Do you like to help tourists?

[FamousNYLover]

Do you like to help tourists in both in mass transit in USA, or outside transit like outside like on streets?

 

I always tries to help tourists.

 

If you have, please tell your story and also what is your favorite tourist's question?"

[Jonesy]

if Im in a good mood I will, sometimes they get in the way though.

[Y2Julio]

if Im in a good mood I will, sometimes they get in the way though.

 

Concur.

[INDman]

Only when I am in a good mood and sometimes just to mix it up a bit I'll use the line names. If someone asks me how to get from 5th Ave on the (N)/® line to JFK I might tell them to take the Broadway express to Times Square and transfer to the 8th Ave Express and take that to Howard Beach. IF you say it with confidence they usually go "oh ok that makes sense, but then what is the train?" The best was one time on the a family asked me if the train went to Coney Island just as the train pulled into South Ferry. I thought it was kinda funny, but gave them nice and clear directions.

[nycbusfan]

One time I was in Mill Basin waiting for the B100. When the BM1 pulled in two people got off. They first asked me where are we? I told them this is 56th Drive and Strickland Ave. They then told me that they were from out of town so I told them you are in Brooklyn. After I told the that they said they wanted to go to 54th Street and Fifth Ave. in Manhattan. When I asked them how they wound up in Brooklyn they told me that someone told them to take the 1 bus. I told them that if they wanted to take a local bus to make sure the the letter M was before the number. I then told them to take the B100 to Kings Hwy. and East 16th and then take the ( to 50th Street.

[Zman]

:mad:WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU ALL MEAN, "IF I'M IN A GOOD MOOD?!?!?"

 

If someone needs help, you should offer it whatever your mood is. What, if you visit a brand new city such as London or Los Angeles and you have no idea where you are, you're going to ask someone for help and pray that they're in a good mood? Give me a f-ing break.:mad:

[Y2Julio]

:mad:WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU ALL MEAN, "IF I'M IN A GOOD MOOD?!?!?"

 

If someone needs help, you should offer it whatever your mood is. What, if you visit a brand new city such as London or Los Angeles and you have no idea where you are, you're going to ask someone for help and pray that they're in a good mood? Give me a f-ing break.:mad:

I someone asks me for help I help them but I don't go out of my way to do so especially if I'm going some place important and I really don't have time to waste.

[metsfan]

If someone looks like they need help, or are just a noob i'll help them 110%.

 

If they are jerks when i'm just trying to help & i can find G rated words to tell them to piss off i'll do that 110% too. Sometimes this involves calling someone up & complaining bout them within a distance they can hear me.

 

- A

[Radioguy]

I'll help, but I take a step back to judge the situation first. A LOT of cons start this way.

[metsfan]

I'll help, but I take a step back to judge the situation first. A LOT of cons start this way.

 

Some people can be very touchy when you offer to help them, but it's worth it when someone's really in a fix an you make their day easier. Example: I was on a train from new york penn and i was standing to allow the noobs & tired people to sit (plus good for getting photos at stations), and i came across a family from spain. My spanish is not good enough to help these people, so i get resourceful & call my girlfriend, she's too busy & its too noisy so i call her dad who is fluent in spanish (first language) and i put the touristy family's dad on the phone w/ them. All the while the train is moving etc, the next stop sadly is princeton or new brunswick, so they gotta long trip ahead of them as they were supposed to get off at the airport (staying at the hotel there). Thru my woman's dad i tell them all they need to know, and a lost family from spain gets saved!:cool:

 

- A

[MTR Admiralty]

I usually do, if they bother to listen though.

Sometimes, they don't trust me, and asks a cop, who would give them the same information.

[Smoot178]

I know this isn't the way you wanted, I have a story. When I was in New York, I needed help alot. On all occasions, I received the help I needed and wanted. In fact, I was asked by some bystander that saw me looking at a map if I needed it.

 

For example, I was trying to find my way back to my hotel, but one track on a station, the track I would need to take, was closed. It was late night and I didn't know what the hell to do. This nice man told me everything I needed to know out of nowhere, seeing my frustration with the map at hand. It was great! I was very grateful of his help.

 

Then again when I got off the Staten ferry, the booth attendant carried on with a conversation with her friend in the booth, even though it was obvious I needed help.

[FamousNYLover]

Me, too.

When I visit Philadelphia 2nd time and I was going to catch NJ Transit bus after I got off at Market-Frankford Line at 5th St and I ask bystander, "Where is 6th St & Rice St and nice Philly people told me.

 

On third time, after I got off R-7 at Market East, I ask employee or SEPTA or by stander, "Where is Campo's?" and they kindly help me.

Market East was huge and I got lost. I also ask couple of officers and doormen.

SEPTA #17 bus happen to come by and took it to there.

After Campo, I ask "Where was Liberty Bell" and they direct me to there."

 

I also ask where was Juniper Station and nice folk told me.

 

Also, when I went to Palisade Mall, I got lost looking for bus shelter because they do not have clear SIGN. I ask folks and parking and they point me directly to bus shelter.

