Jun 8 - City wants cars off 34th Street. Residents fear traffic will flood side streets. Bus riders crawl at five miles an hour. Officials tout safety gains from 14th Street. Tension rises between speed, safety, and neighborhood calm.

The New York Post (2025-06-08) reports that the city proposes restricting cars on 34th Street to create a busway between 3rd and 9th Avenues. Residents worry rerouted vehicles will jam local streets and worsen safety. Jessica Lavoie of the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association warns, "diverting traffic from this critical corridor onto narrow residential streets would lead to increased congestion, safety hazards, and diminished quality of life." The Department of Transportation aims to replicate the 14th Street busway, which "reduced congestion, sped up bus travel and curbed accidents." The article highlights the ongoing struggle to balance efficient transit, tunnel access, and neighborhood safety. No specific driver errors are cited, but the plan underscores the systemic risks of shifting car traffic onto residential blocks.

• City Eyes 34th Street Car Ban Plan, New York Post, Published 2025-06-08

Jun 7 - An SUV hit a sedan on West 10th Street in Manhattan. The crash left one driver with a concussion and leg injury. Police cite passing and following too closely. Metal met metal. Streets stayed dangerous.

Two vehicles collided at West 10th Street and 7th Avenue South in Manhattan. According to the police report, a Ford SUV making a left turn struck a Toyota sedan going straight. One driver, a 57-year-old man, suffered a concussion and a lower leg injury. The report lists 'Passing Too Closely' and 'Following Too Closely' as contributing factors. Both drivers were licensed and male. The sedan sustained damage to its left rear quarter panel. The SUV showed no damage. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved. The police report does not mention helmet use or turn signals as factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818614 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jun 7 - Two SUVs slammed together on West Street near Christopher. Metal crumpled. One driver suffered whiplash. Passengers shaken. The night air split with the sound of impact. No clear cause. The city’s danger, plain and unyielding.

Two station wagons, both SUVs, collided on West Street at Christopher Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, one driver, a 27-year-old man, was injured and reported whiplash. Passengers in both vehicles were listed as occupants, with unspecified injuries or none reported. The crash involved both vehicles traveling straight, striking center front ends. The police report lists all contributing factors as 'Unspecified.' No driver errors or external causes were identified in the data. Both drivers were licensed and wore lap belts. The crash highlights the ever-present risk on city streets, even when no clear error is found.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818612 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jun 7 - A drunk driver tore through Gramercy. He struck Abdulhekim Esiyok in the crosswalk. Bars kept pouring drinks for the driver. Blood alcohol soared. Esiyok died at Bellevue. The driver hit more people before stopping. The city’s system failed again.

According to the New York Post (2025-06-07), Abdulhekim Esiyok, a 23-year-old Turkish immigrant, was killed while crossing Third Avenue after Mahbub Ali, allegedly intoxicated, drove into him. Prosecutors say Ali drank for nearly six hours at three Manhattan bars, reaching a blood alcohol content of .158, almost twice the legal limit. After hitting Esiyok, Ali continued, injuring a cyclist, two more pedestrians, and crashing into a van. The family’s lawsuit cites New York’s Dram Shop Act, which holds bars liable for serving visibly drunk patrons who later cause harm. The article quotes the family’s lawyer: “The family is devastated. They’re still in disbelief.” The case highlights failures in both driver responsibility and alcohol-serving oversight.

• Drunk Driver Kills Immigrant Pedestrian in Manhattan, New York Post, Published 2025-06-07

Jun 6 - A sedan hit a cyclist on Christopher Street at Greenwich Avenue. The crash left the cyclist bruised and hurt in the hip and leg. Police cite unsafe speed. Metal met flesh. The street did not forgive.

