Have we mentioned that Florida is the most dangerous state in the nation for pedestrians? Wide, dangerous roads are definitely a huge factor. But there also seems to be a pervasive culture of permissiveness toward dangerous driving embedded in state government and law enforcement agencies.
In February, Systemic Failure reported that the head of Florida DOT, Ananth Prasad, raised the speed limit on a street where he had received a speeding ticket, over the protests of local residents.
Later the same month, the blog relayed a Florida newspaper investigation which found that hundreds of police officers from dozens of agencies were driving dangerous speeds -- between 90 and 130 miles per hour -- while off-duty in marked patrol cars.
Well, Florida's law enforcement officials have done it again. An Orlando cop, Michael Fiorentino-Tyburski, has been caught redhanded, striking a pedestrian with his cruiser, and then driving away from the scene. The incident was captured by security camera footage back in January.
Systemic Failure shares this report from a local television station:
An investigator concluded in January that the officer was at fault for leaving the scene. The video shows the victim, Tetris Nunn, rolling over Orlando patrol car No. 8128 with Fiorentino-Tyburski behind the wheel.
On Friday, Channel 9 obtained the 911 calls and radio transmissions in the case. On the radio transmission, Fiorentino-Tyburski can be heard dodging questions his own department was asking him.
Of course, local police also faulted the pedestrian for allegedly crossing against the light. He also probably should have been wearing a suit of armor, since he was trying to cross a street on foot in Florida.
Elsewhere on the Network today: The Dirt considers tactics to ensure that smart growth is also equitable. Streets.mn lists some of the best regional climate change action plans in the country. And Urban Milwaukee reports that Mayor Tom Barrett has co-opted the term "Trojan Horse" from critics of the Milwaukee Streetcar, making the point that this project will be just the beginning of a new rail system.
