Shiloh in the City

I’m starting to get the impression that people think New Yorkers are a strange breed. Why? Because it appears that people ask Google a lot of questions about us. Type in “why do New Yorkers” into the Google search box and a never-ending list appears. It seems that people want to know why New Yorkers eat the things we do, why we say the things we say, and why we hold certain beliefs. Well, as your personal New York guide, I’m here to save you the time and effort of doing a day’s worth of Google searches by answering all your questions about New Yorkers in one place. Here are the top questions googled about New Yorkers, answered by me, your friendly New York explorer.

Why do New Yorkers wear black?

That’s an easy one. We wear black because it’s stylish and flattering. Plus it hides the dirt and grime of the city. You won’t always catch New Yorkers wearing black in the warmer months because we love to show off our inner fashionistas in the summer. But you’ll definitely see a sea of black coats in the winter as you’re walking down the street.

Why do New Yorkers talk so fast?

Because in New York, time is money. The more time we spend yakking away means the less money going into our bank accounts.

Why do New Yorkers walk so fast?

For the same reasons we talk fast. So much to do, so little time.

Remember: if you want to amble or you can’t keep up with us, stay on the edges of the sidewalk so you don’t get in our way.

Why do New Yorkers work so much?

It’s part necessity and part culture. From its inception, New York has been a money-making venture. That was its residents’ raison d’être back in the 1600s and still is today. But while some people hustle hard because they have big dreams, others have to hustle because they have big bills to pay. Rent, decent schooling, food: everything costs a lot of money in this town. If you don’t work hard, you don’t survive.

Why do New Yorkers wear Timbs?

For those who aren’t in the know, “Timbs” is short for Timberlands, a brand of durable, waterproof boots. Most people usually go for the classic tan Timbs, but you can also find them in other colors. According to Kulture Hub, the boots were popularized by NYC drug dealers who needed stylish, warm, weatherproof shoes to wear as they stood at street corners waiting for customers. But for those same reasons, Timbs have evolved from being a drug dealer’s boot to an everyman’s boot. Put a pair of these babies on one winter and you’ll understand the hype.

Why do New Yorkers drive crazy?

New Yorkers drive crazy because the traffic drives us crazy. In New York, you’re not just sharing the road with other cars. You’re sharing it with unending streams of pedestrians (some of whom may or may not be crossing at the crosswalk); you’re sharing it with buses that pull out and pull over on ever other block; you’re sharing it with garbage trucks that stop every few feet to pick up trash bags; you’re sharing it with cyclists who weave in between cars; and you’re sharing it with delivery trucks that are too often double-parked and take up half of the road. With all these elements to consider, you’ve got to drive a little aggressively if you ever want to get where you’re trying to go.

Why do New Yorkers honk so much?

It’s the only way for drivers to effectively communicate their frustration about why traffic isn’t moving fast enough!

Why do New Yorkers own cars?

Although New Yorkers love to boast about our huge transit system, the truth is that for most New Yorkers who live outside Manhattan, the subway isn’t easily accessible and waiting for a bus is often a test of patience. So if you want to get from point A to point B in the outer boroughs, the quickest way to do so is by car. Finding parking, however, is a whole other story.

Why do New Yorkers curse so much?

If the cost of rent where you lived was always too damn high, you worked around the clock every damn day, you constantly had to deal with noisy-ass construction everywhere, you had to rely on the slow, sh****-ass subway, and roaches, rats, and m************ bed bugs lurked in every dark corner, you’d curse a lot too.

Why do New Yorkers say ‘on line’?

The only halfway decent answer I can find to this question comes from a Reddit user who says, “[A] line is a 2 dimensional geometric object. You cannot be in a line. That’s physically impossible. You can only be standing on a line. So that probably means New Yorkers know their geometry.”

Why do New Yorkers call subs ‘heroes’?

According to Ephemeral New York, New Yorkers started calling sub sandwiches ‘heroes’ sometime during the 1930s, after a New York Herald Tribune food writer, apparently astonished by the size of the sandwich, said that only a hero could finish eating that. I don’t think heroes are that shockingly large, but regardless, the name stuck. So the next time you order a sandwich from a bodega, you’ll sound like a real New Yorker if you tell them that you want a hero.

Why do New Yorkers say ‘brick’?

‘Brick,’ in New York-ese, means ‘extremely cold.’ For example, when a New Yorker steps outside on a winter day, they might say, “Brrr! It’s brick out here!”

Why do New Yorkers say ‘mad’?

When a New Yorker uses the word ‘mad,’ it usually doesn’t mean that they’re angry. ‘Mad’ is New York-speak for ‘very.’ For example, “Those kicks are mad dope” means “Those shoes are very cool.”

Why do New Yorkers call Manhattan ‘the city’?

Even from colonial times, Manhattan has been the most urban area in the region. Everywhere else was either small towns or farms. So if you were going to Manhattan, you’d be going to the city. Even though the farms and country estates of the outer boroughs have now been replaced by apartment buildings, Manhattan is still New York’s most urban center.

Why do New Yorkers fold their pizza?

Folding your pizza makes it easier to eat a slice on the go without the oil, sauce, and toppings spilling all over you. It’s a useful technique even if you’re not on the move.

Why are New York bagels the best?

The secret is in the water.

Why do New Yorkers bite?

Bite? What type of absurd question is this? Why is this a popular Google search? Are there New Yorkers going around biting people? If so, they are giving the rest of us a bad name because that is not a common thing that we do.

Why do New Yorkers hate the Bronx?

Whoa! Hold up! Who said we hate the Bronx? Some of us may fear it. Some of us may not understand it. Some of us may hate Robert Moses for cutting through it with his highways. But we certainly do not hate the Bronx as a whole. Especially because there are so many things about the Bronx to love. Read this book if you need convincing.

Why do New Yorkers avoid Times Square?

Times Square, even before its current iteration as a technicolor nightmare, has always been a place that New Yorkers avoided. Up until the 1990s, the area was super seedy, known for its sex motels, peep shows, and high crime. You only went to Times Square if you were up to no good. Since its clean-up in the 1990s, Times Square is more of a tourist trap than a den of debauchery. Nonetheless, there’s not really anything there that locals want or need that we can’t find in a less congested part of the city, except, of course, the Broadway theaters. That’s the only reason you’ll find locals in Times Square.

Why do New Yorkers hate New Jersey?

I wouldn’t say we /hate/ New Jersey. It’s more of a sibling rivalry (although NJ isn’t much competition). We are the cool, popular, fashionable sibling and New Jersey is our dorky, younger sibling who likes to watch us from afar, pumping their fists.

Why do New Yorkers hate L.A.?

The traffic sucks, the people are fake, and you can’t walk anywhere because it’s too spread out. (But we’re secretly jealous of their weather and their healthy lifestyles.)

Why do New Yorkers move to Florida?

Better weather and cheaper prices.

Why do New Yorkers move to California?

Better weather and slightly cheaper prices.

Why do New Yorkers think they are special?

Because NYC is a special place. New York City has been a city of strivers and dreamers from the very beginning. You can feel that legacy and energy in the air every time you step outside. But New Yorkers think we’re special not only because we live in an incredible, diverse, interesting city, but also because we hustle hard to be here. It takes a special kind of strength to live in New York. There’s a reason why they say “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”

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