r/interesting 2d ago

HISTORY What Manhattan looked like on 3/4/20

On 3/4/20, my husband and I drove through Manhattan to see what it looked like. Because of the pandemic, almost everything was closed. The sound of ambulances was constant. Very few cars and very few people. It was quite surreal.

2.8k Upvotes

58 comments sorted by

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380

u/ThatGuyJack871 2d ago

I rode my bike from Harlem to Battery Park during peak Covid. It was WILD

93

u/robrklyn 2d ago

Yeah, this was right around the time of the “6 feet apart” rules and when masks first became a thing, but they weren’t widely sold in stores yet.

218

u/rachelemc 2d ago

Ok but what about those dashing gals in the first slide? Fashion in the face of death. 

95

u/robrklyn 2d ago

I would love to know their story. They caught my eye and I was very intrigued.

18

u/rachelemc 1d ago

They also sort of match the sign above them and it has me tripping. 

5

u/hasikatzen 1d ago

I think they just based their outfit on how the pink/green thick latex gloves look ?

Probably working in fashion?

Like seriously there probably isnt a deeper story than that because i know those gloves and the design is standard, the clothes probably not.

4

u/robrklyn 1d ago

But are they twins? Sisters? Why dress alike?

4

u/rachelemc 1d ago

Covid was out there slaying so they decided to as well. 

2

u/hasikatzen 1d ago

Because you work in the same fashion company that knows you sisters and you trying to impress

Or they are just best friends who like doing that???

Wdym??

11

u/ChakaCausey 1d ago

That’s Cosmo and Wanda in disguise and you can’t tell me otherwise

2

u/franktheguy 1d ago

Obtuse, rubber goose, green moose, guave juice, giant snake, birthday cake, large fries, chocolate shake!

4

u/beberahoun 2d ago

Looking for their BFF and twin step-sister

34

u/robrklyn 2d ago

As someone pointed out in the comments, this was 4/4/20, not 3/4/20. I have dyscalculia, so got the numbers confused.

5

u/yancovigen 2d ago

So April 4th?

5

u/robrklyn 2d ago

Yes, five years ago today.

2

u/SL13377 5h ago

Ha! Thank you OP I thought I was going nuts. 4/4 makes a lot more sense

46

u/Few-Promise5665 2d ago

There is no way this is March 4, 2020! The first case was only announced March 3rd. The city fully shut down on March 20th.

26

u/gonzo5622 2d ago

Maybe it’s April 3rd? But yeah def can’t be march 4th

58

u/robrklyn 2d ago

You’re correct! This was April 4th, which is why I posted it today! I have dyscalculia (aka math dyslexia), so numbers aren’t my friends.

12

u/InternetGansta 2d ago

First time I've heard of this condition. TIL. Thanks for sharing

14

u/robrklyn 2d ago

My whole life I thought I was just “bad at math”, but my brain literally cannot comprehend so many mathematical concepts. I could never learn my multiplication tables and I still struggle to tell time on a regular clock. It’s pretty common among neurodivergent people.

11

u/johnotopia 1d ago

As an Australian, I read it correctly the way you posted it 😂

2

u/LifterNineFour 1d ago

Or you’re non north american.

1

u/reindeermoon 2d ago

Oh, good call! I remember there were still a lot of people out partying on St. Patrick's Day weekend, so it seemed like that date couldn't be right.

13

u/Exotic_chicken235 2d ago

Cosmo and Wanda in the first picture

40

u/Unfair-Raspberry173 2d ago

Elphaba and Glinda in the first pic

13

u/robrklyn 2d ago

Haha, never thought of that!

5

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Z370H370 2d ago

Oooh, part 2 coming soon!

6

u/ThatGuyJack871 2d ago

Seeing time square empty blew my mind

2

u/robrklyn 2d ago

It was like we were in a movie.

1

u/beefalamode 1d ago

I went to grand central just for the hell of it, it was on my way home from my OBGYN appointment, and was the only person in there besides a cop. Insane

7

u/iiivoted4kodos 2d ago

Wanda and Cosmo ain’t fooling me

7

u/LesterZebediahBixler 2d ago

Cosmo and Wanda thought they were being slick.

3

u/DSZABEETZ 2d ago

All I can hear is the intro to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York"

3

u/Kamper1812 2d ago

Funny m&m guy

3

u/prince-pauper 2d ago

Those plague doctors really jazzed things up. Nice.

2

u/BillyShears17 2d ago

Mileena & Jade rocking it in the 1st pic

2

u/ReziSol 1d ago

The day the city slept

1

u/robrklyn 1d ago

We were listening to the radio during the ride. It was all news about Coronavirus. I believe Cuomo was speaking.

2

u/idiot_potato_2 1d ago

its been five years huh

2

u/Uhh_VincentAdultMan 1d ago

It was so clean😍I miss that part.

5

u/celtbygod 2d ago

Things were really screwed up in 2020 glad we got rid of the idiot that was president then !

1

u/imbackbitchez69420 2d ago

Peaceful

1

u/robrklyn 2d ago

…except for the eeriness and sirens.

1

u/jfkrfk123 2d ago

Night of the comet…

1

u/hasikatzen 1d ago

Im german is that a spelling error or a totally new word? What does the sign under bar mean? I thought entrance but its entrad… andnot even autocorrect knows

2

u/robrklyn 1d ago

Dos Caminos is Spanish is Spanish for “two paths”. “Entrada” is entrance.

1

u/hasikatzen 1d ago

No i mean the little sign under bar

1

u/robrklyn 1d ago

Yes, it says “entrada” which means “entrance”.

2

u/hasikatzen 1d ago

Oh now i feel stupid times two thx for not insulting me in the second comment

1

u/robrklyn 1d ago

Haha no worries

1

u/BlueGum2000 17h ago

Is Sydney better