Gothamist: Don't Jaywalk While Fleeing the Williamsburg Stabber

marylane

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:53:24 -0500

the cops just stand on the corner playing with their flashlights. the other day as i walked past they were making dirty, phallic comments to eachother regarding who had the biggest flashlight. How about my quality of life for not having to listen to their perversions?

aydiosmio

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:57:58 -0500

Jaywalking is dangerous. Too many thoughtless pedestrians walk out from in between parked cars, or just outside of crosswalks outside of the view of turning cars, too often without any hesitation or look. If people could do this safely all the time, it wouldn't be illegal.

PinkoCommie

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:19:31 -0500

I was actually mugged at knifepoint no less than a month ago, not even a half a block from metropolitan and bedford. being suspicious of the police for not disclosing all the information is a way to keep the suspect from fleeing the area. Most criminals commit their crimes almost habitually and therefore are then caught. dont be so naive to think the neighborhood is hipster safe-get some mace!

Nick S

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:48:21 -0500

gothamist just did some top notch reporting sir, you just made me spit out my afternoon glass of milk. thanks for the laugh.

ihateallbrokers

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:16:54 -0500

i know there will always be those 'protecting us' types i hope one day you do not find yourself on the receiving end of a cops bad day, you will change your mind quick! maybe this will help... Guilty Before Proven Innocent How police harassment, jailhouse snitches, and a runaway war on drugs imprisoned an innocent family Radley Balko (4/14) http://reason.com/news/show/125449.html

spiritross

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:02:21 -0500

Nick you haven't heard anything because the NYPD tries to keep a lid on such crimes - gothamist just did some top notch reporting - the last thing the nypd wants is the post to get this story (which they now will of course) and start scaring people. To the bicyclist who got a ticket - bikes should be ridden on the sidewalk - end of story - suck it up, you shouldn't be dumb enough to ride your bike in nyc anyway - we have the greatest public transits system in the country. Ticket for jaywalking though is complete nonsense - I thought they took that off the books anyway? Technically in the US Pedestrians always have right of way (whether they are in the crosswalk or not) at all times. The NYPD do good work - let it go - the only fascists around here are the spoiled rich brats with no original ideas so they copy outdated ideas of yore and try to push their bs revolution (which is not socially conscious I might add since it gives no regard to that fact that the cop is a human being and neighbor and part of their society). Remember all they are doing is protecting us. Most present residents of North Brooklyn/East Village wouldnt have lasted a day there back in 1985.

ihateallbrokers

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:54:12 -0500

all cops are pigs, all pigs are not cops. really stay away from them, as for anybody actually stopping and giving id for riding a bike is retarded and deserves a ticket any cop giving tickets for jaywalking deserves to get shot sean bell style and burn in hell

BellG

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:36:41 -0500

According to the Gothamist Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, "A dude in my building told me...," is counts as a credible news source.

gomery47

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:33:34 -0500

How about the fact that Passover's coming up and South Williamsburg has the largest Hasidic community in the city? That sounds like a pretty valid reason for stepped up patrols around this time, not least because it was reported in the news last week and Ray Kelly himself said they would be doing just that. As for the so-called crackdown on "quality of life" crimes, that's not exactly newsworthy considering it was the entire basis for the Giuliani administration's enforcement policy and has been in existence for years.

Nick S

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:26:32 -0500

if this "williamsburg stabber" is such a big deal, why have we not heard about it from any credible news sources? sounds like BS to me.

noneck

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:14:53 -0500

from our vantage point at hay've and metro'p we see the 'burgers busted every hour, and a few of us have friends who've been busted for jaywalking, bike riding and open containers. a group of bklyn activists have been trying to track down the rumors and have found nothing. the 90th confirms what every beat cop has told us - "it's quality of life" - frankly, it's all f'ed up - the cops are coming from all over the city and don't even know the beats they stroll. twice i've been the helpful resident informing the cops that their tourism-guiding-directions are wrong. we've also invited a few cops into our studio for a minor Q/A session and were given the down low on "their" complaints. most of these guys/gals don't want to be here. they don't like leaving their 'hood and sure don't like the "rules" they've told to enforce. they know it's a waste of time and their own tax paying money. most of the cops are working overtime and are being pulled away from their friends and families... but when grilled, they all say "it's our job to serve and protect" if you've been caught, fight it. you have every right to post pone your court date. one or two months from now these guys/gals are not going to care if they have to arrive in court for 15 summons. if you haven't been busted by one of these guys/gals, cut them some slack... they might be chasing you down the street in a block or two...

