Vision Zero Report
New York City has recently published the annual report for year four of the Vision Zero project. Vision Zero is a series of regulations, infrastructure improvements, and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing the number of pedestrian fatalities in the city. This project was enacted in 2014, and has resulted in a 28 percent reduction in... Read More
New York City E-Bike Crack Down
New York City is taking steps to clarify what is and what is not street legal for e-bikes. The De Blasio administration has ordered the city Department of Transportation to explain which e-bikes are eligible to ride on city streets according to Dan Rivoli as stated in his article published by the Daily News on... Read More
Help With Speeding Tickets In Harrison, New York
We have been defending a lot of speeding tickets in Harrison Town Court this year. Don’t pay your ticket on-line. On-line payments are easy, but you are pleading guilty when you pay on line. You do not want to plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Harrison. You will be left with fines and points. Those fines and points... Read More
Nassau County wants to Raise Money on the Backs of Motorists
On the front page of Newsday County Executive Curran plans to raise revenue by increasing fees. Drivers beware. The first three items on County Executive Laura Curran’s list target drivers: Increase Traffic and Parking Violations Agency fees by 2%. Search for Vehicles with outstanding moving violations to boot and tow the cars. This one is... Read More
Financial Crisis for NYC Taxi Drivers
Last week tragedy struck the taxi community again with another suicide due to financial issues. The NYC cabby community has been feeling a huge hit from the increase of ride sharing drivers. With no regulations on the number for hire cars it has been harder and harder for Taxi drivers to make a living. “According... Read More
Seat Belts
Seat belt tickets are a common ticket for police officers to give to motorists in New York. Seat belt tickets for adults are zero point tickets but do have a fine attached to them. All drivers in New York are required by law to wear a seat belt. Be aware that the penalty for driving... Read More
Traffic Fatalities Decrease in NYC
Cycling deaths have increased in 2017 even though the total number of traffic deaths has decreased by 28% since the city launched it’s Vision Zero program. This marks the fourth year in a row that traffic fatalities have declined in New York City. According to Patch.com overall deaths are down while the number of cycling... Read More
Video-Ads In Uber and Lyft Vehicles
Recently an ad company called Vugo has struck a contract with about 3,500 New York City black car drivers to install screens in their vehicles. The screens will promote different paid advertisements. Only downfall is the screen cannot be muted or turned off; passengers “can only near dark and near mute them.” The contracts with... Read More
Failure To Turn
Failure to turn as required is a two point ticket similar to an improper turn ticket. Police issue this ticket when drivers fail to follow turning directions. This could be driving strait though an intersection from the designated turning lane, driving through a green arrow light without turning, or even just making a turn while... Read More
Red Light Tickets vs Camera Red Light Tickets
New findings released by City Comptroller show that many drivers can accumulate fines without amassing points on their license. The issue at hand for this report is the nature of red light tickets given by police officers verses red light tickets given by cameras. In New York State red light and moving violations given by... Read More
Long Island Car Sales
Car sales on Long Island and the rest of New York have increased this year after a slow 2017. According to USA Breaking News the registrations of new cars in Suffolk County are up 18% from this time last year at 9,702 cars. Nassau has seen a 13.5% increase of new registrations this year compared... Read More
Car Insurance Rates On The Rise
Car insurance rates in the United States are on the rise. Increased numbers of cars on American roads are leading to increased numbers of collisions. Low oil prices and steady job growth in the United States has lead to more people taking to the roads for pleasure and to get to and from work. Greater numbers of cars... Read More
U-turns Violations
No U-turn violations are two point tickets in New York. These are very simple tickets. In several areas of New York, it is against the law to make a U-turn. The reason you can not make U-turns in several areas varies depending on the road conditions present. U-turns can cause you to illegally cross pavement markings, or cause you... Read More
Obstructing Intersection
Obstructing an Intersection is a two point ticket in New York. This type of ticket is also known as “blocking the box” and is given to drivers that block traffic for intersections. This moving violation is both the cause of and result of traffic congestion and gridlock. “Blocking the box” is inconvenient for motorists and pedestrians since it... Read More
Pedestrian Deaths in the U.S.
