I just have to throw this in-- historical perspective.

In 1928, Reginald Vanderbilt had one of the first cars in Newport, R.I. He soon killed one or more people, mowing them down at about 18 miles per hour in a 14MPH zone. Yes, things were a lot slower then... The townspeople were outraged and took to throwing rocks at his car as he "sped" through the streets.

What is my point? I have no idea.

We need more rocks? (that's what I got out of it.)

Ha! we definitely need more rocks.

Death By Automobile: an American tradition!

I really don't understand what the fuck is going on in regards to all these non charges? Can drivers be charged later? are they ever?

Watch your ass on those sidewalks, people. Any one of us could get killed at any time, and the city wouldn't care.

I ride my bike down Park Avenue all the time... and it always amazes me how many people stand way out in the street to get a jump on the light. I mean, this poor person wasn't even doing that and they were STILL run over. How long before it happens to someone standing in the street against the light?

So many drivers are incredibly reckless in this city and seem completely unaware of the existence of pedestrians and bikes... and yet pedestrians still tend to act as if they peacefully coexist with cars. This is just another indication that they can't. Until the streets are made safer for non-car traffic (both of the foot and bike variety), people need to start acting more cautiously!

Not that this would've saved this unfortunate person but I just wanted to point out something I've noticed about the area in general.

I agree Gwinny. I just moved here a while ago and I'm convinced that many people in this city do not have driver's licenses! I just don't understand why people would drive so recklessly here. I used to live in DC and I thought it was bad there, but NYC takes the cake.

We definitely have to watch out while walking, even if we're far away from the curbs.

There must be a typo in this story -- I thought only reckless hipster cyclists run people over.

There must be a typo in this story -- I thought NYPD didn't charge drivers for mowing down pedestrians.

They didn't charge him with "mowing down pedestrians," only with driving with a suspended license.

Driving with a suspended license? That's just.

It continues to amaze and anger me that drivers are never held accountable for killing pedestrians. It's one thing when a true accident happens, where nobody is at fault. But when people are speeding, cutting in and out of lanes, or in this case making illegal turns that lead to accidents, there must be accountability.

It's not just NYC, it's the USA. The roads (and sidewalks and everything nearby) are for cars. If you drive and kill someone, you get a traffic ticket for something relatively minor. No big whup. Driving is a right, obviously, and if you hit someone, well that's just the way it is. The pedestrians and the bikers and everyone needs to understand: the road is for cars.

Obviously.

Sure, but here in the city, we share close quarters with cars and trucks and cabs. And the streets are more crowded with vehicles, too, so one wrong move sets off a chain reaction, as in this instance, and the person with the least metal aropund him ends up dead.

In the country, you drive up onto the shoulder to avoid another car. Here, just jump the curb and kill someone.

Sarcasm detector fail?

The sobering reality is that this can happen to any of us.

Just terrible.

WHY THE FUCK IS GETTING KILLED BY A VEHICLE TREATED LIKE THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS IN THIS CITY?!? the driver did something illegal that set up a chain of events that killed someone - why aren't potentially deadly traffic violations (i.e. almost all of 'em) ticketed so that urban drivers are effing petrified of killing someone - just like other laws are enforced to the point where we are effing petrified of killing someone wtf, wtf??

I don't gt this attitude either. Granted, I only rent a Zip Car three or four times a year to move big stuff, and when I do I'm "effin petrified", not because I might hit somebody when I'm in the wrong, but even to hit somebody when they're in the wrong, since I'm the one controlling the ton+ steel missile, and I couldn't live with myself if I killed someone. It drives me crazy when I see city (who are rarely from The City) drivers treat the "right of way" as a hunting license.

(my getting off my soapbox now)