 

When I was in Bridgeport, CT, I ask folk there and taxi where was Quiznos and Bridgeport Public Library and Bus Station and they kindly told me and pointed the way.

 

Same when I was visitng Walt Whitman Mall.

 

I'm still search through Straphangers Campaign post that I made about helping tourists.

[SubwayGuy]

I will help someone so long as they aren't doing or do something that is pissing me off (ie if they're being rude). I give them directions if I have them, if I don't know I say I don't know and ask them for better information so I can get them where they're going (ie the person who asks out of nowhere "how do I get to 4337 blahblah street")

 

One thing that REALLY grinds my gears is when I give someone proper directions and they either 1) get a second opinion right in front of me, particularly if the second opinion is wrong or 2) question my directions based on the limited understanding that got them lost in the first place.

 

Just to give an example of not helping someone being rude that happened recently, I was on a Metro North train and talking to my friend on the phone, and this lady next to me is shooting me dirty looks even though I'm keeping it clean and low, then as soon as a seat opens up she bolts out of there, I mean what the hell, I shower every morning so where is she running? Anyway to be nice (i'm off the phone by this point) I reach over to the seat and grab her ticket which she of course forgot and say "you probably want to take this with you, it's your ticket so the conductor won't ask you again" she just goes "OH" real rude and snatches it, and I hear her mutter something about getting off at South Norwalk, then I put my head against the glass and forget about it.

 

Anyway South Norwalk rolls around and I hear her blabbing off with her friend that she met up with on the train and not getting off, so I just say F*** it, and laugh on the inside as the train pulls out and I hear her screaming "oh s*** oh s***"

 

Now if she woulda been nice, maybe things woulda gone a bit differently...

 

Just an example, but I almost always try to help people out who are lost

[JJr142]

I know you may not like it when someone gets a second opinion in front of you subwayguy, but sometimes if you ask someone for directions, that person might give you the wrong directions and you might get lost, but in some ways, its the right thing to do to ask someone else for the same directions just to make sure. Anyone agree wih me?

[FamousNYLover]

I know you may not like it when someone gets a second opinion in front of you subwayguy, but sometimes if you ask someone for directions, that person might give you the wrong directions and you might get lost, but in some ways, its the right thing to do to ask someone else for the same directions just to make sure. Anyone agree wih me?

I agree.

 

When I was going to Riverdale Library on Mosholu Av and I ask byspass where is Mosholu Avenue and he told me it was otherside of park. (Maybe he thought I was asking for Mosholu Parkway).

But I didn't go for his direction. I follow the walking direction on Hopstop.

[SubwayGuy]

I know you may not like it when someone gets a second opinion in front of you subwayguy, but sometimes if you ask someone for directions, that person might give you the wrong directions and you might get lost, but in some ways, its the right thing to do to ask someone else for the same directions just to make sure. Anyone agree wih me?

 

Well when they are being given right information from someone who knows what they are talking about and sounds like they know what they're talking about, it's stupid to second guess. In fact I've seen people second guessing directions they get from MTA employees by asking OTHER PASSENGERS. So yes it's a very valid pet peeve when people do that. If I don't know how to help them I simply say "i don't know" and then they can ask someone else, no problem, but if you're going to ask ME and i know and i tell you, it's disrespectful to ask someone else...after all if you're just going to ask them anyway then why ask me in the first place??

[Cait Sith]

I got a kiss from this really cute girl about my age while helping her and her family out @ Chinatown, directing them to Times Square. They got lost because someone directed them on the wrong train and they ended up @ canal street. As I got off my Train walking towards the exit @ the platform, they came from the front of the platform and asked me how to get to Times Square, so I told them that I would take them there safely.

 

So we jump on an Train from Canal Street. They were asking me all sorts of questions like what are other places of interest and how do I manage to survive in the city and such. I basically said " When you are born and raised here, you are built to survive in New York City :D"

 

So as I walked them to Times Square towards the exit, they thanked me and the daughter kissed me on the lips, not lying about this, i'm being 100% honest, and they smiled with approval, which surprised me cause i'm like a total stranger to these people. The best thing was that I got her phone # :D:D:D. I'm being 100% dead honest about this too XD

 

I always like to help tourists. It would be rude not to help them. It feels good to help someone that is lost and cant find their way to their destination. But of course, gotta be cautious sometimes

[Y2Julio]

Did you ever call her?

[Cait Sith]

Oh hell yeah I have, still do

[Y2Julio]

Long distance booty calls eh?

[Cait Sith]

Not really long distance, they live in Long Island, close to Mineola Terminal. They dont travel around the city that much which boggles my mind. But hey, it was worth helping them out. Her parents like me ! And she comes to the city to hang out with me!

[FamousNYLover]

I finally found it.

 

Sometimes I help them, too. One time, when I was at 5th Av/53rd St E/V Station, I spotted Japanese male tourists and they wanted to go to South Ferry. That was during Shuttle Bus GO and I was heading same way, so I escorted them onto train to 42nd St, longest passegeway to Times Square and caught express train to Chambers St. Then, we walk to North End Av/Warren St and caught BPC Shuttle Bus to Battery Park.

