#17: Urban Solitude Is a Thing
This is good advice. Out-of-town visitors might not be familiar with the New York state of mind, but people in the Big Apple, or any big, metropolitan city, for that matter, value their solitude and privacy. Perhaps it’s because that’s all they know or that they’re used to it. Whatever the reason, when visiting New York, keep this in mind: in New York, it’s considered impolite to maintain eye contact with another person or acknowledge them in any way.
New Yorkers don’t need this reminder, so this is obviously meant for tourists. Perhaps in rural areas of the U.S. or other countries in the world, it’s acceptable to smile at passers-by, hold doors for them, or tip them a hat simply to acknowledge them, but in New York, it’s the opposite—it’s considered rude and an invasion of their privacy. New Yorkers, go figure.