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| New York Streets Are Nearly Empty, but Speeding Tickets Have Doubled | New York Streets Are Nearly Empty, but Speeding Tickets Have Doubled |
| (3 days later) | |
| Drivers have roared through deserted New York City streets as if they were taking a lap at Le Mans. | Drivers have roared through deserted New York City streets as if they were taking a lap at Le Mans. |
| They have openly drag raced on major commuting arteries, including Sixth Avenue and the West Side Highway in Manhattan. And they have racked up thousands of speeding tickets across the city — and in some cases, they have left behind wrecked cars and lives. | They have openly drag raced on major commuting arteries, including Sixth Avenue and the West Side Highway in Manhattan. And they have racked up thousands of speeding tickets across the city — and in some cases, they have left behind wrecked cars and lives. |
| As traffic has disappeared from New York’s streets during the coronavirus pandemic, some drivers have responded by revving their engines and taking off. The open streets have also brought out motorcycle gangs and daredevils on dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles doing wheelies and stunts in traffic lanes, residents said. | As traffic has disappeared from New York’s streets during the coronavirus pandemic, some drivers have responded by revving their engines and taking off. The open streets have also brought out motorcycle gangs and daredevils on dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles doing wheelies and stunts in traffic lanes, residents said. |
| “Now that the streets are empty, the Fast & Furious wannabes really think they’re living in a video game,” tweeted City Councilman Justin Brannan, a Democrat who represents southwest Brooklyn, adding that the sounds of racing cars and motorcycles on the Belt Parkway in Bay Ridge “have become a scary lullaby.” | “Now that the streets are empty, the Fast & Furious wannabes really think they’re living in a video game,” tweeted City Councilman Justin Brannan, a Democrat who represents southwest Brooklyn, adding that the sounds of racing cars and motorcycles on the Belt Parkway in Bay Ridge “have become a scary lullaby.” |
| Even with fewer cars on the streets, the city’s automated speeding cameras have issued almost twice as many speeding tickets daily. There were 24,765 speeding tickets on March 27, up from 12,672 tickets issued daily a month earlier, according to city data. | Even with fewer cars on the streets, the city’s automated speeding cameras have issued almost twice as many speeding tickets daily. There were 24,765 speeding tickets on March 27, up from 12,672 tickets issued daily a month earlier, according to city data. |
| Rush-hour traffic speeds have also soared on the city’s highways. The average speed from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. increased 85 percent in Brooklyn to 46 miles per hour, In Queens, it rose 84 percent to 49 m.p.h., and in the Bronx, 58 percent to 45 m.p.h., according to INRIX, a transportation analytics company. | Rush-hour traffic speeds have also soared on the city’s highways. The average speed from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. increased 85 percent in Brooklyn to 46 miles per hour, In Queens, it rose 84 percent to 49 m.p.h., and in the Bronx, 58 percent to 45 m.p.h., according to INRIX, a transportation analytics company. |
| The fastest average speed was 58 m.p.h. on Staten Island, up 34 percent. Even the slowest average speed, 25 m.p.h. in Manhattan, was up 49 percent. | The fastest average speed was 58 m.p.h. on Staten Island, up 34 percent. Even the slowest average speed, 25 m.p.h. in Manhattan, was up 49 percent. |
| City officials have become alarmed by a spate of high-speed crashes, though the overall number of motor vehicle crashes has declined along with traffic. A total of 1,106 motor vehicle crashes were reported from March 23 to March 28, down 63 percent from 2,951 crashes from Feb. 23 to Feb. 28, according to city data. | City officials have become alarmed by a spate of high-speed crashes, though the overall number of motor vehicle crashes has declined along with traffic. A total of 1,106 motor vehicle crashes were reported from March 23 to March 28, down 63 percent from 2,951 crashes from Feb. 23 to Feb. 28, according to city data. |
| “We are gravely concerned about the dramatic rise in speeding we are seeing on our now emptier roadways,” said Polly Trottenberg, the city’s transportation commissioner. | “We are gravely concerned about the dramatic rise in speeding we are seeing on our now emptier roadways,” said Polly Trottenberg, the city’s transportation commissioner. |
| With emergency rooms already overburdened with Covid-19 patients, Ms. Trottenberg added, “Drivers need to think about their fellow New Yorkers — and slow down. It is a small sacrifice to make during this terrible crisis.” | With emergency rooms already overburdened with Covid-19 patients, Ms. Trottenberg added, “Drivers need to think about their fellow New Yorkers — and slow down. It is a small sacrifice to make during this terrible crisis.” |
