Overheard in New York - Which DUer was this

[seemunkee]

Reading the Overheard in NY website and found this:

Tourist: Could you give us directions to Olive Garden?
NYer: No, but I could give you directions to an actual Italian restaurant

[Momgonepostal]

1. HA!

Who does to the Olive Garden when visiting NY? There must be thousands of fantastic Italian restaurants there!

[BurtWorm]

2. TONS of people go there.

In Times Square. Without knowing that two blocks over, on 9th Avenue, you can have your pick of world cuisines.

:eyes:

[Momgonepostal]

5. That blows me away

I live in a place where we don't have lots of great Italian restaurants, so if I were to go to NYC, I would totally hit the authentic places. I could go to Olive Garden anytime. GOOD Italian food would be a real treat.

[AllegroRondo]

3. Im amazed!

a New Yorker who actually gives directions to strangers on the street? WOW!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. i do all the time...

:P

[AllegroRondo]

6. Yes, but you're exceptionally nice.

:hi:

[BurtWorm]

7. New Yorkers get a bum rap.

We're a lot more helpful and open to visitors than our rep suggests.

I take the M60 bus, which goes between the Upper West Side and LaGuardia Airport via 125th Street in Harlem, to and from work every day. It's always packed with tourists or visitors (whose large suitcases clog the aisles, making it difficult for us working stiffs to move around). I love overhearing conversations tourists are having with passengers as they ask for directions. A typical one goes like this:

Bus driver announces, as bus pulls off Triborough Bridge from Queens into Manhattan: 125th and Second Avenue

Tourist, heavily burdened with luggage, standing and confusedly looking at map over New Yorker's head, to New Yorker: Is this where I get the subway?

New Yorker: Which subway are you going to?

Tourist: 125th Street Station.

(There are 4 subway stations on 125th Street from east side to west side. Every subway station on 125th Street is called "125th Street")

New Yorker: Okay, but which train?

Tourist (looking nervously at crumpled directions): The Second Train.

New Yorker: You mean the Number 2?

Tourist (double checking): Yeah. The second.

New Yorker: That's Lenox Avenue.

Tourist: This stop?

New Yorker: No, just stay put to Lenox. It's a few stops. The driver will announce it.

Tourist returns to seat and says to companion (confidently and loudly so all tourists and New Yorkers will know he's a pro): We take the second train at Lemon Avenue. The driver will announce it.