Thursday, June 28, 2007

"A commuter bus struck and killed a young woman on the upper West Side last night in an accident eerily similar to one that claimed the life of an actor a year ago, police said. The unidentified victim, said to be in her late teens or early 20s, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was crossing Columbus Ave. when she was struck about 9:45 p.m. by an empty Academy Bus making a right turn from W.86th St. onto southbound Columbus, police said.

On Feb. 18, 2006, actor Richard Bright, 68, known for tough-guy roles in films such as the "The Godfather" series, was struck and killed by an Academy bus making a right turn at the same corner."

The corner is a killer. Next to being a construction worker or cab driver, the most dangerous job in NYC is crossing that street. This story shook me for 2 reasons. When I was 6, I saw a woman run over at that precise spot, and last year it was Dick. The turn is a bumpy one for the buses. The driver will negotiate it, usually heading back to the barn, making the turn at a speed just above idle, swinging the front while looking in 4 or 5 directions at once as he feels the press of humanity all around him, then wait to be told if he ran anyone over. Such was the case when Dick was crushed. Everyone knew Dick. An actor who never came close to letting notoriety go to his head.

Bad corner.

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