Question to Moderators. Why is it now we must wait for you guys to clear a comments before it is posted? I used to like coming on here but now it's really not exciting at all, actually it's very boring now. So what if some people post negative comments, they can be easily deleted by the moderators later. People like to debate and post their comments and replys back to back. I personally feel your damaging this web site by making people wait for you guys to clear their comments. How come you can't just go back to the way things were before? Sure some comments were off topic or offended some people, but we are all adults!!! You probably will not post this but I would just like an answer if its possible..

Thank You..

Personally, I would prefer not to have the filter either, even though I am the probably the target of more than my share of threats and ad hominem attacks. But while it doesn't really bother me much, there are others who feel differently.

ABOVETHE LAWURNOT, there was a high school student who put some posts up and received some absolutely outrageous attacks and threats from the many creeps who enjoy doing such things on this site. So we are not "all adults," and even among those above the age of 18 there are plenty reasonable people who would like to help address the problem this site addresses but would be put off by the creeps (obviously, that is their goal).

I also appreciate the value of real-time discussion, even with commenters who strike me as irrational and deeply emotionally retarded. And in the case of the few apparent LE willing to engage in rational dialogue, I have generally enjoyed the discussion. However the top priority is broadening the range of post contributors. That will help "The Campaign" more than the "quality" of the commentary ever could.

As for the post, I think the size of the vehicle is relevant to the illegal parking--you bascailly need 1.5 to 2.0 car-sized parking spaces to accomodate this behemoth. I doubt the owner even tries to look for a legal parking space, he just heads straight for the hydrant or bus stop each day based on the accurate assessment that he could be circling for hours without finding a legal (or no standing or no parking) spot big enough. What a dope.

Steve,the guys on hear pick on you because you post a full page add with everypost,your now talking about the size of peoples cars ,and now you call the guy or gal a dope because they own a hummer .......then you wonder people attack you ,even the people that support the site have had words with you

Bryan, I don't expect everyone who supports the site to agree with all of my posts or comments. When I've gotten my facts wrong, I've retracted posts. I was also the first poster on this site to obscure all the license plates of NYPD vehicles. Calling someone a "dope' is about as far as I have gone in attacking anyone personally on this site. Others have behaved very differently. I think I have drawn some particularly nasty attacks because of my comments defending the site and the posts on it, but just about everyone who has posted regularly has been told to "get a life," had their sexual orientation questioned, and has been threatened in various ways by anonymous commenters. Hence the comment filter.

I do think it is foolish (I'll retract "dope" if it helps you feel better) to drive to Manhattan in a vehicle so huge that you almost necessarily have to park next to a hydrant or in a bust stop unless you park off-street. Also, due to their size and configuration, vehicles like this are disproportionately responsible for killing kids. Check out this report, at page 16 (SUVs/light trucks equally likely to be involved in fatal crashes involving kids as cars):
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/episrv/episrv-childfatality-book.pdf

The bottom line is that New York City is crowded with pedestrians. There's plenty of evidence that in a vehicle like this, you are less likely to spot a kid or even to notice if you have hit one, than if you were driving a car. (here's a recent example involving a Hummer: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyfata095086520feb09,0,3770142.story). So whatever benefits the owner is getting out of this car (#1 suggests they are primarily psychological, I tend to agree) come at the cost of blocked bus stops and hydrants and an increased risk of dead kids.

Ok kids, it's time for a quick intelligencer.

#1. Let's just get this out of the way ..I AM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT (NOT CITY) and whoever may have parked this SUV is DEAD WRONG..but I may not know his or her circumstance for putting it there...maybe this guy/girl works in J.T.T.F that's (joint terrorism task force) NYPD and other city, state, federal agencies that all come together with a common goal. Maybe she/he had time sensitive information to relay, as well as a Police Department portible radio on their person so they can tell if there is a potential fire or haz-mat situation taking place in that vicinity...and she or he may have had no time to place the car somewhere else legally.(I know because I have worked with NYPD on numerous occasions and this is common in practice. Or maybe this guy/gal had a mean Big Mac attack and is just as insensitive to their department's mantra of: C.ourtesy P.rofessionalism and R.espect as they are to the general public they have been sworn to protect and serve. I can't say for certain and I have never been the type to shoot in the dark.

