But this latest incident is another example of everyone being on guard. If you see something, say something. And people are indeed saying something. And when it comes to a truck abandoned on a major bridge with the keys in the ignition and the smell of gasoline around it, authorities take it very seriously.
"When the bridge authority officer smelled the gasoline and saw the driver running from the vehicle, all traffic on the bridge was taken off and the bridge itself was closed in all directions," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.
The truck was seemingly en route from the Bronx when the driver abandoned it several yards from a toll booth, near the Manhattan side of the RFK Bridge at 9:40 p.m.
Authorities did not take the situation lightly.
"The NYPD Bomb Squad responded to the scene, X-rayed the vehicle and found nothing on the X-ray," Browne said.
Bomb Squad members then cut a hole in the side of the vehicle and found that it was empty. The U-Haul truck was driven from the scene and the bridge re-opened about three hours later.
It is the latest example of citizens following the popular slogan, "If you see something, say something."
And an abandoned vehicle is going to get attention, especially following last weekend's car bomb scare in Times Square.
"I would say something," one New Yorker said. "Yeah, why not?"
"If I see anything strange, I would always tell anybody," said another.
"We are looking out for each other as neighbors, and we're all neighbors in a sense," another said. "Even if you're from out of town, it's important to do that."
Authorities have not yet found the driver of the U-Haul. They do not think this is anything more than an abandoned truck, but they are still looking to speak with the driver.
