Comments on: Report: New Parks Dept. Policy to Clip Locks and Seize Bikes http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: moocow http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33857 moocow Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:38:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33857 There are city bike racks in Battery Park. They had little signs on them saying to not leave bikes there over night. And apparently the Parks dept. made good on the threat several times in the past. Not 100 feet from those racks there is/was a officially placarded car stored on the street, across from the park, with -this is the best- a protective canvas cover on it. That car never seemed to move. It was there for a solid year at least, not sure if it is still there now. There are city bike racks in Battery Park. They had little signs on them saying to not leave bikes there over night. And apparently the Parks dept. made good on the threat several times in the past. Not 100 feet from those racks there is/was a officially placarded car stored on the street, across from the park, with -this is the best- a protective canvas cover on it. That car never seemed to move. It was there for a solid year at least, not sure if it is still there now.

]]> By: Aaron Naparstek http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33845 Aaron Naparstek Fri, 13 Jul 2007 01:20:27 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33845 What I don't get is Continental Ave and Austin Street aren't even near the park. It's a block away from the Forest Hills subway station. What I don’t get is Continental Ave and Austin Street aren’t even near the park. It’s a block away from the Forest Hills subway station.

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33833 Steve Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:54:21 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33833 I have been thinking hard and I can't recall a single bike rack in any city park. I can recall chaining our bikes many, many times to black wrought iron fences near the Children's Zoo, Wollman Rink, the Delacourt, and numerous playgrounds. Is it really the city's policy to prevent people from visiting such locations by bike? I have been thinking hard and I can’t recall a single bike rack in any city park. I can recall chaining our bikes many, many times to black wrought iron fences near the Children’s Zoo, Wollman Rink, the Delacourt, and numerous playgrounds. Is it really the city’s policy to prevent people from visiting such locations by bike?

]]> By: Mike K. http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33811 Mike K. Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:19:22 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33811 From the TransAlt article posted by Philson: "There is no City or State law that prohibits or affirms people’s right to lock their bicycles to public street fixtures. According to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law one may not alter, knock down, cover, remove, or interfere with the operation of public traffic signals and signs and other street fixtures. It is against New York City law to lock a bicycle to a tree because the bicycle and lock could harm and potentially kill the tree; people should never lock bikes to trees. A bicycle resting on the sidewalk, locked to a traffic signal pole or signpost, lamppost, parking meter, bus stop poles and other public street fixtures does not interfere with the operation of these things and, thus is not against the law. Locking to non-bike rack fixtures is not ideal, but due to the lack of City-installed racks, it is often the only viable option. " From the TransAlt article posted by Philson:

“There is no City or State law that prohibits or affirms people’s right to lock their bicycles to public street fixtures. According to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law one may not alter, knock down, cover, remove, or interfere with the operation of public traffic signals and signs and other street fixtures. It is against New York City law to lock a bicycle to a tree because the bicycle and lock could harm and potentially kill the tree; people should never lock bikes to trees.

A bicycle resting on the sidewalk, locked to a traffic signal pole or signpost, lamppost, parking meter, bus stop poles and other public street fixtures does not interfere with the operation of these things and, thus is not against the law. Locking to non-bike rack fixtures is not ideal, but due to the lack of City-installed racks, it is often the only viable option. “

]]> By: Philson http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33805 Philson Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:08:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33805 <a href="http://www.transalt.org/press/releases/041203abandonedbikes.html" rel="nofollow">Click here for the TransAlt article if the link above does not work. Click here for the TransAlt article if the link above does not work.

]]> By: Philson http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33803 Philson Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:04:28 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33803 Thanks for all of the comments. I would personally like to see that this matter does not continue to fall through the cracks. Here are the New York bicycle laws. I believe this is pure. The laws at NYCDOT are the same written less elaborately. <a href="http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcode.pl?frame=right2&code=NY&ls=claws&law=127&art=57" rel="nofollow">CaseLaw And an article written in 2004 on <a href="http://www.transalt.org/press/releases/041203abandonedbikes.html" rel="nofollow">TransAlt.org Thanks for all of the comments. I would personally like to see that this matter does not continue to fall through the cracks.

Here are the New York bicycle laws. I believe this is pure. The laws at NYCDOT are the same written less elaborately.
CaseLaw

And an article written in 2004 on TransAlt.org

]]> By: Sarah Goodyear http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33798 Sarah Goodyear Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:23:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33798 My family had an ugly incident with a Parks Dept. employee in Battery Park the other day who yelled at us for locking a bike to a lamppost. He did not summons us as we were right there to unlock it, but he was really unpleasant about it and totally freaked out my 5-year-old to the point that he begged to leave the park. No bike racks anywhere in sight. And of course, that is the terminus of the most popular bike route in Manhattan, the West Side bike path. My family had an ugly incident with a Parks Dept. employee in Battery Park the other day who yelled at us for locking a bike to a lamppost. He did not summons us as we were right there to unlock it, but he was really unpleasant about it and totally freaked out my 5-year-old to the point that he begged to leave the park.

No bike racks anywhere in sight. And of course, that is the terminus of the most popular bike route in Manhattan, the West Side bike path.

