Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Vincent Valdmanis on Universal Daylighting
5:17:24
·
125 sec
Vincent Valdmanis, a resident of Greenpoint, strongly supports the universal daylighting bill (Intro 1138). He shares personal experiences and emphasizes the importance of daylighting for improving visibility and safety at intersections across New York City.
- Valdmanis was hit by an SUV while crossing Central Park West at night, resulting in injuries and medical costs
- He notes that 22 community boards and 85 elected officials have expressed support for the daylighting initiative
- Valdmanis argues that daylighting is already state law and should be implemented in NYC to save lives
Vincent Valdmanis
5:17:24
Thank you, chair Brooks Powers, councilwoman Juan, and members of the committee for convening the hearing.
5:17:30
My name is Vincent Valmanis, and I'm here to express strong support for the November daylighting bill.
5:17:38
And I'd like to thank my city council member, Lincoln Ressler, for signing on as a cosponsor, as well as our local community board, here in North Brooklyn.
5:17:49
I'm a resident of Greenpoint, and I commute most days to East Midtown by subway and foot.
5:17:54
The busiest branch library in Brooklyn is on my block.
5:17:58
We have a lot of kids, strollers, community groups at the library who are forced to stand out in the street and cannot see around parked cars.
5:18:07
The cars are parked right up to the crosswalk, and there's particular value in doing this daylighting universally.
5:18:15
New Yorkers cross intersections that are new or unfamiliar to them every day, and so do drivers.
5:18:22
And having this as a design across the city is is really the right way to go.
5:18:28
I myself was hit by an SUV while I was crossing Central Park West at night, far from where I lived.
5:18:35
The driver didn't see me, and I certainly did not see him.
5:18:38
And I ended up on the hood of the SUV.
5:18:41
The FDNY took me to the emergency room.
5:18:43
There were a lot of associated medical bills, insurance, hospital costs, etcetera, all of which was avoidable.
5:18:49
Daylighting is common sense.
5:18:52
When drivers and pedestrians can see each other, they avoid crashes.
5:18:55
It's as simple as that.
5:18:56
Every parent teaches this to their kid.
5:19:00
Daylighting is already the law of the state.
5:19:03
But in New York City, where more than half of all households do not own a car, we've decided not to do it.
5:19:08
That just does it defies common sense.
5:19:11
So we have the opportunity to correct this mistake.
5:19:14
22 community boards have passed resolutions in support.
5:19:17
85 elected officials, half of all of New York electeds have expressed support.
5:19:23
So let's let's follow common sense.
5:19:25
Let's implement policy that is already law, and let's save lives.