I was up early today (for me). I woke up all on my own to my Blackberry alarm and the TV alarm without a problem. It was rather shocking, seeing as how 6 alarms usually can't rouse me from slumber on an ordinary day.
Despite being awake early, and despite my exercise program being shorter than I had planned (oh well), I still got to work around the same time as always.
Why?
Because I was watching all the local channels about the strike! I don't know why I am so transfixed by these things. It's odd.
I wasn't really impacted by the strike, so I didn't have any strong opposition to it other than that it would make everyone else's lives difficult. But then actually watching first hand interviews with these people who, unlike me, wouldn't get paid if they can't get in, can't telecommute, might lose their jobs because they can't get in to work... I started to feel really bad. Sometimes I forget just how fortunate I am with my circumstances. I walk to and from work every day. Many people aren't so lucky.
So I kept changing the channels... NY1, CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC.... over and over again. I couldn't pull myself away from the TV as I slowly ate my bagel. I noticed how different stations were handling the news coverage. NY1 replayed lots of clips over and over again. CBS was interviewing people in cars (who clearly wanted to be on camera). I don't think I caught much on NBC besides commercials. Instead of saying "transit strike," Fox chose to say "MTA not running." And then to interview a security expert to see if the terrorist threat is now higher because the union decided to strike. (Semi-legitimate question, but quit trying to tie everything in the world to terrorism! And if the President stopped saying that open discussion of law helps the enemy, that would help too. But anyway...) ABC had pretty good coverage, although one of the news reporters on the Upper West Side said that people were taking their frustrations out on her. Poor lady.
Once I finally left for work, it was kind of eerie how empty the streets were on a non-holiday workday morning. It made me feel like it was really early, even though it was like 10:30. 9th Ave, usually packed with people trying to get into the Lincoln Tunnel, was quiet. Barely a horn blowing and certainly no city buses passing by. Or trucks for that matter. It was really quiet. 8th Ave was pretty quiet too. Times Square was a little more crowded, but nowhere near how it usually should be. Taxis were honking, but I think they were just frustrated and overworked. Overall, it's pretty quiet. Would have been the perfect morning to run errands at the bank....
At work, it's fairly normal. Lots of people are here, probably some people working from home. But not so abnormally quiet that you would realize it was a state of emergency. Not like the streets. Usually there are constant choruses of horns that you can hear from my office. It's pretty mild right now.
For those people outside NY, I guess I should explain why it's so quiet. Until 11 am, no commercial vehicles and no passenger vehicles with less than 4 people are allowed over any bridge or tunnel into Manhattan, or on a bunch of highways in the city. Likewise, Manhattan is also completely shut off below 96th Street to any vehicles with less than 4 people (I think, unless you originated below 96th, because then you wouldn't need to cross any checkpoints). So outside of 96th Street, in upper Manhattan, there's gridlock. Some highways aren't moving, but some (like the ones to get into the city from SI) are actually better than usual. But what I worry about is what happens after 11. When the floods of cars come into the city. And even worse - what about the afternoon rush hour? All these cars are going to have to leave at some point...
(Of course, it's now after 11... but I started this post before 11. How was I to know it would take me so long? Also, it should be noted that I do work from home often in the mornings. In case you were wondering.)
All we can do now is wait and see. Wait and see...
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