One time when I was switching from Broadway to Lexington Av Lines at Atlantic Av-Pacific St, I escorted them, too because they were heading same way.

Another time was German female tourists at 49th St and I was again going same way, so I escorted them on (during GO- via Broadway Express) to Rector St and we tried to catch Subway Shuttle Bus but they we didn't know what corner it stopped, so it skipped us.

On Easter Sunday, after we got off SIF at St. George's, I helped another first time tourist and sugget they should go to Staten Island Zoo, so I told them to take SIR, then take S53 bus.

 

One time on weekend, lots of tourist ask people, "Is this ( train?" One time, I told my friends doesn't run on the weekend.

One long time ago at uptown local platform at Rock, there was Japanese couple I met at MET Museum's Japanese Highlight Tour and they were waiting for weekday because they wanted to get to 53rd St but I told them only serve during weekdays.

One time during another GO- (NO bet. West 4th St & WTC), there was Japanese couple trying to get to 42nd St, but since this GO allow to LWE-2nd Av Station and I was heading same way, so we caught uptown via 6th Av to 42nd St.

Lot of people ended up on express station with no crossover, and some people have to take local to nearby station for crossover like 68th, 96th, 103rd Sts except if it was express.

Lot of tourist think express stations are connected together.

 

When I saw tourists looking at subway map in front of Metropolitan Museum of Art, I asked them, "Do you need help with subways/buses? I am expert on buses and subways."

When my friend at Information Desk tells tourist, I tell help my friend tells tourists to do this instead.

In the MET, I always advise my friend at Info desk at MET when train doesn't go to 190th St and take M4 to avoid changing or getting off at bad neighborhood because of rumor.

One time, when I was on Brooklyn-bound train longtime ago, I was nervous because Brooklyn's not really good neighborhood either.

When I took my another foreign friend to WTC restaurant, I helped them from MET during the GO.

I still remember one time when I helped Japanese tourists at MET Museum and after museum, they were going to Yankees, so I help them because due to Yankee's backup old 167th St construction, I took them to 170th St and caught Shuttle Bus to 167th St and I told them to keep going straight south to 161st St entrance.

I always be help to people who plan to take subway or buses.

One time when I was walking east on 82nd St near Lexington Av, I spotted someone looking at Manhattan Bus Map. I ask them what they were looking for and they told me "7th Av."

I told them there was no 7th Av in this area, and they told me 7th Av around 50s, so I suggested they take Lexington Avenue Buses, M102 or M103 around the corner or 5th Av for M1, M2, M3, M4 and take that to 56th St, go back up north to 57th St, cross 57th St and take any 57th St Buses and they suggested on Lexington Avenue Buses. They were very happy and they told me I was very kind.

 

Few days ago, when I was walking north along 3rd Av past 85th St NYCT/MTA Bus Stop, there was one lady waiting for uptown 3rd Av buses but she didn't know bus stop is moved. Even there's sign on the bus stop, it looks like flier. So, I told her that all buses stop on other side, sharing bus stops with Eastchester Depot.

Yesterday afternoon, since it was Memorial Day, I got interested in all bus manufactures. I saw Nova RTS, Orion V, Orion VII Low-Floor Hybrid, New Flyer Artic at 5th Av & 84th St NW corner. Since it was Memorial Day, Sunday schedule was in effect, so I was saying, "NO SOUTH FERRY BUS! All Buses East Village & Penn Station Only! For South Ferry, take M1 to 14th, 12th, 9th Sts and transfer to M6. I had my insider guide to buses, Manhattan buses. I was making sure no one waits for "South Ferry" bus because no South Ferry direct from 5th Av M1. Few people didn't know about that because when I said, "All buses and subways SUNDAY schedule, they ask me Sunday."

One lady with suitcase was waiting for M4 when she came to bus stop. She saw M4 bus that was going fast, bus driver didn't recognize. Finally she got on M4 around 1700 hours.

On the way home to Normade Court, I saw eldery woman with "Transfer" was about to stand at ex-85th St Bus Stop and I told her that bus stop on 86th-87th Sts premise at ex-NYBS stop. I also told teenager with MetroCard to go to Eastchester Bus Depot Stop at 86th-87th Sts.

I was saying "All Inwood/Riverdale, uptown 3rd Av buses at 86th-87th Sts on ex-NYBS stop!"

 

1/16/2007 posted on Straphangers Campaign-Yesterday, at Broadway/Canal St, one M1 customer got on SI-bound X1 by mistake and driver let her off at her destination after she explain the driver. Everyone get confuse bet. X1 and M1 because they both run on 5th Av SB and X6/X7 is mistaken for M6/M7, right?

[Cait Sith]

damn, those are crazy stories

[Jonesy]

if it involves a bus route then sure I'll help like the other day this one lady was trying to get to our Science Center I told her what bus to catch, where to catch it and where it will let her off I know the streets here like the back of my head I just get a little lazy sometimes lol I've had alot of accent people come at me and I dont understand but I try to work with them to get what their saying out.