I will probably write an article on my transportation blog (Transport Information Group) someday soon about road safety and fatality rate and will discuss this issue.

sure, there are arguments about jurisdiction, blah, blah, blah, blah. i do not buy these arguments either, because more resources can always be found to handle different jurisdictions and more of those related to traffic infractions. there is no way the nypd cannot claim to lack those resources, since they always seem to have enough to blow on stupid campaigns, such as critical mass (well over $1.3 million by now) and anti-RNC demonstration harrassment, and countless lawsuits stemming from various acts of police brutality, harrassment and general civil rights violations. sheesh, i could go on here.

the bottom line is that just a little more effort by the nypd, and, really, it would not require much, would make a huge difference.

full disclosure, i am no fan of a daddy-state, etc, but, we are talking about rules that are already there for good reasons, not about new, frivolous rules about where to sell hot dogs, take pictures, and hail non-yellow cabs, etc, etc.

I'd rather focus attention on building safer streets that have more room for pedestrians and bikers and less room for cars. Sounds safer to me, even without a cop watching.

the city needs powers to deploy unlimited red light and speed cameras, fines need to increase substantially, prosecutors must dramatically increase their prosecution and conviction rate for reckless drivers who maim and kill, and the cops need to change their metrics and prioritization of enforcement resources.

i heard that T.A. is busting on all this in '08 in addition to the awesome work they are already doing on this and other fronts.

It's illegal to run red lights.
It's illegal to turn on red in NYC
It's illegal to not yield to pedestrians and cyclists when turning.
It's illegal to speed.

If a death or injury occurs because drivers break those laws, they MIGHT get a summons, no more unless they are drunk.

If just those laws were enforced, and theres plenty more, many many lives could have been saved.

Only one person thought it was still safe for x to cross the street - and that was x.

For years, friends told the 72-year-old to "stop walking around the city."

His two sons were so worried about their dad they offered him a car.

"We told him so many times, 'Don't walk across the street. 95% of drivers fail to yield to elderly pedestrians who are crossing.'"

The elder x brushed such demands aside, saying he loved walking too much to quit. It was that fondness for experiencing the city on two feet that cost him his life Thursday night when he crashed into a charter bus in midtown.