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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| New York Today: Texting Turns Dangerous | New York Today: Texting Turns Dangerous |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Updated, 8:25 a.m. | |
| Good morning on this turbulent Tuesday. | Good morning on this turbulent Tuesday. |
| April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. | April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. |
| Nationwide, distracted drivers killed more than 3,000 people and wounded another 431,000 in 2014. | Nationwide, distracted drivers killed more than 3,000 people and wounded another 431,000 in 2014. |
| Since 2011, we New Yorkers have gotten better about not talking on our cellphones behind the wheel, but texting has become a more dire issue. | Since 2011, we New Yorkers have gotten better about not talking on our cellphones behind the wheel, but texting has become a more dire issue. |
| Very dire. | Very dire. |
| The numbers are scary. | The numbers are scary. |
| According to a statement recently released by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, roughly 9,000 texting tickets were issued by state and local law enforcement in 2011. | According to a statement recently released by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, roughly 9,000 texting tickets were issued by state and local law enforcement in 2011. |
| But by 2015, that number increased to almost 85,000. | But by 2015, that number increased to almost 85,000. |
| The State of New York is taking this problem seriously: Over the past five years, Mr. Cuomo has increased the texting-while-driving infraction from two points to five. | The State of New York is taking this problem seriously: Over the past five years, Mr. Cuomo has increased the texting-while-driving infraction from two points to five. |
| He also signed a law that promised a four-month license suspension for young or inexperienced drivers convicted of texting while driving, followed by a possible revocation for a year. | He also signed a law that promised a four-month license suspension for young or inexperienced drivers convicted of texting while driving, followed by a possible revocation for a year. |
| And if your taxi driver is using a cellphone while driving, complain away. | And if your taxi driver is using a cellphone while driving, complain away. |
| Those of us who don’t drive are not off the hook either; pedestrians who text in a crosswalk are out in droves, too, and it has become a public safety concern. | Those of us who don’t drive are not off the hook either; pedestrians who text in a crosswalk are out in droves, too, and it has become a public safety concern. |
| This week, we spent rush hour hanging out at Lafayette and East Houston Streets, at the heavily trafficked intersection near the gas station that just closed. | This week, we spent rush hour hanging out at Lafayette and East Houston Streets, at the heavily trafficked intersection near the gas station that just closed. |
| In just one hour, we counted 594 passers-by walking, like zombies, chins down and eyes glued to their glowing phone screens. | In just one hour, we counted 594 passers-by walking, like zombies, chins down and eyes glued to their glowing phone screens. |
| (It is not a good look; these smartphone zombies were recently nicknamed “smombies” in Germany.) | (It is not a good look; these smartphone zombies were recently nicknamed “smombies” in Germany.) |
| So if you see something, say something. | So if you see something, say something. |
| Here’s what else is happening: | Here’s what else is happening: |
| Noisy and possibly severe thunderstorms are in the forecast today. | Noisy and possibly severe thunderstorms are in the forecast today. |
| What makes a thunderstorm severe, you ask? | What makes a thunderstorm severe, you ask? |
| “One-inch diameter hail, the size of a quarter,” said Jim Connolly, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. And damaging winds over 58 miles per hour. Or both. | “One-inch diameter hail, the size of a quarter,” said Jim Connolly, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. And damaging winds over 58 miles per hour. Or both. |
| That could happen this afternoon. In the meantime, prepare for soupy weather: Rain with a high of 76. | That could happen this afternoon. In the meantime, prepare for soupy weather: Rain with a high of 76. |
| • Since Donald J. Trump began his campaign for president, Trump Tower has become something like a true city landmark, drawing tourists, protesters and selfie-snapping New Yorkers. [New York Times] | • Since Donald J. Trump began his campaign for president, Trump Tower has become something like a true city landmark, drawing tourists, protesters and selfie-snapping New Yorkers. [New York Times] |
| • Questioned about investigations into his fund-raising, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that no laws were broken and suggested the claims were driven by politics. [New York Times] | • Questioned about investigations into his fund-raising, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that no laws were broken and suggested the claims were driven by politics. [New York Times] |
| • A couple from New Jersey was charged with selling illegal guns in New York. [New York Times] | • A couple from New Jersey was charged with selling illegal guns in New York. [New York Times] |
