Residents owning cars in Manhattan struck me as odd given the cost of ownership v rentals. But driving into work in Manhattan weirder especially given costs and street cleaning rules. A hangover of the great American Dream and Robert Moses?
Are bikes subject to the charge?
If they are - he could walk! It will do him loads of good & his kids might have him around for longer.
Think of all those reduced medical bills.
Evidently this guy is named Andrew Heiberger; he founded Citi Habitats and is a millionaire-many-times-over real estate developer. Like he can't afford a good old yellow cab if he's too lazy to walk or too un-New Yorky to take the bus?!
When I first saw their offices, in the 1990s. I hated them on sight. This was in the days before Chelsea had thoroughly gentrified. Real estate controls all in NYC.
It's a walking city and he's lucky to still be ambulatory in a pretty part of town. Worst case scenario – buy a new apt for the kids.
Honestly I don't see how that would be anything other than yet another right wing two minutes hate. Lower Manhattan is the only place in the United States you could realistically do congestion pricing, because it's the only place with enough density and transit to make it realistic
Has he considered a horse drawn carriage? Pop into one of Central Park’s finest and really embrace the city on his way to see his children, their mother, and hopefully her very handsome new husband
So unless I’m mistaken, if he uses his car every day during peak it’s only a third ($270, $9 a day for driving during peak is that right?) of what he pays to park his car?
I can’t imagine being that rich and still complaining about this lol
I haven’t lived in Manhattan in 22 years. I was on 77th, between Third and Lex and parking in the building next to me was $800 per month. Twenty-two years ago. He’s paying WAY more than a thousand bucks.
According to Google Maps, that's about 1.5 miles or a 31 min walk, 21 mins on transit, or 10 mins on a bike. None exactly earth shattering, assuming the guy isn't physically disabled.
Yes, but can we make that tube have a working elevator? That's why I don't always use the traffic free tube and have to take the short moving tube that goes through the traffic.
"Divorce will cost you—and it should," said Mr. Limebird, a pro-congestion-pricing, anti-divorce "family values" natalist politician who lives in the zone.
Our provincial government brought in a tax on second homes (empty >6 months/year, non rented) in areas with a housing shortage. Dude was whining about the tax ($60K). I calculated that his second or vacation condo, was assessed at $3.0 million and appreciating at about $200K per year minimum. 😂
According to this map, 61st to 79th St. is not in the congestion toll area, plus this - "The tolls will cost $9 during peak hours and $2.50 during off-peak hours. Peak hours are between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends." https://pix11.com/news/local-news/congestion-pricing-map-nyc-see-where-tolls-apply/
61st to 79th takes 23 minutes to walk according to Google Maps, which by the way is notoriously generous with walking times. He could make it in less than 20 no problem.
That sounds like a reasonable biking distance. I've heard they have good bike Lanes in New York now. Are there good bike Lanes on 5th Avenue? If not now is a great time to install them
now do the people in NYCHA who drive to commute from the lower east side to the bronx for work in hospitals and schools because the subway is a hellhole full of psychotic homeless people
Never mind the poor man, that account is one of the several engagement farm “radical centric” video voyeurs that call themselves journalists and in reality all they do, is Andy Ngo work.
If he's actually that rich, congestion pricing means he gets to pay a nominal fee to not have to sit in traffic anymore. Give this guy a couple months and even he won't be complaining about it.
There is no way this guy was driving that distance before. It wouldn't make any sense bc in the amount of time it would take him to get his car, he could just walk there. Or get in a cab for $9.
This guy paid 8 million dollars for his apartment and lives in what's likely the safest neighborhood of a city with a low crime rate so yeah, if he's scared, that's definitely all in his head.
First mistake was following this random uncredentialed “scooter caster” journalist who has zero incentive to get any stories right when good agitprop content is possible
I wish her well, but every one of her peers in this space turned out to be MAGA foamers, not coincidentally
The: elderly, disabled, cash poor et al probably really appreciate you roasting them for opposing a NYC tax on everyone to put more $$$ in the pockets of Uber and Lyft but do go on😒
For us hicks does anyone have a sense for how far in, say, tenths of a mile that is? Given other comments I've seen I'm assuming the general answer is "not many," but I just was curious.
Like seriously, Madison Avenue is one of the more frequent uptown bus corridors you can take. And a return bus on 5th drops him off a block from his door!
A quick Google search of the area reveals that this man lives right next to Central Park in one of several gilded-age mansions, valued at no less than $250 million.
Dude can afford a goddamn congestion charge if he's too lazy to walk 18 blocks like the rest of us.
yeah, that address... isn't there a park across the street? Seem to remember something between 59th and 110th in the middle of Manhattan, in a real central position. Must have a nice view.
What if he could ride on some kind of underground train? I would call it a "Quiznos," but I'm still working on the name. I definitely want to name it after a sandwich shop.
I like this idea. The underground train will be a Quiznos. I submit the station should be called a Prime Rib and Peppercorn, after the only Quiznos sandwich I ever had, since the Quiznos next door to the bookstore got repossessed by the sheriffs for nonpayment by the owners
Obviously that would be a good name, except people would think it only goes to New Jersey. Same issue with riding a Penn Station Subs. I think Quiznos is our best option, even if they're no longer in business.
