Is Traffic Really So Bad That We Need To Drive On Sidewalks?

WILLIAMSBURG — Brooklyn appears to have its own congestion issues, so much so that some drivers use the sidewalk as an extra lane.

Monday morning a large black pick-up truck drove along a Harrison Avenue sidewalk in Williamsburg, nearly plowing down two pedestrians who were standing at the corner waiting to cross the street.

The 30-second video shows the driver, escaping traffic behind a school bus stopped in a cross-section at Harrison Avenue and Wallabout St. The driver then zooms inside of a crosswalk and onto a sidewalk in front of United Talmudical Academy (UTA) dashing past three school-aged girls wearing backpacks at 8:30 am.

The truck shows white emergency vehicle lighting in the center front window. It’s not clear whether the car is an NYPD authorized vehicle or a community patrol unit. The latter of which, at times, receives city funding.

Last week, Bklyner reported a similar incident in front of Vizhnitz Cheder on 53rd Street in Borough Park. This time a driver drove along the sidewalk, in front of a school, to avoid waiting for school buses which were disembarking students.

“Anyone endangering pedestrians on sidewalks especially kids in front of any school shall be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Gary Schlesinger of local Community Board 1. “At the same time recently there have been viral clips of NYPD cars lurking on sidewalks and endangering pedestrians that should not be the policy of law enforcement because it endangers innocent pedestrians,” he added.

Schlesinger is referring to police cars parked on sidewalks waiting for traffic violators. In this incident, a woman is standing in front of the NYPD vehicle before the car it takes off in pursuit of a white pick-up truck.

Schlesinger tells Bklyner several residents have made complaints to the local 79 pct.