I’m Ramsey Khalifeh, a reporter on Gothamist’s NYC Accountability desk. I cover a wide variety of issues in the city, focusing on what’s working (and not working) for everyday New Yorkers. Most recently, I noticed an unfortunate trend of rats getting into people’s cars, biting their engine wires and causing hundreds of dollars in damage for drivers.
I first thought car shops saw this issue happen once a month with their customers, but I quickly learned from the handful of mechanics I spoke to that they’re seeing three to four cars a week with this damage! The rats appeared to be winning the war. In the story I published on the issue, I traveled to three boroughs to speak with car shops and find practical ways people can mitigate the problem.
Here’s the truth: I can continue reporting on issues that matter to you, the everyday New Yorker, because of the unwavering support from readers like you. Your financial contributions enable the WNYC/Gothamist Newsroom to provide you with practical news and information, like my ‘rats in cars’ story.
Can you chip in?
We’ve created a limited edition glass featuring (you guessed it!) a rat. But not just any rat—a rat dressed up like the Statue of Liberty.
