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Early Addition
In his bid to be the next Public Advocate, Andrew Rasiej has created a website, We Fix NYC that will track and document potholes," to build a photographic map of where they are and how long it's taking the city to fix them." People can email photos of potholes (here's the address) and their locations (plus whether or not they've been fixed), which will then go up on a Google Map. As Gothamist loves potholes, you can be sure that we've been crossing streets too slowly as we try to capture them with our cameras (but we're being careful). There's even a page to document electrical hazards.
Gothamist on the pothole blitz, whether the blitz is working, and a huge street sinkhole. And our interview with Rasiej.
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Disclosure: Mr. Rasiej has been an advertising client of Gothamist in the past.
(so all you naysayers who might cry foul, shut the hell up because now you've been told!)
Seriously, this is a damn nifty idea for a politician to come up with. Public advocate indeed! Great to know where to look out when driving or cycling. Not entirely practical for individual use, of course (who's going to be surfing the web while driving?) but it certainly shows that this guy's thinking of the voters and isn't afraid to try novel things to help the system.
You can already call 311 and report a pothole. They give you a reference number, and you can check on the progress of when the DOT is getting to it, so I don't know how much more this helps.
It's a nice add-on to a system that Bloomberg made run much more smoothly. Personally, for me, it sort of exemplifies why the public advocate job is a huge waste of taxpayer money (even if he doesn't have the job yet - but is this what we'll be expecting??).
Many years ago, some lawyers formed "Big Apple Pothole," giving legal notice to the city of all potholes. This is nothing new.
So Mr. Rasiej apparently represents only those citizens with camera-phones and computers? Sounds like he should run for Yuppie Advocate.
i'm tired of this classist argument that implies only rich people have and use computers and cellphones. it is so condescending and out of touch.
Pa, I don't think its right to assume that "me" is being classist.
A lot of people I know don't work in offices (I'm sitting here killing time in mine, but whatever) and don't regularly use computers. Not everyone emails regularly.
Also, most people I know also have regular, no-camera cell phones. Many elderly people (my mom for example) dont have a cell phone at all. So, telling people to camera-phone and email in pictures of potholes is pretty useless for that segment of the population.
not to start a fight here, but "pa" why do you assume that "me" is being "classist" and "condescending"?
Rasiej is evil. He spent years treating the people working under him like crap in his various business ventures and now all of a sudden he is going to advocate for the faceless masses?
Yeah - screw Rasiej!
Vote Popik!