# How long is a New York Minute? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913 "2000-12-31T17:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/1 "2000-12-31T17:49:57Z")
The context in which I usually find “New York minute” seems to suggest it is a very short interval, e.g., “I would do Brittany Spears in a New York minute.” However, given union worker’s propensity to milk any paid-by-the-hour activity, it seems to me a New York minute should be longer than it’s generic counterpart. The archives appear silent on the subject. Surely someone knows this. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/2 "2000-12-31T18:24:18Z")
From the time you land at Kennedy to the time you get mugged. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/3 "2000-12-31T18:27:49Z")
I’ve heard it defined as the brief interval between the time the traffic light first turns green and the driver behind you starts honking (in NY, at least). ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/4 "2000-12-31T18:45:26Z")
It refers to the speedy, hustle-bustle of those craaaaazy New Yorker’s. I think the common acceptance is that it is synonymous with “a second”. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/5 "2000-12-31T19:26:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aseymayo \* > \*\*I’ve heard it defined as the brief interval between the time the traffic light first turns green and the driver behind you starts honking (in NY, at least). \*\* No, that’s a “New York second”. So ostensibly sixty of those would make a New York _minute._ ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/6 "2000-12-31T19:47:16Z")
Just long enough for everything to change. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/7 "2000-12-31T20:20:28Z")
It’s over, already, ya missed it, now get a move on! ---
**Author:** ![A\_V\_Club](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f475e1/32.png) [@A\_V\_Club](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_V_Club)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-a-new-york-minute/47913/8 "2000-12-31T21:24:18Z")
**rjung** said: > [@](#): > > No, that’s a “New York second”. So ostensibly sixty of those would make a New York minute. You’ve managed to miss the joke completely. Are you reading the same thread as the rest of us?