New York “Wins” Worst Driver Award

A test given by GMAC Insurance on the rules of the road puts New Yorkers at the end of the pack.  The national average for this test was 76.2% while New Yorkers scored an average of 70% with New Jersey drivers right behind at 70,5%.  Kansas drivers scored the highest on the test at 82.3%.  Click GMAC test and rate your own driving ability.  The test consists of 20 questions taken from DMV exams.

On a related note, it wouldn’t surprise me if DMV decides one day that New Yorker’s need continuing driver education.   It would provide yet another revenue source for the DMV and, of course, improve driver safety.

The current 6-hour exam available is optional but does help motorists with points by removing four and by reducing auto insurance rates by 10%.  We recommend the Improv Online Class because it’s the most entertaining (they use real comedians) and they pay us a few bucks for registrant.  Feel free to use code “redlight” for $5 off.

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Hilarious Re-Creation Of Tiger Wood’s Careless Driving Ticket

This is a hilarious 3-D re-creation of how the Tiger Woods careless driving ticket incident may have unfolded.  For my take on this incident, see the preceding post.

Re

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Nassau County Activates Red Light Cameras

Effective today (August 6th), the following three high-risk intersections will be equipped with active red light cameras:

* Bethpage: Stewart Avenue & Central Avenue
* Massapequa: Merrick Road & Park Boulevard
* Oceanside: Atlantic Avenue & Lawson Boulevard

Nassau County Red Light Camera

Fines for running these red lights will be $50 each and, once all 20 initial cameras are activated are expected to generated $20 million per year.  The good news is that this type of ticket is NOT a moving violation and carries 0 points.  The bad news is that they are near impossible to fight.  Absent a mechanical problem, a medical issue or a stolen vehicle, there are no defenses.  As they say, the camera doesn’t lie.

I actually got once of these tickets in New York City and decided to fight it.  Looking at the black and white photo, it was hard to discern whether the light was red or yellow.  Well, after a long wait, I made my case to the judge and he simply pulled up the original, color photograph associated with my ticket, zoomed in, and showed me a bright red light.  Result:  Guilty and a waste of over an hour.

The following is the complete list of the first 20 red light cameras which all will be activated by September 1, 2009.

1. Baldwin – Grand Avenue & Merrick Road – EB & WB
2. Baldwin – Merrick Road & Milburn Avenue – SB & NB
3. Bellmore – Bellmore Avenue & Merrick Road – EB & WB
4. Bellmore – Bellmore Avenue & Newbridge Road – SB & NB
5. Bethpage – Stewart Avenue & Central Avenue – EB & WB
6. East Meadow – Merrick Avenue & Glenn Curtiss Boulevard – SB & NB
7. East Rockaway – Atlantic Avenue & Ocean Avenue – WB & EB
8. Hicksville – Old Country Road & Hicksville Road – SB & NB
9. Hicksville – Old Country Road & Jerusalem Avenue – WB & NB
10. Hicksville/Plainview – Old Country Road & South Oyster Bay Road – SB & EB
11. Inwood/Lawrence – Austin Boulevard & Empire Boulevard/Long Beach Road – NEB & SWB
12. Inwood/Lawrence – Nassau Expressway & Rockaway Turnpike – NB & NEB
13. Levittown – Wantagh Avenue & Old Jerusalem Road – SB & NB
14. Massapequa – Merrick Road & Park Boulevard – EB &WB
15. Merrick – Merrick Road & Merrick Avenue – EB & WB
16. Oceanside – Atlantic Avenue & Lawson Boulevard – SB & NB
17. Oceanside – Long Beach Road & Daly Boulevard – SB & NB
18. Oceanside – Long Beach Road & Mott Street – SB & NB
19. Uniondale – SB & NB Earle Ovington Boulevard & Charles Lindbergh Boulevard EB
20. Woodmere – Woodmere Boulevard & Peninsula Boulevard – NE & SW

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Worst Day To Park Illegally In New York

The last entries discussed the worst and best locations in New York City to park.

But what is the worst day to park?  Based upon last year’s stats, traffic agents generated the most parking tickets the day after Thanksgiving.

