The majority of the
Manhattan street grid is composed of
long blocks and
short blocks. Well, actually each block has two long sides and two short sides. But when walking, distance is usually measured by which side of a block you just traversed.
One
strategy for survival in
New York City is to always
look like you know where you're going, even if you're completely lost.
Short blocks make this easy. Whenever you feel lost or disoriented, simply note the streets you're at and then start walking towards the next closest visible
intersection. If the next numbered street is higher than the one you just left, you're walking
uptown (
manhattan north).
One last piece of advice:
Please don't stop in the middle of the sidewalk to look around! Step to the side, out of the flow of traffic. Stopping in the middle of a crowded sidewalk tends to invite collisions
and/or rudeness, which can ruin your day.