Will The NYPD Stop These ‘Squeeze’ Traffic Terrorizers Before They Kill Someone?

Another crash involving ‘swimmers’ in New York happened recently on the Belt Parkway

Reckless speeding drivers in New York have caused yet another senseless crash, this time involving a BMW M3. The recent trend of ‘swimming’ or ‘squeezing’ through traffic at high speed seems to be gaining momentum, with accidents piling up. The pressing question remains: What is the NYPD actually doing about this dangerous practice? Evidence suggests very little action.

The latest crash occurred on the Belt Parkway, the same location where a BMW M5 and Chevrolet Corvette collided this week, resulting in both vehicles being engulfed in flames and one driver hospitalized with injuries.

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In this latest incident, the driver of the BMW M3, part of a group of ‘swimmers’ maneuvering recklessly through traffic at high speeds, attempted a lane change where space was insufficient. Subsequently, the vehicle spun out of control, colliding with the wall.”

According to those driving ahead of the crash, they didn’t even realize the accident had happened until long after. Instead, they continued driving recklessly for several minutes, all the while documenting their actions on dashcam footage.

Here’s the real heart of the problem. This account and several others like it, some that we’ve highlighted in the past, showcase exactly this type of driving. On top of that, they glorify trolling the NYPD. Somehow, in every case we’ve seen so far, the NYPD does almost nothing to catch the individuals in question. Police will flash their lights and sirens and sometimes give chase for a short time but the pursuit ends quite quickly.

In fact, the NYPD’s alarming lack of will to chase these suspects is a factor that one notable participant pointed to as a reason he’s confident of getting away. Speaking of these officers, he told a YouTuber during an interview that “They’re not really built for that [high speeds], it’s a lot of real rookie cops right now…. and these guys do not know how to drive on the highway.”

Maybe the wildest part about all of this is that we’re not talking about a department well-known for passive policies. The NYPD is the same department that last year had multiple questionable interactions with people on mopeds. It’s the same one that tickets citizens for calling out illegal parking by cops. How has it seemingly made the decision not just to let these drivers do as they please but also to stay silent on the matter?

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It’s worth noting that evidence suggests chasing a suspect is, on average, more dangerous for the public than not pursuing them. After all, officers have several methods available to track and apprehend suspects without necessitating such high risks for others.

In the vast majority of cases, that’s likely the most prudent solution. In this case, where several individuals are repeating this behavior and influencing others to follow suit, it would seem as though the value of catching the perpetrators is higher. Clearly, they’re putting the public at risk every time they drive like this.

No answer from the NYPD

Carscoops has reached out to several NYPD officials including the public relations department, the heads of various task forces, and individual officers as well. As of this writing, none have responded. It’ll be interesting to see what happens first.

Will the NYPD actually crack down on this behavior or will someone get seriously injured or even die as a result of it?

Image Credit: SqueezeM3