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How to Drive in NYC Without Losing Your Mind (or Car)

In New York City, there are almost 4 million registered drivers. It’s a busy and hectic city, so most people choose to take public transit or taxis to get to their destinations.

Whether you’re moving to NYC or you’re planning on vacationing there, you may be opting to get on the road yourself instead of relying on others to get you places. If you’re wondering how to drive in NYC, then keep reading. In this article, we’ll give you some tips and tricks to making driving in NYC easier.

Don’t Turn on Red!

In most of the country, you can turn right on a red light, so long as you make a complete stop and check for oncoming traffic or pedestrians first. But this isn’t the case in NYC.

Here, you’re not allowed to turn right on red lights, so don’t make that mistake. There are a few streets where there are signs indicating you can do so, but that’ll be rare.

Research Parking Garages Beforehand

Parking can be expensive in NYC, but you can find some good deals if you know where to look. Before you embark on your journey through the city, go online, do some research, and write down the best parking garages so you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg when you want to park.

If you’re driving around and a garage sign has an amazing rate, make sure to check the fine print. Usually, they’ll say “up to half an hour” in tiny font on the bottom.

Take a Picture of Where You’ve Parked

The blocks can start melting together in your mind, so it may be confusing as to where you’ve parked your car. Take a picture of your car in the garage, and then either write down the cross streets or take advantage of the photo metadata (if you have it turned on, it can show the location of where you took the photo).

Not only can this be beneficial in locating your car, but also in filing any disputes if your car gets ticketed or towed. Both are common occurrences in NYC, so the more evidence you have of you following the law, the better.

Double Check Your License Restrictions

If you have any drivers license restrictions, you need to ensure you can still drive in NYC legally; otherwise, you risk hefty fines and citations if caught. Plus, if you get into an accident, it can cause some major problems with your insurance company.

Most people have restrictions on their licenses, so take a good look at yours to learn exactly what it’s for and if you can drive safely in the city.

Learn How to Drive in NYC Smoothly

How to drive in NYC isn’t so hard; it just takes some practice and knowledge. With our tips and tricks in mind, you’ll navigate the city like a pro. So just take it easy and remember to breathe!

For more interesting reads, check out our other articles.

How Social Media Can Jeopardize Your Car Accident Injury Claim

It never fails. As soon as something great or terrible happens, someone reaches for the phone.

Are they calling their spouse or parent? Dialing 911?

Nope. They’re posting about it on Facebook or Twitter.

If you’ve found yourself in a car accident, think twice before uploading those pics on to Instagram. This thoughtless and commonly instinctive move can have a negative impact on your car accident injury claim.

Read on to find out how and why social media can jeopardize what you have coming to you.

Social Media and its Impact on Your Car Accident Injury Claim

“Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.”

Sound familiar?

The same goes for posting on social media. If you don’t believe us, here are 689 published reasons to keep your private legal business off of the internet.

If you’re taking selfies on roller coasters and showing everyone on Instagram that you’re a hit at the toga party, even the best personal injury lawyers won’t be able to help you.

Romano v. Steelcase

In this case, an office worker had her chair collapse. She filed suit, claiming that the injuries sustained during the incident left her unable to leave home and socialize with friends.

The defense used her own social sites against her, showing pictures of her clearly outside of her home. They made note of the vast number of smiley face emojis, crippling her claim for emotional damages.

The World is Watching

When you file a car accident injury claim, you need to assume that you are being watched.

Your insurance company does not want to pay you. Their defense in your case will be to prove that you are exaggerating your injury claim or outright lying about it.

It’s likely that they will hire a private investigator to watch your every move. Something as mundane as yard work could be enough to bring the extent of your injuries into question.

Your social site profiles are public record despite the privacy claims of these social media sites. While no one wants to see selfies of injured or depressed people, the opposite can be used to show that any emotional damages or mental anguish claims are false.

Keep Your Mouth (And Your Fingers) Shut

You’re mad. We get it. You were just driving down the road, minding your own business, and then Bam!

The little old lady from down the street t-bones your brand new Honda.

While these kinds of events can be infuriating, it’s important to not let your emotions get the best of you.

“Rage posting” on social media when you’re trying to file a car accident injury claim is one of the worst things you can do for yourself.

Don’t talk about your case. Don’t talk about your medical diagnosis. Do not, under any circumstances, mention any communication that you’ve had with insurance companies or your lawyer.

The Best Possible Practice

We’ve talked a lot in this post about what you shouldn’t do when it comes to social sites and your car accident injury claim.

So what can you do on social media?

You can remove yourself from it. While you’re being watched and anything that you post can be used against you, you should be a ghost on the internet.

When the dust has settled on your dispute, you can return to your normal, social self.