Many of us enjoy doing simple things in public that are illegal. Whether it's jaywalking or littering - it can be a minor day-to-day activity that could cause an accident or maybe even a fire. We don't think about the consequences of the minuscule actions we take to make our lives easier.
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| Don't get in that van!!!! |
So what - you took a dollar van from the junction at Brooklyn College to get to Kings Plaza Mall. So what, you hitched a ride on some mysterious black/white jitney for a couple of bucks (is a dollar van really JUST $1 any more?) to Downtown Brooklyn because you're sick of waiting for the city's above ground mass transit system. So they're illegal - BIG DEAL! You'd do anything to get to your destination and make your life easier! Right?
What you don't care about is the fact that, not only are those dollar vans illegal, they are dangerous to those traveling inside and outside of the vehicle. Even if you do care and you're still hailing these cryptic-looking monsters, you're putting more fuel on the fire to keep them operating and posing a risk to the public.
To those commuters who give up waiting for that LEGAL form of transportation - YES, it's YOUR fault that there are massive collisions and accidents as a result of dollar van traffic. You don't care that the dollar van in which YOU'RE hitching a ride just cut off someone on the road and now they've slammed into another driver who hit and killed two pedestrians at a major intersection? You don't care that the dollar van driver you just trusted with your life has NO insurance - so if you and the other passengers are injured, you're SCREWED?
You know the business phrase "supply and demand..." In my opinion, dollar vans are out in full force - despite the city cracking down on their practices - because many commuters are utilizing them instead of protesting their illegal operations. Those vans are not only illegal because they're not licensed by the Department of Transportation, chances are the drivers do not have insurance that will cover the number of passengers hopping aboard. Forget about all of the moving violations practiced by dollar van drivers! There have been so many reports of hit-and-runs, accidents and deaths as a result of these careless drivers who just want to make some money - and take money away from the city.
Furthermore, why would anyone want to jump in these vehicles that bottleneck at major intersections and LOOK like a creepy van that the A-Team members may have found a kidnapping victim inside?
Let's get real! These aren't legitimate "shuttle buses" with their own safely positioned stops away from mainstream traffic. The minute one of these hellish-looking bad boys swoops into a designated bus stop to pick up a passenger, it reminds me of a scene from a crime show - where the driver is waiting for an accomplice inside to grab the innocent passenger, knock them unconscious and shove them inside of a huge laundry bag to be held for ransom.
I recently saw a woman waiting for a city bus along Flatbush Avenue in the Flatlands section of our community. She asked me if I saw a bus pass, and I said yes. She looked stressed...But alas! Here comes the monstrous, black van with NO legal transportation license number showing and a couple of shady looking fellows peeking out the tinted windows. Someone from the inside slid the door open, she got in and then the door quickly closed with a slam - as if some shakedown were going to occur and this woman was part of their hoodlum hijinx. Did anyone in that van have drugs? Weapons? Alcohol?
Who cares! When you make it to the mall in under 10 minutes because you're just that impatient, rules and regulations go out those tinted windows!
Another reality we can't ignore is that these dollar van drivers KNOW they're going to get business. For the most part, it looks like they're accommodating residents in lower-income communities who don't want to pay for a MetroCard or get on/wait for a crowded bus.
How about using Uber? Still too costly to get into a vehicle with an operator who's licensed and insured? COME ON! Risking ones life by using illegal transportation can prevent someone from reaching their destination altogether. What if the van you hitched a ride in is stolen? What if the police pull over that driver and you never make it to that baby shower in East Flatbush?
When the hit-and-run incident happened by Kings Plaza Mall in early August, a dollar van was the culprit of the unnecessary tragedy. Reports stated that the driver had no license and after striking two people, left the scene. This is what most dollar van drivers do when they've caused an accident - because they're NOT law-abiding citizens who care about the safety of others!
Local precincts can do whatever they want to "crack down" on these drivers, issue tickets/fines/violations... The public should not only STOP using these vans at all costs, but they should also notify authorities about these drivers instead of getting in for a ride! By getting in one of these shady transports, you're supporting their business and giving them a reason to keep operating.
Obviously, I would rather walk five miles to get to my destination than climb into a creepy looking van driven illegally by someone who has no regard for the lives of others. Stop using this mode of transportation...stop these money-hungry drivers from operating and save your dollar for a safer commute! You could possibly save someone's life, not to mention your own!
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