Photo by Amy Aglar.
May 18, 2012 Weather: Sunny, High of 70 Degrees.
Notices:
Today is “Art Museum Day” with lots of museums around the city offering free admission. (GalleristNY)
This bulletin was sent out by the city emergency system yesterday: “Silver Alert issued 5/17/12 at 12:26 AM. NYPD has issued a Silver Alert for Irwin Goffman, age 83. Mr. Goffman is described as a white male, 5’6″ 165lbs. He has grey hair and blue eyes. He was last seen 5/16/12 at 3:00 PM near West 82nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue (MN), wearing a beige jacket, blue long sleeve shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. Mr. Goffman suffers from Dementia and takes medication daily. If you see Mr. Goffman please call 9-1-1.” It’s unclear whether Mr. Goffman has returned since then.
News:
Four teenagers (three are just 17) went on a wild stealing spree on the Upper West Side last week, swiping more than 20 vehicles, police said. “The perps, three of whom are 17 years old and one of whom is 19, cruised around the Upper West Side targeting vans and large sedans. Once they broke into and hotwired these larger cars, the group lifted motorcycles from the streets too, hauling them into the cars and vans and driving them to new locations.” They were caught last Monday night. (NY Press)
A 20-year-old was seriously injured after being struck by a car at 73rd street and Columbus Avenue around 5 a.m. Friday. His name and condition wasn’t known but he was reportedly transferred to Roosevelt Hospital in traumatic arrest. (DNAinfo)
Women’s Wear Daily confirmed that retailer H&M is moving into the Shops at Columbus Circle, taking part of the old Borders bookstore space. The mall plans to have more mid-priced retaiolers on higher floors with high-priced retailers on the ground floor. (WWD via Racked; WWD is subscription-only)
Bicycling advocates want the UWS speed limit cut to 20 mph from 30 mph. (DNAinfo)
About 59% of New Yorkers blame drivers for most accidents, while 31% blame bicyclists, a poll showed. (NY1)
Re the bicycle accidents: I – as someone who enjoys bicycling – and who also drives a car – disagree with the “poll”…wherever that comes from. As I experience it, bicyclists generally don’t obey the traffic laws. Just the other night, a young woman was knocked down by a bicyclist exiting West 87th Street and West End in the wrong direction, against the light(and this was not a delivery boy). And if you want to see cyclists in action, just stand along Riverside Drive on Saturday morning as groups of cyclists stream by in total disregard of the color of the traffic lights. As a driver, my personal worry is making a right turn (with the turn signal on) as a cyclist – once behind me, but now alongside – turns into me…as seen on the Rag’s reporting of a motorcooter accident on RSD and 88th last week. Bikes are great (I’ve had 3 and – 2 stolen, 1 sold, and will probably buy another), but many bike riders are both agressive and contentious…suddenly empowered by societal change. This does not serve the cycling community (or the city) well.
On the H&M story…
Hahahaha… I can just hear the people that run the place, “Keep those unmentionable “mid-range” “urban” retailers up on the other floors where nobody can see them and leave the respectable chains on the ground floor so rich people don’t get offended” What a joke.
RE: Bicyclists …
I totally agree with Jerry. It’s downright dangerous on Riverside with the groups of bicyclists tearing down the avenue on the weekends. I go to the park with my kids and we’ve almost been hit by bikers who ignore the light and ignore pedestrians. There MUST be something done about it. What can be done???
Fortunately, as Saturday’s New York Times reports, the Silver Alert-subject Goffman was eventually “found” by some of New York’s Finest and reunited with his wife, who had been frantically searching for the poor guy.
But did anyone else note that this whole episode could have been paraphrased as “Waiting For Goffman”…which would be, of course, a play on “Waiting for Guffman,” the title of that wonderful 1997 Christopher Guest “mocumentary”. Great film starring Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, etc. Read more on http://www.imdb.com
U. R. Welcome!
Walking my dog is an exercise in terror sometimes as I try to peek around cars and check for bicycles flying down the street with no regard for the lights–even moreso with the proliferation of electric bikes.
Why does nobody ticket these people? I’ve seen them breeze pass NYPD officers with no repercussions.
I sympathize with responsible riders contending with aggressive drivers, careless pedestrians, etc…gotta be honest, though, I can’t remember the last time I saw a bicycle actually stop at a red light.