Things are a tighter squeeze here in NY area. LA by comparison has more breathing room. Don't drive if you are afraid of squeezing between cars to within mere inches, or hate potholes, and you better be quick with your driving skills to keep up with the cabbies. I'd say crime is probably about the same, although there are more organized gangs in LA. And like LA, not all areas of NYC are bad. People here are usually not friendly . . . you're liable to get your ass kicked if you say hello to a stranger. They are rude, lewd, and self centered. But it's all good, coz that's just how it is around here, you get used to it . . . sooner or later, you become one of them, too. But don't let that discourage you- there are tons of things to do and see. And whatever you do, DON"T LOOK UP (at the buildings). That's a dead giveaway of a tourist
