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After various reports of people's bikes being hauled off by the police in Brooklyn, the NY Times gets more answers with its press creds than the actual bikers. It seems that the police at the 94th Precinct started to forcibly remove locked-up bikes because people had complained the bikes were obstructing sidewalks and endangering pedestrians. And while the Department of Transportation installed more 53 bike racks, the new racks are less convenient, then, say, using the railing around subway entrances. The DoT says they will install another 40 racks by the end of the year, while the NYPD says the bikes are tagged for owners to retrieve them. But the NYPD's actions seem to fly in the face of what they are supposed to do: According to Transportation Alternatives, the police are supposed to give bike owners notice first before removing the bikes. Contact Transportation Alternatives if you bike has been taken.
The article also has a lot of charming local color: Quotes about "upset hipsters" and about the problems of bikes from angry, old-timers, such as a 79 year-old North Seventh Street resident, who tells the Times, "They're dangerous. People fall over them. Bedford Avenue is loaded. I say steal them all."
Photograph of bikes at the 94th Precinct in Greenpoint from Tien Mao
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Though it's probably the case that lots of legitimate commuting-and-shopping bikes were taken from around the Bedford Ave stop, I think that most of the impounded bikes belonged to the guy who sells bikes there on the weekend.
If you walk up North 7th, you'll see countless crappy bikes of all sizes chained haphazardly to trees, signs, and each other, unlocked only when the guy is selling. He used to have a laminated sign tied to the handlebars of the bikes right by the subway entrance, but I think he figured people who might actually ride bikes in Williamsburg would get pissed when they couldn't find a free space, so the sign's gone now.
This clown has been hogging all the lockup points for over a year, so if the cops have to steal back his stolen bikes to open up some racks, I'm cool with that. Better that than have my own bike impounded because I'm forced to lock up to a subway railing. It's just unfortunate that legitimate riders had to lose their bikes because of this.
My big question from the article is: how the hell do you survive in this area working as an "art handler" and "fabric dyer"? Is there enough fabric not being dyed and art not being handled to generate that kind-of income?
unfortunately the bikes they took are NOT that guy's. I wish they were- he is always hogging the spaces there and forcing me to lock up to things that aren't bike racks (except for the stairwell wall- that's a sure way to lose your bike). It's really really obnoxious and I always wonder if these bikes were obtained in a less-than legal way.
The unfortunate thing is that this all started in June 2004 when an old lady hit her head on the handle of a bike locked to the subway entrance. She fell and got pretty badly hurt. The cops responded by seizing ALL of the bikes anywhere near the subway entrance.
DOT was supposed to expand the sidewalk and add 40+ bike spaces this summer. But it never happened. They did do a good job of installing a bunch of racks along N 7 Streets and Bedford Ave
I hate that guy's collection of kids bikes locked infront of Spike Hill and Salvation Army. They haven't moved in over 6 months.
Well, about 5 baby carriages single and double almost took my leg off this weekend, the mayor should do something about them as well as citizens using golf umbrellas during rain on the sidewalks.
Hi Jaymes.
It's the same, old story. A few, thoughtless imbeciles always ruin it for everyone else. As a cyclist myself, I always try to find unobtrusive places to lock my bike if there's no rack available. I would never lock it to a subway railing, where the handlebars could imperil people coming up the steps or pedestrians on the sidewalk. And you just have to love these people who drag their POS junkers inside everywhere with the excuse that "I ain't got no lock." That's your problem, not the problem of people who shouldn't have to put up with bikes clogging up lobbies. Not to mention the kids who just drop their BMX bikes on the ground right in front of store entrances while they go inside.
As for the grumpy old man, I bet he still drives his '82 Cadillac land yacht through city streets despite 20/300 vision and the reflexes of a slug. Senile old fool.
Some advice that I have heard from a couple of cops is that one of the safest places to lock your bike is to a parking meter. So I am guessing that is a legal option, or at least one that the NYPD finds OK.