Pedestrian deaths across the United States remain at the six thousand per year in 2017. Pedestrian deaths rose by 9% in 2016 and by 9.5% in 2015 but appear to have remained static in 2017. Experts and government officials have several ideas and explanations for the rise in fatalities in the United States. Some experts allege that increased... Read More
Long Island Road Way Fatalities Declining
Fatalities on Long Island road ways are in decline. Using a combination of law enforcement, education, and infrastructure changes the number of deaths due to traffic related incidents has dropped two years in a row. In 2017 there were just 71 traffic fatalities in Nassau County down from 79 in 2016, a 10% reduction. In... Read More
Bike lanes
As part of New York’s efforts to reduce traffic congestion, new safer bike lanes are planned for midtown Manhattan. New bike lanes that feature a row of parked cars on one side and a curb on the other side will be installed on 26th street and 29th street. These new bike lanes will provide safer travel across Manhattan going... Read More
Protecting Residents
New York City is going to install 1,500 obstacles to protect residents from vehicles. The city announced that it will be installing 1,500 metal bollards at some of the city’s most popular locations. Bollards are metal posts that are intended to stop a vehicle while minimally obstructing foot traffic. The bollards will be installed to... Read More
Congestion Pricing
Traffic congestion is a problem in most cities. The number of people who are moving though the city and the available road space for cars and other vehicles are often at odds. One solution is the addition “congestion pricing”. Gov. Andrew M Cuomo recently proposed a price of $11.52 for regular vehicles, $25.34 for... Read More
Gateway Project
Funding for the Gateway Project, a new rail tunnel connecting Manhattan and New Jersey may be in jeopardy after President Trump’s administration sent a letter claiming that there is no funding agreement for the first phase of the project. The Gateway Project is intended to reduce railway congestion and act as a replacement for the... Read More
Vision Zero Fourth Year
Traffic deaths declined for the fourth year in a row under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Vision Zero” project. The project that is intended to reduce traffic deaths in the city to zero though a combination of public awareness campaigns, street redesign, and stricter enforcement of traffic laws has been successful. Reduced city wide speed limits,... Read More
Potholes
With last week’s subfreezing temperatures behind us, and a significant day time warm up this week the conditions are great for the formation of new potholes in our roads. Potholes form mainly due to water seeping into cracks in pavement during warm daylight hours then freezing and expanding at night when temperatures drop below the... Read More
Black Ice
With winter in full swing subfreezing temperatures are becoming normal. It is important to be aware of black ice. Black ice is a clear layer of ice that forms on sidewalks and streets. The way it forms makes it very difficult to see and as a result can cause serious problems for pedestrians and motorists... Read More
Pedestrians Get A Head Start
As a part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero campaign, he plans to eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. One of the tactics being used by city officials to fulfill this campaign is giving the pedestrians a head start while crossing. Pedestrians are now given a head start at 2,381 intersections in New York City. ... Read More
DRIVER ASSESSMENT
If you accumulate six or more points for your license in an eighteen month period, this will trigger a NY State Driver Assessment charge. This is a charge that is levied against drivers who receive six or more points on their license in an eighteen month period. The assessment fee can be paid two ways,... Read More
Solution to Gridlock
For decades New York City urban planners, economists, city official and business leaders have push for a toll system to control the amount of traffic in the city and provide more revenue. It appears the “Congestion pricing” idea is not dead in the water. Gov. Andrew Cuomo told The Times that it was an “idea whose time has... Read More
States to Drivers: Move Over
Recently many states have been implementing messages for drivers to stop clogging the left lanes. Left lanes are specifically for passing and turning left, not cruising. Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Nevada, and Oklahoma are among states with new laws increasing their fine and ratcheting up enforcement. Each state is taking its own approach, some have funny... Read More
Uber Hack
The recent hack of 57 million Uber customers have left many wondering how vulnerable are we? Unfortunately finding answers is never easy. As consumers we can only do out best to protect our information. Some ideas are changing all your passwords, keeping a close tab on your personal accounts for fraudulent activity and consider setting... Read More
