Aaron Naparstek

» Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Mobilizing the Region

The latest installment of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign's Mobilizing the Region is a good one. Featuring:

New Jersey Governor Corzine's choice for Attorney General -- the state's top law enforcer -- Zulima Farber, has received 12 speeding tickets and a number of driver license suspensions after failing to appear in court. Farber’s nomination is a troubling sign of the low regard driving laws are accorded and the extent to which anti-social behavior at the wheel is seen as normal throughout U.S. society. <link>
New York brags these days that it is America's "safest big city." And yet last week a hotel worker, a graduate student, a philanthropist and a Holocaust survivor were among the pedestrians killed by New York City motorists. Mayor Bloomberg announced sweeping changes costing $25 million at the Administration for Children’s Services following the beating death of Nixzmary Brown. No shake-ups are reported at DOT or the NYPD, which spent last Friday evening harrassing and arresting cyclists at the monthly Critical Mass ride. <link>
In his state of the city speech this week, Mayor Bloomberg told Staten Island leaders he would organize the transportation task force they have clamored for as the most traffic-ridden borough has ground ever closer to a halt. Regardless of what the plan produces, with Borough President Molinaro pushing to build and widen roads around a giant suburban-style shopping mall development, Staten Island traffic is likely to get worse before it gets better. <link>

And there's more good stuff. I recommend subscribing to the Mobilizing the Region newsletter if you don't already. Just send an e-mail to: tstc[AT]tstc.org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

10:10 AM | Link |

Comments

"Antisocial behavior behind the wheel is seen as normal throughout U.S. society."

As incidents of road rage get worse, and bobbing and weaving and speeding is increasingly normalized, the highways of the United States are increasingly descending into the Hobbesian state of nature: A war of all against all.

There can be no camraderie between drivers, only the persistent and blood boiling thought that other drivers are arrogant or incompetent (which, indeed, they often are) for being too slow, or too aloof to notice the light change, or too much of a space cadet to use turn signals, or ... the list continues.

On our increasingly hostile roadways, in Staten Island and elsewhere, time spent behind the wheel can be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

Posted by AD @ 1/31/2006 10:06 PM | Link

If Staten Island really wants to improve its transportation system, you would here more about light rail, mixed use zoning in the vast residential tracts on the south shore, rebuilding local shopping districts in Port Richmond, Stapleton and many other older areas.
And to paraphrase the Gipper: "Tear down that Mall Mr. Molinaro!"

Posted by peakguy @ 1/31/2006 11:46 PM | Link

sorry "hear" not "here" and "Mall" can alternatively be spelled "Maul"

Posted by peakguy @ 1/31/2006 11:49 PM | Link

Well put, AD. It was amazing to me to see all of these American car companies at the big auto show this year deciding that the way back to fiscal health is to give Americans more and better "muscle cars." I guess the more we sit stalled in traffic congestion the more we need bigger, more powerful V-8 engines?

PeakGuy for SI Boro Prez!

Posted by aaron @ 2/01/2006 11:13 AM | Link

Civility has disappeared completely from America's roadways. The common response now to someone else's errant driving is not to apply the brakes, but to apply the horn while offering a middle-fingered salute. And 90% of the time, the offending transgression is completely accidental. The response, however, never is.

Posted by Eric @ 2/05/2006 8:21 PM | Link

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