Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Athletes and Celebrities

Forget Alec Baldwin. How About Some Celebrity Failure-to-Yield Tickets?

Photo: ##https://twitter.com/intouchweekly/status/466233828542283777/photo/1##@intouchweekly##
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/intouchweekly/status/466233828542283777/photo/1##@intouchweekly##
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/intouchweekly/status/466233828542283777/photo/1##@intouchweekly##

Well that was fast. About an hour after Alec Baldwin was arrested after reportedly biking in the wrong direction on Fifth Avenue this morning, the story was all over the place.

From the Wall Street Journal:

Actor Alec Baldwin was arrested in Manhattan for riding his bike the wrong way down a street and for disorderly conduct, a law-enforcement official said.

Mr. Baldwin was allegedly riding his bicycle north on Fifth Avenue in the center of the street between 15th and 16th streets, the official said.

Police officers stopped him and asked him for identification, but he didn’t have any on him, the official said.

Mr. Baldwin then allegedly grew visibly upset with the officers, the official said. He was placed in handcuffs. Mr. Baldwin was taken to a local police precinct and was later released, the official said.

Sure, Baldwin is primo click bait right now, but consider this: Celebrity summonses are kind of a brilliant way to get the most bang for your enforcement buck. The public education value is sky high. Imagine if NYPD ticketed, say, Kim Kardashian for speeding, followed by a statement from the department along the lines of "Speeding kills, no matter who's behind the wheel."

Of course, there would have to be more enforcement against reckless driving for that message to stick. As of March, officers from the 13th Precinct, where Baldwin was arrested, had ticketed seven drivers for speeding this year. Meanwhile, NYPD locks up normal people after dumb bike stops on the regular.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Civic Panel Dings Adams For Cutting Bike and Bus Lanes Out of Fifth Av. Redesign

Mayor Adams's scaled down redesign of Fifth Avenue isn't a "real solution" to safety issues on the packed retail corridor, Manhattan Community Board 5 said.

July 14, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: E-Bike Regulations Edition

Monday is a big day for the future of e-bikes in the Big Apple. Plus more news.

July 14, 2025

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third Av. Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025
See all posts