New Yorkers
I have now worked for 6 weeks in New York. I can tell you that most New Yorkers are actually polite people when you are dealing with them in the hospital. However, if you are riding your bike to the hospital, it is a totally different story. Yesterday I was hit by a car (at low speed) and the buckfutter didn't even stop to see if I was ok, despite the fact that my bicycle hit it so hard, there was a slight dent and I was left behind holding my foot in pain (i wasn't injured and neither was the bike thank god). Other times, I have been cussed at, whacked with a purse, and had crude things muttered at me by dirty people that smell like urine and sit on the street.
Actually, much of New York smells like urine. It's the first thing I smell as I step outside the lobby of the building I'm staying in. If you take any public elevator, you can always catch a whiff (of course that's true in many cities). Streets and subway stations all over town have the common smell of urine. And sometimes feces.
Of course the garbage smell predominates. Probably has to do with the Everests of trash bags that fill the streets at least twice a week. Even after the garbage truck takes them away, you are left with a strange putrid chunky liquid that remains on the side walk adn that you inadvertantly step in. Of course, then the hose brigades come out, and sit there spraying the sidewalk to get rid of the sludge and in the process end up splashing it up on to your pants (some of the nicer hose guys shut off the hose when you walk by to avoid this, but most of them just aim the water elsewhere, which still sends up enough toxic splash onto your clothes).
Also - pedicabs? What's the point? They are slow and probably charge more than a taxi to get you there in more time. At least the horse carriages are romantic (if smelly). Pedicabs are just annoying and they always block the road in front of them when traffic is heavy and I'm trying to squeeze by on my bike. Do pedicabs really make a decent profit? The only advantages i can think of is environmental friendliness, and the drivers develop nice glutes. OK that's enough ranting for today.