3 Peds Hit on 9th Ave. 2 Dead. Mayor Mike: Where Are You?
Like Third Avenue in Brooklyn, Manhattan's Ninth Avenue is emerging as one of New York City's new "Boulevards of Death." This afternoon, the Clinton / Hell's Kitchen Pedestrian Safety Coalition, the community group that has been organizing the Ninth Avenue Renaissance project, broadcast the following news and call to action:
Dear Neighbors
Seventy-five percent of our community members are concerned for their safety because of traffic, while only 6 percent are concerned about crime!Just two weeks ago, another pedestrian was killed by a truck trurning from Ninth Avenue onto 16th Street. On Friday morning a 55 year old lady with a walker was killed by a bus turning west from Ninth Avenue on 45th Street and last night a young woman was critically injured by a truck turning into the Lincoln Tunnel lanes from 37th street at Ninth Avenue.
In all cases the pedestrians had the light, and the drivers walked away with summons.
We must obtain more enforcement at intersections, officers who care more about pedestrian safety than flow of cars and who are qualified to issue summons.
City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and the Chair of the Public Safety committee are hosting town hall meetings to give community members the opportunity to voice concerns about and suggest improvements to current police operations in their neighborhoods.
Tuesday, February 27
Mc Burney YMCA
125 West 14th Street, btwn 6th - 7th Ave.
6:00pm-8:00pm
We must also change the laws so that the life of a pedestrian is worth more than a summons! Join the hundreds who will gather at City Hall to rally for Pedestrian Safety.
Citywide Rally
Sunday March 4 at 3 pm
City Hall
Please join us. These are critical times and we must speak up for our safety.
Best
Christine Berthet ,
Co founder
Chekpeds
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I got hit by a car on 58th and 9th I had the light and the car was turning, it was a livery cab. I didn't bother to report it because I was more or less okay.
Comment by Rob — February 26, 2007 @ 9:14 pm | Link
I can understand getting off with a summons if you hit a pedestrian who pops out from between two parked cars, but in cases where the ped has the light and is in the crosswalk, why aren't more serious charges filed?
Comment by d — February 26, 2007 @ 9:20 pm | Link
Oh thank the lord Quinn is having a community meeting! Oh praise Jesus - Quinn to the rescue - she will protect us, she will save our neighborhoods.
The speaker is good at being the speaker - lip service for a fee!
When are community groups going to wake up and get a damn clue that these Quinn community hearings are joke!
Comment by WIll — February 27, 2007 @ 11:47 am | Link
BTW - they better get a permit for that rally or attendies will be subject to arrest - no joke!
Comment by WIll — February 27, 2007 @ 11:52 am | Link
For folks who keep asking whether reckless driving (without DWI or leraving the scene) is enough to support a homicide prosecution, that's exactly the charge that has been announced in the Higbee case in New Jersey (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/nyregion/28trooper.html)
The only thing standing between most of the vehicular killers discussed on this site and justice is a bit of interest and backbone on the part of our elected DA's.
Comment by Steve — February 28, 2007 @ 11:05 am | Link