The Organized Madness of New York City Traffic

The video below has some reporters warning people to stay at home or extolling the danger of New York City traffic. But it also shows the organized madness that is part of the city's character. For the uninitiated visitor it could be a nightmare but for those who observe the locals learn quickly on how to navigate traffic in Manhattan.

A School of Visual Arts thesis project called "3-Way Street' by artist Ron Gabriel, gives a bird's eye view of the intersection of 28th and Park Avenue. On Gabriel's blog he points out the study shows the "interconnected role in improving the safety and usability of our streets." The video utilizes graphics marking the positions of cars, bicyclists and pedestrians to show key interactions during the day's traffic. Yes, this crossing of streets should be safer but the same can be said of countless other intersections across America.

There should be a way to include this video in NYC travel guidebooks. It's funny but also enlightening. By the way this is just one intersection of 12,370 in the city. Visit blog.ronconcocacola.com for more posts by Ron Gabriel.