Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Car Culture

Tuesday’s Headlines: But They <i>NEED</i> Their Cars Edition

The Jersey license plate is the chef’s kiss on this ossified Altima spotted on Monday on the Upper West Side. Photo: Lisa Orman

A really big snowstorm affords us a great chance to push back on the inaccurate (and, frankly, anti-progressive) notion that many New Yorkers need their cars to get to work.

Look around your neighborhood at all the fossilized Fords, ossified Audis and sedimented Subarus that haven't moved since the big blizzard more than eight days ago. If their owners had to drive, presumably, they would have dug them out and driven.

And enjoy our slideshow of all the car owners who need their cars:

And, lest we forget the sneckdowns!

https://twitter.com/marctorrence/status/1358931172689137666?s=20

In other news:

    • Despite multiple requests from Streetsblog, new Department of Transportation Commissioner and intellectual property lawyer Hank Gutman gave his first sit-down to the Times, which was pretty skeptical frankly. "The [mayor's] ambitious agenda would be challenging even for a seasoned transportation professional, which Mr. Gutman, 70, a retired lawyer and a donor to Mr. de Blasio and other Democrats, is not." Ouch.
    • A delivery cyclist was seriously injured by a hit-run-and-return driver on the Lower East Side. (NYDN)
    • Some details emerged about Mayor de Blasio's "open culture" program, which we wrote about yesterday, and Gov. Cuomo's "pop-up" performance version (NY Times, Brooklyn Paper, Gothamist). The NY Post story about Cuomo's proposal had a weird detail: "The events will not be publicly announced beforehand and will last only about 20 minutes to try to keep down crowd size." ("Hey, honey, you want to go see the — oops, I don't know where it'll be and, wait a second, we missed it.")
    • The Times took a look at the cruel process of evicting homeless people from the subway and not giving them anywhere else to go.
    • Brooklyn Borough President candidate Robert Cornegy has locked up the non-Brooklyn vote, apparently. (NYDN)
    • Good news: maybe our old man editor can finally stop teaching eighth grade! (Gothamist)
    • And, finally, US DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the magic words in an interview yesterday, "Roads aren't just for vehicles — they are for people."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

New Bill Would Block Apps From Deactivating Workers Without Cause

A Brooklyn Council member wants delivery app companies to be more human and less robot.

July 18, 2025

Friday Video: Is Berlin a Great Biking City?

Have recent moves by anti-bike, pro-car legislators ruined the experience in the capital of a unified Germany? Sort of!

July 18, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Meeker Avenue Bike Lane Is a Failure

The Department of Transportation still hasn't finished a critical bike lane under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that the agency has been stalling for over four years even after identifying the strip's danger and lack of proper signals.

July 18, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Cuomo’s Road Rage Edition

Why does Andrew Cuomo drive so recklessly? Plus other news.

July 18, 2025

Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off

Mayor Adams has delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue despite once saying safety fixes there should be "at the top of our list."

July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

July 17, 2025
See all posts