Comments on: Midtown Police Refuse to Help Hit-and-Run Pedicab Victim http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Robert Milkwood Thomas http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-62103 Robert Milkwood Thomas Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:14:23 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-62103 The police represent the interests of the ruling class, first and foremost. On the streets of New York City, cars constitute the ruling class. In the eyes of the NYPD, bicyclists don't really belong on the streets, just as anti-war marchers don't belong on the sidewalks. Until someone from the ruling class (like the mayor, maybe) tells them different, the NYPD is going to continue ignoring car-on-bike crimes. The police represent the interests of the ruling class, first and foremost. On the streets of New York City, cars constitute the ruling class. In the eyes of the NYPD, bicyclists don’t really belong on the streets, just as anti-war marchers don’t belong on the sidewalks. Until someone from the ruling class (like the mayor, maybe) tells them different, the NYPD is going to continue ignoring car-on-bike crimes.

]]> By: Hobbes http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-62006 Hobbes Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:49:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-62006 My contempt for police "response" predates cycling. I've experienced the infamous NYPD apathy through family members, friends, and myself who were victims of some serious crimes and the police did as little as possible to help us. Note to everyone: Never mention to the NYPD that you were part of an anti-war march or demonstration. They will "lose" your case file and ignore you as you try to call and retrieve the police report. Another note: If you're an immigrant with an accent they will usually dismiss your account of the event even with overwhelming evidence supporting it. They will instead use the version of the english speaker, regardless of their apparent guilt. My only positive interaction with NYPD was when I got lost downtown as a kid and a a female officer gave me a token and directions on how to get home. Sorry, don't mean to vent on this thread, but how is it that half a dozen close encounters with the NYPD have been almost all negative? My contempt for police “response” predates cycling. I’ve experienced the infamous NYPD apathy through family members, friends, and myself who were victims of some serious crimes and the police did as little as possible to help us.

Note to everyone: Never mention to the NYPD that you were part of an anti-war march or demonstration. They will “lose” your case file and ignore you as you try to call and retrieve the police report.

Another note: If you’re an immigrant with an accent they will usually dismiss your account of the event even with overwhelming evidence supporting it. They will instead use the version of the english speaker, regardless of their apparent guilt.

My only positive interaction with NYPD was when I got lost downtown as a kid and a a female officer gave me a token and directions on how to get home.

Sorry, don’t mean to vent on this thread, but how is it that half a dozen close encounters with the NYPD have been almost all negative?

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61906 Andy B from Jersey Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:42:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61906 Medici, Did you pursue any civil action in your case? If the criminal courts won't do anything shouldn't the civil courts be of help? In my friends case, he had hired a respected bicycle attorney but after the police report came back and they found out who the driver was, they figured it wasn't going to go anywhere. And from the details my friend told me, my friend was partly to blame (I'd say about 30%, other driver 70%). Good luck out there! Medici,

Did you pursue any civil action in your case? If the criminal courts won’t do anything shouldn’t the civil courts be of help?

In my friends case, he had hired a respected bicycle attorney but after the police report came back and they found out who the driver was, they figured it wasn’t going to go anywhere. And from the details my friend told me, my friend was partly to blame (I’d say about 30%, other driver 70%).

Good luck out there!

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61904 Larry Littlefield Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:24:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61904 "How much does it take to get the same respect the a car victim receives?" Is it a matter of respect? Or is it that a disabled motor vehicle blocks traffic, whereas a pedestrian or cyclist gets out of the way to avoid being hit again, and thus solves "the" problem? “How much does it take to get the same respect the a car victim receives?”

Is it a matter of respect? Or is it that a disabled motor vehicle blocks traffic, whereas a pedestrian or cyclist gets out of the way to avoid being hit again, and thus solves “the” problem?

