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

OPINION: Can Regional Governance Break New York Out of Its Constant State of Transit Emergency?

The New York region needs to fundamentally change the way it governs its transit system, our contributor writes.

December 20, 2024

Friday’s Headlines: ‘So, How Was Your Day?’ Edition

You didn't come here to find out about yesterday's crime news. Instead, here's the livable streets news!

December 20, 2024

Albany Should Use ‘Underutilized’ Transit Fund For LIRR, Metro-North Discounts: Report

An "underutilized" pot of state transportation funds could help lure more New York City residents onto the LIRR and Metro-North, according to a new report.

December 19, 2024

See It: The McGuinness Road Diet Works — But Only Where the City Installed It

The road diet works, exposing the need to extend it all the way.

December 19, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Snow and Tell Edition

The Sanitation Department is even better prepared for winter. Plus other news.

December 19, 2024
See all posts