I'd say that NYC drivers are on average a lot more aggressive than the ones here in my urban hellhole. At least in residential neighborhoods, drivers tend to respect stop signs and crosswalks. Not always, of course, but on the whole they aren't so bad. I'm always mystified by "aggressive" drivers who gun it then slam on the brakes, knowing full well that there's a stop sign one block away.
Yes, like cyclists, pedestrians sometimes behave badly, but they don't have a ton+ of metal surrounding them. Try not to kill them.