New Yorkers Steer Clear of Times Square Countdown

Thursday, 29 December 2011 | by Pat's Picks

(Photo via Wikipedia)

We did a “Snap Poll” on NY1 this morning to find out where New Yorkers spend their time on New Year’s Eve. I suspected the result would show the Times Square crowd is mostly from out of town. And I was right.

It’s important to disclose that the Snap Poll is a non-scientific survey, because sample is self-selected. (The people who participate are those who choose to pick up their remote controls and vote when the question appears on the TV screen.)  But our experience is that the results are pretty reliable as long as the quesiton is well presented. And the result on the New Year’s Eve question was stunningly one-sided.  97 percent of the New Yorkers who responded said they’ll be someplace other than Times Square on Saturday night.