One of the New York Daily News' finest reporters gets ticketedOfficer, could I cell you a story? Yak crackdown snares Daily News reporter
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
If anyone should have known better, it was I.
My editor had assigned me to cover Thursday's 24-hour NYPD crackdown on drivers yakking on cell phones.
I knew the area was swarming with cops. I knew it's illegal to use your cell phone while driving. I knew tickets can cost $120.
Then my phone rang, a relentlessly loud rock song designed to waken even people in a coma.
When you are a street reporter for the Daily News and your phone rings, you pick up the phone. The only excuse editors are willing to hear is "My heart stopped beating."
For a millisecond, several thoughts ran through my mind: Another airplane has fallen into the Hudson. Dozens of children are trapped in a high-rise fire. And, most importantly, I'm being assigned to a better story.
My headset is broken, so I took a peek in the rearview mirror. I saw cab drivers honking, pedestrians ignoring the "Don't Walk" sign, tourist buses blocking Ninth Ave.
Everything but a police car.
I began to move toward an empty spot behind the Port Authority and picked up my phone. "This is Edgar."
And that's when I heard the dreaded police siren. Whoop-whoop.
Now I know how UFO victims feel. One second you are minding your own business. And the next, bright lights are scaring the jeepers out of you.
The officer knocked on my window. I heard only part of my clueless editor's instructions on the other end of the phone: "Edgar, also get reaction from motorists, see how they feel about this crackdown. ..."
"I have to call you back," I interrupted him. "I have to talk to a cop."
The officer in question was cordial, but my words meant nothing. I tried to explain that I was aware of the cell phone law and, gosh, can't you see I'm parking?
"Funny story, Officer. I'm actually working on a story about this for the paper."
He shrugged and, as if trying to console me, said, "It's not a big deal. You won't get points on your license."
"Yes, but I'm still not rich," I said, searching the ticket for a penalty fee.
Feeling rightfully stupid, I put the ticket in my pocket and continued on to look for other unfortunate souls.
The National Safety Council says cell phone users cause about 2,600 deaths a year, after all. I couldn't blame the cops. And my editor was apologetic. Really. He was.
A few minutes later, I saw police writing a ticket for delivery driver Jerome Pascal, 40, of Brooklyn.
I showed him my ticket and said, "We're in the same boat."
Minutes later, cops arrested him for driving with a suspended license. His brother and passenger, Eugene Pascal, 57, watched in disbelief as cops took him away.
"He's driving using his cell phone one second and gets arrested the next," he told me, visibly distraught. "It's unfair."
I guess it could have been worse, I thought.
esandoval@nydailynews.com
My editor had assigned me to cover Thursday's 24-hour NYPD crackdown on drivers yakking on cell phones.
I knew the area was swarming with cops. I knew it's illegal to use your cell phone while driving. I knew tickets can cost $120.
Then my phone rang, a relentlessly loud rock song designed to waken even people in a coma.
When you are a street reporter for the Daily News and your phone rings, you pick up the phone. The only excuse editors are willing to hear is "My heart stopped beating."
For a millisecond, several thoughts ran through my mind: Another airplane has fallen into the Hudson. Dozens of children are trapped in a high-rise fire. And, most importantly, I'm being assigned to a better story.
My headset is broken, so I took a peek in the rearview mirror. I saw cab drivers honking, pedestrians ignoring the "Don't Walk" sign, tourist buses blocking Ninth Ave.
Everything but a police car.
I began to move toward an empty spot behind the Port Authority and picked up my phone. "This is Edgar."
And that's when I heard the dreaded police siren. Whoop-whoop.
Now I know how UFO victims feel. One second you are minding your own business. And the next, bright lights are scaring the jeepers out of you.
The officer knocked on my window. I heard only part of my clueless editor's instructions on the other end of the phone: "Edgar, also get reaction from motorists, see how they feel about this crackdown. ..."
"I have to call you back," I interrupted him. "I have to talk to a cop."
The officer in question was cordial, but my words meant nothing. I tried to explain that I was aware of the cell phone law and, gosh, can't you see I'm parking?
"Funny story, Officer. I'm actually working on a story about this for the paper."
He shrugged and, as if trying to console me, said, "It's not a big deal. You won't get points on your license."
"Yes, but I'm still not rich," I said, searching the ticket for a penalty fee.
Feeling rightfully stupid, I put the ticket in my pocket and continued on to look for other unfortunate souls.
The National Safety Council says cell phone users cause about 2,600 deaths a year, after all. I couldn't blame the cops. And my editor was apologetic. Really. He was.
A few minutes later, I saw police writing a ticket for delivery driver Jerome Pascal, 40, of Brooklyn.
I showed him my ticket and said, "We're in the same boat."
Minutes later, cops arrested him for driving with a suspended license. His brother and passenger, Eugene Pascal, 57, watched in disbelief as cops took him away.
"He's driving using his cell phone one second and gets arrested the next," he told me, visibly distraught. "It's unfair."
I guess it could have been worse, I thought.
esandoval@nydailynews.com
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