16 stories about how much real life in New York differs from the cinema

New York is the dream of many people. Not least thanks to films, but cinema does not show all aspects of life in this city, so many who dream of living in the “capital of the world” are not aware of its shortcomings. At the request of the publication Buzz Feed 20 New Yorkers talk about what pisses them off in this metropolis. Some even moved to another city due to the shortcomings of the Big Apple.

1. Smell, especially in summer

“I'm from Connecticut and was born and raised there. When I was 19, I decided to move to New York and live with my older brother. Once we were walking in Manhattan and I said, “What a horror! what is this smell? Smells like human shit! " And he told me something that I will never forget: “Whenever you are in New York and you think you smell human shit, you don’t think. You really smell human shit. "

2. It takes a long time to get anywhere

“Where I grew up, it was possible to get to the place, which was 5-8 km from home, in 10 minutes. In New York, this distance will take either 40-60 minutes by Uber, or involves a trip on several subways / buses for an hour, or a walk for more than an hour.

If you live near good metro lines, it will be much easier to get around. But to get somewhere, it still takes a lot of time. We just take it for granted. Today, for example, I went to town on business, and the metro ride took an hour. And I didn't even think about it, because it's okay here.

In my home state, spending an hour on a trip to the store or to the movies seemed like sheer madness to me. And let's talk more about how much easier life is when you have a car and there are places to park it in the city, wherever you go (hello, suburb!). I dream of owning a car, but insurance is insanely expensive in New York and most places I go only have tiny crowded parking lots that are insanely overpriced. ”

3. Requirements for the level of wages for rental housing

“A person with a $ 60 salary will not get approval to rent a $ 000 apartment because the salary has to be 1 times the rent. A one-bedroom apartment in a good neighborhood costs a minimum of $ 600. And the average salary for mid-level positions is $ 40-1 thousand with a full working week. That is, you do not have enough time for a second job, which means that we cannot afford to live in the city. Roommates are for college, not for life. ”

4. To rent an apartment, you need to give all your savings

“The sheer amount of money you have to set aside to rent an apartment is overwhelming. Rent for the first month; cost of at least one more month as a security deposit; sometimes you also need to pay for the last month. Plus a brokerage fee in the amount of one month's rent. I spent 15 years in New York and recently moved to another city and could not believe how relatively easy it was to get the right to rent an apartment and how little money they asked of me. No brokerage fees, low security deposit ... I can easily get used to it. ”

5. Tourists

“Tourists stop in the middle of the sidewalk or ride Citi Bike in disregard of traffic rules. I don’t want to be run over by a bicycle just because you don’t know what the red light means. ”

6. Indifference

“People in New York can no longer be impressed by anything, so they ignore everything. Once I saw a man fall down a subway staircase and land face down on the concrete. I called 911 because people just indifferently stepped over the person who was lying on the ground unconscious. They just don't care about human suffering. "

7. Disgusting winter weather

“Winter is killing me here. After a beautiful snowy day, nasty slush and ice sets in, which remain on the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings for several weeks. You are a real New Yorker if you can get over it! ”

8. Car as a luxury

“Having a car in New York is incredibly expensive. If you park in your garage every month, you have to pay a fortune. And you must notify them at least a few hours in advance if you need a car. If you decide to take a risk and look for street parking, then you will have to move your car all day so that city services can clean the streets. I cannot tell you how many times I drove for hours in search of a free space near our house, and then moved the car again because of the cleaning of the streets. "

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9. State of anxiety

“It is very rare to see a normal sunset here. You may get claustrophobic about all the people on the street and overhanging buildings. I lived there for 10 years, and at times I was definitely anxious. As soon as I began to wait with great impatience for the weekend outside the city, and not in the metropolis, I immediately thought about moving. "

10. Trap city

“You can't just pick up and leave New York for a couple of days. You never need a car within New York City. But if you want to go out of town for a weekend getaway, you have to pay a high price for a car rental or train ticket. It's easy to feel trapped in a city. ”

11. Loneliness

“This city is full of empty people. There is an immense sense of loneliness and isolation. The atmosphere of vanity is created by a selfish state of mind. And everyone does not stop asking “how are you” from others, but they do not even slow down at this moment. Nobody stops to take a breath. "

12. Huge rats

"Rats the size of a cat is real here. Be careful at night! ”

13. Queues

“Queues! Yes, because New York is big, there are a lot of events, surprise or limited tickets. Therefore, you will always wait in line. ”

14. Suffer or Pay

“Most apartments do not have air conditioning, or there is a built-in unit that does not really work. This is ok because you can always buy an air conditioning window unit. But in the summer months, when the heat reaches 35 degrees and all surfaces radiate it, you will pay a fortune for electricity. ”

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15. Dangerous people on the street

"The biggest downside to living in New York is the mental health crisis and the crisis of homelessness, which have escalated in recent years, even before the pandemic."

16. No privacy

“The number of people can be overwhelming. You are never alone. Most people have to live with a roommate or other person to pay their rent. Therefore, even in your own home, you most likely will not have the necessary privacy. There are always people near you. "