]]> By: Gary http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33797 Gary Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:13:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33797 BTW, I think we've discussed the corrupt Sharpe james on this blog in the past, but he was indicted today: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/07/former_newark_mayor_sharpe_jam.html BTW, I think we’ve discussed the corrupt Sharpe james on this blog in the past, but he was indicted today:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/07/former_newark_mayor_sharpe_jam.html

]]> By: pa http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33796 pa Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:48:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33796 i have to admit it really surprises me when i see bikes chaIned directly to trees. it's actually bad for the tree. i don't see how chaining a bike to a fence could do any harm unless it's blocking an entrance or sticking out in an awkward fashion that makes it a danger to poeple passing by. i can't believe this city! i mean there are bikes chained everywhere and it bothers the police, the parks dept, bloomberg, etc etc... so why the fuck don't they put in more bike racks. HEY BLOOMBERG!!!! HEY BENEPE!!!!! HEY NYPD!!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE PEOPLE ARE CHAINGING THEIR BIKES THEN PUT IN FUCKING BIKE RACKS! THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO. WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU? COME ON BLOOMBERG - GET WITH IT!!!! IF YOU WANT LESS CONGESTION THEN GET SECURE PUBLIC BIKE GARAGES. DO YOU GUYS READ THESE BLOGS? OR ARE YOU SO FREAKIN' OUT OF TOUCH WITH WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR OWN CITY? i have to admit it really surprises me when i see bikes chaIned directly to trees. it’s actually bad for the tree. i don’t see how chaining a bike to a fence could do any harm unless it’s blocking an entrance or sticking out in an awkward fashion that makes it a danger to poeple passing by. i can’t believe this city! i mean there are bikes chained everywhere and it bothers the police, the parks dept, bloomberg, etc etc…
so why the fuck don’t they put in more bike racks. HEY BLOOMBERG!!!! HEY BENEPE!!!!! HEY NYPD!!!! IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHERE PEOPLE ARE CHAINGING THEIR BIKES THEN PUT IN FUCKING BIKE RACKS! THAT’S ALL YOU NEED TO DO. WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU? COME ON BLOOMBERG
- GET WITH IT!!!!
IF YOU WANT LESS CONGESTION THEN GET SECURE PUBLIC BIKE GARAGES. DO YOU GUYS READ THESE BLOGS? OR ARE YOU SO FREAKIN’ OUT OF TOUCH WITH WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR OWN CITY?

]]> By: Sean http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33793 Sean Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:37:19 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33793 It would be interesting to get the information on where bike racks have been requested and see if there's any overlap between the requested sites and the places where bikes have been seized. It would be interesting to get the information on where bike racks have been requested and see if there’s any overlap between the requested sites and the places where bikes have been seized.

]]> By: Mike K. http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33792 Mike K. Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:11:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33792 There needs to be a definitive legal decision regarding this. I've always been under the impression that it is perfectly legal to lock your bike on public property as long as you weren't blocking passage, obstructing access to meters, hydrants, etc. or causing damage to city property. If not, it should be legal, considering cars can park on public streets as long as there is no sign stating otherwise. In any case, the safest bet is probably to try and park on a city bike rack. Unfortunately there are not nearly enough of them and they are not always located where needed. Until we can get a court injunction against the illegal seizure of locked bicycles, fill out the online request forms to get City Racks installed anywhere and everywhere you can think of. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bikeped/rackfrm1.html There needs to be a definitive legal decision regarding this. I’ve always been under the impression that it is perfectly legal to lock your bike on public property as long as you weren’t blocking passage, obstructing access to meters, hydrants, etc. or causing damage to city property. If not, it should be legal, considering cars can park on public streets as long as there is no sign stating otherwise.

In any case, the safest bet is probably to try and park on a city bike rack. Unfortunately there are not nearly enough of them and they are not always located where needed. Until we can get a court injunction against the illegal seizure of locked bicycles, fill out the online request forms to get City Racks installed anywhere and everywhere you can think of.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bikeped/rackfrm1.html

]]> By: Paul http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33791 Paul Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:07:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33791 The next big thing will be required bicycle license plates, tags, registration fees.... The next big thing will be required bicycle license plates, tags, registration fees….

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33789 Glenn Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:04:17 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33789 Actually, the TreesNY tree fence is specifically designed to have bikes chained to it. <a href="http://www.treesny.com/specs%20form.pdf" rel="nofollow">Take a look</a> http://www.treesny.com/specs%20form.pdf Actually, the TreesNY tree fence is specifically designed to have bikes chained to it.

Take a look

http://www.treesny.com/specs%20form.pdf

]]> By: Sean http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33788 Sean Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:56:26 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33788 What if they used the summons money exclusively for buying and installing new bike racks? What if they used the summons money exclusively for buying and installing new bike racks?

]]> By: Mitch http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-33781 Mitch Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:26:23 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/07/12/report-new-parks-dept-policy-to-clip-locks-and-seize-bikes/#comment-33781 Chaining bikes to trees is bad for the trees, but chaining them to the fences seems pretty harmless, unless the bikes are blocking something. Why not treat the fences as naturally-occurring bike racks? Chaining bikes to trees is bad for the trees, but chaining them to the fences seems pretty harmless, unless the bikes are blocking something. Why not treat the fences as naturally-occurring bike racks?

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