| In Midtown Manhattan, fancy sport cars like Porsches and Maseratis have taken over some streets, speeding, running red lights and weaving recklessly along empty stretches, according to residents. One driver nearly totaled his luxury Gemballa Mirage GT sports car after ramming into several parked cars in Hell’s Kitchen. | In Midtown Manhattan, fancy sport cars like Porsches and Maseratis have taken over some streets, speeding, running red lights and weaving recklessly along empty stretches, according to residents. One driver nearly totaled his luxury Gemballa Mirage GT sports car after ramming into several parked cars in Hell’s Kitchen. |
| Rachel Tenney, 35, a special-education teacher, was nearly struck by a driver in a red sports car while recently biking on Park Avenue. The teacher, who prefers the courtesy title Mx., caught up to the driver at the next red light and told him to slow down. His response? Get a bike helmet. “It’s like a speedway,” Mx. Tenney said. | Rachel Tenney, 35, a special-education teacher, was nearly struck by a driver in a red sports car while recently biking on Park Avenue. The teacher, who prefers the courtesy title Mx., caught up to the driver at the next red light and told him to slow down. His response? Get a bike helmet. “It’s like a speedway,” Mx. Tenney said. |
| Citywide, three more people have been killed in motor vehicles this year as of April 14 compared with the same period last year, even though the overall number of traffic deaths has dropped to 47 people from 55 people. | Citywide, three more people have been killed in motor vehicles this year as of April 14 compared with the same period last year, even though the overall number of traffic deaths has dropped to 47 people from 55 people. |
| At the same time, there were five fewer cyclists killed this year after a spike last year. And six fewer pedestrians were killed — the 30-day stretch from March 14 to April 13 without a single pedestrian fatality was the longest in decades, city officials said. | At the same time, there were five fewer cyclists killed this year after a spike last year. And six fewer pedestrians were killed — the 30-day stretch from March 14 to April 13 without a single pedestrian fatality was the longest in decades, city officials said. |
| Police officials pointed to the recent decline in traffic crashes and fatalities, and noted that just 1.3 percent of the more than 2.3 million drivers who drove past the city’s automated speeding cameras on a recent day were found to be speeding, which is defined as going more than 10 m.p.h. over the speed limit. | Police officials pointed to the recent decline in traffic crashes and fatalities, and noted that just 1.3 percent of the more than 2.3 million drivers who drove past the city’s automated speeding cameras on a recent day were found to be speeding, which is defined as going more than 10 m.p.h. over the speed limit. |
| The department has increased patrols and speed-radar enforcement along some highways, deployed hundreds of officers to locations with many speeding drivers and posted more highway safety signs, police officials said. | The department has increased patrols and speed-radar enforcement along some highways, deployed hundreds of officers to locations with many speeding drivers and posted more highway safety signs, police officials said. |
| “The N.Y.P.D. continues to focus on combating speed on the highways and on the streets, where cars are most likely to interact with bicyclists and pedestrians as well as with first responders, food delivery workers and other essential users of the roads,” said Deputy Chief Michael Pilecki of the department’s Transportation Bureau. | “The N.Y.P.D. continues to focus on combating speed on the highways and on the streets, where cars are most likely to interact with bicyclists and pedestrians as well as with first responders, food delivery workers and other essential users of the roads,” said Deputy Chief Michael Pilecki of the department’s Transportation Bureau. |
| City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who has taken to Twitter to implore people to stop speeding and acting recklessly on the city’s streets, said he was considering pushing for tougher measures, including raising fines for speeding tickets, which are $50 when issued by automated cameras. | City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who has taken to Twitter to implore people to stop speeding and acting recklessly on the city’s streets, said he was considering pushing for tougher measures, including raising fines for speeding tickets, which are $50 when issued by automated cameras. |
| “People are already on edge and anxious and this exacerbates the situation,” he said. “What it really shows us is we need to have safer streets — even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic.” | “People are already on edge and anxious and this exacerbates the situation,” he said. “What it really shows us is we need to have safer streets — even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic.” |
| Mr. Johnson also wants to bring back a short-lived city pilot program that was suspended by Mayor Bill de Blasio: It had closed stretches of four major thoroughfares and turned them over to pedestrians for social distancing. Mr. Johnson said he favored significantly expanding it to close many more streets in almost every neighborhood. | Mr. Johnson also wants to bring back a short-lived city pilot program that was suspended by Mayor Bill de Blasio: It had closed stretches of four major thoroughfares and turned them over to pedestrians for social distancing. Mr. Johnson said he favored significantly expanding it to close many more streets in almost every neighborhood. |