The apparent reason for this surge is that most people are off from work that day and treat it as a “holiday” ignoring the usual parking regulations.  That is, most people except the NYC parking enforcement unit who find it easy to find turkeys the day after Thanksgiving.

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The Worst Location In New York City To Park

More NYC parking tickets were issued on 14th Street between 7th and 8th avenues than any other block in the city.  Between July 2007 and June 2008 an astounding 11,713, tickets were issued, as reported by CBS.  When one traffic agent finishes his run of this location, another follows shortly thereafter.  A map of the location is below.

The New York Times reports that, since Michael Bloomberg has become mayor, ticketing has gone up 42 percent, but the differences from even one block to the next can be astounding.   Just two blocks from the the above location only 12 tickets were written during the same period.

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Speeding In The EZ Pass Lane

EZ Pass provides discounts at numerous NYC bridges and tunnels connecting Manhattan to the outer boroughs and New Jersey, as well as on toll highways like the New York Thruway.  It also allows you to minimize waiting time passing through tolls.

To get one, you need to agree to abide by the E-ZPass License Agreement Terms & Conditions including that you will approach and pass through E-Z Pass-only lanes at or below the posted speed limit.  For a first EZ Pass speeding violation, the Violation Processing Unit will  usually issue a warning letter with a 60-day probationary period.  See sample letter below.

For a second violation, you will likely be suspended for 60 days, and for a third violation your suspension can be extended or you can lose your EZ pass all together.

Note that these penalties are based on speeding while using any EZ pass tag assigned to your account (not just the one which resulted in the first letter).

The good news is that getting caught speeding through an EZ pass lane is not a moving violation and will not appear on your driver license or affect your auto insurance rates (except if  a police officer actually issues you a traffic ticket for speeding and you are convicted of that charge).

To sign up for an EZ Pass, call 1-800-333-8655 or visit http://www.e-zpassny.com

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NYC Traffic Ticket Blitz Results In Over 9,000 Cell Phone Tickets

As reported yesterday, New York City completed a 24-hour ticket blitz issuing 9,016 cell tickets.  Normally, only around 500 cell phone tickets are issued in a day. While cell phone tickets carries 0 points, they result in a $120 fine plus possible auto insurance increases.  Reporter Edgar Sandavol was reporting the blitz for the Daily News when his cell phone rang.  He answered it and, then, promptly was pulled over for violating the law he was reporting on.  Look for stricker cell phone enforcement in the future.

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Cell Phone Ticket Blitz

The Daily News reports that starting at midnight on March 11, 2009, New York City Police Officers will be on the prowl for motorists failing to use a hands-free device for their cell phones.  The blitz will last 24 hours and extra officers will be assigned cell phone enforcement duty.

In 2008, almost 200,000 cell phone tickets were issued in New York City.  These New York traffic tickets carry no points but cost around $120 and a conviction to such an offense may result in your auto insurance premiums being raised.

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Funny Traffic Anecdote, Part VI

I made a classic (albeit unsuccessful) closing argument recently at the Bronx traffic court.  Although charged with 74/50 in a “work area’ on the northbound side of the Throgs Neck Expressway, we had a good legal defense. Incidentally, fine are doubled in work areas.

We argued that due to the undisputed fact that actual construction on this stretch of roadway was about a mile further north, we shouldn’t be charged with speeding in a work area (this not be a “work area” as defined by law but rather an area leading up to a “work area”). When the judge pointed out that there were signs in place designating this pre-work area as a “work area”, I replied as follows:

“You could put a sign over my head describing me as a women but that doesn’t mean I have a vagina”.

Although we lost the case (its still under appeal), I am still quite proud of this argument.

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Funny Traffic Anecdote, Part V

An Canadian man built a Fred Flintstone-esque, foot-powered car and took it for a spin in Toronto. The man was stopped by the police and charged with unsafe operation.

The motorist removed the engine and transmission of his Buick and replaced the headlights with candles. It did, however, have hand brakes.

The vehicle, which has a top speed of about 10 mph, requires all 4 occupants to pedal their feet together ala the animated cartoon the Flintstones.

Charges were eventually dropped against the motorist.

A video was taken of this hysterical “experiment”.  It is a must-watch.

To watch the video, visit Fred Flinstone-esqe Video

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