Stoop Drinking is Still Illegal

The confusion about public drinking continues! It's illegal, but Bloomberg created a huge gray area when in 2003 he declared that wine consumption at Central Park concerts was a-okay. Now Brownstoner focuses in on stoop drinking after a Park Slope man received a $25 open container violation ticket for enjoying a brewskie "after Biden's speech" when a patrol car with an observant cop came by. The officer "explained that if I was behind a fence or gate I would be ok. Since we don't have a gate, the set-back from the sidewalk didn't matter." The NYPD press office hasn't responded to our question about whether stoop drinking is okay yet, so we'll take that as a yes. Besides, in 2005 the NY Times all but encouraged stoop parties.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on August 29, 2008 4:25 PM

Comments [rss]

KiljoyWasHere

@erik123:

I did the $25 check thing last year. No one will acknowledge that you did anything until the day before you are scheduled to appear in court. At that point you should see your check cashed, though no one in the court system will know anything about it.

Såkandulæredet

If you were a chick, he wouldnt have done that. Course chicks dont like to drink on stoops

NannyState

Basically, that cop said "if we don't see it, it didn't happen". Seems to be their guiding principle.

Wza

*their*

Wza

Always be on your best behavior the last two weeks of each month.

Cops gotta get there quota numbers by that time. Trust me on this.

lower manhattan

I learned too late at the Dylan concert that wine IN BOTTLES couldn't be brought in (hope you were the lucky one to retrieve them from the trash at the entrance!). But then I was surprised to see that the Parks Dept. itself sells beer inside. So there were all these drunk guys teetering through the crowd holding three cups filled to the brim.

schadenfreudian mensch

@woodendesigner

Apparently you weren't here during the "Quality of Life" era from "Giuliani Time." You take care of the small stuff and the big stuff will take care of themselves.

erik123

About 4 weeks ago we were having a garage sale our front of our building and I received a ticket for $25.00(I had beer in a glass) So I sent off the check to pay the fine, does anyone know if there anyway to check the status? It has not been cashed yet, any idea how long it takes? I just want to avoid a warrant being issued because of an unpaid ticket. There was no phone number to call on the ticket.