they might well Doug-- its just NY (Con Edison) has the highest kilowatt hour rate for utilities in the US-- those of us who live in the hinderlands of the city are often left buried in the snow-- paying through the nose for utilities that melt the street snow in city core--
NY steam tunnels are not accessable, and are a hazzard-- most of the pipes are at least somewhat insulated with asbestos-- there was a big steam pipe explosion about 10 years ago, and hundred of people in grammercy park area were dislocated-- for almost a year! while CE did a clean up--
seem many vistiter or potential visitors are afraid of crime-- crime is not an issue-- i am out all hours, coming home from theater or this week holiday parties,taking public transportation, or out and about walking, and i am never afraid of crime-. what i worry about is--will the subway be running? or will there be a watermain break or an emergency or a minor derailment--(no one hurt, but service delays of hours) or a fire an industrial area that is close enough to the tracks (elevated trains) that service is off? or will i end up with a flat from a pot hole?
There are not everyday occurances, but i have never once been mugged or robbed, but i have used up all my fingers and most of my toes for the number of times i have been stuck 3 or more hours because of --fire on tracks, derailment, floods-- these are the real dangers! I have never been "involved" just inconvienced!
My daughter thinks people are insane to live in CA-- and risk earthquakes, or OK and risk tornadoes..FL and risk hurricanes, but she fail to every think about all the things that go wrong here!
