I was just thinking about this, and now it's in the New York Times. When the elevator door opens on a floor below ours in NYC, there's a Bugaboo Cameleon parked right there, where the hallway widens just a bit. So far, it's been in bassinet mode: i.e., new parents. The line of apartments closest to it is all 1BR, so I can totally imagine why the stroller's in the hall.
Still, I always say to myself, "Damn glad we don't live on that floor, because that stroller would bug." We keep ours in the house and use it as a coatrack, so why should they get to put theirs in the hall?
The Times takes a look at the weird no-man's/everyman's land that is the New York apartment building hallway. One veteran building manager says most people are fine, no one likes their neighbor's door mat, but sometimes stealth, passive aggressive conflicts erupt because, well, 5% of New Yorkers are crazy.
Actually, if the article's anecdotes are any indication, the real reason is because 63% of New Yorkers are new parents. From the nanny/baby playing in the hall at 7AM while the mom takes a shower [!], to the in-hall birthday party [?!], to the anonymous antics involving a Brooklyn jogging stroller, to Brooklynite and dad Charles von Simson's closet coup:
“We were the bad seeds," he said. "We were always in trouble for leaving the stroller in the hall.Getting Territorial Out In The Hall [nyt]“You know it’s bad behavior, but you’re desperate. You feel the walls closing in on you, and you just feel you have no choice. We were stuffed with stuff — we didn’t know what to do with all that plastic baby stuff, the seats, the stroller — and right outside our front door was this juicy closet.”
I would never do that.
I wouldn't want to sell my 'other kidney' to replace the 'bug'
Only 5%? That figure must include all of New York State. If you're just talking Metro area, it's gotta be higher!
if you're in a 1BR apartment with not much room, don't get a bugaboo! hallways are common areas, if fresh direct can't fit their delivery cart through the hall, someone is getting a talking to.
OM
we live on a 6 floor walk up and leave our stokke in a closet on the first floor, but still cause a lot of ruckus. in fact everyone in our building hates us. but we don't care cuz we are moving to new zealand.
you know what cyril connolly said about the pram in the hall.
we've never even used one.
[that explains your superlative interiors -ed.]