In China, no one waits in line, ever. There's this cultural concept of "face" -- the person who is served first in line has the most face. So everyone scrambles to the front of every line -- in stores, to get on buses, trains, etc. These old ladies are just acting on their custom (which doesn't mean it's not annoying, as it's not a Western custom).

I agree with Steve and I'm chinese.

way to go gothamist. after reading about body parts and murder the article is followed up by an article on chinatown. uh..er.. 'a taste of chinatown.'

The reason why Seattle's area is called the International District is because before the Chinese businesses were there it was all Japanese businesses. Then when WWII happened all the Japanese business were closed up while their owners were in internment camps.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/centennial/june/internment.html

I have a few friends that own Japanese businesses in the ID that have told me the stories.

Canal Street isn't difficult to navigate. I can get through Chinatown almost as quickly as an empty street. You just have to know the secret. I love going to Chinatown for the cheap take-out.

In Seattle we call our Chinatown the "International District" because Seattle has to do everything different that everyone else.

So you're staying I'm wrong? or racist for pointing things out? wtf? just my observances, I don't think anybody would disagree with me.

Not racism. Some people in NYC just hate everyone.

I'm amazed that few people are in the pictures. Normally, all of Canal Street / Chinatown is an outdoor fire hazard - as if there's nowhere to go except directly into other people. It makes Times Square look open-spaced in comparison. I can drive to Albany in the time it takes to get from one end of Canal Street to the other. (and it's probably faster by foot)

Steve, too bad you can't show what a racist looks like in the text of an e-mail.

too bad you can show what the smell is like on a nice July day, or how nice those little Chinese ladies can be when they want to pay and have no concept of any sort of line or "wait your turn", or the men with all that loose phlegm they need to turn loose on the sidewalk.