Happy Thanksgiving
Special thanks to all our clients. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Drive Carefully. Photo on TrendHype
Holiday Season Is Here
Expect heavy enforcement of drunk driving laws as the Holiday Season is here. Do you realize that you license may be revoked if you refuse a Police Officer’s request to take a breathalyzer test. It is a no brained-Do not drink and drive this holiday. If you happen to be in Long Island for Thanksgiving... Read More
Too Much Technology
Too much technology in our cars can lead to distracted driving. We all want the latest bells and whistles in our cars. We love the convenience, but when is it too much? Remember to focus while driving. Don’t let your cars technology distract you while driving. If you receive a summons for a speed, disobey... Read More
More Rides , More Traffic
With increased usage of ride sharing companies, do you feel it is easier to get around the city? The question is up for debate. Ride sharing companies such as Uber or Lyft have attracted many new customers, especially with the constant transit problems in New York City. Service is either too slow or unreliable. On... Read More
Nassau County Stats
On Fridays from noon – 6pm the most crashes occur in Nassau county according to the NYS DMV statistics on motor vehicles. Over 28,000 speeding tickets were issued in the county. Be aware of how speed can contribute to crashes. If you receive a summons for a speed, disobey traffic device, or any other... Read More
Texting and Driving
We all know that texting and driving is a no-no. According to a recent study conducted by the AAA foundation, “Texting while stopped at a traffic light can negatively affect full driving engagement once the light turns green for an average of 27 seconds after you’ve stopped texting.” Texting and driving will also cost you... Read More
Speeding Tickets
According to the NYS DMV, there were 1.38 million speeding tickets issued by the police during the last 4 years. Friday was the day where the most tickets were written. Males 23 years old received the most tickets. That is a lot of speeding tickets folks. Always fight if you were issued a speeding ticket. Fight those... Read More
The Truck Can’t Stop Here
Mayor de Blasio revealed his new plan to reduced congestion in the city. The congestion–reduction pilot program will determine when and where commercial vehicles can stop and unload goods. The rush hour from 7am -10am and 4pm-7pm ban will include 11 Midtown cross streets. Some business owners are saying the new change will hurt them,... Read More
5th Avenue Bike Lane
New York City’s Department of Transportation is planning on redesigning Fifth Avenue without adding any infrastructure for cyclists. On October 10, Tuesday night, a crowd of demonstrators formed a “human protective bike lane” on Fifth Avenue protesting the new changes. The redesign would add a second bus lane to accommodate bus congestion. Hopefully the Department... Read More
Toll Booths at MTA Bridges
The start of cashless toll booth has begun at Throgs Neck Bridge. MTA is replacing all the toll booths with cash-less tolling. Even with the removal of the booths there has still been significant congestion at the bridge. MTA cited two main reasons for the congestion, one was the work required for removal of the... Read More
Fewer Safety Guidelines
Recently the Trump administration revealed it’s new updated safety guidelines for self-driving cars. Before under Obama, automakers had to follow a 15 point safety assessment, now it is only a 12 point assessment. Automakers no longer have to think about ethics privacy issues beyond crash data. They also make it clear that only the federal... Read More
Ride Hailing Apps Vs Taxi Drivers
Almost three years ago taxi medallions sold for almost 1 million dollars in New York. Nowadays the price of a medallions has decreased dramatically; the main reason being ride sharing apps (Uber, Lyft, Via, Gett, and Juno.) Taxi drivers are currently in a crisis trying to balance paying off medallions and maintaining a steady income. ... Read More
Tesla Model S Autopilot Limited
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the first known fatal crash of Tesla Model S Autopilot was due to design limitations. The crash was the result of the driver’s over-reliance on Tesla autopilot technology.The driver at the time took his vehicle on the highway where the crash occurred. Tesla has warned its drivers that... Read More
Congestion Pricing
Governor Cuomo is considering a “congestion pricing” for all cars in New York City. This plan was proposed to cut back on traffic congestion and reduced pollution in the city. This plan was first introduced a decade ago by former Mayor Bloomberg, but was blocked by Albany. If this “congestion pricing” passes for NYC, it... Read More
