Catch a Dollar Van? No Thanks, I'll Pass!

Good afternoon Brooklyn! Today I watched Mos Def and Talib Kweli's, Definition video from the Black Star album. You know, the one where they ride in the Black Star dollar van down Flatbush Avenue and school you about hip-hop! Based on the video's portrayal, riding in a dollar van seems like an exhilarating experience. You get to meet hip-hop gurus and have a sing-along. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet Mos Def, Talib Kweli or Common (he was in the video also) in a van on their way home from work?

Well, I've ridden in a dollar van many times and I have yet to see one with the words Black Star written across it! Now of course, I'm being facetious. I know that the Black Star van is fictitious, and I don't expect to encounter hip-hop mega stars on my ride home. But what I do expect, is for my ride-whatever method of transportation I choose-to be safe. And unfortunately riding in a dollar van is anything but that!

Those of you who live in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, and frequent this method of transportation, know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't know where dollar van drivers originate from, but they are the most reckless people on wheels! Bobbing and weaving in and out of traffic in the hopes of picking up a new customer, or "rider" as they like to call them; diving behind buses and trucks. I was even in a van one morning on Flatbush Avenue, and the driver thought it was a good idea to reverse down the busy two-way street into a bus stop, rather than lose a potential "rider" (I know it's quite incredulous)! Every time I get into a van I'm forced to hold my breath and hope for the best.

I don't know about you Brooklyn, but enough is enough; my life is worth more than $2.00 (the cost of a dollar van ride), and for that reason I am boycotting the dollar van! I came to this conclusion last week when my boyfriend and I were walking down Flatbush Ave. at Parkside Ave.(if you've read my previous posts, then you realize that this corner is action packed) and witnessed a driver get attacked in his own van. Yes...you heard correctly!

As the van was stalled at the traffic light, a young boy riding on a bike stopped at the corner, exchanged a few words with another guy, who pointed towards the van. The kid with the bike then neatly placed his bicycle in front of van, opened the side door, walked in and proceeded to punch the driver in the face, repeatedly. The stunned, frightened passengers escaped from the vehicle as though it had caught fire! Quite frankly, I don't think anyone can blame them. My boyfriend and I were only onlookers for a few moments; if the situation was going to escalate, we didn't want to be around.

I assume the driver wasn't badly injured, because the kid with the bike got out of the van, hopped on his bicycle and peddled away. And the driver put his pedal to the metal and sped off. All and all, the entire experience was a little too freakish and brutal for me. I mean, it's one thing to have to worry about getting into a car accident; we all take that risk whenever we get into any moving vehicle. But having to worry about being physically assaulted by someone in the vehicle, is where I draw the line.

Catch a dollar van? No thanks, I'll pass!