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Comment by CodeSheikh | Hacker News Reader

New York City includes Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island as well. Misleading title and perhaps incomplete study if footprint of cabs is not included from those remaining boroughs in this study. If you live in Manhattan, then you don't use cabs as much within Manhattan because subways cover Manhattan pretty well and travel times in cabs are hellish comparing to subway commute. You often use cabs when you commute to other boroughs from Manhattan because, for example, Brooklyn and Queens do not have great subway network.

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You are incorrect. Brooklyn and Queens have subway networks that are each larger than the next largest subway networks in the US. Brooklyn has a slightly better network than Queens, but both are fantastic. Eastern Queens (after the end of the 7 train) indeed is a transit desert, but still has many commuter rail stations.

There's a station central-eastern Brooklyn called "Broadway Junction" that has as many connections as the largest transfer station in DC.

> Brooklyn and Queens have subway networks that are each larger than the next largest subway networks in the US

But they are still much less densely covered than Manhattan: https://cwhong.carto.com/viz/6dfca01c-47e5-11e6-9fd3-0ee66e2...

> Brooklyn and Queens have subway networks that are each larger than the next largest subway networks in the US

Mainly because NYC is the only US city with an extensive subway system.

I didn't know how big New York City was until I went from Central Park (North side) to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden... walking... never again!

Try Pelham Bay Park (Bronx) to Conference House Park (Staten Island): 35 miles, 10 hours walking! Or Inwood Hill Park (Manhattan) to Rockaway Park (Queens): 25 miles, 8 hours walking.

I had the opposite experience! My girlfriend and I walked from the Bronx to Battery Park, it was great. We saw the neighborhoods change from block to block, bought bootlegged DVDs from a sweet old lady, and even ran into Robert Krulwich outside of Central Park. If you have 10 hours it's worth it.

It's funny because back home in Texas I'd drive that distance (in miles) regularly to do stuff with friends and think nothing of it.

Take a taxi from Harlem to the Botanical Gardens when there's no traffic (so never, or at 3-4am), you'll be surprised how fast you get there.

It's crazy how much longer the same distance feels when you can't just drive straight there with little to medium traffic!

For my 30th bday, some friends and I walked around the perimeter of Manhattan. It took just over 20 hours, but that's mostly because we stopped several at bars along the way.

There's a yearly event that does this, called The Great Saunter. A friend of mine did it last year, and we met her and walked for a mile or so.

It took her and most others around 12 hours; I can easily believe 20 if you're stopping at bars along the way :P

> travel times in cabs are hellish comparing to subway commute

Isn't this because of road congestion though? I thought the principle behind the study was to remove all cars except those 3,000 ride sharing vehicles.

I think it has more to do with how close the intersections are. Even in no traffic, you have to stop at a light every minute or so.

NYC's lights can be timed pretty well when there's no traffic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY37qT2G-cU

Yes, it is one of the factors but not the only one. Others being people commuting in their own cars (yes we have stubborn folks who refuse to take trains), pedestrian traffic (primarily composed of tourists and selfie enthusiasts), never ending construction and repairs in Manhattan, Food carts maneuvering etc. to name a few.

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