Bike Lane Rush Hour
Biking has become part of New Yorkers day to day routine. The bike culture is growing at a rapid pace in New York City, for example the daily bike trip on the Brooklyn Bridge has increased from 170,000 in 2005 to 450,000 riders currently. Under Vision Zero, the city is trying to accommodate the bikers... Read More
Self Driving Cars Are The Future
Lawmakers are playing the catch up game when it comes to autonomous vehicles. With more and more companies releasing and testing their driverless cars; lawmakers are slowly and cautiously taking steps towards regulating the industry. Senators on both sides agree driverless cars can prevent deaths and also could spurt job creation growth. What regulations should... Read More
Zap To The Future
LIPA, Long Island Power Authority is preparing to expand its electric car charging stations in Long Island. Currently there are 112 stations in Nassau and Suffolk. The plans are to install 32 more and offer special rates for overnight charging. LIPA wants to offer support to their customer choices in using electricity over gas, especially... Read More
Parallel Issues in London: Uber vs. Taxi Cab
In London, or across the pond, Uber vs. taxi cabs has centered as the narrative. The taxi cab in London has a long history, whereas Uber arrived in 2012. In London, the Uber is normally the cheaper ride. Some have claimed Uber is killing the business model and culture of the traditional black cab (London’s... Read More
Safety Study of Southern State Parkway
On June 15th, State Senate passed a bill directing State Department of Transportation to conduct a safety study on the Southern State Parkway. The parkway design hasn’t changed much since its opening in 1927. In a recent study, DOT found within a 5 year span the Southern State Parkway had over 10,000 accidents, 3,000... Read More
Nassau County May Opt Out of Ride Sharing Services
Nassau County is seeking to opt out of a current NY State Law that legalizes ride-sharing services. Meaning, if they County opts out, Uber and Lyft would be temporarily banned in Nassau County. Nassau County wishes to charge more registration fees for Uber and Lyft. These fees could generate up to a whooping $1 million... Read More
Car Pooling Cabs
Pretty soon, yellow cabs in New York City will be joining the carpooling scene. Two ride sharing apps Curb and Via are teaming up to provide this service to passengers. This carpooling service will give customers a 40 percent discount from regular prices. This program will offer service from 32nd and 110th street only but... Read More
More Speeding Cameras
Mayor Bill De Blasio is urging State Legislature to install more speeding cameras around 750 school zones. He cited a Department of Transportation study stating speeding has decreased by 63 percent around camera zones and crashes with injuries have decreased by 15 percent. If State Legislature approves more cameras, they might also approve the time... Read More
Hampton Bay’s Response To Texting and Driving
The town of Hampton Bay recently unveiled a new “Please Don’t Text and Drive” sign near route 24. The sign was placed in memory of a woman killed by a motorist using his cellphone while driving. Texting and driving not only endangers yourself, but it endangers other motorists and pedestrians on the road. If you... Read More
Uber Miscalculation
Every since 2014, Uber has miscalculated its driver’s commissions. Uber admitted the error last week and has promised to pay their drivers their payments plus interest (each driver is set to make almost $900). This mistake will cost Uber around $45 million. What do you think of Uber’s recent mistake? If you receive a summons... Read More
Lyft and Waymo Collaboration
Two of Silicon Valley’s biggest players are teaming up; Lyft ( the ride sharing app) and Waymo (the self-driving company). Lyft is trying to become a key player in the for-hire autonomous realm. This new collaboration may help Lyft surpass Uber. What might this deal do for Uber? If you receive a summons for an... Read More
New City Council Bills Aimed At Catching Hit-And-Run Drivers
Two recently introduced City Council Bills are aimed at aiding law enforcement authorities better catch hit-and-run drivers. One of the bills would create an “Amber Alert” style message sent to the phones of NYC residents. Another bill would create greater rewards for those who turn in suspected hit-and-run criminals. These bills could greatly aid in... Read More
New AAA Report
A new AAA report states that many injuries and deaths from car crashes on Long Island can be avoided through the introduction of new roundabouts, guardrails, and better crosswalks. AAA seeks to spend $146 billion on safety over the next 20 years all across the U.S.A. When traffic deaths were measured per 100,000 people, the... Read More
Uber Drivers Will Receive Tips?
