The NYPD is currently in their second day of a "citywide initiative to address the use of cell phones/texting while driving and failing to yield to pedestrians." The first day was Tuesday, which was most notable for the NYPD's arrest of Alec Baldwin after he was stopped for bicycling the wrong way on Fifth Avenue.
The NYPD explained "that the use of a hand held cell phone and texting while driving a vehicle is illegal. Driving while operating, talking, or texting on a cell phone or other similar hand-held device is extremely dangerous and endangers the safety of both drivers and pedestrians. In addition, preserving the right of way for pedestrians is a primary focus of the NYPD’s traffic safety mission. Motor vehicle operators are also reminded that yielding to pedestrians at intersections is paramount to the safety of all New Yorkers."
Transportation Alternatives' Noah Budnick lauded the crackdown, "It shows that the goal is changing people’s behavior not writing the most number of tickets. Writing tickets is important, but the point isn’t to set-up an 'I gotcha' situation and nab people. The point is to compel people to make safe decisions."
The jackass in the photograph above was busy checking out his phone for many minutes on the LIE yesterday, and was even observed watching a movie. But I guess he wasn't sweating it, because his car had "MD" license plates.
