I had an Uncle who lived in upstate NY. Albany, and the folks there were absolutely wonderful to meet and talk with. They would greet you when you meet them on the street. They would stop you, ask your where from, and talk like they've known you for years.. But, that was back in the late 70's..
Everything has changed....and not for the better.. :(
My oldest son has been living in Troy, New York for over 25 years. He lives in a three-floor brownstone just down the street from Russell Sage College. There's alternate street parking. Quite a while ago, he had to begin renting a UPS box for his packages, because after all the years he's been living there, and never had a problem, someone began stealing packages from the front stoops of the brownstones which line the block. The building he lives in has a stone staircase that leads to the front door of the building. It's the main entry way for the three people who live in the building, and it's locked all the time.
He's had his car clipped by city plows during the winter. Last year, within a six month period, he had his car hit and heavily damaged. The first time he was parked in front of his building, and a drunk driver came down the street and bounced off several cars. Hit his back end, and pushed his car into the one in front, and then up over the curb. Cops caught the person, but don't you know, the cameras on his street were down for repair at the time.
The second time he was parked on the side street, and he thinks somebody who parked in the college parking lot across the street from him, came out and clipped him. The side street is a one-way street like his is. And the other problem is that despite having a big parking lot that students can park in, they won't, and instead, park on the street, taking up the spots of the people who live there. I can't tell you how many times I've visited him over the years, and multiple times during the day and night, you hear police or firetruck sirens blaring on their way down his street.