Chapter 2 of Jane Jacobs The Death and Life of Great American Cities attributes sidewalks as the harbingers of the safety of a city, a connection that I have never considered before. I realized that this connection is alive and well in New York City, whether it be the busy streets of Manhattan or the lonely streets of a low-income neighborhood. If I do not feel safe walking the sidewalk and the streets of an area, I will do my best to avoid them, and the same thought reigns true for many New Yorkers. As regular city-dweller commuting and walking the streets every day, I have never considered myself as apart of a force that enforces the sidewalk and street peace. As Jacobs described, my family and I peer outside the window of our home all the time to observe the other neighbors of the block and the activity of the block itself. My father has even called the police when he noticed that a scuffle between one of the neighbors and his girlfriend was getting too out of hand. I found the three qualities that Jacobs detailed as a necessity of the safety of city streets to be inquisitive, and it is apparent that these qualities do not exist in the more dangerous parts of New York City. I ponder how this challenged can be overcome in areas of the city where there isn’t a continuous movement of city dwellers’ eyes to enforce the safety of the street. This issue is particularly challenging because in many residential neighborhoods, local businesses close after a certain time at night. Once these businesses are closed and there is less traffic of people, it becomes easier for crimes to be committed and safety to be breached. Unfortunately, the continuous movement of eyes only exists in neighborhoods with businesses open 24 hours of the day 7 days a week.

E.B White described a particularly interesting characteristic of the types of New Yorkers in  Here is New York that I personally have witnessed and experienced. As a person who was born in New York, I am used to the chaos that is New York City and I sometimes get tired of it. I enjoy living here but the city can be underwhelming during the coldest days in the winter and long commutes. My day often gets defined by my horrid morning and afternoon commutes riddled with constant foot traffic and train delays. However, my family who comes to visit New York has a completely different experience and outlook of the city. They are always amazed by the constant activity and bright lights and are eager to explore the city. It is almost as if we experience two different cities. Whenever they come to visit, I learn to take a step back and experience New York for the beauty that it is.