A New Yorker is likely to be a bit cynical when they read a cute little letter to the editor thanking someone for some act of kindness. All the same, it's the little things that keeps things running smoothly. This is surely seen when one rides the subway, which by the way often impresses with its mosaic of people of various races, nationalities, classes, ages, and so forth. Anyway, as noted in the book The Tipping Point, there was a time in the 1980s when the subway was endemic of the crime problem plaguing the city. I really did not ride it enough back then to know, but can tell you that these days, a subway ride is generally a painless experience. This is amazing given the amount of people who use it daily and is not limited to heavily traveled Manhattan locations.
It also clearly requires the support of all the riders. Your typical rider, though there are some exceptions (e.g., some younger school age sorts, who are noisy) are a generally circumspect bunch. New York City reputation for rudeness aside, there is some basic courtesy, as is needed when we are dealing with so many individuals. I saw a striking example on Monday -- various people politely dealt with a beggar (polite himself, scuzzy looking or not), who requested funds and matches (one woman told him, politely, that smoking on the platform is illegal). This sort of thing impresses me in that it suggests basic common courtesy. There is always ugliness somewhere behind the scenes and exceptions that suggest all is not well, but such dealings on a fairly deserted (if early evening) platform makes things seem pretty good.
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Interesting Article: Malpractice Made Perfect -- Twisting The Facts To Promote Tort "Reform."
About Me
- Joe
- This blog is the work of an educated civilian, not of an expert in the fields discussed.