Inside Voice: Real Tips for Navigating the Center of the Universe

Lately, I've noticed that my "inside voice" filter has been broken while among the masses. Instead of just thinking "keep walking," or "stop standing right in everyone's way," I have been saying these things out loud, in a matter-of-fact tone that I'd like to think of as likening Jiminy Cricket--your conscience, reminding you that you are not the only person in New York City!! I find this affliction hits a few major groups--tourists, people on the phone/texting/e-mailing, and people with kids. Here's a few tips for the tourists:

Tourism is good for the city, and we welcome you. However, take it from me, this is not Disney World. We are real people, with real lives, and that high-paced energy you feel is not something we do for show. We have real places to go, in a real hurry. Please at least try to adhere to our customs. This includes:

• We do not stand in front of Subway doors when a train arrives. We stand to the side so people can get off, and then we get on.
• We do not enter a Subway car and stand wherever we feel like it when there's a crowd of people behind us. We move to the center of the car.
• We do not haphazardly make our way up/down stairs. Stay to the right. Going up, going down.
• We do not randomly stop in the middle of a crowded sidewalk or Subway platform to talk, figure out where we're going, look at a map, take a picture, etc. We move to the middle of the platform, the edge of the sidewalk or near a building to do these things.
• We do not walk four across on a sidewalk, making it impossible for anyone to get around us. Especially if we are doing any of the things listed above.

In the meantime, please feel free to ask questions. We do welcome you--and will make every attempt to answer your questions, whatever language they are delivered in. I won't lie, I felt great yesterday when I was able to understand and answer a question in Spanish, even though my Spanish skills are pitiful.