A crash on Christopher Street at Greenwich Avenue in Manhattan involved a sedan and a cyclist. The cyclist, a 34-year-old man, suffered injuries to his hip and upper leg, with police noting a contusion. According to the police report, 'Unsafe Speed' was listed as a contributing factor in the collision. The sedan, registered in New Jersey, struck the cyclist head-on while both were traveling straight. No injuries were reported for the sedan's driver or passenger. The data does not list any cyclist error or helmet use as a factor. The report centers the cause on driver speed, underscoring the danger faced by those on bikes in city traffic.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4818611 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

Jun 5 - Assembly Bill A 8787 keeps school speed zones alive in New York City. It fixes technical errors. It repeals old rules. Streets near schools stay watched. Drivers face checks. Kids walk safer.

Assembly Bill A 8787, sponsored by Deborah Glick, is in the sponsorship stage. The bill, titled 'Extends provisions and makes technical corrections to school speed zones in NYC; repeals certain provisions relating thereto,' was introduced on June 5, 2025. Glick leads the push to keep speed zones near schools, correcting past errors and removing outdated rules. The bill remains under committee review. No safety analyst note was provided, but the measure aims to keep enforcement strong around schools. Vulnerable road users—children—stay in focus.

• File A 8787, Open States, Published 2025-06-05

Jun 2 - Seventeen council members back Ryder’s Law to ban horse-drawn carriages. The bill stalls. Horses bolt, people get hurt. Speaker Adrienne Adams blocks a hearing. The city’s inaction leaves pedestrians, cyclists, and horses at risk. No change for street safety.

On June 2, 2025, City & State NY published an opinion urging action on Ryder’s Law, the stalled NYC Council bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. The article states, "Forcing horses to pound the pavement with heavy carriages in Midtown, where they compete with motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians, is inhumane." Seventeen council members, led by Robert Holden (bill sponsor) and Erik Bottcher (district includes stables), support the ban. Speaker Adrienne Adams has blocked a hearing and vote. The piece highlights recent incidents where bolting horses injured at least four people, including a pedicab driver. Despite the vivid danger, the safety analyst notes: "The event text does not describe any policy or legislative change affecting pedestrians or cyclists, so there is no direct impact on their safety." The bill remains stalled in committee, with no relief for vulnerable road users.

• Opinion: Stop our political blindness on inhumane horse-drawn carriages, City & State NY, Published 2025-06-02

May 31 - Hundreds rode through Manhattan. They called out harsh summonses for e-bike riders. Police target cyclists with criminal charges for minor traffic moves. Drivers get tickets. Riders face court. The city’s rules hit the vulnerable. The streets stay dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-05-31) reports on a protest in Lower Manhattan against the NYPD’s policy of issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic violations like running red lights or riding against traffic. Cyclists and advocates argue the penalties are harsher than those faced by drivers for similar actions. As one protester said, “It seems unfair to me that cyclists should receive a higher penalty for doing the same thing that a person in a car would do.” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the crackdown, citing the lack of licensing for e-bikes as a challenge for enforcement, but acknowledged the need for legislative reform. The article highlights inconsistent enforcement and the risks faced by vulnerable road users, especially delivery workers. Policy gaps and unequal penalties expose systemic danger on city streets.

• E-Bike Riders Protest NYPD Crackdown, Gothamist, Published 2025-05-31

May 30 - SUV hit a 75-year-old man crossing with the signal. The impact left him semiconscious, bleeding from the head. Driver failed to yield. Inexperience played a role. The street stayed loud. The danger stayed real.

A 75-year-old pedestrian was struck by an SUV while crossing Washington Street at Charles Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the man was crossing with the signal when the SUV, making a left turn, hit him. He suffered a head injury and was semiconscious, bleeding at the scene. The report lists 'Failure to Yield Right-of-Way' and 'Driver Inexperience' as contributing factors. The driver and another occupant were not reported injured. The crash highlights the risks faced by pedestrians, especially when drivers fail to yield.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817572 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 30 - An e-bike struck Renee Baruch on the Upper West Side. She woke in pain, face broken, spine injured. NYPD cracks down with criminal summonses. Cyclists protest. City Council stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Justice, tangled in policy.

