Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
As Clara Heyworth’s Killer Walks, Judge Questions Prosecutors in Her Case
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As expected, criminal charges against the driver who fatally struck Brooklyn pedestrian Clara Heyworth have been dropped. Unexpected was a critique of the case from the bench, as a judge today lambasted prosecutors for abandoning efforts to bring a suspected DWI killer to justice. In the early morning hours of July 10, 2011, Heyworth was […]
Bikes, Bikes, and… Bikes!
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It’s all bikes, all the time on the Network today. Chicago Hails Loop Lane: On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a new protected bike lane on Dearborn Street. “The new route connects the near north side with the south loop and is designed to appeal to young, tech-savvy commuters who work downtown,” writes A/N […]
After NYPD Blamed the Victim, Brooklyn DA Will Reconstruct Lefevre Crash
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Months after NYPD blamed cyclist Mathieu Lefevre for his own death, prosecutors with the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes continue their investigation into the crash. Meanwhile, the Department of Motor Vehicles has suspended the license of the truck driver who police say fatally struck Lefevre, then left the scene. Hynes’s office has retained […]
Got an Urban Infrastructure Issue? Make the Bureaucrat Work!
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The problem of inadequate infrastructure is not unique to the United States. Nor is the scourge of political dysfunction that leaves commuters stranded waiting for the next bus, pedestrians sprinting across eight lanes of traffic, and motorists stuck in gridlock. It may not be the first place you’d look for guerrilla-style protest, but in Yekaterinburg, […]
TA: Most City Pedestrians and Cyclists Killed by Drivers Who Broke the Law
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A new report from Transportation Alternatives finds that, while NYPD fails to rein in or punish reckless driving, the majority of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities are caused by illegal behavior behind the wheel. “Deadly Driving Unlimited: How the NYPD Lets Dangerous Drivers Run Wild” [PDF] reveals that between 1995 and 2009, 60 percent of fatal […]
When the Streets Belonged to All, and All Belonged on the Streets
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It’s been a little over a year since Raquel Nelson was convicted of vehicular homicide for attempting to cross a street with her kids in suburban Atlanta. Much of the public responded not with outrage, or demands that municipalities improve conditions for pedestrians, but with victim-blaming vitriol, passed along in news stories with headlines like […]
In Case You Missed It: Summer Streets Starts Tomorrow
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Remember way back in 2008, when New York’s inaugural Summer Streets dominated the news cycle? By the time August ’09 rolled around, even Fox was on board. With the first Saturday of its fifth season coming up tomorrow, Summer Streets is a lifestyle story — to the extent that it’s still considered news at all. […]
NYPD: 7,371 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 79 Killed, Through June 2012
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Over 7,000 vulnerable street users were injured in New York City traffic in the first six months of 2012, and 79 were killed, according to NYPD data reports compiled by Streetsblog. Across the city from January through June, 67 pedestrians and 12 cyclists were fatally struck by motorists: 18 pedestrians and two cyclists in Manhattan; […]
Per Usual, Uncertainty Surrounds Latest Manhattan Cyclist Fatality
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A cyclist struck and killed in East Harlem Monday night has yet to be identified pending notification of relatives, according to NYPD, while details of the crash remain uncertain and may not be known for months. On Monday evening at approximately 7:50 p.m., a male cyclist was hit by the driver of a yellow cab […]
NYPD: 10 Pedestrians, Three Cyclists Killed in New York City Traffic in June
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Thirteen vulnerable users were killed on city streets in June, according to the latest NYPD crash data report [PDF]. City-wide, 10 pedestrians and three cyclists were fatally struck by drivers: one pedestrian and one cyclist in Manhattan; two pedestrians in the Bronx; four pedestrians and one cyclist in Brooklyn; and three pedestrians and one cyclist […]
Driver Cleared for Killing Manhattan Cyclist Says He Was “Probably” Speeding
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A driver who killed a Manhattan cyclist last summer and was not charged or ticketed for the crash later told authorities he was likely speeding at the time of the collision. Ray Deter, a popular and revered East Village bar owner, was riding east on Canal Street on the afternoon of June 27, 2011, when […]
Data-Free Times Story on Blind Pedestrians Slights All Who Walk NYC
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As with any thriving metropolis, the New York streetscape is constantly changing. Whether related to sidewalk and street repair, utility maintenance or building construction, obstacles emerge and disappear around the clock, often leaving changes in their wake, in every corner of the city. For the physically impaired, of course, any of these changes can present a […]