Comments on: Citizens Hammer NYPD Commissioner Kelly on Street Safety

By: Kathleen Treat

Kathleen Treat — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:16:57 +0000

Hell's Kitchen is dominated by the Lincoln Tunnel and an unresponsive Port Authority. Residents are threatened constantly by NJ drivers eager to get home - too often one person per vehicle. To cut NYPD enforcement is wrong and not good government. For public safety and cleaner air the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association (www.hknanyc.org) is one of many local groups that support Congestion Pricing. TOO MANY CARS here and we want a moratorium on new parking garages.

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:18:47 +0000

Yeah, but Angus, the problem is that you'll be starting to cross the street and the traffic agent suddenly starts waving cars through the light right at you.

I see, Ian. That sucks. The agents I've seen have been more pro-pedestrian than that. Sounds like they need some training - and for their commanders to set their priorities right.

By: Ian D

Ian D — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:33:51 +0000

By the way, brilliant use of language to call the cop-surge "Critical Mass for Cops" or maybe "NYPD Critical Mass". The latter would play better in the press (non-tabloid). I'd like to see that used more widely.

By: Ian D

Ian D — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:28:05 +0000

Yeah, but Angus, the problem is that you'll be starting to cross the street and the traffic agent suddenly starts waving cars through the light right at you. It because the agent is there to move cars and ignores pedestrians.

We had that problem with the agents that Alan Gerson got assigned to protect pedestrians during the Houston St. reconstruction project - they thought they were there to expedite cars, not prevent them from running people over. The agent does take precedence over the traffic light, but if they don't consider pedestrians in their actions - well, it's like having a walk signal that expects you to cross 4 lanes of traffic in 3 seconds.

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:59:42 +0000

Ombud, it's my understanding that traffic agents trump all signals and signs. If I see an agent, I pay attention to them and ignore the light. If they don't wave me through, I wave, call or try to make eye contact.

By: Ombud

Ombud — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:53:12 +0000

Yeah, I've definitely had some issues with Traffic Agents waving car traffic down on my head while in the middle of the cross-walk (Atlantic and 4th) with the light, or with them doing the same while cycling and I have signal to get off the W'burg Bridge bike path.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:44:26 +0000

I strongly agree with the "woman in the front row" about officers stationed at intersections. I live near the intersection of Flatbush Avenue Extension and Tillary Street in Downtown Brooklyn and it's a good thing I've learned the traffic patterns there because the police officers stationed there pay precious little attention to pedestrian safety. One time I almost got flattened by a car making an illegal U-turn coming down off the Manhattan Bridge to head back up towards it, with two cops there, and I don't think they even noticed. They certainly didn't stop or ticket the guy.

By: Ero

Ero — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:31:26 +0000

Thanks for going and speaking on behalf of the rest of us. Sounds like you communicated clearly and well. The more of this, the better city we'll have.

By: Carol Wood

Carol Wood — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:46:52 +0000

Richard--Rep. Maloney and the Commissioner also encouraged people to attend the community councils put on monthly by each NYPD precinct to raise issues of concern, such as traffic safety. Dates for the councils are on the precinct's Web page.

Dave--it sounds like you should have been at this forum!

Konrad--I recently passed a "Cop Mass" in Central Park on a weekday, lined up near the Engineers Gate. Didn't see them arrive or leave, however.

By: ddartley

ddartley — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:35:14 +0000

This is very exciting to hear people complaining to Kelly about bad driving.

By: Konrad

Konrad — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:32:04 +0000

I was riding my bike on Broadway up in Inwood one evening when 20 maybe 30-something squad cars zoomed by in one of those emergency drills. It was Broadway and Dongan Place, which was covered here on Streetsblog not to long ago as being a particular dangerous stretch of road. If I didn't pull over when I heard the sirens, I'm sure I would have been run down. I'm surprised they didn't hit any pedestrians considering they came around a blind curve at about 50mph and flew straight through a series of red lights. I didn't see any officers stopped to hold traffic.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:21:13 +0000

Did parking placard abuse come up? The fact that police feel they are above-the-law when it comes to parking?

What about the impact on congestion on emergency response times? Their "Critical Mass" exercises are often stuck in traffic...any mention there?

Any mention of the blatant harassment of cyclists and the oft-times illegal removal and destruction of bicycles?

By: Richard Layman

Richard Layman — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:50:11 +0000

Recently, I was surprised to see the Commander of DC's 1st (Police) District (the city has 7) at a February meeting of a local community board's public space and transportation committee--which featured a presentation on streets as places--as well as later forums sponsored by the Ward Councilmember on pedestrian issues.

So it can happen.