Aren the park drives safer due to the presence of cars, particularly early in the morning and late at night?
• There is no evidence that the presence of cars prevents crime. The drives are already car-free three nights out of four (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), as well as every weeknight from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. and the entire week preceding the NYC Marathon–all without any reported increase in crime. If a crime were to commence, the occasional taxicab speeding by with a fare at 30 miles an hour is unlikely to hear, much less stop for, a person in distress. We know of no instance during the last 30 years when a driver has stopped and come to the aid of a crime victim on the park drive. A car-free park would certainly draw more runners, cyclists and other recreational users to the drives, and these users would be far more likely than a motorist to hear and respond to a cry for help. Meanwhile, we already have ample proof that cars imperil the life and limb of park users every day, making the park drives unsafe rather than safe. In February 1998, two runners on the park drive were seriously i
