Even Sidewalks are NOT Safe - Longing for More Sunday Drivers

I mean, come on. How many of these insane stories do we need to hear before people take responsibility for driving a two ton machine around town? (And yes, I drive a two ton vehicle around town on occasion.) Even if you have the "right of way," even if you MUST make the turn with the yellow light, even if you bumped the car behind you while parking and you want to get away real fast - you are wielding an instrument that can cause serious and deadly damage.

Yesterday, a Brooklyn eight-year-old lost his leg while sitting on a stoop with his mom; a person attempting to parallel park forgot which pedal was the brake and which was the gas. This morning, another accident occurred when an apparent heart attack rendered the driver incapable of controlling his vehicle. It also hopped the curb and slammed into a building.

Add these very recent Brooklyn stories to tales of police chases ending in pile-ups, but not before killing a pedestrian, children on a library outing being killed, inebriated men driving into women who ignored their advances. Then consider older tales of drunk and exhausted off-duty cops killing families and trucks making turns with no disregard for the WALK sign, and we're living in the midst of a cycle of violence that is routinely down-played (it was an accident, he was drunk, the brakes failed) and excused. Cars don't kill people - unless they are wielded by people who don't respect the power of thousands of pounds of metal and rubber.

That's not to say that there aren't accidents. We can't help when heart attacks happen. Pedestrians are also insane at times. Brakes fail (although I seriously doubt the brakes fail as much as people claim.). Nevertheless, sitting on a stoop or waiting on a sidewalk ought to be safer than crossing against traffic. Take responsibility for driving a car before something happens, so you don't have to regret what might happen later.

Stay safe out there.