NYPD

Streetsblog Editor Gets Second Violent Threat from Staten Islander in Favor of Reckless Driving

Streetsblog's effort to slow down drivers on the speedway borough of Staten Island is definitely angering speeders — the website received a second threatening call this morning.

By Gersh Kuntzman

1:08 PM EST on March 3, 2020

Streetsblog Editor Gets <i>Second</i> Violent Threat from Staten Islander in Favor of Reckless Driving

Here's our editor, angering reckless drivers on Staten Island by encouraging them to slow down. Photo: Streetsblog

Streetsblog’s effort to slow down drivers on the speedway borough of Staten Island is definitely angering speeders — the website received a second threatening call this morning.

The NYPD has now been alerted to the pattern of intimidation coming from the pro-car borough in response to Streetsblog’s aggressive coverage of a nascent movement of pro-car vigilantes who are hanging yellow ribbons to warn drivers of the locations of the borough’s 80-odd speed cameras and, indirectly, help those drivers to speed in locations where there are no ribbons.

On Monday, Streetsblog fanned out across the borough and hung dozens of yellow ribbons at locations known for excessive speeding, yet no cameras, in hopes that the ribbon would encourage drivers to slow down simply because it’s right, not because they might get a ticket for it.

The calls on Monday and Tuesday must be heard, if only for the accents!:

“Hey, jerk off, stop fucking with the speed cameras on Staten Island!” a male voice said on a message received Tuesday at 9:08 a.m. That call followed Monday’s brief telephonic missive that played off this reporter’s surname in a very cliched manner: “Hey, Mr. Kunt-man. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Staten Island and I hope you come back again so we can break your kneecaps.”

The local council member, Joe Borelli, has supported the Yellow Ribbon Vigilantes and has argued that speed limits on Staten Island are too low.

Streetsblog has alerted the NYPD and City Hall to the calls and is waiting to hear back.

Gersh Kuntzman

Tabloid legend Gersh Kuntzman has been with New York newspapers since 1989, including stints at the New York Daily News, the Post, the Brooklyn Paper and even a cup of coffee with the Times. He's also the writer and producer of "Murder at the Food Coop," which was a hit at the NYC Fringe Festival in 2016, and “SUV: The Musical” in 2007. He also writes the Cycle of Rage column, which is archived here.

NYPD | Staten Island | Traffic Enforcement

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