Comments on: Into Our Town the NYPD Came… http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:55:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Jon Orcutt http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-885 Jon Orcutt Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:52:03 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-885 A few years ago I saw a great edit of one of the bridge "cyclists dismount" signs -- it had been changed to read: "Mount this!" A few years ago I saw a great edit of one of the bridge "cyclists dismount" signs -- it had been changed to read: "Mount this!"

]]> By: Muchacho http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-848 Muchacho Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:33:50 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-848 Some people do ride way too fast going down the Williamsburg Bridge. Some people do ride way too fast going down the Williamsburg Bridge.

]]> By: John http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-846 John Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:53:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-846 Today -- for the first time ever -- I actually saw a police officer put a ticket on the windshield of a car parked in a bike lane! It happened on Ninth Street between A and First Avenue. To top it off, the officer told a driver in another car to move his vehicle out of the bike lane. I never thought I'd see the day... Today -- for the first time ever -- I actually saw a police officer put a ticket on the windshield of a car parked in a bike lane! It happened on Ninth Street between A and First Avenue. To top it off, the officer told a driver in another car to move his vehicle out of the bike lane. I never thought I'd see the day...

]]> By: Sunset Parker http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-843 Sunset Parker Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:04:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-843 Just to confirm: they're ticketing folks for not dismounting on BOTH sides of the Brooklyn Bridge, not just the manhattan side. (and someone left a comment on our blog that DOT is planning on getting rid of the bike lane on the bridge for good- after 123 years!) Just to confirm: they're ticketing folks for not dismounting on BOTH sides of the Brooklyn Bridge, not just the manhattan side.

(and someone left a comment on our blog that DOT is planning on getting rid of the bike lane on the bridge for good- after 123 years!)

]]> By: drewo http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-842 drewo Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:56:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-842 What's that "CPR" thing I see on the side of police cars? Something about courtesy, professionalism and respect? Seems like some of the NYPD need a little remedial education. What's that "CPR" thing I see on the side of police cars? Something about courtesy, professionalism and respect? Seems like some of the NYPD need a little remedial education.

]]> By: Eli http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-828 Eli Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:05:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-828 I was riding down Clinton Street heading towards the bridge when I saw ahead of me a car blocking the bike path. There happened to be a bike cop approaching from the other direction towards me and the blockage. He said not a thing to the driver just sitting there casually waiting for someone (I surmise?) he simply slithered by the car without even looking at the driver. I slowed next to him, gestured to the obvious obstruction and asked what he might do about it. He looked at my bike and responded, 'Ya know I could give you a ticket for not having a bell!' I thought wrongly that a bike cop would feel a modicum brotherhood with another cyclist. I was riding down Clinton Street heading towards the bridge when I saw ahead of me a car blocking the bike path. There happened to be a bike cop approaching from the other direction towards me and the blockage. He said not a thing to the driver just sitting there casually waiting for someone (I surmise?) he simply slithered by the car without even looking at the driver. I slowed next to him, gestured to the obvious obstruction and asked what he might do about it. He looked at my bike and responded, 'Ya know I could give you a ticket for not having a bell!'

I thought wrongly that a bike cop would feel a modicum brotherhood with another cyclist.

]]> By: ianqui http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-823 ianqui Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:59:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-823 Ah, OK. That didn't work at all. I took this photo on 9th St (near Broadway) today. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianqui/200379872/ Ah, OK. That didn't work at all. I took this photo on 9th St (near Broadway) today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianqui/200379872/

]]> By: ianqui http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-822 ianqui Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:58:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-822 I took this today (hope this comes out in the comments...) <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianqui/200379872/" title="Photo Sharing" rel="nofollow"></a> Click to enlarge, and feel free to use this photo if you need it. I took this today (hope this comes out in the comments...)

Click to enlarge, and feel free to use this photo if you need it.

