March 29, 2006
How to Find Your Way When Leaving the Subway
Here's a situation we've all faced: you take the train to somewhere and walk out the closest exit. Then you look around, trying to figure out where you are, and which direction you need to walk to get where you are going. Sometimes it's not a big deal to find your way-- if there's an obvious landmark, like the Empire State Building or Citibank Building in view, for instance-- but often times you have to walk a block or two to see which way the street signs are going. Always helpful, Kottke just sent us a link to this guerilla graffiti project-- the idea is that some of us streetart types would print out these stencils, and then hit the streets outside the exits of the 470+ train stations. Of course this plan depends on the graffiti artist knowing the correct direction to point the stencil, and on trusting that they want to point you in the right direction.
Until someone puts this plan into action, here are some tips that serve us well when leaving the subway:
-- Read the signs-- they often tell you what corner the stairway opens on to (Northeast corner of Essex and Delancey, for instance.)
-- Use the power of the sun-- in the morning, it's generally in the east, in the afternoon, it's in the west
-- Know the major streets-- 5th Avenue points south, Lafayette goes north, etc.
-- Topography: Manhattan generally slopes up in a northern direction
-- Try to keep track of the train-- often you have to turn a few times walking out, but if you know the train is moving North, you can often figure out what direction you are walking just from that.
Do you guys have any other strategies for finding your way?
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i usually go with the train direction bit. that and sometimes the exit will say "NE Corner of" or something like that.
I always remember, East of Eden or East is even, for knowing the direction. No sun at night and this has always worked.
"generally" in the east? because not everyone's morning is the same? ;)
Keeping track of the train is the way to go. Generally you're making 90 degree turns in the subway station, so you can think:
"this train is going north, now I'm walking off the train in the same direction, now i turned right, that's east, now i'm exiting and turning right, that's south."
Otherwise, in Manhattan it's easy. Odd avenues go south, even ones go north, odd streets go west, even ones go east. Once you exit, you shouldn't have a problem.
It's Brooklyn that'll fuck you up.
Yes, I was wrong about the odd/even avenues east of 5th. But you get my point.
If I get confused, I look for landmark buildings (Empire State, AT&T, etc) and use them to determine direction. I've made a point of finding one in every neighborhood in which I might end up. Dorky but simple.
Morning position of the Sun does it for me.
maybe this is too obvious to be helpful, but in most of manhattan: entrances/exits to uptown trains are on the east side of the street. entrances/exits are on the west side of the street for downtown trains.
Since the position of the sun doesn't always work out (tall buildings can sometimes obscure the sun, an inconvenient lack of sunlight at night) I carried around a cheap compass when I first moved here.
at night you can look up in the sky. it's generally noticeably brighter in the direction on times square!
compass ring!
I've already started noticing these tags popping up. I saw them around the "A" section of 42nd yesterday, and at the Broadway/Canal exit of the "R" at Canal St.
The tag I saw wasn't as clear and graphic as the examples you have here. Good idea. Bad execution... at least the ones I've seen.
With most numbered streets and avenues, the direction of the cars are a giveaway, but then again you need to know how the streets traffic flows go.
It's sad because I used to use the Twin Towers as an easy landmark to figure out in what direction downtown is.
I have a stupid mnemonic for street numbers. "E"vens (usually) go "E"ast (and odds go west). That often helps me.
Weather usually moves from West to East - blowing out to sea. Look at what direction the clouds are moving or try to feel which direction the wind is blowing. That might help lead you in the right direction.
Also, if you see a river, check to see how many bridges there are. The Hudson has only one, so turn around and head East. You're probably lost at this point.
Moss/mushrooms/mold, etc usually grow on the North face of a tree. But that doesn't help much (unless you're in Brooklyn - oh!)
You all are crazy.
Pick a direction and walk. If the next block is further from where you wanted to go than where you got out, you're going the wrong way.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
I used to use the twin towers but that is nixay. If I am in midtown I look for the empire state building. Otherwise I ask the nearest newsstand attendent. They also have street maps posted near the exits of the train stations.
Saw one of these tags outside the Canal Street A yesterday and thought it was really cool. Nice way to help people figure things out. Will definitely be on the lookout for more now.
EVEN goes EAST (generally)
The neighborhood maps posted in each subway station are fantastic. Though you may risk looking a bit like a tourist if you stare at it for too long, they are incredibly detailed, and even show each of the stairway entrances to the station. I've often wished, in fact, that the maps were available as an atlas, or, even better, online. Definitely the best maps of the city that I've ever come across. Anyone know if they're available outside of the stations?
the freedom tower will be visible from even further than the towers were, considering it would be the world's second tallest freestanding structure if it were built today. in which case we will be able to say "The freedom tower is almost always south"
above houston street, those of us blessed with good eyes can see the street numbers both north and south.
i dig the street art idea but getting "lost in new york" north of houston is a pretty absurd notion, even for tourists.
most cities don't have numbered streets :-P
Um, yes, reading the signs is a good plan.
Next, the Gothamist plan for making sure you put your pants on before your shoes?
To #20: I agree. I've never seen most of them, but the MTA does have the Lower Manhattan one (or something like it) posted on their website:
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/lowermanhattan.pdf
Also in response to #20: I share your pain -- I love those maps too, and asked for an atlas of them both at the Transit Museum and their annex at Grand Central. No avail, alas, and I eventually tracked down the designer of them and spoke with him. He said an atlas for the outer-borough maps might be impractical, because they're all different scales, but that all the Manhattan maps are the same scale. He urged me to e-mail and call the MTA to ask for this to be published. (I've got a link to the MTA's comments page in that link of mine above.)
GPS
In Washington, this is a constant problem for those who aren't familiar with the area. WMATA doesn't like to have too much signage cluttering its station entryways/exits. But I have internal GPS, so it's not a problem for me. I always know what direction is north.
It takes time. People with math/science minds will find the way that works for them, and people with history/language minds will find a way that works for them. Provided people try, realize that this takes time, and start familiarizing themselves with Manhattan, we wont have to deface any more of the concrete jungle than is already so functionally tagged with well thought-out and intelligent tags and racial slurs.
well then gothamist is on the ball with this. I saw one outside union square today at 4th and 14th as I went down to get on the 6
Don't forget to be at least 21 if you're going to run around with spray paint.. I can already see the NYPD sending in their mobile task force to run over anyone trying to improve nyc..
i look for the NW SW SE NE signs.... but still it can get confusing. I opted to buy friends who are recently moving to NYC little compasses for their keychains.... along with my multiple gripes for the MTA to improv the subways.... how about a compass above ground at every station... ?
I just ask the nearest person. There's way too many people in this world. They might as well be good for something!
For once, I agree with Jake's choice. I guess there's a first time for everything. ;-)
A small, handy compass clipped to the shoulder strap of my messenger bag and a full map of NYC on my PDA keeps me from getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods.
"i dig the street art idea but getting "lost in new york" north of houston is a pretty absurd notion, even for tourists."
You know, there are four other boros in the city that the subways also run to. Besides, nobody said anything about getting lost. Try reading and you'll find it's about not having to walk a block or two in the wrong direction before you get your bearings.
ACK!
Lafayette doesn't always go north!!
It changes direction somewhere around Broome street.
South of Broome (or is it Kenmare?) it goes SOUTH!
I just follow my dick everywhere.
It looks like for some subway directions on Hopstop in Manhattan, you can click and get a 360˚ panorama shot, and it shows you what you should see when you get out of the subway.
It's a great idea, nuff said.