Editorial
Return responsibility
to the city’s roadways
Legislation isn’t always the cure-all for
a problem affecting a city, state or
country — but it can make strides
toward resolving a public safety concern.
That’s the hope behind the “Dangerous
Vehicles Abatement Bill” which the
City Council overwhelmingly passed on
Tuesday and sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio
for his signature.
The plan aims to punish bad drivers
who travel recklessly on our streets, putting
the lives of pedestrians, bicyclists and
other motorists in serious jeopardy. The
owners of vehicles caught with five or
more red light camera infractions, or 15 or
more school speed camera zone violations,
will need to take a driver responsibility
course — basically, a refresher on how to
be responsible behind the wheel.
We can hear some city drivers groaning
already. Why is the city so hellbent on
restricting vehicular traffic and going after
motorists when there are pedestrians and
bicyclists who break the law, too?
We understand that point — but we also
understand the huge number of pedestrians
and cyclists killed on the city streets
over the last year. We’ve documented
many of them on the pages of this paper
and on our website.
The last few months alone have been
particularly dangerous for non-drivers.
Facing a rash of street deaths around the
holiday season, Transportation Commissioner
Polly Trottenberg reasoned that
the increased number of pedestrian and
vehicular traffic led to a sudden and troubling
uptick in fatal traffic incidents.
For those who feel that the drivers are
blamed too often for these deaths, we ask
them to consider the “defensive driving”
approach taught in driving schools. Teachers
often tell the students that the driver
bears the ultimate responsibility for their
vehicle — and they cannot always count
on others sharing the same road to give
them the right of way.
Let’s face it: A pedestrian, a bicyclist
or another driver is always at greater risk
of serious injury or death from a collision
with a speeding vehicle. The risk is much
higher when reckless drivers are on the
road, flying through red lights and failing
to obey speed limits.
Driving is a privilege, not a right. Irresponsible
drivers with records of flouting
the driving laws and jeopardizing lives
and property should be compelled to go
back to school and be reminded of their
responsibilities.
Publisher of The Villager, Villager Express, Chelsea Now,
Downtown Express and Manhattan Express
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VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA SCHNEPS
ROBERT POZARYCKI
GABE HERMAN
ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL
MARK HALLUM
MICHELE HERMAN
BOB KRASNER
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Minority Women Business Enterprise
Barbershop on 14th St. in 1982
This photo is from the March 25, 1982 issue of The Villager, which
featured an article on a book of photographs, “14th Street,” by photographers
Sy Rubin and Larry Siegel, which captured the history
and character of the Manhattan street through black and white photographs.
One photo was of a Long Island man who came every two weeks
into neighborhood joint Sal’s Barber Shop, which included photos of a
young Frank Sinatra and felt straight out of the 1940’s, the article noted.
— Gabe Herman
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12 February 13, 2020 Schneps Media
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