NY1 reported on May 30, 2025, that the NYPD is issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic infractions, citing a lack of City Council action on new regulations. Commissioner Tisch told the Council, "Pass e-bike regulations." Cyclists object to criminal charges for minor violations, arguing for civil penalties instead. The article highlights the case of Renee Baruch, hospitalized after an e-bike crash left her with facial fractures and a spinal injury. The NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division targets reckless e-bike use, but without updated laws, criminal summonses remain their only tool. The policy gap leaves vulnerable road users exposed and enforcement inconsistent.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses For E-Bikes, NY1, Published 2025-05-30

May 27 - A sedan hit a young woman crossing at Carmine and Bleecker. She suffered a head injury. The driver kept straight. No driver errors listed. The city’s danger remains.

A 22-year-old woman was struck by a sedan while crossing at the intersection of Carmine Street and Bleecker Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, she suffered a head injury and was conscious at the scene. The sedan, driven by a 55-year-old man, was traveling north and struck her with its left front bumper. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The pedestrian was crossing against the signal, as noted in the data, but the report does not assign blame. No other injuries were reported.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4817463 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 24 - A distracted SUV driver struck a cyclist at West Houston. The crash left the cyclist with a leg injury and abrasions. Both vehicles moved south. The cyclist was partially ejected. The SUV driver was not hurt.

A crash at 320 West Houston Street in Manhattan involved a southbound SUV and a cyclist. The cyclist, a 25-year-old woman, suffered an abrasion and a knee, lower leg, and foot injury. She was partially ejected but remained conscious. According to the police report, 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' contributed to the crash. The SUV driver, a 35-year-old man, was not injured. No other contributing factors were listed for the cyclist. The report does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. The data shows the cyclist bore the brunt of the impact, while the SUV driver walked away unharmed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816081 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 23 - Tolls still hang over Third Avenue. Deadlines pass. Courts hold the answer. Fewer cars enter Manhattan. Millions flow to transit. The fight is bureaucratic, not on the street. Riders wait. The city’s pulse slows, but the outcome is uncertain.

West Side Spirit reported on May 23, 2025, that New York’s congestion pricing tolls remain in place despite three missed federal deadlines to remove them. The article details a standoff between the MTA, New York State, and U.S. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, who demands the tolls be taken down, threatening to withhold highway funds. The MTA argues the legality of the tolls and seeks a court injunction, stating, 'congestion pricing is legal and proper.' The system, operational since January 2025, has reduced daily vehicle entries into Manhattan’s core by 76,000 in April and raised $159 million in the first quarter. The dispute highlights tensions over funding priorities and the impact on lower-income drivers, but the courts, not drivers or pedestrians, will decide the fate of the tolls.

• Congestion Pricing Tolls Face Legal Showdown, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-23

May 21 - City will rip up Fifth Avenue. Sidewalks will double. Lanes for cars will shrink. Trees, benches, and light will fill the space. Pedestrians, long squeezed, will finally get room to breathe. The city bets big on feet, not fenders.

amNY reported on May 21, 2025, that New York City will begin a $400 million redesign of Fifth Avenue in 2028, stretching from Bryant Park to Central Park. Mayor Eric Adams said, 'Fifth Avenue is a bustling boulevard... with more people walking down the street every hour than fill Madison Square Garden during a sold-out Knicks game.' The plan nearly doubles sidewalk widths and expands pedestrian zones, cutting space for vehicles. The redesign adds tree buffers, benches, and stormwater upgrades. Pedestrians make up 70% of avenue traffic but have less than half the space. The overhaul shifts priority from cars to people, aiming to reduce systemic danger and reclaim the street for those on foot.

• Fifth Avenue Set For Pedestrian Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-21

May 20 - A sedan hit a pedestrian on Bleecker Street. The man suffered a head injury and severe bleeding. The crash left him semiconscious. No driver errors listed. Streets remain dangerous.

