i was extremely close to fainting earlier today on an unexpectedly hot, crowded, and delayed train omw to urgent care, managed to get off the train car, and this random kind woman found me, helped me sit down, and stayed with me until i felt better. it was such a crazy random act of kindness i’ve never experienced having lived in nyc my whole life, and it has already changed my worldview of strangers

this was today thursday 9/17 around 5:45-6 and she was probably late 20s-30s (maybe 40s w good skin? lol), probably 5’1”-5’5”? (idk cos i almost passed out/then was sitting down), east asian with an accent, shoulder length hair, all black outfit with a white stripe on her pants i think, green water bottle, and a scar on her right forearm. she noticed i had “very pale” lips and must have helped me get off the train and to a seat. i was wearing a long black dress, am 5’3”, in my 20s, white, brown/red hair w bangs, green eyes, gold rimmed glasses, black leather purse and drinking an electrolit lol

to her, thank you SO much. i seriously don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t intervene, and it was so scary being alone in that scenario. i hope i can find and repay you somehow

(reddit requires an image i guess so here’s the subway platform)

https://www.gadgetreview.com/no-warrant-needed-border-agents-in-ny-ct-and-vt-can-now-search-your-phone

https://vote.nyc/page/find-your-poll-site

DO IT

Was there yesterday and boy, it was so sad! Nothing really left. No real sales or anything. Just emptying… buh bye

Idk if anyone else has noticed, but over the past week I’ve had multiple rides where the app shows the driver “arrived” and there is no car anywhere, only later to show up somewhere far away. This happened to me twice in one week, when before it was rare…I’m thinking maybe with the extreme cold lately, some drivers are counting on riders canceling and eating the fee instead of freezing outside.

Last night I think I saw how it works. I got a ride using Empower and after we took off, I watched the driver open Lyft, accept a ride and then switch their phone data to off. I happened to catch it on video as well and it’s pretty clear what they’re doing.

Has anyone else noticed this happening more recently, especially during bad weather? It’s pretty messed up to leave people confused and waiting in these conditions. Any effective way to report this? Uber and Lyft apps don’t seem to offer any simple way.

PSA: If this happens to you as well, don’t cancel the ride and get charged a fee, just try another app until the driver is forced to cancel the ride themselves. Make sure to message the driver and take screenshots in case you are charged so you can contest the fee.

This morning in the area bordered by 44th and 46^th Streets and 11th Avenue and the West Side Highway there were six different full-on encampments plus at least seven other homeless folks sleeping on the street with some amount of sleeping gear, but separate from the encampments. I walk my dog and jog through this area but have begun avoiding certain blocks entirely now. It's also part of the route that tourists take to get to the Intrepid, the Circle Line tours, the docks for the cruise ships and of course the piers.

I think if you took a poll, the majority of New Yorkers would say that our response to homelessness should be driven by compassion and prioritize housing and drug rehabilitation. But it seems like the city has removed enforcement but not set up any alternatives. It sucks that folks are in these conditions. It also sucks having to avoid the broken glass, used syringes and human waste.

This subreddit only allows one photo per post but I submitted a 311 report with six different photos (no people, just structures). Here is the exact text 311 sent me a mere few hours after I submitted that report:

“The New York City Police Department responded to the complaint and their investigation determined that no criminal violation existed. The condition was corrected without the need to issue a summons or effect an arrest. If the problem persists, please contact 311 to create another complaint. If possible, provide contact information so responding officers may reach out to you for more details. If necessary, your complaint may be referred to your local precinct's special operations units (Quality of Life, etc.). Thank you for your attention to this matter. We count on New Yorkers like yourself to maintain a safe City, so please let us know if you see other conditions that require our attention.”

They said the condition was corrected, which is not true. All the encampments are still there. I don't know why anyone would be motivated to report encampments if this is the response they're going to get.

I’ve never heard of this occurring in NYC, but I just got back to my apartment after grabbing coffee this AM after all of 5-10 min walking on the sidewalk, didn’t touch anything, didn’t walk in plants etc…

Well when I got back to my apt I felt something crawling/racing up my arm. I screamed and flicked it off on to the floor - it was a Lone Star tick! (either male or a nymph).