#2. Not to nit-pick but you may have potentially been maligning this vehicles owner for no apparent reason. This Hummer pictured, is correctly known as the H3 variant, thus a smaller version of it's predecessor the H2 (a much LARGER SUV). This truck the H3 as well as all versions of Hummers made for the non-military public are now made by JEEP. The H3 is no bigger in size than that of the JEEP Cherokee, but because of it's stance being a little higher for more ground clearance...it's merely seems much larger, and quite often confused for it's bigger brother the H2.

#3. In my many days of acting on what I have been told, nothing could ring more true than searching and then re-searching what you will be later stating, because the ages old quote that I'm sure you all may have heard at one time or another goes...."The facts Ma'am....just the facts!"

Nice shot, next to some bicycles, legally parked!

This vehicle is always parked unlawfully in the neighborhood usually in the vicinity of PSA 4 / 9th pct.

But wait, I thought fire hoses need 15 feet of clearance to work? The bikes might be on a rack, but they are still in the way. OMG, THE WHOLE BLOCK COULD BURN DOWN!

That's a stupid commment. The racks were put there by the city and the 15 foot rule is for cars in the street.

That's as stupid as Ben Ward saying anybody with a garden hose can be a fireman.

And yes, the whole block could burn down because of Mr Hummer here.

So wait, you're saying the city never makes mistakes? Even if they city did put bike rack there, that does not make it correct. (I thought the whole point of this site was trying to correct city made problems?)

I don't see how cars in the street, or a bike rack on the sidewalk, or a huge pile of heavy trash, or a construction dumpster, or anything else for that matter are any different from each other. Any not easily movable obstruction would be creating a "safety hazzard", blocking access to the hydrant.

A bike rack doesn't stop the engine from getting near the hydrant so it can pump water, Mr Garden hose

Neither does 5-10 feet of clearance. But all the time on this site we keep hearing about an imaginary "15 foot arcing hose" that aparently needs 15 square feet of open space to move around in when the line gets "charged".

If this is true, then the bikes are in the wrong spot too. If this is not true, then all the "safety Hazard" arguments for cars parked a little too close to (but not blocking) the hydrant are false too.

You guys have to pick one argument and stay with it. You can't pick and choose as you want. (And just for the record, I think cars parking a little too close is ok, but completely blocking the hydrant like the Hummer above is wrong.)

This is not debateable. 15 feet is the minimum for safe operation. Ask at any fire house. Can they do it with 10 feet? Sometimes, but it makes it tough.

5 feet? These are firemen, not magicians. Do you know they carry wheel dollies to move your car off the hydrant if they have to?

If they carry equipment like that, you have no arguement as to the right to ignore the parking on hydrants rule.

While true the average fireman has it somewhat easy when there are no calls, when it hits, it hits hard and fast. Errors are quickly compounded.

After 20 years of watching fires, I can say that I am willing to get into arguements with any of the neighbors who dare park in my hydrant, so serious a threat I consider it.

So make your excuses why it's OK to park at a hydrant. You're not fooling me. I've had to learn everything the hard way and I hope you don't.

I watched Mr.Hummer circle today, Saturday. He dropped off the woman doing the semi-legal renovation at 4th street north side. no permits visible, fairly extensive work. Then he causally pulled into his illegal spot in front of the hydrant on 4th and Ave A. This is a regular spot for him. Has he also illegally obtained funded housing?

Niot sure if i recall but he now has a xerox of a tag for PSA #4, the elite policing unit of the NYPD. Just don't bother them when they are texting or driving on a cell phone call. My suggestion about this is that for every minute texting in uniform 1 minute of pay is deducted. Why? well, are the paid to text or illegally talk and drive on personal cellphones?

NYPD, always an accident waiting to happen. just don't mention it or you'll be in trouble.