The most annoying section of New York.

What should be one of the most fascinating sections of New York City is one of the most irritating. What should be a center of pride is an area of constant badgering and repetitive harassment. Even its famous 5th Avenue address doesn't add a single note of refinement to this two block section where one must run the gauntlet at almost any hour of the day. For 5th Avenue between West 33rd and 34th streets is where a wide variety of aggressive and independent hustlers sell tickets to the Empire State Building Observatory. Not willing to wait for to you to approach them, they assume everyone is a tourist and verbally assault you. The landmark building insists that these street agents are not employed by them, but don't seem to make any effort to curtail their activities. I have no idea who employs them, what kind of commission they make, or why the law allows them to be such a constant New York nuisance. I recall first coming to a less chaotic New York in 1959, and standing on 5th Avenue along with a handful of other tourists looking up at this magnificent building. I don't think you could do that anymore without being trampled by hordes of tourists, New Yorkers, and ticket sellers.