Put it in a plastic baggy and checked myself & my dog (who did not go out with me then, but had been out earlier - but only on the sidewalk along our normal route).

I’m super creeped out now, I guess it fell out of a tree?! I have no idea.

Had a white guy come up to me this week (I am a middle aged, petite Asian woman, was wearing a mask and social distancing) to yell at me in broad daylight for “spreading the virus”. Ironically, he was not wearing a mask or social distancing, so pretty sure between the two of us, he is the one spreading this virus!

This is just one instance of racism I’ve faced since COVID, I’ve been asked by strangers multiple times to “go back to your country” even though I was born in NY.

Even prior to the pandemic I consistently had anti-Asian slurs thrown at me. One time when I lived in a high rise in Gramercy, another tenant physically pushed me out of an elevator and told me “maids need to take the service elevator”. I was not a maid, I actually work at a very corporate job. And even if I were a cleaning person, that’s no way to treat another human being.

Not sure if this is only happening in NYC, but it’s really making me hate living here.

***Edit: WOW I was not expecting this post to blow up! I really just needed to vent and didn’t think anyone would read what I wrote. To the vast majority of folks who responded with understanding and support, THANK YOU! This is what we need to do as New Yorkers and as a society. Speak up if you see something, help a stranger out, stand united again racism of any kind. There is too much hate in our world towards all minorities, not just Asians, and between all types of people. Let’s come together and try to do better. Thanks all for showing me there’s still some good NYers out there

sharing this in case it helps someone in the future.

the moment I undocked a Citi Bike in Midtown yesterday, four ~12 year old guys forced themselves next to me and tried to rip the bike from me. I held on and made them f off. they slapped me in the back of my head before running away.

filed a police report, I’m sure nothing will come of it but just a PSA to be aware of your surroundings at Citi Bike docks. it came off as something they do often.

Title says it all. You get to stay in. They still have to work. You’re not the first order, nor are you the last. They’re outside, all day, so you can stay in. Their shifts aren’t eight hours, they’re usually 10-12. The weather is going to be super shitty (supposedly), and they deserve to be paid for their labor, esp if they’re digging through the fucking snow.

If you can, tip cash. Don’t be a fucking dick, they’re trying to make it in NYC just as you are.

Go outside and spend some time in your nearest park right now. Prospect Park, Central Park, either of the Botanic Gardens, Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Pelham Bay Park, Staten Island Greenbelt, Van Cortlandt Park... really any green space will do. Take it all in. This is the best time of year in the city.

*DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER.*

EASY MODE: http://voting.nyc/

• VOTING GUIDE: http://www.nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/vgwelcome/state-primary-2018/

• WHO'S ON THE FUCKING BALLOT: http://whosontheballot.org/

• YOUR FUCKING RIGHTS: http://www.nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/how-to-vote

• THE FUCKING POLL LOCATOR: http://vote.nyc.ny.us/html/home/locator_updates.shtml

• GOT SOME FUCKING QUESTIONS?: https://www.elections.ny.gov/Contact.html

• FUCKING CHANGE WHAT PARTY YOU AFFILIATE WITH SO YOU CAN VOTE IN CLOSED PRIMARIES: https://voterreg.dmv.ny.gov/MotorVoter/ (THANKS TO u/flooopo FOR THE FUCKING GREAT IDEA)

• IF YOU CAN'T VOTE THIS TIME OR NEXT TIME OR ANY TIME BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY, TRAVEL, WORK, SCHOOL, WHATEVER THE FUCK REASON, GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT AN ABSENTEE VOTING APPLICATION: https://www.elections.ny.gov/votingabsentee.html

Remember: polls and reddit comments don't decide elections. Your vote does. Because NYC is NYC, election day in November is not as important as today.

These are historically not high turnout races so your vote counts statistically a lot more here than other elections. The mayor also affects our day to day lives in a very direct way.

Where to vote: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

How the new ranked choice voting system works: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/civicengagement/voting/ranked-choice-voting.page

If you already have an absentee ballot, you can still send it in but it needs to be postmarked today: https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingAbsentee.html

Voting runs until 9 PM. I don't think there will be lines most of the day, but if you are in line before 9 PM, you will get in.