The magnifying glass over New York City

Today tragedy struck.  A drunk driver made a u-turn at an intersection and drove onto the sidewalk.  Afterwards the city had to shut down multiple streets and public transportation in order to investigate if it was a terrorist attack.   You see this was no ordinary intersection.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Widespread-Road-Closures-After-Times-Square-Crash-423006034.html

It happened in Times Square, the most famous intersection in New York City, and possibly the country.  The sidewalk was crowded with people.  While many of them ran to avoid the car, 23 people couldn't get out of the way, and one young woman was even killed.


I'm sure just about every city has had a drunk driver at some point drive down the wrong side of the road or up onto the sidewalk, but it doesn't make national news like it does in New York City.
That's because New York City has millions of tourists every year, and just about all of them visit Times Square.  So when a car drives up onto the sidewalk, we get a horrific outcome.

http://pix11.com/2017/05/18/car-in-times-square-crashes-into-pedestrians-witnesses/

What happened in New York City, happens everywhere.  It's just that the millions of us living on a 22 square mile island live underneath a magnifying glass.  Our actions may be the same as everyone else's but the effects are magnified.

However.

It doesn't mean that you shouldn't visit Times Square.  Or walk on sidewalks.

In fact, did you know that New York City is considered to be the safest big city in America?

Read more here and here and here.  

Yet despite all the statistics, reports, and facts, people still might be afraid to come to Times Square or visit New York City.

Don't be.

But don't walk around with cash hanging out of your pocket either.

http://www.traveldudes.org/travel-tips/top-five-european-cities-pick-pockets/11922

And for heaven's sake, don't buy any tour bus tickets from people on the street.  Seriously, get them online.