\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This reminded my first time of driving in the streets of New York City and how intimidated I was, especially from the passing yellow cabs. So I decided to write to Scott and ask him how he felt while driving his Jeep Wrangler in Manhattan and what word of wisdom can he share with fellow drives, especially the young drivers. Is there a lesson that can benefit another fellow driver or Jeep owner? Is there anything useful, helpful and beneficial that they can learn from this experience? I also asked Scott to share some tips with first-time drives in Manhattan on where to expect a danger, where to be careful and how to drive defensively.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This morning Scott nicely write me a detailed explanation and title it: Wrangling With New York City Driving.<\/p>\n
Last December my wife agreed to adopt a pair of adorable little bunnies. The problem was we had to pick them up in New York City. Neither of us is a stranger to the city, but neither of us drive in the city. We always take mass transit and use taxis or the subway to get around whenever we visit Manhattan. I always found the idea of driving into New York City incredibly intimidating, but negotiating mass transit with two rabbits and all the stuff that comes with them would likely be, well, a much bigger problem. So, I suggested we take my Jeep Wrangler into the city. It was way more manageable in size than my wife\u2019s GMC Yukon and it\u2019s a PHEV to boot, so it\u2019ll use less gas. The real reason, though, was I thought it would simply be more fun.<\/p>\n
The day came and I was a little anxious about doing this. New York City is no normal driving experience. If you\u2019ve ever taken a taxi ride you know that the way these taxi drivers maneuver through and around other cars is downright \u00a0nerve-wracking. Surely they are going to hit this or that! Whoa, that was close. But they don\u2019t. they get around. \u00a0Yet, now it\u2019s going to be MY beloved Jeep that all of those taxis \u00a0are going to be driving around as if they were eagle-clad F-16s in a Thunderbirds show. I wasn\u2019t thrilled about that. Not to mention the other beasts city drivers deal with \u2013 the throngs of full-size livery trucks \u2013 the Escalades, Tahoes, Suburbans and Expeditions. \u00a0My little (by comparison to livery trucks) and less maneuverable (by comparison to taxis) Jeep Wrangler has some work ahead of it. I was starting to break a sweat and we were only on the New Jersey Turnpike.<\/p>\n
As we approached the Lincoln Tunnel entrance on the Jersey side, information signs flashed a warning that it\u2019s a gridlock alert day. Something was going on downtown. We were headed to midtown near Central Park, so I wasn\u2019t worried. Plus, the threat of gridlock seemed to be keeping cars out of the city. That\u2019s what I thought until we got into the tunnel. About a third of the way in the traffic slowed to a crawl. The Wrangler\u2019s big screen shined brightly in the dimly lit tunnel. Daytime running lights switched off and the headlights come on as the car became convinced nightfall had arrived. After dimming down the interior lights a bit my wife and I talked about the cars going by: mainly those big livery SUVs. A brand new 2026 Ford Expedition with Massachusetts plates was directly ahead of us in traffic. Our conversation quickly turned to the rear fascia of the big Ford. The rear end of those Expeditions is plagued with a big black plastic piece of trim, but my wife and I agreed the one in front of us greatly benefitted from this example\u2019s matching black paint. What can I say, I married a car gal. This is the stuff we talk about.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
As we inched our way out of the tunnel I made sure to strictly follow every direction Google maps was telling me via Apple Car Play. How did people do this back in the day? I couldn\u2019t imagine steering and holding a paper map and trying to drive here. No thanks. Cars suddenly surrounded my Jeep like ants approaching a scrap of food on the ground. My nerves began to ratchet up a notch. Don\u2019t hit me, don\u2019t hit me, don\u2019t hit me. Cars came close \u2013 to me they were surely within a hair\u2019s width from my fenders. They weren\u2019t THAT close of course, but it felt every bit as though they were. Now all I had to do was make a left, get over to the right and then make a right. In the meantime, I used the time stopped in traffic to take a photo of the city from the driver\u2019s seat of my Jeep. My windows, windshield and Jeetops (think t-tops for a Jeep) made for a wonderful mosaic of a typical New York City scene.<\/p>\n
The slow pace of traffic was actually a blessing. It gave me time to think and gather my sense of direction and plan of attack. \u00a0I decided to employ a mental mode I call \u201cJust go mode.\u201d It\u2019s the mantra I followed on this first drive in New York City. Everyone around me is going to drive like they are the most important vehicle in the city, so I figured I better adopt that mindset as well. The normally polite driver I try to be; the guy who lets people turn ahead of me, the guy who properly zippers into the merge, the guy who waves you ahead \u2013 he was NOT going to be driving today. Maverick was driving today \u2013 \u201cDo not think, just do.\u201d<\/p>\n