New York City is debating whether or not to force For-Hire Vehicle services like Uber to offer tipping. The Taxi and Limo Commission is pushing forth the idea of enabling a tipping feature on the Uber app. The tipping proposal will be formally introduced to the City Council in July. Uber drivers seek to have... Read More
The Debate Over The Speed Limit on The Ocean Parkway
Should Ocean Parkway’s speed limit be raised? Currently, the speed limit for the Brooklyn boulevard is currently at 25 miles per hour. According to cameras, from March 5th to 11th, 91,000 motorists drove over 25 miles per hour on the Ocean Parkway. State Senator Simcha Felder, has introduced a bill that would increase the speed... Read More
Southern State Safety Check
Two key players in Nassau County have called upon the state to improve the Southern State Parkway due to safety concerns. Over a 5-year period, there has been over 10,000 traffic accidents on the Southern State Parkway. This number is way too high! What do you think? If you receive a summons for a speeding... Read More
Uber’s NYC HQ
With the increase in Uber, Lyft, and for-hire vehicles, city officials all across the United States are forced to look further into their transportation policies. Uber has invested in a luxurious center for Uber drivers to relax, use the restroom, and eat complimentary pretzels and soft drinks all in an effort to entice more drivers... Read More
Uber Drivers Galore
Over 50,000 drivers have a license to drive for Uber in New York City. Lyft and Uber Drivers have swarmed NYC roads, and have competed with yellow cabs, and other for-hire-vehicle services to pick up the most customers. Uber’s largest arsenal of drivers lies in New York City. Interestingly, the price of an Uber Pool... Read More
Traffic Related Deaths Down In NYC
Road deaths in New York City are down by over 25%. From November 1 to March 7th, there were 66 fatalities from traffic incidents in New York City. Last year, during the same time period, there were 89 fatalities. City officials have pointed to the “Dusk and Darkness Campaign” as a contributing factor to the... Read More
Legislation On What To Do At A Traffic Stop
Should New York follow North Carolina and enact legislation on educating drivers on what to do once a driver is pulled over? Driver Education Courses in states like North Carolina and Illinois must include instruction on the proper behaviors a driver should partake in after being puled over by a police officer. Always remember to... Read More
Important Drivers Ed Legislation
Should New York follow North Carolina and enact legislation on educating drivers on what to do once a driver is pulled over? Driver Education Courses in states like North Carolina and Illinois must include instruction on the proper behaviors a driver should partake in after being puled over by a police officer. Always remember to... Read More
Lyft Seeking Greater Investments
Lyft is seeking new ways to become the top for-hire-vehicle company following the headlines surrounding Uber. So, Lyft has engaged in meetings with private investors to increase the overall value of Lyft. Last year, Lyft was valued at $5.5 billion following a $1 billion investment by General Motors. Let us know what makes a good... Read More
Subway Ridership Down: First Time Since 2009
Amazingly, subway ridership has dropped for the first time since 2009. Weekend ridership has declined, while weekday ridership has steadily increased since 1948. Two of the culprits for the decline in ridership are Uber and the constant maintenance of the subways. Critics point to Governor Cuomo who cut $65 million worth of state funding from... Read More
Rise In Traffic Related Deaths
There has been a sudden, and sharp rise in the amount of traffic related deaths in the United States. According to the National Highway Safety Council, 40,200 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2016. This number of traffic deaths in 2016 is significant because it is 6% higher than the year before. Also,... Read More
Bus Driver Appreciation
The Law Office of Michael Block appreciates all of the bus drivers out there. Thanks to a recent article in Newsday, people will understand the importance of why bus drivers drive the way they do. The article shows how some Long Island motorists become annoyed at the fact that bus drivers fully stop at stop... Read More
Vision Zero’s Cut of the NYC Budget
$400 million has been allocated to Vision Zero in the 2018 NYC budget. Most of that money will go towards street reconstruction projects, traffic signal improvements, and improved street markings. Vision Zero aims to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2024. The total budget for the City of New York is at $84.6 billion dollars.... Read More
The Safest EV Car?
