There are many ways for commuters to get to and from where they are going in New York City. From subways to buses to taxis – it’s easy to get from point A to point B in this town. There is, however, one means of transportation that to me is so dangerous, that they are a threat to anyone who is on the streets with them, either pedestrian or fellow motorist. They have caused countless accidents in the past and will no doubt cause more in the future – and believe it or not – they are illegal. What I speak of is what has become commonly known as “Dollar Vans”.

“Dollar Vans” are vans that offer to take passengers who do not wish to wait for a bus, taxi or subway down major Brooklyn thoroughfares like Flatbush Avenue and Utica Avenue for only one dollar. The reason why these vans are such a threat to fellow motorists and pedestrians is because there is such a large number of these vans on the streets at the same time that they have to compete for passengers. That competition translates into driving at very fast speeds, cutting off anyone who gets in their way – and even causing accidents that they don’t stick around for because more then half of them don’t even have insurance.

Since I have gotten my City car, I now drive down Flatbush Avenue every weekday and constantly come into contact with these “Dollar Vans”. Believe me when I tell you that not a day goes by that I am not cut off, have a van come within centimeters of my car before stopping short, having to switch lanes because these vans are double parked and even triple parked at bus stops – or worse. Take yesterday for example – I was driving next to a van that was in my right lane and was so adamant about wanting to come into the lane I was in – that he actually swerved into my lane causing me to have no choice but to move into oncoming traffic so I would avoid hitting him – and then simply drove away.

For years, everyone but the people who are stupid enough to get into these moving death traps have lobbied to get these vans off the streets – but with each passing year – it seems that there are more of them on the streets then in the previous year. I realize that driving these “Dollar Vans” is an easy way to make a buck because they pickup, on average – a total of twenty thousand passengers a day – but what about the dozens of passengers that are killed every year because of the carelessness of and competition between these “Dollar Vans”? It seems that after there is an accident, the families of these innocent victims’ lives are altered forever – but the drivers and owners of these vans see their victims as a cost of doing business – and are on the streets again the next day.

Do me a favor? If you are ever placed in a situation where you are waiting for what seems like forever for public transportation and one of these “Dollar Vans” pulls up and offers you a ride – realize that your life is worth waiting just a little longer for a safe way to get where you are going then getting into a van that has the same safety odds as a game of Russian Roulette. And for the drivers and owners of these “Dollar Vans” – I hope that you realize that what you are doing is making an illegal living while putting innocent people’s lives at risk so you can make a few bucks. And I hope to God that the day will come when your illegal death traps are off the streets for good.