| Danny Harris, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group, also called for reducing speed limits — which are typically 20 m.p.h or 25 m.p.h. on residential streets — as well as restricting all driving that is not an essential service during the pandemic. | Danny Harris, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group, also called for reducing speed limits — which are typically 20 m.p.h or 25 m.p.h. on residential streets — as well as restricting all driving that is not an essential service during the pandemic. |
| Updated August 27, 2020 | |
| “Unfortunately, some people see this as open season to take out their car and speed,” said Mr. Harris, who has been awakened by cars racing on the F.D.R. Drive in Manhattan. “Now is not the time for our city to plead with drivers to slow down — they must take immediate action to force them to do so.” | “Unfortunately, some people see this as open season to take out their car and speed,” said Mr. Harris, who has been awakened by cars racing on the F.D.R. Drive in Manhattan. “Now is not the time for our city to plead with drivers to slow down — they must take immediate action to force them to do so.” |
| Shelia Dunn, a spokeswoman for the National Motorists Association, a grass-roots organization of drivers, said that most drivers try to abide by speed limits and cannot afford to get speeding tickets. “Most people are not trying to drive purposely faster,” she said. | Shelia Dunn, a spokeswoman for the National Motorists Association, a grass-roots organization of drivers, said that most drivers try to abide by speed limits and cannot afford to get speeding tickets. “Most people are not trying to drive purposely faster,” she said. |
| Ms. Dunn added that speed cameras and tickets will not stop people who speed excessively or drive recklessly. “These outliers give other motorists a bad name because traffic safety is important to everyone,” she said. | Ms. Dunn added that speed cameras and tickets will not stop people who speed excessively or drive recklessly. “These outliers give other motorists a bad name because traffic safety is important to everyone,” she said. |
| In the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, Rosamond Gianutsos, 75, has been walking her dog when cars have raced by and whipped around corners. She constantly yells at them to slow down. | In the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, Rosamond Gianutsos, 75, has been walking her dog when cars have raced by and whipped around corners. She constantly yells at them to slow down. |
| As a driver herself, Ms. Gianutsos added, she understands the temptation to go faster on congestion-free streets. | As a driver herself, Ms. Gianutsos added, she understands the temptation to go faster on congestion-free streets. |
| “But I would catch myself and rein myself in because I know how devastating these types of collisions and injuries are to people and it could be me,” said Ms. Gianutsos, a psychologist who has treated patients severely injured in car crashes. | “But I would catch myself and rein myself in because I know how devastating these types of collisions and injuries are to people and it could be me,” said Ms. Gianutsos, a psychologist who has treated patients severely injured in car crashes. |
| In Brooklyn, Debbie Herdan, 50, a nurse midwife, said she worried about all the speeding drivers while riding daily to her job at Maimonides Medical Center. “Even though there are fewer drivers, I still feel it’s risky,” said Ms. Herdan, who was struck by a driver of a school minibus while crossing an intersection on her bike in 2016. “If they’re speeding then they’re less likely to see me, and less likely to stop.” | In Brooklyn, Debbie Herdan, 50, a nurse midwife, said she worried about all the speeding drivers while riding daily to her job at Maimonides Medical Center. “Even though there are fewer drivers, I still feel it’s risky,” said Ms. Herdan, who was struck by a driver of a school minibus while crossing an intersection on her bike in 2016. “If they’re speeding then they’re less likely to see me, and less likely to stop.” |
| Drivers have been speeding and drag racing on Shore Road, a winding stretch in Bay Ridge. Even before the pandemic, cars had left skid marks on the road, said State Senator Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, who represents the area. | Drivers have been speeding and drag racing on Shore Road, a winding stretch in Bay Ridge. Even before the pandemic, cars had left skid marks on the road, said State Senator Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, who represents the area. |
| Mr. Gounardes, who receives hundreds of complaints a year about speeding and reckless driving, said the recent increase in speeding highlights a chronic problem in many communities. He has proposed legislation in Albany to make it easier to prosecute reckless drivers and require more pedestrian protections. | Mr. Gounardes, who receives hundreds of complaints a year about speeding and reckless driving, said the recent increase in speeding highlights a chronic problem in many communities. He has proposed legislation in Albany to make it easier to prosecute reckless drivers and require more pedestrian protections. |
| “There’s a chilling effect in terms of how safe people feel walking the streets,” he said. “They can’t go out and enjoy their neighborhood.” | “There’s a chilling effect in terms of how safe people feel walking the streets,” he said. “They can’t go out and enjoy their neighborhood.” |