The Tesla S is not as safe as many have thought to have believed. Although a 2013 National Highway and Safety Administration gave the Model S a good review, a recent safety review states otherwise. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety did not grant the Tesla S either of its safety awards. The Tesla S... Read More
A Presidential Visit = Massive Delays
Every time President Donald J. Trump visits his home in New York City, massive traffic jams will ensue. President Trump has expressed his desire to come back to NYC and visit his wife Melania, and son Baron. When Mr. Trump arrives to his home in Trump Tower, there will be a massive security increases, including... Read More
TLC Ticket: Unlicensed Vehicle
All Uber, Lyft, and for-hire vehicle drivers should pay attention to this message. There are specific TLC tickets directly related to for-hire services. For example, there is a summons issued for an “unlicensed vehicle”. One can receive this ticket if one picks up a passenger without proper consent by one’s car service/dispatch. For example, if... Read More
The Hidden Costs of a Cellphone ticket
Many of you may know that a conviction for improper cellphone or portable contact electronic device ticket carries a minimum fine of $138 on New York City. However most people do not realize the hidden costs that also are involved. Convictions for these offenses will add five (5) points to your New York State Driver’s... Read More
Previous Tesla Crash Investigation Results
Remember the Tesla accident that involved a fatal crash a few months ago? Auto-safety regulators said their investigation of the car found no defects in the system. The regulators did let other semi-autonomous car manufacturers know that they need to be more clear about the operation of autonomous car systems, to avoid fatal crashes like the one... Read More
One Driver Finds the Most Lucrative times to Ride
Many cab, Uber, Lyft, and other ride hailing service motorists find that earning money for their job means missing dinner. One rider, utilizes all three apps in order to find out which makes him the best deal. He finds that rides are most popular in the early mornings, and the evenings around dinner time. The... Read More
Congresswoman Kathleen Rice Takes Aim at Drunk Drivers
Congresswoman Rice pushed for new national penalties for people driving impaired with a child in the car titled: The Prevent Impaired Driving Child Endangerment Act. This piece of legislation would make it a felony to drive under the influence while a child is present in the car. Included in Kathleen Rice’s piece of legislation is... Read More
Uber and the DMV
Uber ended its autonomous car service in San Francisco after it had defied state officials orders telling uber the autonomous service was illegal. In Uber’s hometown of San Francisco, uber was forced to shut down its autonomous car service system. State regulators in California made sure that uber would adhere to state regulations. Uber still... Read More
Uber Surcharge Fee?
The New York State legislature is moving on a special session this January to discuss the idea of adding a surcharge on Uber rides. The surcharge would raise revenue for the Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE). The state already charges a 50 cent surcharge fee on taxi rides, and would do the same on Uber rides.... Read More
Have A Safe and Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays from the attorneys and staff here at the Law Office of Michael Block. For over 29 years, Michael has helped taxi cab drivers, and New Yorkers win their traffic ticket cases! Drive safe over the holiday break, and be responsible after the Christmas party. If you think you might not be able to... Read More
License Plate Cover Up
NYC will begin to crack down on license plates that are partially, or fully covered. Motorists have been placing plastic, or other materials over their license plates in order to disguise their cars from red light cameras. The motorist’s efforts have been successful as over 144,000 covered license plates have allowed motorists to avoid tickets... Read More
Election effects on Transportation Infrastructure
It has now been one month since the turbulent presidential election. The Trump administration may have a larger impact on the LIRR and Long Island’s economy in general. Both Trump and Clinton agreed that fixing the aging infrastructure of the nation’s transportation systems is a crucial issue. Trump expressed his displeasure of the speediness of... Read More
Right of Way Controversy
Last year, a cab driver attempted to challenge the constitutionality of the Right of Way Law and failed. He pled guilty to violating the Right of Way Law just a few days ago. The Right of Way Law made striking a pedestrian who has the right of way an unclassified misdemeanor. On a separate occasion,... Read More
Cab Appreciation
I wanted to extend my thanks this past holiday of giving thanks to all of the cabdrivers in New York. I am proud to have served these fine gentleman and ladies for the past 30 years, fighting for their traffic tickets. Thank you to all of the NYC cabdrivers, who have been able to make... Read More
Report
Newsday reports Gov. Cuomo signed a law that would allow the Villages of East Hampton and Sag Harbor to reduce the speed limits on certain congested streets. The issue to think about is whether the Village is motivated to make the streets easier to navigate or to raise revenue. In any event, drivers should obey... Read More
Governor Cuomo Releases Massive Campaign to Reinforce Move Over Law
Governor Cuomo Releases Massive Campaign to Reinforce Move Over Law Do you remember Governor Cuomo’s Move Over Law? The Move Over law requires drivers to slow down and move over when approaching any emergency or law enforcement vehicle. The initial law was originally established in 2011 in order to protect emergency service personnel and law... Read More
Why to Hire a Traffic Attorney: Insurance premium hikes $$$
Although you may have a clean driving record since you were in high school, a conviction for a moving violation may lead to an increased insurance premium. If you receive a summons for a Cell Phone or Speeding, hikes in premiums are likely to follow. Convictions will also lead to fines, and possible Driver Assessment... Read More
Texting Stops
I drove many miles of beautiful and scenic NY State roads this weekend en route to visit my son at the University of Binghamton. From Long Island to New York City to the Hudson Valley, I shared the beautiful scenery with tens of thousands of other New York drivers. One thing I noticed was a... Read More
L Train Shutdown Intro
L Train Shutdown Info We all remember the destruction that Hurricane Sandy did. From the uprooting of trees to the destruction of homes and cars, we can still feel the affects of the massive Superstorm. One major aspect of Sandy was the flooding. The storm surge from Hurricane Sandy allowed for the Canarsie Tunnel under... Read More
TLC limits drivers to 12 hour work days.