That mantra came in handy as soon as I made the next right onto 10th Avenue. The taxis came in like bogeys zooming in on a target. They weren\u2019t stopping for anyone or anything. \u00a0You learn very quickly – drive like them or you won\u2019t get far. I was being buzzed by a particularly annoying white and red RAV4 taxi. The driver wasn\u2019t even looking around. He seemed to be operating purely on instinct. My nerves began to reveal themselves out loud \u2013 Whoa, whoa. Don\u2019t hit me buddy. YO man, what the heck?! \u2013 that sort of thing. Suddenly, he nosed right in front of me through a space no vehicle nose had any business trying to fit. I backed off just enough to allow him to scoot by, placing all my faith in his ability to do so without sideswiping my fenders or bumper. My trust was founded \u2013 he managed to zip by without an issue.<\/p>\n
Tenth Avenue is several lanes wide. Knowing my next turn was going to be a right I felt it prudent to stay in the right two lanes. But that decision came with an unintended caveat \u2013 the double parkers and the delivery trucks. With cars to the left of me and northbound traffic now moving at a brisk pace, the sudden appearance of a double-parked Honda Accord or a huge delivery truck made very quick scoot-arounds necessary. This also meant the safety zone around my car, usually a generous amount of space to avoid other cars, became uncomfortably tight. It was go or lose this battle, so if there was even the narrowest of margins to get around these lane-blocking vehicles I took it at speed. I couldn\u2019t slow down. If I did, I\u2019d be toast. Just GO, I kept telling myself. The mantra was working.<\/p>\n
It was like that until we made it to our destination. The folks we were adopting the rabbits from lived in a very luxurious Midtown penthouse. Their advice to us was to simply park wherever you could find a spot outside. Uhhhhh, okayyy. There were no spots. There were about thirty different signs explaining an equal number of parking rules and regulations and consequences. I might have been imagining the consequences. I didn\u2019t want my poor Wrangler towed. I can just imagine coming out with rabbits and having no car to put them in, so I drove around the building searching for a true spot to park. I passed a stretched Yukon in its own coned-off private spot in front of the main doors to the building. Wowzers. Is this how the tippity top live? Very nice. Sorry Wrangler, you aren\u2019t getting that kind of treatment. I continued on to the side of the building they had advised us to park on. I didn\u2019t know if I could park, walk, talk, chew gum, or use a cell phone on that side of the building – there were so many rules posted. So, I took a chance and did a second loop around. The parking gods smiled upon me. Someone just pulled out of their spot \u2013 and it was an end spot! No parallel parking needed. A quick little zoom in and I was in a legit, safe spot in the shadow of my [very tall] destination. I swear I heard angels singing when I got that spot.<\/p>\n
My wife and I went up to the penthouse to get the rabbits. It turns out the stretched Yukon belonged to our hosts. I felt kinda bad that these two bunnies were leaving a penthouse and Yukon limo lifestyle to come home with us to the ho-hum New Jersey Suburbs in a bouncy Jeep Wrangler. I placed their carriers on the folded back seat and piled the generous amount of bunny supplies and stuff we were given into the rear cargo area and whatever space was left in the back seat. My wife and I got in and headed home.<\/p>\n
The ride back was far less harrowing than the ride in. There were few people heading south so maneuvering through traffic wasn\u2019t an issue. We hit some light traffic near the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel allowing me another photo, this time of the Empire State Building. \u00a0We zipped through the tunnel and popped out the Jersey side with a big sigh of relief. \u00a0I think the only thing that could make the Jersey Turnpike feel like a sight for sore eyes is a drive in New York City. \u00a0We made our way down the Turnpike and switched over to the Garden State Parkways and before you knew it we were home.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
The bunnies adjusted just fine to their new home. I think it was the Jeep. Bunnies know a car that understands nature. They joined our other two bunnies. They are all enjoying life. \u00a0As for the lessons learned from driving in New York City for the first time? \u00a0Well that mantra of \u201cjust GO\u201d definitely worked, but you have to be hyper-aware of your surroundings, lest you get into trouble. A few weeks later I learned a pricier lesson \u2013 my EZ Pass doesn\u2019t work for city travel. I got billed for using the tunnel and commuting into the city, because of course I did \u2013 it\u2019s a New York thing. That\u2019s okay, after this adventure I can now add New York City driving as a Jeep thing too.<\/p>\n
