How to feel safe on the streets of New York

Cars have traffic lights to regulate them, walkers have the pedestrian signs to keep them in line, so who controls the bikers? Locals know that NYC bicyclists cannot be tamed and often ignore regular traffic rules. This includes electric scooters as well; People scoot to the beat of their own drummer. Before crossing a street, it’s important to make sure someone hurtling towards you on a bike or scooter, electric or not, will actually stop for you. This applies to the streets and in parks. It seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve almost lost a limb to a biker who didn’t want to stop. 

Carriage Rides: Central Park is one of the city’s most significant free attractions. Still, there are ways to accidentally spend a lot of money before you even enter. Lining the park’s entrances are many horse-drawn carriages as well as bikers offering pedestrians a ride. They may seem cute and fun, but I can assure you they are not cheap. Most often, you will be charged way more money than you were expecting for a very short ride around the park. Not to mention, the horses are kept in terrible conditions and should be set free rather than used as tourist traps.

Times Square Characters: Many visitors wonder, Are the people who dress in costume in Times Square safe? Let me shed some light on the issue. While the Elmos and Minnie Mouses walking around Times Square aren’t dangerous in a way that they might hurt you, they are still not your friends.

People often dress up as popular characters, including the Naked Cowboy (who’s not entirely naked), and ask anyone, but mostly families with children, for pictures with them. After the photo is taken, they may chase you down to ask you for money. I just avoid them at all costs. This goes for anyone trying to sell you free roses as well.

Coming from anywhere other than the northeast, it may feel customary to engage politely with other people, even those who approach you on the street. This is a mistake in the Big Apple. But don’t worry, ignoring the existence of other human beings is rooted in New York customs.

Solicitors lurk on street corners all over the city—in front of Lincoln Center, interrupting the crowds in Times Square, and some are even stationed in Central Park. It’s well within your rights to ignore them or give a polite “no thanks” and move on. I choose to avoid eye contact so they can’t suck me in.

I had an experience where I was cornered by a Central Park Conservancy member on my way to the Bethesda Fountain, hotdog in hand. She asked me if I had 30 seconds which turned into 30 minutes. When she finished her half-hour long speech, she asked me if I could donate $25 on my credit card, to which I obliged. Months later, I discovered that they had been taking $25 out of my bank account every month, which was not disclosed to me when I first donated. While the money went to a good cause, I would’ve appreciated the heads up.

Even though, in general, New York is safe, there are some bad apples in the Big Apple. For instance, pickpockets. Protecting your phone is an easy and essential part of the process when it comes to walking around the city. First rule of thumb: Don’t put anything in your back pockets. It’s a good idea to keep anything of value in your line of vision. If you have a passport, wallet, or phone that you usually leave in your backpack, consider putting it in a cross-body or deep front pocket instead. Some people suggest carrying a fake wallet to trick potential muggers, but I don’t find that to be necessary.

If you have your phone in hand, keep a nice, firm grip on it, because someone could swipe it right out of your hand if they really wanted to—and they do. Commonly in London, which I’ve kept in mind for New York as well, is a phenomenon of motorcyclists snatching phones out of people’s hands on the sidewalk as they pass. I’m always on alert for people on bikes.

Nothing good happens in Central Park after dark. The streets in the park have very little light, if any, and there are often very few people wandering around. In other words, there’s no one to hear you scream. 

If you’re looking for a safe area in New York to explore after dark, I always feel safe walking around Lincoln Center, as long as it’s not desolate. The Village is also a relatively safe neighborhood for a nighttime stroll, especially around NYU. I also find it safe—albeit horribly crowded and not fun at all—to walk around Times Square after dark. And on a warm summer’s eve, walking along Riverside Park South is often populated enough to feel safe. People are your worst enemies and biggest allies when it comes to walking at night.

My best advice is to stay alert, be aware of your surroundings, and if a situation makes you feel unsafe, follow that instinct. Past a certain hour, somewhere around 9:30 PM, I decide to reserve the rest of my walking energy for tomorrow. Although New York is the city that never sleeps, at some point in the night, the part of the city that remains awake becomes a little frightening.

If you’re trying to get that perfect holiday card photo in front of the Rockefeller tree, I would advise you to think carefully when choosing a photographer. I often ask another group of young women or an older couple to take my picture. There have been cases when someone will take your picture on your phone then make you pay them to get your phone back, if they don’t just run off with it. It’s not terribly hard to figure out who's scheming and who can be trusted, but it’s always smart to proceed with caution. Always think the worst of people when traveling around a big city.

I’m a person who needs to be listening to something when walking. Whether it’s a playlist I created or a podcast, there has to be some artificial noise playing in my ears as I walk around the city.

The Big Apple can scare people out of using headphones since they impede one of your five senses. But I’ve found that as long as you look like you’re paying attention (and actually are paying attention), you won’t come off like a helpless tourist, waiting to be targeted. Even if I can’t hear my surroundings, I’m always alert and looking over my shoulder, aware of potential unsavory characters. Walk with passion and purpose and you’re less likely to be victimized.