I love winter in New York. The deep cold often keeps enough people inside that I can walk on city streets without bumping into anyone for blocks.
The snow — even after it turns flannel gray — displays a certain beauty. Of course, there are more than 8 million people in NYC, so it’s important that everyone behaves and not ruin the season with carelessness.
Here are some rules to ensure everyone who loves winter — as I do — gets to enjoy it.
Cover properly. When it snows or rains, use an umbrella that’s an appropriate size. Are you Andre the Giant? Probably not, so don’t use an umbrella huge enough to cover 10 people. You could be compensating for something, but remember the sidewalks can be narrow and crowded. The oversized monstrosity can poke someone’s eye out.
Close it. While on the subway, don’t leave your umbrella open to dry. That’s not what the subway is for, and besides it probably will get wet again when you exit the train. Also, don’t leave open umbrellas in building hallways, restaurants and anywhere that isn’t your bathtub.
Build in extra time. If it’s snowing, give yourself extra travel time. If you’ve been in NYC longer than a year, you know that trains are often delayed, buses get stuck and the city will forget to plow Staten Island. So plan. That way, you don’t have to push your way into a subway car or bus seat, and you won’t have to pretend the weather made you late when you probably also overslept.
Dig it out right. If you find yourself digging your car out of the snow, don’t dump said snow in the middle of the street or on another car. It might be tough, but find someplace else. If you find a teenager to do it for you, pay him or her well. Teens could be off somewhere building obscene snowmen or throwing snowballs at buses. Better to keep them working.
Scoop it up. Mounds of snow don’t make dog poop disappear. For some reason, the white stuff makes some dog owners think it’s not necessary to pick up after their pooches. Trust me: When the snow melts, the poop will still line the sidewalk.
Whether you prefer large umbrellas or not picking up after your dog, remember we all live here. No reason we can’t get along and enjoy the season.
@Jewyorican and @ElBloombito.
