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This Week's Attitude
Despite the agitated interaction, according to the Courier's reporter, level heads prevailed and neither punches nor objects were thrown, but the basic cause of the ruckus - unregulated dollar vans - lingers. State Assemblyman Nick Perry and City Council-man Lew Fidler vocally squared off at the November Community Board 18 meeting held in a Kings Plaza conference room, so there was no ring in which the two could even spar. But, if there had been a physical tussle, which seems unlikely between these affable men, I believe odds makers, as well as bettors, would favor the stouter, taller Fidler, who has a considerable physical advantage over the shorter, more wiry Perry. The heated discussion centered on the ubiquitous illegal dollar vans commonly seen during morning rush hour in many Brooklyn neighborhoods, including the Kings Plaza area, as well as in Canarsie along Remsen Avenue and Glenwood and Farragut roads. Dollar vans, which actually aren't always vans and haven't charged a buck since the MTA fare increased to $1.50 years ago, have existed and mushroomed since the seventies when commuters living in two-fare neighborhoods became frustrated waiting extended periods between city buses and opted to hop in private cars that promptly transported them to the nearest subway station for the same price. They were accessible, convenient and available when you needed them most. Nevertheless, the majority of them almost certainly operate unlawfully since the drivers are, in most cases, not properly licensed to carry passengers for commercial purposes. Even worse, those who may have legitimate licenses probably don't carry adequate insurance, which puts passengers at risk every time they travel in a dollar van. For some reason, when New Yorkers head off to work they tend to be in a hurry - hence the phrase rush hour - and the wait between Transit Authority buses - during those hours - can be exasperating, even when you're not late for work. Knowing that a subway delay could lie ahead may be a primal fear for some commuters. In addition to rush hours, dollar vans are widespread in the Kings Plaza mall vicinity, particularly during the holiday shopping season. Normally, dollar van law enforcement is erratic, but since there is typically an increase of vans this time of year, on Black Friday - the frenzied shopping day after Thanksgiving - the NYPD's Surface Transportation Enforcement Division (STED) conducted its second annual illegal dollar van sweep along a stretch of Flatbush Avenue from the mall north to downtown Brooklyn, and issued nearly 200 summonses, seized 24 vehicles and arrested one driver. Violations ranged from improper licenses to vehicular improprieties to unlawful picking up and discharging of passengers along city bus routes. The lone arrest was of a driver who had an outstanding warrant, which was something Perry alluded to in his brouhaha with Fidler. The city legislator, who represents parts of Canarsie and other communities, said in the effort to curtail the illegal business, he submitted a draft of a city council bill, two days before the civic meeting that would make it a "ticketable violation" for commuters who enter a dollar van in an illegal zone, such as a bus stop. Several homeowners, who live on side streets near the mall, have recently gotten action against the nuisance of dollar vans. After complaining that drivers use their normally quiet streets as thoroughfares, which creates an annoying din, in addition to leaving trash and urinating on their property, Fidler helped get permission for police-approved barricades to be installed on two streets to obstruct through traffic. At the meeting, Perry said someone who lives out of his district, who complained to him about suspect police enforcement of dollar van drivers had contacted him. He charged the police with engaging in unlawful activity by "targeting" licensed dollar van drivers. In all likelihood, more of Perry's constituents either use or operate dollar vans than Fidler's, which sets the tone for their differences, but there is an underlying sense of racial profiling. When Fidler questioned Perry about his concerns over police monitoring the dollar vans, the state legislator said that he has "a sincere concern about a police officer that is willing to break the law with the excuse of enforcing it...I represent lots of constituents who complain about police misconduct and police abuse of authority." While that comment raises a whole 'nother issue that needs to be addressed, especially in light of the recent incident in Jamaica, Queens where police fired 50 shots and killed an unarmed black man, the dollar van dilemma needs a second look and should either become a licensed industry - for which the city can exact fees for special licenses and establish strict rules that restrict hours and areas of operation - or totally banned. Dollar vans, despite the arguments, serve a clear-cut purpose in neighborhoods where city buses are too few and far between - especially during cold, morning rush hours. Anxious commuters seem to prefer speed and comfort to safety and don't mind forking over money to a dollar van driver. But, in their haste, these commuters may be putting more in jeopardy than they realize due to the recklessness of some drivers. Ultimately, they might just get a costly, unwanted bang for their buck.
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