I'm a bit sensitive to the "just walk" crowd because some people have disabilities, BUT there is a bus on 5th Ave. And in NYC, buses are the only accessible public transit. So.
Oh, @rauchway.bsky.social is right that since he needs to go uptown, he should take the bus on Madison Avenue, not Fifth, but everything else still stands.
Definitely more POC on the bus in NYC than in the subway. Most white people are over 65 or under 14. But I, a white lady in her 40s, ride the bus a fair amount—to get crosstown and because it’s easier when I have a number of heavy bags— and it is fine, even if people think me déclassé.
People age 65+ and U18 get free bus passes but only reduced fares on the tube
we have double deckers and it is one of life’s little pleasures managing to get a front seat on the top deck and having a great view, though I do move without being asked for very disappointed five year olds
I should add, "the only CONSISTENTLY accessible public transit," because in theory if a wheelchair user is going from one accessible subway station to another, then that subway trip is accessible, but they're aren't so many accessible stations. But maybe we can get revenue to fix that...
In New York it's somehow cheaper to hire a 24/7 team of porters to carry disabled people up and down stairs. I'm not kidding, I did the math on this long ago. They're losing money on those elevator refits. You could hire 300 porters for 30 years cheaper.
narrowly escaped a crush situation on 34th st once when a wheelchair got stuck at the top of an escalator. luckily i was able to reach around the lady in front of me and dislodge it. later found out from the user it was because the elevator was out of service.
It doesn’t mention crosstown distance, so that’s under a mile. And that’s a pretty ritzy neighborhood. Even if there weren’t a bus I bet he could afford a taxi. Oh this is an obvious troll, isn’t it.
If only there were sone sort of public transit.. ANY public transit! Or a company that one could pay for a ride somewhere! You’d make a million bucks with that idea! Hope someone makes it a real thing soon!/s
I think a lot of these "walkable cities" freaks are about to get a rude wake up call to just how in the minority they are on this opinion as old people who vote are enraged by the changes.
Also our cities are not designed with any of this stupidity in mind.
Seems like encouraging people traveling 18 blocks to not drive is actually the whole
Point of congestion pricing in the first place. He’s like a poster child for it.
I just…I have family in NYC and they own a car but no one is using it to drive around the city. Why would they? They use it for when they have to leave the city for something. I can’t believe people are seriously driving to work in Manhattan that just seems extra.
If the man lives at 61st and 5th, he's a resident of the 5 star Pierre Hotel, and in which case, he's going nowhere in a car - without his driver. Who likely lives in Queens. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/hotels/the-pierre
Got rid of our car in London 10 years ago, not even as central as Manhattan, and said if we really needed one we would get one again and that hasn’t happened so far
We have joined a couple of car clubs but don’t use them that much and hire a car for holidays to places like Cornwall
Comments
Are bikes subject to the charge?
If they are - he could walk! It will do him loads of good & his kids might have him around for longer.
Think of all those reduced medical bills.
Or walk. I walked from 81st to 59th along 5th at Thanksgiving. It can be done.
That's hashtag blessed for a lot of parents in this world.
It's a walking city and he's lucky to still be ambulatory in a pretty part of town. Worst case scenario – buy a new apt for the kids.
I can’t imagine being that rich and still complaining about this lol
https://bsky.app/profile/chasetralka.com/post/3lezr7nrsdy2u
61st is above the congestion relief zone
Heard it’s 79th on the West Side so down to 59th/Central Park South which is in the zone.
Could just go to 60th and up Madison and across.
Or walk like a normal person.
We should repeal the whole thing for this rich guy.
Been ages since I worked on 61st near Madison so memory is a tad fuzzy.
But, yes, burn it all down so a millionaire can go see his kids a few times a month.
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/congestion-pricing-map-nyc-see-where-tolls-apply/
I wish her well, but every one of her peers in this space turned out to be MAGA foamers, not coincidentally
*googles*
It's an 8 minute bike ride at a casual pace. 30 minute walk if you're daydreaming.
I guess he could always throw it into "Leeeeroy Jenkinnns” gear and take his chances.
The zone only goes up to 60th street. Even if his kids are on the west side, 79th street is literally one of two streets that cross central park.
Dude can afford a goddamn congestion charge if he's too lazy to walk 18 blocks like the rest of us.
I love using public transport in new places but it surprises me that even in London people are scared of the bus or think it is beneath them
we have double deckers and it is one of life’s little pleasures managing to get a front seat on the top deck and having a great view, though I do move without being asked for very disappointed five year olds
Also our cities are not designed with any of this stupidity in mind.
Point of congestion pricing in the first place. He’s like a poster child for it.
The ppl I know w cars have them in (cheap-ish) parking lots or suffer w alternate street parking. & NO ONE I know takes a car out for quick trips
It's for big shopping outings to Costco or to see family & friends in NJ/CT/Westchester
Even those in the outer boro's take trains/buses to work
and wont walk 10 minutes for his kids
along the nicest urban park in the US?
and we're supposed to feel bad for him?
and ppl voted for trump b/c Dems dont understand their pain?
We have joined a couple of car clubs but don’t use them that much and hire a car for holidays to places like Cornwall