Friday’s Headlines: Streetsfilms Meets the War on Cars Edition

Haven’t caught Streetfilms’ Clarence Eckerson Jr.’s new film about the 34th Avenue open street? Well here’s your chance.

“Close Encounters of the 34th Avenue Kind” — runtime, 1 hour 8 minutes — will screen next Friday, Nov. 6 following after the War on Cars Podcast’s live taping at Hunter College with Bloomberg DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

Door opens at 6 p.m., followed by the War on Cars taping at 7:30 p.m., followed by a brief intermission and Clarence’s screening at 8:30. Get your tickets here.

Clarence also recorded an episode with War on Cars hosts Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear, which he tells us will air next week as well.

In other news:

• Lincoln logs: You may have noticed that Streetsblog has been on the rampage about the NYPD and the Mayor’s Office’s failure to update the public database for crashes, causing the public to think roadways are safer than they really are. Well, the topic was raised by Council Member Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn) at this week’s hearing on Vision Zero, and, lo and behold, the databased has finally been updated. You’re welcome, New York!
• An apparently drunk driver crashed through a “Trunk or Treat” event at the 83rd Precinct station house in Brooklyn, injuring six people. (NY Post, CBS New York)
• The dad in the tragic lithium-ion battery fire that killed an 11-year-old in the Bronx had just received his e-bike from a friend “so he could find more work and provide a better life for his family.” (Daily News)
• Want a safer Ocean Parkway? You’ll have to go through state DOT. (Gothamist)
• DoorDash wants to buy Instacart for $17 billion. (NY Times, Associated Press)
• Gothamist continues to try to stir shit over trash containerization.
• No one is currently enforcing bus fares, with the EAGLE team on time-out and NYPD on the sidelines. (Gothamist)
• Should DOT make Wallabout Street one-way? (WMSBG via X)
• Dean Moses of amNY spoke to a business owner complaining about delivery workers parking on E. 11th Street as multiple delivery workers came in to fulfill orders from his restaurant. Workers and locals hope for some sort of compromise.
• The guy who walked from the Bronx to San Francisco says the country needs better pedestrian infrastructure. (Hell Gate)
• ICYMI from Wednesday: The Post is still on the anti-congestion pricing beat.
• Brooklyn’s Montague Street is thriving, but this story about the corridor fails to mention its weekend open street and ample pedestrian seating. (NY Times)
• Mayor Mamdani fulfilled his campaign promise to cancel plans for a new NYPD training facility. (City & State)