Comments on: Crack Down on Drivers, Not iPods

By: Lois

Lois — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:35:32 +0000

Having nearly been run over several times by drivers too busy talking on their cell phones to notice the red light they face or me in the crosswalk, I wonder what planet the NY Times folk inhabit.

For a long time I have wondered why the car is considered sacred in a town in which most people walk. Walking is essential in New York City. And I'll bet there are great statistics that show that walking is more essential to economic life here than the cars that kill people.

By: Khal Spencer

Khal Spencer — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 04:04:23 +0000

One has to wonder if this law would be applied equally to drivers entering intersections while using an electronic device, i.e., yacking on the phone or ripping tunes on their boom boxes (i.e., does "anyone" really mean "anyone"?). I ask that rhetorically, of course. And this is the same newspaper that applauds "Crashworthy Motor Vehicles" in its 3 February op-ed. Small comfort that the next time you are mowed down by a car, you can be assured that the driver is protected by a crashworthy motor vehicle. Yes, I think Glenn is right: the Times Editorial Board probably doesn't walk to work.

By: Brownstone

Brownstone — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:06:48 +0000

Nice essay, summary:
Blame the victim, then lynch the survivors and witnesses.
And get the Times to instigate the lynch mob.
Brent is too kind, Critical Mass does not go far enough for this level of insanity.

By: steveo

steveo — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:44:28 +0000

Given how obscenely poorly the cell-phone-while-driving ban is enforced, I don't think iPoddies have much to fear. My bet: this blows over in a day.

Uh, no, that's the whole point -- the real problem won't blow over in a day, because the real problem has nothing to do with iPods, but rather failing to hold drivers accountable.

By: brent

brent — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:42:03 +0000

Dart- You are correct that these issues must be surfaced to the greater community. What is so frustrating, of course, is that so much energy has been spent for these efforts and still the ignorance increases. We take a step forward and are pushed two steps back. That is why I am very supportive of Crit Mass, despite some peopleâ€™s criticisms that they are not accomplishing anything serious. They say- We are here and nothing you can do will make us go away.- I might have to ride in the next one even if itâ€™s below 5 F.

By: ddartley

ddartley — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:05:12 +0000

I hope a lot of you guys share thoughts like Komanoff's and your own comments with the politicians and in letters to the papers. It would be sad if most of us vented off our frustration on stories like this here, and then didn't have the angry energy to also send a concise, publication-worthy 'letter to the editor' to the Times. I read that editorial and think it's positively boneheaded in the way it assigns blame; and I hope to see a properly reproachful letter responding to it published in the Times soon (although I guess time's running out now).

By: Nicolo Macchiavelli

Nicolo Macchiavelli — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:32:41 +0000

Great rant Bro.

You shouldn't let Carl Kruger off the hook because, among other things, he is a peculiar species. Clearly a DINO, Democrat In Name Only. He has positioned himself to fuck many a more progressive Democrat. A minority Democrat in a Republican majority State Senate, he has kissed the ring for a couple decades so that he gets a taste for his constituents in the member items. He has used that, historically, for some pretty short sighted transportation stuff. For example, around Kings Plaza, historically a very dangerous place to walk, his constituents faced a lot of traffic chaos. Brought on, in part by the dollar vans, in general by the parking lots at the mall. Nonetheless, what was his institutional reaction? Squack about the dollar vans (mostly Black people), ignore the parking induced traffic, and ultimately, to help add a lane of traffic on Flatbush Ave., thanks Carl. All the time doing every politically underhanded thing he could to screw Freddy Ferrer and anyone else who challenged the powers that be.

That said, who stands to gain most when the Democrats take over Albany and the Senate? The DINOs, particularly but not limited to Carl Kruger. La plus ca change.

By: Denton Taylor

Denton Taylor — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:13:06 +0000

These are not the only private carter stories out there... A few months ago, on 5th Ave in Brooklyn, (Park Slope) a motorist was killed by a private sanitation truck that crossed the center line. I saw the car and it didn't seem like it was hit all that hard; nevertheless the driver was killed. And the driver of the garbage truck was arrested, not because of the accident, but because he had outstanding warrants.

Denton

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:06:04 +0000

I read the NY Times article and it just seemed like they were totally out of touch with what's happening on ground. Take a look at their editorial board.

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/editorial-board.html

Many of them are foreign policy focused with a few locals sprinkled in, but none seem to have much background on public health, transportation, urban design, etc. I would guess that many of them have a behind the windshield perspective similar to many of our top lawmakers...

By: Ian D

Ian D — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:04:05 +0000

Given how obscenely poorly the cell-phone-while-driving ban is enforced, I don't think iPoddies have much to fear.

My bet: this blows over in a day.

By: P

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:11:13 +0000

Excellent rant. The media coverage of this proposal shows how incredibly far we have to go- not just to change the streets of the city but also the attitudes of the 'influential' figures of the city.