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Sept. 22, 2022 By Christian Murray
Drag racing is a problem throughout Queens—from Sunnyside to Fresh Meadows–and a Flushing legislator is looking to clamp down on the problem.
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic is introducing legislation that would authorize the city to extend the hours that existing speed cameras are in operation in areas known for drag racing. The cameras would be allowed to operate in troublesome areas from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m.
The city, in accordance with state legislation passed last year, is permitted to operate speed cameras in school zones from Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round. The city is currently rolling out as many as 2,000 cameras.
Rozic’s legislation, called Fighting Underground Racing in Our Streets (FURIOUS) Act, aims to expand the scope of the existing speed camera legislation in order to combat the problem that typically happens at night. Her bill would allow the city to extend the hours– but with the permission of a local community board.
Photo courtesy of DOT
“The status quo is simply unacceptable,” Rozic said. “We need to hold reckless drivers accountable and make it clear that this dangerous behavior will not be tolerated on our streets, particularly during a pandemic.”
New Yorkers across the city have been filing complaints about the surge of illegal racing, which puts motorists, pedestrians and cyclists in peril and keeps locals awake at all hours of the night with revving engines, screeching tires and squealing brakes.
City data shows 1,057 complaints were made to 311 about drag racing between March 20, 2020 and September 10, 2020 – nearly five times the 239 calls made during the same period in 2019. In August alone, 214 complaints were made — compared to just 73 in August 2019.
Rozic’s bill is being sponsored in the state senate by Brad Hoylman of Manhattan.
Drag racing is currently a persistent problem throughout Queens, with regular gatherings of speed racing in the parking lots of the Fresh Meadow Shopping Center and Cunningham Park.
In western Queens, Center Boulevard in Long Island City has become a hotspot for drag racing as well as 43rd Street in Sunnyside, Shore Boulevard in Astoria and the parking lot outside the former National Liquidators on 48th Street on the border of Long Island City and Sunnyside.
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7 Comments
They better do something quick. The neighborhood’s quality is decaying fast. I don’t think the developers can be very happy about it.
Two guys with wife and kids moved out of Hunter’s Point South Common because of the cesspool neighborhood has turned into since March.
The sad part is the issue here is not speeding, drag racing, etc. People are more than capable of being a nuisance with their cars below 25-30mph. Burn-outs, donuts, exhaust battles, rev-limiter bounces (particulary with pops-n-bang timing retard off throttle t00ns), loud audio systems.
All so XXth century, lame and pathetic at two decades into the next one.
Sounds like a other cash grab to me… not a solution. Just like ‘zero-vision zero’ and the popularized notion that the abysmal speed limits save lives. They dont. Properly maintained and inspected cars combined with good driving ability (and lower and upper age restrictions) do!
But that wont make money for local governments or help politicians win votes. Too much public outcry and too difficult to implement and enforce.
Had no idea until today who Nily Rozic is, but way to go Nily Rozic! The Dumblasio administration and it’s minions (jim van brainless for one) wanted to give lawlessness a go and all of NYC has both paid the price and seen how terrible of an idea that was. We NEED more politicians like Rozic to do the job they were elected to do and combat crime. It is the only way forward for the US and for NYC.
and to whom will these “quality of life” complaints will go to? The cost of 2000 cameras? Ah yes, the very NYPD that those who allowed the city to fall under such disarray in the first place is trying to defund. The very trolls that come out and say “leave them alone” are now blabbering about “too much fireworks, too much noise, too much drag racing, heeelp please someone stop them”.
You forgot murder. Yeah I witnessed a 25 year old kid get shot in stomach and bleed out within minutes lighting a cigarette outside where I live 3 weeks ago. Oh, and your boy the assailant is still out free, that’s chill right bro? What’s good bro, you’ve got some more ignorance to spread on the internet?
I have no idea what you just said.