| • The mayor proposed $2 billion for the city’s hospital system. [New York Times] | • The mayor proposed $2 billion for the city’s hospital system. [New York Times] |
| • Millennials here earn about 20 percent less than the generation before them, have more debt and are likely to struggle for years thanks to the recession, according to a city comptroller report. [Wall Street Journal, subscription required] | • Millennials here earn about 20 percent less than the generation before them, have more debt and are likely to struggle for years thanks to the recession, according to a city comptroller report. [Wall Street Journal, subscription required] |
| • Scoreboard: Mets blackout Reds, 5-3. Yankees wrangle Rangers, 3-1. | • Scoreboard: Mets blackout Reds, 5-3. Yankees wrangle Rangers, 3-1. |
| • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Tuesday Briefing. | • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Tuesday Briefing. |
| • Adults and children can give tennis a swing with lessons at Prospect Park Tennis Center in Brooklyn. 1 p.m. [$80] | • Adults and children can give tennis a swing with lessons at Prospect Park Tennis Center in Brooklyn. 1 p.m. [$80] |
| • Brush up on your hand-eye coordination with a juggling lesson in Bryant Park in Manhattan. 5:30 p.m. [Free] | • Brush up on your hand-eye coordination with a juggling lesson in Bryant Park in Manhattan. 5:30 p.m. [Free] |
| • Learn about the spaceship we call earth at Astronomy Live at the Hayden Planetarium on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. 7 p.m. [$15] | • Learn about the spaceship we call earth at Astronomy Live at the Hayden Planetarium on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. 7 p.m. [$15] |
| • New York Road Runners holds an open group run through Silver Lake Park on Staten Island, 7 p.m. [Free] | • New York Road Runners holds an open group run through Silver Lake Park on Staten Island, 7 p.m. [Free] |
| • Record lovers can spin beats at B.Y.O. Vinyl at Iron Station on Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn. 8 p.m. [Free] | • Record lovers can spin beats at B.Y.O. Vinyl at Iron Station on Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn. 8 p.m. [Free] |
| • Mets host Reds, 7:10 p.m. (SNY). Yankees at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. (YES). | • Mets host Reds, 7:10 p.m. (SNY). Yankees at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. (YES). |
| • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. | • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. |
| F, G, N, Q, 2, 3 and queens-bound 7 trains are running with delays. | |
| • Subway and PATH | • Subway and PATH |
| • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak | • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak |
| • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. | • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. |
| • Alternate-side parking: in effect until Thursday. | • Alternate-side parking: in effect until Thursday. |
| • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry | • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry |
| • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark | • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark |
| Although texting while driving and texting while crossing are highly discouraged, safe selfies are not. | Although texting while driving and texting while crossing are highly discouraged, safe selfies are not. |
| In fact, some members of the Police Department are encouraging them. | In fact, some members of the Police Department are encouraging them. |
| The Fifth Precinct of the Police Department, in Chinatown, recently announced the Know Your Precinct Scavenger Hunt. | The Fifth Precinct of the Police Department, in Chinatown, recently announced the Know Your Precinct Scavenger Hunt. |
| Here’s how it works: | Here’s how it works: |
| Follow @NYPD5pct on Twitter, where the precinct will post clues about sites around the city twice a week. | Follow @NYPD5pct on Twitter, where the precinct will post clues about sites around the city twice a week. |
| If you think you’ve cracked the code, visit said site, snap a photo or a selfie there, and then tweet it at the precinct’s account. | If you think you’ve cracked the code, visit said site, snap a photo or a selfie there, and then tweet it at the precinct’s account. |
| “Winners will receive a few surprises,” the precinct said. (The suspense is killing us.) | “Winners will receive a few surprises,” the precinct said. (The suspense is killing us.) |
| May the odds be ever in your favor. | May the odds be ever in your favor. |
| New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. | New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. |
| For updates throughout the day, like us on Facebook. | For updates throughout the day, like us on Facebook. |
| What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com, or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday. | What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com, or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday. |
| Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. | Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. |
| You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. | You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. |