Hi Catsme! I'm sorry for not replying sooner.

1. Occasionally, but not often. The nice thing about New York is that you can escape easily because there's always a crosswalk!

2. I worry about being on the subway because of noro, but the one time I did catch it was in the summertime and due to the kids I babysit - definitely not a crowded train.

3. I don't really know that certain areas are higher risk than others. Maybe trains with more traffic (e.g. the L train - always packed) have an increased risk, but honestly I've forgotten to wash my hands after holding onto a subway pole (YICK!) and was still fine.

Definitely not inappropriate. I'm more than happy to help! And again, sorry for the delayed reply. I haven't been on the site in a while!

Emily