It is about survival, as you say, or, at least, efficiency, in NY.
The poll could have stated that it was a contest among very busy cities. Circumstances prevail.
NYers, esp, Manhattanites (those who just work in The City included) are very pedestrian. They will talk to any stranger on line for lunch at the deli or in an elevator provided there is a joke or a pertinent point to be made. Otherwis, ease off, they’re busy.
Grew up driving on the LI Expressway. I defy anyone to prove that my now fellow San Antonio drivers aren’t by far among the rudest, and as such, most dangerous drivers of the two. Much prefer driving in Manhattan than on I35.
And the libs think cramming everyone into big cities makes things better for everyone.
But when you cram lots of living things with different views and the same needs for privacy and space and security, it don’t work. Not well.
The rat studies they’ve done on urban/crowding show it. They go nuts and get more and more aggressive at staking out food, territory, etc. Little things wind up bugging you so much more. Especially as personal control goes down.
So really, it isn’t good and they all just become liberal enclaves of misery and start eating themselves. The liberal cities are directly responsible for suburbs and exurbs being created. Started when they got soft on urban crime and decided instead of hammering it down to rehab and forgive it b/c of a myriad of excuses.