Everyone should know of this important rule. There is a current TLC rule set in place that aims to reduce TLC driver fatigue. As many of you know, driving a car, let alone driving one for extended amounts of time, is very tiring and affects a driver’s ability to drive. Earlier this year, there was an extensive... Read More
Texting while biking in NYC, still legal?
It is still legal to use your cellphone while you are operating your bicycle on the streets of this great city. The NYC.gov provides all of the bike laws for a bicycle operator. There is no law, however, against operating a cellphone while riding a bicycle. There is merely a safety tip suggesting you don’t... Read More
U.S. Traffic Deaths Up
U.S. traffic deaths rose an alarming 10.4% in the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2015. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration released the statistics last Wednesday. Interestingly, Americans drove 50.5 billion more miles in the first six months of 2016, than in the first half of 2015. However,... Read More
Self-Driving Cars: On Their Way To Becoming Reality
As some of you may already know, self-driving cars have hit the streets. Some countries are even testing out the use of self-driving cars in the form of taxis. In Singapore, the company known as nuTonomy already allowed hail free rides earlier this month. In North America, self-driving cars are on their way to becoming... Read More
Multiple Summonses For Same Car Stop
Many Drivers receive more than one ticket resulting from their first car stop. The amount of summonses that may be issued are totally within the Police Officer’s discretion. Certain tickets are very closely related to each other. For example, an Officer may give tickets for Disobeying a Green Arrow (Pointing Straight) and Disobeying a Traffic... Read More
Save The Tailgating For Football Season!!!
It seems like everyone in Manhattan is always in a rush. No one wants to wait at a red light or to let pedestrians safely cross the street. Some motorists quickly trail behind the car in front of them to avoid anything that might slow them down. It’s not only annoying, but extremely dangerous. On... Read More
Did You Know That You Can Drive Within The Posed Speed Limit & Still Get a Speeding Ticket??
As you are probably aware, most speeding summonses are issued by Police Officers or State Troopers. They are experts in estimating speeds and using speed detection equipment. They usually charge a motorist with going a specific speed over the posted speed limit. For example, driving 75 mph in a 40 mph zone (an 8 point... Read More
Conducción Temeraria o Conducción Peligrosa en Nueva York-Lo Que Significa Para Usted
Ejemplos de Conducir de manera imprudente se Virar hacia fuera de su carril porque estás usando las piernas para dirigir, balanceándose y tejido a través de tráfico y en un caso extremo, haciendo acrobacias automovilísticas. cuentas de conducir de manera imprudente el 40% de las personas que murieron en accidentes automovilísticos en la ciudad de... Read More
Failure to Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalks
As a lawyer who defends people who receive summonses for moving violations, I frequently represent clients for Failure to Yield to Pedestrians. These summonses are issued more in NYC than they are in the rest of New York State. VTL 1151 provides pedestrians’ right of way in crosswalks. (a) When traffic-control signals are not in place or... Read More
Celebrate Responsibly Don’t Lose Your Driving Rights on Independence Day
Summer is officially here and we are approaching one of the biggest “BBQ holidays” of the year – the Fourth of July. Everyone will be driving to visit family and friends at various BBQs and ending the night with fireworks. While this is a celebration of freedom and family, it is important to remember to... Read More
Had too much to drink? Call Designated Driving Service, NYC
Have you ever driven somewhere and later realized that you may have had too much to drink and that you should probably call a cab home? While it’s the responsible thing to do, and the best way to avoid a DWI/DUI or a car crash it forces you to leave your car. Designated Driving Service,... Read More
Just a few Thoughts from a New York Traffic Ticket Attorney: NYC Mass Transit and their issues…
My valued employees coming from Ridgewood and Woodhaven riding the NQR experience weekly delays on their way to work. I experience horrific commutes from NYC to Merrick on the LIRR almost weekly. Do a better job!! Photo:Village Voice