Bridge and tunnel
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Template:Otheruses4 Bridge and tunnel (often abbreviated B&T) is a derogatory term used by residents of Manhattan to refer to the large amount of people who commute into the borough from the nearby area, both for work and for the New York nightlife. The term is now often generalized and used in other regions of the U.S.; especially in San Francisco where it refers to anyone who does not live on the San Francisco Peninsula.
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Etymology
Though the name originates from the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, which services the five boroughs that make up New York City, the term has come to encompass all people who originate from Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey.
Origin
The earliest known instance of this phrase in print is below.
December 13, 1977 edition of the New York Times, pg. 83:
"On the weekends, we get all the bridge and tunnel people who try to get in," he said.
Elizabeth Fondaras, a pillar of the city’s conservative social scene, who has just told Steve Rubell she had never tried to get into Studio 54 for fear of being rejected, asked who the bridge and tunnel people were.
"Those people from Queens and Staten Island and those places," he said.
Usage
As the residents of the outer boroughs of New York City are generally less affluent than the actual residents of Manhattan, the term "bridge and tunnel" has picked up several connotations in the New York nightlife scene. As many of the neighborhoods in the boroughs and Long Island are racially undiverse, this also sometimes can imply certain ethnic assumptions. Popular clubs will have bouncers and door staff that specifically screen for a "good crowd".
- An undesireable 'ratio' of Manhattan residents to borough residents:
- "That place used to be cool, but now it's all B&T"
- A woman who is gaudy or unfashionable
- A man who has a strong borough accent
Comparisons
The preference of local crowd over tourists by upscale establishments is common in many vacation destinations including San Francisco, Honolulu and Las Vegas. Tourists tend to be louder and more obnoxious, as compared to local patrons.
Effects
Many clubs in Manhattan are quite popular among local residents on regular weeknights. This is mostly to avoid the crowds associated with the huge influx of bridge and tunnel commuters on weekends.
References in popular culture
- In Made Vince Vaughn's character mocks his friend for not being able to get "that Bridge and Tunnel girl".
- Less Than Jake, a modern ska band, wrote a song called bridge and tunnel authority, which appeared on their album B is for B-sides.
- The Honorary Title, a New York City indie rock band, released a song called "Bridge and Tunnel" as a single from their 2004 album Anything Else But The Truth.
- In Loser, a character states that bridge and tunnel girls on an unnamed university campus "sleep around" in order to avoid commuting back home.
- In Chasing Amy, Alyssa's friends are trying to figure out who she's dating. One exclaims "Eww! Not a bridge-and-tunnel Jersey dyke!"; another adds "With huge hair and acid-washed jeans!"
- In Boiler Room a gay man in a bar says to the main characters "What's up with those clothes? Did you just come from a city council meeting or are you just trying to get lucky with the bridge and tunnel crowd?"