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Big Vans on Flatbush — Brooklynian

Big Vans on Flatbush

mookie wilson
edited November -1 in Park Slope
can anyone explain to me what these big vans are on flatbush that stop every so often to pick people up and drop people off? they seem to run the length of flatbush and are operated by some of the more reckless drivers i've ever seen.

are these private taxi services or something?

Comments

  • Brooklyn's "Dollar Vans" - a way to compensate for the lack of affordable mass transit in the far reaches of our esteemed bro and to provide affordable means of transport for our working class brothers and sisters.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_Van
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_Van

    They are dollar vans. They are an alternate form of transportation. Not really regulated and can be a little unsafe, but they can be a convenient and inexpensive way of getting around (and it's better than waiting for the B41 bus)
  • I have yet to witness any NON-reckless driving on Flatbush.
  • you people should try driving in jersey, it makes brooklyn look like a golf course
  • turtle95 wrote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_Van

    They are dollar vans. They are an alternate form of transportation. Not really regulated and can be a little unsafe, but they can be a convenient and inexpensive way of getting around (and it's better than waiting for the B41 bus)
    I hope they're not unsafe. Today, near Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street, I watched two teenage girls climb out of one.
  • There is nothing intrinsically "unsafe" about these vans.. but if you need something to worry about.. IF there were an accident their insurance coverage is sketchy so if you were looking to collect for personal injury you might have a problem.
  • It's so funny you posted this. I was just in Turkey for 2 weeks and they have a system like this called "dolmus" which literally means "full". These vans/minibuses go up and down set routes. They wait at the starting point until it's full and then take off on the route. You can ask to get out at any point along the way. When the van is full they drive on the left side of the road. When there's open spots they drive on the right side and pick up passengers anywhere along the way.

    The system works amazingly well and is muuuch cheaper than a taxi. It's a bit more than the bus though but much more convienant. The only downside is that the drivers take money and make change while driving at the same time. Definately not something that would be allowed here!

    I was lamenting that we should have somethting like that here and It isounds like this is a similar.
  • That's the problem.
    Many "dollar van" drivers don't know what side of the road to drive on!
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