A sedan traveling east struck a 26-year-old man on Bleecker Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the pedestrian was not at an intersection and suffered a head injury with severe bleeding, leaving him semiconscious. The report lists no specific driver errors or contributing factors. The driver and passengers in the sedan were not reported injured. The only injury recorded was to the pedestrian, who was in the roadway at the time of the crash. The data does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4814350 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 14 - A father mourns his daughter, killed by an SUV on the Upper West Side. Advocates gather in Albany. They press lawmakers for action. Speeders roam. Streets stay deadly. The call is clear: fix the system, stop the pain.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-05-14) reports on Families for Safe Streets and other advocates lobbying in Albany after a 13-year-old girl was killed by an SUV. The coalition pushes for the SAFE Streets Package, including speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders and the 'Idaho stop' for cyclists. The article quotes Darnell Sealy-McCrorey: 'This epidemic is preventable. It doesn't have to be this way.' Lawmakers show mixed support. Some cite privacy fears or question the seriousness of multiple speeding violations. Jackson Chabot notes, 'A lot of people have understood the bill because of the tragic and fatal crashes recently.' The piece highlights the urgent need for policy change to address reckless driving and systemic danger on city streets.

• Grieving Families Demand Safer Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-14

May 13 - SUV slammed into a car’s rear on Morton Street. Passenger in back seat suffered neck injury. Police cite following too closely and driver distraction. Streets stay dangerous for those inside.

A station wagon/SUV rear-ended another vehicle on Morton Street in Manhattan. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Following Too Closely' and 'Driver Inattention/Distraction.' A 26-year-old female passenger in the rear seat was injured, suffering neck trauma and whiplash. Two other occupants, including the driver, were also involved but their injuries were unspecified. The police report highlights driver errors as the main contributing factors. No mention of helmet or signal use was listed.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4812937 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-11-04

May 13 - Police now hand out criminal summonses to cyclists for traffic violations. Fines become court dates. Advocates warn of escalation. Lawmakers push for e-bike registration after a fatal crash. Streets grow tense. Riders and pedestrians caught in the crossfire.

West Side Spirit reported on May 13, 2025, that NYPD has begun issuing criminal summonses, not just traffic tickets, to cyclists and e-bike riders for violations like running red lights or riding on sidewalks. The change means accused riders must appear in criminal court, not just pay a fine. The move follows the death of Priscilla Loke, struck by an e-bike in 2023. Advocates like Transportation Alternatives call the new policy 'a dangerous escalation.' The NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance urges lawmakers to require license plates for e-bikes and scooters. The article notes, 'Under the new policy, a person issued a criminal summons must turn up in person in criminal court.' The shift highlights growing tension over enforcement and the push for stricter regulation after high-profile crashes.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses To Cyclists, West Side Spirit, Published 2025-05-13

May 12 - A driver ran a red, struck a cyclist, reversed hard, nearly hit him again. The victim lay bleeding, bones shattered, memory gone. Witnesses screamed. The driver sped off, blowing another light. Police search. The street remains dangerous.

ABC7 reported on May 12, 2025, that a hit-and-run driver seriously injured cyclist Myung Jin Chung at 5th Avenue and West 13th Street. The driver "blew through a red light," struck Chung, then reversed, nearly hitting him again, and fled after running another red. Chung suffered broken bones, a concussion, and needed 16 hours of surgery. Witnesses described the scene as 'petrifying.' Police have video evidence but no arrests. The incident highlights ongoing risks for cyclists and the consequences of reckless driving in New York City.

• Cyclist Crushed In West Village Hit-And-Run, ABC7, Published 2025-05-12

May 7 - Six died when a sightseeing helicopter shattered midair over the Hudson. The fuselage, rotor, and tail tore loose. Loud bangs echoed. The craft plunged. No black box. No warning. Only fragments and silence left behind.

NY Daily News reported on May 7, 2025, that federal officials released images showing a sightseeing helicopter breaking apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River, killing six. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report details how the Bell 206L-4 split into three pieces: 'the fuselage, the main rotor system, and the tail boom.' Witnesses heard 'several loud 'bangs'' before the breakup. The helicopter had flown eight tours that day, all with the same pilot, who had less than 50 hours in this model. The aircraft had a prior maintenance issue with its transmission assembly and lacked flight data recorders. The NTSB noted the pilot wore video-capable sunglasses, but they remain missing. The crash highlights gaps in oversight and the risks of repeated tour flights without robust recording or inspection requirements.

• Helicopter Breaks Apart Over Hudson River, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-07