]]> By: John Hunka http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-820 John Hunka Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:25:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-820 I'm so fed up with the NYPD that I've actually filed a formal complaint against a police officer who refused my request to ticket a motorist parked in a bike lane. I was riding north on the new buffered bike lane on 8th Avenue about six weeks ago. A police officer was sitting in his car reading the newspaper -- and he was only about 20 feet behind the car in the bike lane! When I asked the cop why he didn't issue a citation to the motorist, the cop said it was a "discretionary offense" and that "a lot of things are illegal in New York City." So, I calmly asked for his name and badge number, and promptly called 311 to file a complaint against the officer for dereliction of duty. The NYPD has created a great Catch 22: the police ticket cyclists for not using the bike lanes, yet the NYPD refuses to ticket motorists parked in the bike lane. Meanwhile, check out the NYPD's "Reminder to Cyclists" below. Of course, you won't find any "Reminder to motorists" not to park in the bike lanes. http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/dcpi/remindertobicyclists.html I'm so fed up with the NYPD that I've actually filed a formal complaint against a police officer who refused my request to ticket a motorist parked in a bike lane. I was riding north on the new buffered bike lane on 8th Avenue about six weeks ago. A police officer was sitting in his car reading the newspaper -- and he was only about 20 feet behind the car in the bike lane! When I asked the cop why he didn't issue a citation to the motorist, the cop said it was a "discretionary offense" and that "a lot of things are illegal in New York City." So, I calmly asked for his name and badge number, and promptly called 311 to file a complaint against the officer for dereliction of duty. The NYPD has created a great Catch 22: the police ticket cyclists for not using the bike lanes, yet the NYPD refuses to ticket motorists parked in the bike lane. Meanwhile, check out the NYPD's "Reminder to Cyclists" below. Of course, you won't find any "Reminder to motorists" not to park in the bike lanes.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/dcpi/remindertobicyclists.html

]]> By: Ananda http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-813 Ananda Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:06:40 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-813 My suggestions: 1. Publicize these incidents (and how ridiculous they are) as much as possible. This blog coverage is a good start; it will help it crack into the major media. 2. Harp on the reasons why this "officially sanctioned" bike crackdown is illogical and insane: a) it is official city & state policy to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve the environment, as well as to reduce energy use - bicycling does all of these. So why crack down on bicycling? Bicycling (and other sustainable modes) should receive preferential treatment b) it is a waste of our tax dollars - damage & injury caused by bikes is miniscule compared to that caused by motorized vehicles 3. Get in touch with your representatives (council, legislative, etc) as well as the City Council members on the transportation committee (and John Liu, the chair of the committee) My suggestions:
1. Publicize these incidents (and how ridiculous they are) as much as possible. This blog coverage is a good start; it will help it crack into the major media.
2. Harp on the reasons why this "officially sanctioned" bike crackdown is illogical and insane:
a) it is official city & state policy to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve the environment, as well as to reduce energy use - bicycling does all of these. So why crack down on bicycling? Bicycling (and other sustainable modes) should receive preferential treatment
b) it is a waste of our tax dollars - damage & injury caused by bikes is miniscule compared to that caused by motorized vehicles
3. Get in touch with your representatives (council, legislative, etc) as well as the City Council members on the transportation committee (and John Liu, the chair of the committee)

]]> By: mfs http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-811 mfs Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:54:23 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-811 how do we do get this in front of the mayor? who are the cycling-friendly city councilmembers? I'll make some calls if people can identify them. how do we do get this in front of the mayor? who are the cycling-friendly city councilmembers? I'll make some calls if people can identify them.

]]> By: Ananda http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-810 Ananda Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:50:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-810 This is a police policy, not DOT. DOT is not involved, although the upper echelons could be complicit or even encouraging this. But really it's the NYPD and the only way to change it is to go straight to the mayor. The cops don't listen to anyone else. This is a police policy, not DOT. DOT is not involved, although the upper echelons could be complicit or even encouraging this. But really it's the NYPD and the only way to change it is to go straight to the mayor. The cops don't listen to anyone else.

]]> By: ianqui http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-807 ianqui Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:25:22 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-807 Aaron: Who do we have to contact to find out why this is happening? How about the new director of the bicycle program at the DOT? Someone has to find out why this is happening all of a sudden (these reports above, + the weird recent cop behavior in central park). Is there someone sympathetic in the city government or at the DOT who will give a straight answer? Charles Komanoff seems to be good at finding out this sort of thing--perhaps he'd like to give it a try? :) Aaron: Who do we have to contact to find out why this is happening? How about the new director of the bicycle program at the DOT? Someone has to find out why this is happening all of a sudden (these reports above, + the weird recent cop behavior in central park). Is there someone sympathetic in the city government or at the DOT who will give a straight answer?

Charles Komanoff seems to be good at finding out this sort of thing--perhaps he'd like to give it a try? :)

]]> By: Jon Orcutt http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/comment-page-1/#comment-806 Jon Orcutt Fri, 28 Jul 2006 16:23:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/28/into-our-town-the-nypd-came/#comment-806 Cops on the Queensboro Bridge over the last couple of days too - they were just lounging around though. Cops on the Queensboro Bridge over the last couple of days too - they were just lounging around though.

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