Bob Dylan once said that "patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings," but the case of Staten Island conservative and neighbor-endangering provocateur Scott LoBaido proves that a scoundrel can also cling to the corruptive influence of car culture.
Let's go over the indisputable facts: LoBaido, a recidivist scofflaw with four-dozen camera-issued tickets on his truck, has long protested the city's speed-enforcement cameras as a "money grab" (well, the "money" part is definitely true in LoBaido's case; he's paid $4,000 in these easily avoidable fines).
More recently, he became so offended by the enforcement that he started putting up flower bouquets to block the lenses — an action that endangered his neighbors by allowing drivers to speed without accountability. On Monday, as our Sophia Lebowitz reported, he surrendered himself to authorities after someone else had been accused of the crime.
Now, I've been covering LoBaido's antics since he protested supposedly anti-Christian artwork at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999. And he's always been a piece of work, a Trumpist before Trump who turned everything into a culture war. He even makes the simple act of painting an American flag into a cause célèbre.
But where cars are concerned, LoBaido is burdened with a psychotic level of autonormativity. It's sad, really. But it's also dangerous. Here's LoBaido, for example, once ranting about bad drivers ... while driving!
Given LoBaido's horrendous driving record, one would think that District Attorney Mike McMahon would have taken the opportunity to honor his oath of office to keep Richmond County residents safe and at least mete out a small amount of punishment to such a clear and present danger.
But, as a resident of Staten Island, McMahon is also car-brained (full disclosure: he's an old friend, but he's also never gotten around without a car). So he sided with the perp, telling Lebowitz, "I loathe the omnipresence of speed cameras."
So the guy endangering his neighbors by covering the cameras was let off with an adjournment in contemplation of a dismissal — meaning if he doesn't obstruct governmental operations for six months, his case is dropped. (The Post also covered, albeit with a different angle than mine.)
But LoBaido will be back. He can't resist his own reckless driving or encouraging others to defy accountability. And when he hits or injures someone, that blood will not only be on McMahon's hands, but also on those of state lawmakers, who refuse to make speed camera tickets count against a driver's record.
And that's the real car-ruption here.
In other news:
- The MTA says its congestion pricing revenue is solid. (NY Times, NYDN, NY Post, The City)
- DoorDash was caught swiping workers' tips. (NY Post, NY Times, amNY)
- The Times had some scant details about Gov. Hochul's meeting with "King" Trump.
- Crime is down in the subway again. (amNY)
- And crackdowns on toll evaders are up, too. (LoHud)
- Hell Gate covered the East River floodgates photo op.
- Whoa, Ferdinando's Focacceria closed?! (Gothamist)
- And, finally, as you know, we are definitely not fans of cars here at Streetsblog, but you have to tip your hat to the owner of this 1981 Chevy Citation that I spotted the other day on Prospect Park Southwest. That car wasn't even good when it was made!
