. It's almost the opposite of my answer, although I decided to give what I thought was an honest answer while carefully avoiding "taking the bait".

(And I hope you don't mind me answering some of the questions here - Feel free to let me know if you do  )