This story reminds me of another real world driving moment we, at Torque News, shared recently when Tesla\u2019s full self driving technology actually brought a vehicle to a stop just in time to avoid what could have been a serious crash in heavy traffic<\/a>, highlighting how unexpected technology and human decision making intersect on the road. You could insert this link right after the section where Scott first hits slow moving Manhattan traffic, using it to emphasize how being alert and having the right tools can change the outcome of a tight situation.<\/p>\n What First-Time Drivers Need to Know About Manhattan<\/p>\n Let\u2019s break this down, because if you\u2019re reading this, you might be thinking about your own first drive into the city.<\/p>\n 1. Hesitation Is the Real Enemy<\/p>\n In suburban driving, politeness works. In Manhattan, hesitation creates confusion. You must signal clearly, commit, and move. Drivers expect it.<\/p>\n 2. Double Parkers Are Everywhere<\/p>\n On 10th Avenue, Scott stayed to the right, preparing for a turn. Logical, right? Except that lane is prime territory for delivery trucks and sudden blockages. You need constant awareness and quick decision-making.<\/p>\n 3. Parking Rules Can Feel Overwhelming<\/p>\n Midtown streets near Lincoln Center and CBS Studios are covered in signs. Reading them feels like taking a legal exam. Circle once if you must. Twice if needed. Rushing that part can get expensive.<\/p>\n 4. Check Your Toll Settings<\/p>\n Scott later discovered his EZ Pass setup didn\u2019t account for certain city charges. With congestion pricing policies evolving, it\u2019s wise to confirm your account details before the trip.<\/p>\n These aren\u2019t dramatic warnings. They\u2019re practical realities.<\/p>\n Why the Jeep Wrangler Actually Worked<\/p>\n You might think a Jeep Wrangler belongs on a trail, not under skyscrapers.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the unexpected twist.<\/p>\n The Wrangler\u2019s upright seating position gave Scott clear sightlines. Its size, compared to full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition, made it easier to place in tight spaces. And in slow traffic, the plug-in hybrid torque made creeping forward smooth.<\/p>\n When Scott finally found an end parking spot near the building, no parallel parking required, he described hearing angels sing.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not about the car. That\u2019s about relief.<\/p>\n And growth.<\/p>\n Speaking of driving experiences and what we expect from our Jeeps, it\u2019s worth noting a recent discussion about how much people are willing to spend on a Jeep Wrangler 4xe, especially when buyers consider features like cloth seats on the nearly $73,000 Willys 41<\/a>. That article really captures the unexpected gap between perception and reality in today\u2019s SUV pricing and can help readers think about priorities like comfort, capability, and value before they take a big trip into unfamiliar territory like Manhattan.<\/p>\n The Bigger Lesson, And It\u2019s Not About Driving<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I took from Scott\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n Driving in Manhattan isn\u2019t about aggression. It\u2019s about awareness and responsibility. It\u2019s about understanding that everyone around you thinks their trip matters most, and still choosing not to escalate.<\/p>\n You can adopt \u201cJust Go Mode\u201d without becoming unlikeable on the road. You can be decisive without being reckless. You can protect your space while still respecting others.<\/p>\n The moral?<\/p>\n Growth often hides behind the thing that intimidates you most. And when you face it calmly and consciously, you don\u2019t just become a better driver, you become a better decision maker.<\/p>\n You also realize something important: the world doesn\u2019t revolve around you, even when traffic makes it feel that way. A little patience, a little awareness, and a little humility go a long way in crowded places, on the road and in life.<\/p>\n Now I\u2019m curious.<\/p>\n Have you ever driven in Manhattan for the first time? What surprised you the most about it?<\/p>\n And if you haven\u2019t yet, what\u2019s the one thing that\u2019s holding you back from just going and doing it?<\/p>\n Share your experience in the comments below. I\u2019d genuinely like to hear your story.<\/p>\n About The Author<\/p>\n Armen Hareyan<\/a> is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News and an automotive journalist with over 15 years of experience writing car reviews and industry news. Now based in the Charlotte region (Indian Land, SC, he founded Torque News<\/a> in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News on X<\/a>, Linkedin<\/a>, and Youtube<\/a>. Armen holds three Masters Degrees, including an MBA, and has become one of the known voices in the industry, specializing in the landscape of electric vehicles and real-world stories of actual car owners. Armen focuses on providing readers with transparent, data-backed analysis bridging the gap of complex engineering and car buyer practicality. Armen frequently participates in automotive events throughout the United States, national and local car reveals and personally test-drives new vehicles every week. Armen has also been published as an automotive expert in publications like the Transit Tomorrow, discussing how will autonomous vehicles reshape the supply chain, and emerging technologies in vehicle maintenance.\u00a0<\/p>\n