]]> By: medici http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61903 medici Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:13:23 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61903 Been hit twice in NYC since i moved here in 2007. Both were hit and runs. The second time I was cut of by an oncoming minivan that turned left without a signal. I managed to turn and hit the van sideways recieving a small dent on the top tube of my steel frame. I also recieved a huge rash on my side. There were two witnesses (they thought I was dead) who managed to take down the plate # when the van stopped to consider the situation before flooring it. I called the cops. they came by and said that nothing could be done. I was completely deflated when I realized how few rights we really have as cyclists. I had witnesses, I had a plate #, I had an injury and a damaged bike but apparently all that amounted to nothing. Cars one, cyclists zero Been hit twice in NYC since i moved here in 2007. Both were hit and runs. The second time I was cut of by an oncoming minivan that turned left without a signal. I managed to turn and hit the van sideways recieving a small dent on the top tube of my steel frame. I also recieved a huge rash on my side. There were two witnesses (they thought I was dead) who managed to take down the plate # when the van stopped to consider the situation before flooring it. I called the cops. they came by and said that nothing could be done. I was completely deflated when I realized how few rights we really have as cyclists. I had witnesses, I had a plate #, I had an injury and a damaged bike but apparently all that amounted to nothing. Cars one, cyclists zero

]]> By: Ian Turner http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61901 Ian Turner Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:11:35 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61901 For what it's worth, NYPD goal for response to non-injury accidents is 4 hours. That's as true for car-on-car as for car-on-bicycle. For what it’s worth, NYPD goal for response to non-injury accidents is 4 hours. That’s as true for car-on-car as for car-on-bicycle.

]]> By: Geck http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61898 Geck Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:41:50 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61898 After reporting a similar incident a few years ago, I was told that the report is handed off to a detective, but unless someone was hurt in the hit-and-run, they generally don't pursue it. After reporting a similar incident a few years ago, I was told that the report is handed off to a detective, but unless someone was hurt in the hit-and-run, they generally don’t pursue it.

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61897 Andy B from Jersey Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:36:07 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61897 I had a friend get hit by a car in PA. The driver initially took off but then returned. The driver of a car behind the crash witnessed everything, helped my friend who was lying in the gutter, stayed at the scene and was willing to testify to what had happened. My friend was okay but had some serious road rash and a few bruised ribs and his brand new bike required several hundred dollars worth of repairs. The PA state police who responded to the crash were very professional and courteous according to my friend and took the crash very seriously. Unfortunately, it turned out that the driver of the car that caused the accident was a higher up in the federal district attorneys office. Not surprisingly, when the police report came back it was much different from what actually happened. I had a friend get hit by a car in PA. The driver initially took off but then returned. The driver of a car behind the crash witnessed everything, helped my friend who was lying in the gutter, stayed at the scene and was willing to testify to what had happened. My friend was okay but had some serious road rash and a few bruised ribs and his brand new bike required several hundred dollars worth of repairs.

The PA state police who responded to the crash were very professional and courteous according to my friend and took the crash very seriously. Unfortunately, it turned out that the driver of the car that caused the accident was a higher up in the federal district attorneys office. Not surprisingly, when the police report came back it was much different from what actually happened.

]]> By: Andy http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/midtown-police-refuse-to-help-hit-and-run-pedicab-victim/comment-page-1/#comment-61896 Andy Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:21:52 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5204#comment-61896 After reading about these stories before, I decided that if I encounter this problem and call police or 911, I'm not mentioning anything about cycling. "I've been involved in a hit-and-run" or "My vehicle has been struck by another vehicle" are both still valid to say, I believe. Cyclists shouldn't be treated differently when a victim of a collision, and I think stating that I am a cyclist would immediately turn the situation into the mindset of being "just" or "only" a bicycle. I bet that if this guy called and said, "I struck by a speeding SUV which caused major damage to my vehicle" the cops would have showed up a lot faster. Otherwise, it sounds like a kid riding around in a tricycle. No wonder the cops don't care to investigate if the dispatcher makes it sound like that. I'm just amazed by how many of these stories come up lately. How much does it take to get the same respect the a car victim receives? Why is biking so much less meaningful to the law? I really hope this changes over the next few years. -Andy After reading about these stories before, I decided that if I encounter this problem and call police or 911, I’m not mentioning anything about cycling. “I’ve been involved in a hit-and-run” or “My vehicle has been struck by another vehicle” are both still valid to say, I believe. Cyclists shouldn’t be treated differently when a victim of a collision, and I think stating that I am a cyclist would immediately turn the situation into the mindset of being “just” or “only” a bicycle.

I bet that if this guy called and said, “I struck by a speeding SUV which caused major damage to my vehicle” the cops would have showed up a lot faster. Otherwise, it sounds like a kid riding around in a tricycle. No wonder the cops don’t care to investigate if the dispatcher makes it sound like that.

I’m just amazed by how many of these stories come up lately. How much does it take to get the same respect the a car victim receives? Why is biking so much less meaningful to the law? I really hope this changes over the next few years.

-Andy

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