A man standing with his wife and kids on a Midtown sidewalk was hit by a cab driver yesterday in a precinct where speeding is practically unenforced by NYPD.
The victim was hit at approximately 4 p.m. after two cab drivers collided at Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street, a pedestrian-packed area teeming with summer tourists.
WABC reported that, according to police, one cab driver was traveling south on Seventh and the other was going east on 52nd when one of the cabbies ran a red. But DNAinfo talked to witnesses who said both cab drivers were on Seventh and one, who was speeding, "lost control" and struck the other from behind. Video and photos from the scene indicate that the impact sent both cabs onto the sidewalk.
The crash occurred in the Midtown North Precinct, where local officers issued one speeding ticket in 2012, and as of May had cited nine drivers for speeding in 2013, according to NYPD summons data.
From DNAinfo:
Harun Rashid, who sells posters at the intersection, said it was "scary," that the cab came within a few feet of his table.
"They're driving company cars and they don't care [about the cars,]" he said, accusing the cabbie who came from behind of speeding.
Reports say one of the cab drivers struck a pole and a male pedestrian, who was standing on the corner with his wife and two children. The pedestrian and the driver were hospitalized, according to reports. An FDNY spokesperson said two victims were transported in stable condition, with one yellow tag.
According to an FDNY online forum, a yellow tag is a victim who "has injuries that will require further, but not necessarily immediate, attention." The FDNY spokesperson said one victim was "slightly worse off" than the other. The Post reported that the cab driver had "minor injuries."
Yellow cab drivers have killed at least eight pedestrians and cyclists in Manhattan and Brooklyn in the last 15 months, according to crash data compiled by Streetsblog. The number of people injured is much higher. NYC cab drivers log more hours per shift than long-haul truckers.
To voice your concerns about neighborhood traffic safety directly to Inspector Timothy J. Beaudette, the commanding officer of Midtown North, go to the next precinct community council meeting. The Midtown North Precinct council meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at 339 W. 47th Street, though no meetings are held in July or August. Call 212-767-8447 for information.
