Have you ever watched the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve?

When I was in college in Westchester County, one year I went with some friends who were at NYU to Times Square. It was a fun thing to do once, in my twenties, but I hate big crowds now.

No. Never would want to unless it was from someone’s apartment who has a view of it, and even then I am not sure I want to be out that late and make my way home with the NYE crowds in NYC. I have a vague memory that maybe my sister went one year, but that seems crazy to me as I write this It’s usually freezing, or you have to stand there for so many hours. My family isn’t keen on being so uncomfortable for that long. I remember my sister once went with a friend to see the Pope, maybe I am confusing the memory.

Almost. On impulse, my boyfriend and I drove from Boston to NYC one New Year’s Eve. This was about 1967. His MG Midget convertible had the driver’s side windowpane missing, and a panel of cardboard didn’t do much to keep out the wind and snow. We drove through a blizzard. Traffic was slow. We got to Times Square ten minutes too late to see the ball drop.

Yes, in 1975–76. Drove up from college and crashed at a friend’s apartment. It was fun. Then back home the next day.

Nope seen it a few times on TV, but that’s it.
I really dislike large crowds.

I watched a couple of times on tv when I was a little kid.

No. Except on TV. Too too much people!
I’ve lived in Kansas since 1967 and I’ve never seen a tornado.
Well, I saw one in 2004, but only because Rick ran it to ground. It turned out to be a famous tornado too. That was cool.

A couple years later I was visiting friends in Southern California and we did the Rose Bowl parade.

@janbb I grew up a half mile from your college. I loved it there.

My parents went at the end of 1964, the next day my mom said it was awful with drunk people vomiting all around, and even in 1964 it was so crowded you couldn’t move. Took away any appetite for me doing it when I was older.

At the end of 2007, I was in Manhattan for a funeral of a colleague. I got back to my hotel about 1, and ventured over to Times Square. Even then it was packed and police telling people”once you’re behind the barricade, you have to stay until after midnight, or you won’t be able to get back to your friends.” Thank goodness I was on a 6 o’clock flight back to California.

@zenvelo The barricades are why a lot of people put on a diaper, because they can’t leave to go to the bathroom so they put the diaper on and pee in the diaper. I can’t imagine wanting to go to any event bad enough that I’d pee in a diaper. Add to that the weather (often frigid but 2024 will be pouring rain), pickpockets, the threat of terrorism, standing up from at least 3pm to midnight, and then having to get to a crowded train and take the train home in the middle of the night. The alternative, for me, will be sweat pants at home in my cozy bed, watching TV, texting, Fluthering, Facebooking, eating, drinking, and just enjoying being in the heated house.

Did it once in the 90’s. That was enough. Kind of like seeing Niagara Falls, enough once you have seen it.

I think when I went it was a lot looser. I think we ate in the Village and went to Times Square around 10 p.m. No security checks but it was definitely a big crowd.

@janbb I think it became more strict after 9/11 and the other terrorist acts that have occurred (WTC bombing, Boston Marathon, etc.). I just saw on the news that there are no bathrooms anywhere in the vicinity of the ball drop, so I don’t know how those people do it. Diapers are not too appealing, neither is rain and cold temps. No alcohol allowed in the zone, either. Seems like a lot of work but I guess it’s for the hardy and determined.

@jca2 Yeah. For sure. I would have gone in the early 70s – a different time.

Yeah. They didn’t allow alcohol or weed in concerts in the 70s, either. Snicker!

Watched many many times on TV, going back years (maybe 70?).

My son worked for a construction company with offices overlooking the ball drop . . . the company had finger snacks and a champagne toast at midnight. He went three years before he changed companies.

I’m watching the news and they’re expecting a million people in Times Square. They have thousands of cops (Federal and city), drones, horses, dogs, trucks, undercover cops and uniformed cops.

I’m thinking if someone bought rain ponchos for a dollar at Walmart, they could sell them for about 5 dollars tonight and make a killing.

I didn’t see any of Times Square Last night. I fell asleep at around 10:00 EST. We were out from 6:00–8:15 listening to a concert and saw some friends there.