Congestion pricing misses congestion’s causes
Manhattan: DJ Gribbin’s Feb. 7 op-ed “Why congestion pricing makes sense” makes some good points, but he fails miserably at understanding the program’s impact on average NYC residents’ ability to manage their lives in a time of rising costs, especially for food and shelter.
Yes, the economy runs on “supply and demand,” but he is dead wrong when he states that “no one blinks an eye at higher prices for premium movie tickets… or Super Bowl tickets.” He obviously has not been to a movie theater lately, where prices are $15 and the seats are often mostly empty. Regarding Super Bowl tickets, how many average New Yorkers can afford the $2,000-plus minimum price to sit in nosebleed seats? Not many.
There are many ways to tackle congestion problems besides putting a toll at 60th St. You have to recognize the cause of the problem, which was borne out by the statistics presented by congestion toll advocates. Since the early 2010s, the traffic increase in Manhattan was caused by the rapid and uncontrolled growth in for-hire vehicles (FHVs) from Uber and Lyft and delivery trucks. Personal car driving was declining during that period. Better regulation of FHVs at the time would have helped eliminate much of the congestion. DJ, the number of FHVs to provide a quick pickup of a customer at certain times requires four FHVs to be circling in the customer’s general area. It would seem that regulating businesses causing the traffic, like the FHV, should have been a requirement to gain entry to the city’s streets, just like yellow cabs.
At the same time, the NYC Department of Transportation was undertaking its own war on cars by redesigning the layout of city streets, resulting in a reduction in the supply of traffic lanes. It is not just the number of cars that cause traffic, but the number of lanes and their width that cause back-up and create delays. This street design went unnoticed in most of the discussion that led up to the approval of the congestion tolling program and the supply of traffic lanes continues to get worse. David Moretti
Low bar
Brooklyn: The new turnstile extensions the MTA is putting on the turnstiles as a test are not high enough. People can still jump over that extension. Charlie Pisano
Fire prevention
Brooklyn: I recommend keeping a fire extinguisher in every room and having smoke alarms in every room to stay safe and prevent a catastrophe like what happened recently in Crown Heights (“15 hurt in Brooklyn blaze, 2 in critical condition,” Feb. 15). People also shouldn’t use space heaters in the winter because they are very dangerous. Shlomo Klein
Perfectly put
Medford, L.I.: To Voicer Angelina Schimmenti: Excellent letter about people concerned more with a TikTok ban than climate change and crime! I couldn’t have said it any better. Betty Miserendino
Political pot shots
Rochester: Voicer Billy Rizzi asks why, if his teammates respect Aaron Rodgers on and off the field, Mike Lupica “has the need to constantly go out of his way to mock Rodgers.” Very simple, Mr. Rizzi: Lupica uses his sports platform to incessantly push his liberal agenda instead of just writing about sports. Rodgers has espoused some conservative viewpoints and that doesn’t align with the narrow-minded, increasingly irrelevant Lupica. Brian Augello
Brought home
Peters Township, Pa.: I am not a President Trump voter or admirer. However, when this president does something laudatory and in the public interest, it deserves to be recognized and cheered. Case in point is the release of American Marc Fogel from a Russian prison, something that regrettably, the Biden administration was not able to accomplish. Fogel spent about 3½ years in Russian custody, a period that was intensely painful for the many who love him. His victimless “crime,” for which he was ultimately sentenced to 14 years in prison, was bringing into Russia a small amount of medical marijuana that was legally prescribed to him in the United States. However his freedom came about, caring people can say, “Thank God,” and thank you, Mr. President. Oren Spiegler
Opened access
Staten Island: To Voicer Raymond P. Moran: What’s wrong is that Trump gave Elon Musk, unelected and not even born in the United States, the ability to delve into the private records of American citizens. These records are none of Trump’s business! Have you done research to verify that hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money is being wasted or are you just repeating what you’ve been told by the Trump administration? Are you not concerned by the huge power grab by Trump? Chair of the Kennedy Center? I’m willing to bet Trump couldn’t tell the difference between a Beethoven symphony and a Strauss waltz. Trump speaks at a third-grade level and represents us abroad. No wonder Europe is laughing at us. Eileen Zanelli
Willfully deluded
Ashburn, Va.: It can be frustrating to try and discuss issues with Trump’s MAGA supporters because they won’t listen. The reason is clear when talking to Trump’s appointed or elected supporters: They’re on a power trip, and blind obedience is mandatory. But for the millions of working-class MAGA true believers, the answer isn’t so obvious. Why won’t they listen? It can be like talking to a wall, with clear scientific and historical facts flatly rejected. The answer was given to us over a century ago by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: “Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.” No, they won’t listen and they will continue to reject science, history and even simple morality until Trump has destroyed their illusions with his cruelty, misguided policies and economic blunders. Until then, hope and a dedication to correct principles will need to sustain us. Mike Barrett
Out of his element
Manhattan: I basically grew up with Caroline Kennedy and, like everyone from our era, I know that she’s a fiercely private person (much like her mom) who never talked to the press about her family or personal life. She is the embodiment of a class act on so many levels. For this reason, I give her a ton of credit for writing that letter to the Senate spelling out exactly why this nutjob cousin of hers (or as she rightly called him, a “predator”) should not head the Department of Health and Human Services. He does not possess one modicum of the credentials necessary to carry out those duties, nor the integrity to uphold such office. And to those senators who are physicians in various fields, shame on you for giving the nod to put this inexperienced buffoon in such an important cabinet position. Patricia N. Ravel
Forgivable offense
Manhattan: Mayor Adams was indicted for corrupt practices. His attorneys stated that he would not be in a position to assist in the Justice Department’s immigration enforcement priorities if the indictment stood. Would this have been their position if Adams had been indicted for murder? Jeffrey Nelson
Last straw
Bronx: I supported the mayor wanting to remain in office because an indictment is not evidence of a crime and an arrest is not a trial. This new deal with the Justice Department compromises his ability to manage the city he was elected to serve. I now believe that he must resign or be removed under provisions of our state Constitution. Gene Roman
Troubled term
Whitestone: Adams needs to resign his position as mayor. Let us remember some of the things he said in the past few years: when he called white people “crackers”? He gave the key to the city to P. Diddy, who is now locked up on some serious sexual charges. Adams stated at a press conference, “How do we like all the chocolate running the city?” He enabled and supported all the migrants coming into New York City being housed in hotels and also built all these tent cities around New York, all while receiving $59 million and keeping that money, which was set to go to FEMA. Well, I find it funny that Adams now has to kiss up to a cracker. You need to resign, you’re in over your head. Gene O’Brien