I have some weird questions. Do people in the various boroughs of NYC,

[Backseat Driver]

not the State of New York, exhibit a lot of rivalry/competitiveness with each other based solely on their borough of their residency or more along the line of religious/nationality/racial characteristics 1)within NYC; 2)within a particular neighborhood of their borough? Do they have an "I don't want to live there because..." Were the crime families ecumenical in their exploitations in each borough, having a larger regional boss, or "different" leadership bosses assigned to the neighborhoods/boroughs?

I find it odd that persons born/raised/residing in NYC's particular boroughs as children or young adults don't seem to have associated with "rising stars" or have been "mentored" by leaders, corporate, in the "trades," political, or criminal in other neighborhoods.

I've never been to NYC and probably would not attempt it without a native guide, so help me understand various characteristics of the citizenry there.

[PoliticAverse]

1. Yes. But neighborhood more so than borough. n/t

[Runningdawg]

5. THIS 100%

Our building, the 2 next door and the 3 across the street were tighter than the 400 person small town I grew up in. It helped that we had working girls in our building and their madame sat on the stoop all day. NOTHING got past her. NOTHING. If someone needed something, she put out the word and they usually got it. Could be as simple as someone to pick up their meds at the pharmacy or a little cash for an emergency. I remember once it took her maybe 2-3 hours to raise all the funds needed for an old womans cat to have surgery. Didn't know the woman, didn't know the cat, but she organized the whole block to pitch in.
NEVER believe it when they tell you NYers aren't friendly, those were the best neighbors I have ever had!!

[Sanity Claws]

2. All of the above

but we are united in making fun on New Jersey. Who would want to live THERE?

[CurtEastPoint]

3. "Oh, yeah? What exit?"

[pangaia]

4. HEY I grew up in Teaneck !! Waa....

But I was born in Manhattan, so there is that.

[NeoGreen]

7. Everyone not in NJ...

...makes fun of NJ.

Just sayin'

[3Hotdogs]

13. My town, Maplewood, N.J. has an overabundance of refugees from

Brooklyn's, Park Slope. It may now be as much as 15% of the town's population.

And the problems they have assimilating. One woman posts on the community website that she needs the phone number of the local zoo. Seems one of their deer got lose and is wandering in her yard.

Maplewood abuts a reservation which has a herd of deer that wander into town.

[pangaia]

6. Why would you be afraid to visit NYC alone? It's easy...

Just don't wear a Yankees hat to Citi Field and you;ll be OK.

[Backseat Driver]

8. I'm "directionally challenged," spin-me-around and I'm lost, LOL!

[Runningdawg]

9. At least in Manhattan the skyline is your compass

learn what the 10 tallest buildings look like, where they are located and you will always have a map in your head.

[Midnightwalk]

10. Stay in Manhattan

Which is called “the city” anyway.

Manhattan is mostly a grid. You’d really have to try to get lost.

Don’t drive. You don’t need one in the city and hotel parking will be ridiculous.

As others said hell yeah there’s rivalry but mostly between neighborhoods but most of it is bs’ing.

Tourists on the other hand are fair game for everyone

[pangaia]

15. Most of Manhattan is a square grid. Impossible to get lost

Streets get higher South to North. Avenues get higher East to West.
Just stay out of the bottom end.. although you might have loads of fun just walking around..

[Sanity Claws]

11. Don't wear a Boston Red Sox to Yankee Stadium

That's another good rule.

[pangaia]

16. LOL Oh yeah. Even MORE dangerous !!!

[BigmanPigman]

12. It is super easy to get around in NYC.

You can't go wrong with a grid system which is what NYC has for the area north of Washington Sq. Take a subway (safe and clean since the 80s) and Uptown and Downtown is the same as North and South. I have the worst sense of direction on the planet so for me to consider NYC easy to navigate than a 5 year old could do it.

[pangaia]

17. Of course, Manhattan is NOT the entirety of NYC, however..

[3Hotdogs]

14. Visitors should venture out of the city. Take the ferry to Staten Island

and see Governor's Island. Go to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. See the museum of moving image in Queens or the transit museum in Brooklyn.

Or go to Bedlow's Island in New Jersey and climb the Statue of Liberty.

[pangaia]

18. Staten Island, Governor's Island, The Bronx and Queens are part of NYC.

[3Hotdogs]

19. I know. The o.p. asks about places in N.Y.C.

[pangaia]

20. But you started your post with, "Visitors should venture out of the city."