This isn’t a post on how to read the subway map or buy your metro card. It’s about those tiny signs you may be missing as you fast-walk through the grid. Next time you see a pink paper taped to a street sign, or a discreet number on a lamppost, you’ll know what it means.

1. Ever see a black and white striped bar above a subway platform? It’s usually about six cars from the front and it means the car that stops there is where the conductor will be. Good for staying safe on those late night rides.

2. In a hurry? You can swipe your credit card DURING your cab ride. Just press the fare amount in the bottom corner and hit “pay now.”

3. The lampposts in Central Park all have a number on the base. The last two numbers represent the street number you are closest to: no more getting lost in the park!

4. There are pink or yellow signs sometimes taped onto street signs. These mean that there is temporarily no parking in that area for one reason or another. Many of those times, the reason is because trucks and trailers need to park there to film a movie or show – and it says which is being filmed. Yep, that’s how you know to stalk the cast of Law & Order SVU or HBO’s Girls…or get a sneak peek of new movies coming out.

5. There is a specific hall in Grand Central Terminal called the Whispering Wall where you can hear what someone is saying if they whisper from all the way across the room.

6. NYC water is some of the best in the U.S. even though it is filled with microscopic shrimp (copepods). Don’t worry they are completely invisible to the naked eye.

7. Keep an eye out for fake brownstones – there are some that are just facades and are used for subway ventilation or maintenance.

8. Why is“protect yo he(art)” stenciled on some sidewalks? It’s a movement started by UncuttArt. The artist went on the road for two months throughout the U.S. Spreading the message. You can follow the artist on Instagram @uncasso.

#TheMoreYouKnow

What other #NYCsecrets should I add? Let me know on Twitter @maryinmanhattan.