Jacob German arrested for speeding in New York

Background. Lexington Avenue is an avenue on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City, running through Harlem, Carnegie Hill, the Upper East Side, Midtown, and Murray Hill to a point of origin centered on Gramercy Park. The northern section of the avenue was named after the Battle of Lexington in the American Revolutionary War. In 1899, this avenue was the site of a notable traffic incident involving cabdriver Jacob German.

The Arrest. In 1899, a bicycle patrolman overtook cabdriver Jacob German on Lexington Avenue. German was driving an electric taxi at 12 mph, described as a reckless speed exceeding the limit. This incident resulted in his arrest, recognized as the first motor vehicle speeding arrest in New York City.

Urban Context. New York City is the most populous city in the United States. The modern city was formed by the 1898 consolidation of its five boroughs. Lexington Avenue, named after the Battle of Lexington, was the location of the 1899 arrest of Jacob German for speeding.