babyhitler

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:58:34 -0500

getting a ticket for jaywalking is like going to jail for ripping off the tag on your matress. lame.

bobchadwick

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:39:30 -0500

last week i saw a bunch of hoodlums running around with whiffle bats or something similar on south 1st and hooper, right after i saw a couple of cops on walking their beat. about 20 minutes later my roommate came home and said said that he had been attacked by hoodlums. he called 911, and after that we started noticing more cops walking around. we both assumed it was because of those little punks causing trouble.

Pizza_Time

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:37:08 -0500

More thug cop BS, trolling for dollars to fill the coffers. Communities should be outraged at this idiotic shotgun Policed tactic of harassing everyone in the hopes of finding a criminal. I guess they don't really teach them the ways of old school police work like investigating. Now investigating, has been usurped by harassing. I do know that on the roof of the police academy they used learn to right tickets. Fake parking meters and all. It seems they have their priorities straight... NYPD=revenue generating service by enforcing BS mediocre "quality of life laws" that spineless whiners want.

kritond

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:58:34 -0500

Anyone have any information regarding this stabber? How many times has he "struck"? I live around there and have noticed more cops around.

Snoopy

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:32:11 -0500

"the cops asked me weird things like if i'd seen people hanging around and to call if i saw anything suspicious." The only suspicious people and weird things seen in the neighborhood are the cops and their bullshit. What ever happened to the CPOP (Community Police On Patrol) cop? At least you could talk to them and they realized who was their backup when he needed it. But then again if he cried ouch the whole precinct would be there in under a minute. But the average citizen couldn't find a cop if they needed one.

annerD23

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:20:39 -0500

i got a ticket on the very same block for drinking 1/2 a glass of beer with a smoke on my own stoop at 8:30pm. the cops asked me weird things like if i'd seen people hanging around and to call if i saw anything suspicious.

meganificent

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:53:01 -0500

I've been getting emails about a South Williamsburg stabber for several months... Is there anything that will back this up? Seems like most of what I've heard is rumors passed via e-mail chain.

Payaso

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:34:46 -0500

This "surge" of cops on the street is the PBBN (Police Bureau Brooklyn North or something similar is what the acronym refers to) and they are focusing on "quality of life" "crimes" like riding a bike on the sidewalk. The other day, I rode my bike off the street onto the sidewalk in a desperate attempt to avoid being killed by the crunch of cars speeding along behind me. This occurred on Grand St. approaching the bridge that goes over the BQE. No bike lanes. I went a few feet on the sidewalk and stopped at the light - and the 4 cops on that street corner wrote me a summons. The jay walking ticket is also a summons, which means that person who escaped the stabber and got the ticket now has to miss a day of work to appear in court. I'm sure the judge in that courtroom will be overwhelmed with all of the new "quality of life" crimes they are ticketing, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have to spend a minimum of half a day waiting to see the judge. They explained their reason for ticketing bikes on the sidewalk as there is a problem with people riding by on bicycles on the sidewalk swiping purses, etc. I can understand this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Basically, one cop explained to me that in New York City, then can write you a ticket for just about anything if they want to. If they are going to do these "quality of life" sweeps (remember the backlash that eventually happened whenever Giuliani tried this?) they need to additionally post clearly, where everyone can read it, EXACTLY what "crimes" can get you a summons. One of many many examples: I'm from San Diego. I can sit on my front porch (on MY OWN PROPERTY, NOT on the sidewalk) and drink a beer. In New York City, this can get you a summons and a day in court.

petebfd

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:33:19 -0500

who stabs women? what a pussy

Reality Czech

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:13:38 -0500

Good! Jaywalking should be enforced more often! Maybe it would help with traffic congestion?

Snoopy

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:11:20 -0500

The NYPD is there to protect citizens. Do you know how many people get killed jay walking every year?