where the f do u want them to park

I would suggest they either park in a garage or park in front of their homes and take public transportation to work like the rest of us. These vehicles have nothing at all to do with their jobs and are used only for commuting.

interesting... so, if they work 9 hrs, make and arrest and are stuck for another 4, they are supposed to commute for 2 hrs on the train at 3 am... to come back the next day...

guess the next blackout, riot, or 9-11 they should all take the bus in... then you'll complain about "where are the cops, etc"

the next time you need help, figure it out for yourself, 911 obviously is NOT for you

I routinely work 12 hour days and then take the train home? What makes these guys so special?

Thank you for putting cops and other officers lives in danger by not only placing their id#'s on display for everyone to see but also their plate numbers and where they park. You are a true American hero out to save traffic and get those who "park illegally". You'd think some courtesy could be extended to the real people who protect us and make our neighborhoods safe but I guess not.

How are they posing a threat by parking there?

No one's ID is online. Their cars are online. They knowingly park them on public right of way and park them illegally. That is public information that anyone can notate, and anyone can put online. There is no reason to jump to the conclusion that this puts someone's life in danger, except to add hyperbolic emphasis to your point.

If you looked at the picture it states Correction Officer # ###### that would be their id no? maybe? possibly? say it isn't now you have a correction officers plate number who works in the general area correct? say someone wants to hurt a corrections officer he gets a plate number that your website provided then proceeds to look up who that person is through their plate number this person then finds out where this corrections officer lives then goes to his house and so on and so forth you get the idea maybe? possibly? for what? traffic does not seem to be impeded does it? i don't think it does from that picture. Your web site is facilitating the possiblity and i am sure that an officer deals with enough at work but now he has to deal with this bs web site

Do you cops and court clerks really think you're the only people in New York who work long hours or have dangerous jobs?

What is wrong with you people? Do your realize how bad you make yourselves sound?

Take transit like the rest of us. Obey the law like the rest of us. New York City isn't your personal driveway.

CrosbyMerch,

I love these photos you're doing with the little cartoon balloons. Keep up the great work.

#9
That doesn't make any sense. The number on the permit is only a number. No name. It's not an ID.

And anyone can run a plate from any car on the street, if one has plate look-up ability, which is not the easiest thing in the world. The only people I know who can do that are law enforcement, insurance companies, and certain law firms. I can't imagine a perp has that kind of connection. Though if they do, they certainly don't need our site for help. Plate look-ups are expensive, too (I think over $40 per plate).

Also, how does a perp who has a grudge with a corrections officer come to this site and know what to look for? Even if the perp has a plate number and a bunch of money to look up plates, how does he match the plate number with the officer he's upset with? Do they know what kind of car the officer drives? Do they then run every plate on the site to see if the name of the officer is here? What if it's not?

And I can't imagine these vehicles are in the same place every single day? I hope the street isn't a parking lot.

Looks like authorized parking to me in their self enforced zone.

Of course Cops are not the only ones who have dangerous jobs and work long hours
Cops belong to a noble group of vocations that also do, these are NYC first responders; Cops, firefighters, emt's & paramedics. These first responders are willing to sacrifice themselves (at discount prices)in providing a valuable services to the non appreciating public (such as yourselves) and considering every day they go to work can be their last, i think you should consider their side of this issue. These first responders are required to work shifts that dont coincide with the mass transit schedules so hopping on a bus or train is not practicle. So if you have a problem with one of these civil servants
parking their vehicles in the vicinity of their commands, petition your elected officials to have adequate parking facilities constructed so that these servants of yours can park their motor vehicles in a secure location. Until then, NYC will be our personal driveway.
We do obey the law and so should you. Remember no bikes on the sidewalk and traffic laws apply to bicyclists as well

The argument that posting pictures of permits and plates is putting lives in danger is specious. By using placards users are identifying themselves. In fact if these people are so concerned about their privacy they would refuse to publicly display placards in their vehicles identifying those vehicles as belonging to Police officers, court officers etc.

No-one is above the law.

Just remember the next time you call 911 after you just got mugged and you need them to help you, they might take a little longer because they have to find a legal spot to park. No bus stop, fire hydrant etc. You people need to find something better to do with your time. Do something that might actually help the community instead of complaining. Become an auxillary officer with your free time.

"they might take a little longer because they have to find a legal spot to park."

Incorrect.

If there is an actual emergency, park wherever you want.

We are doing something positive here to try to deal with a problem in this city. Please grow up and realize that nobody is above the law.

And stop using the tragedy of a few days ago to help your point - because it doesn't and it's a disgraceful thing to do.

The comments made by law enforcement are far more damning than the photos. It clearly exposes their entrenched above the law attitude. from what I read it is clear they chose the wrong vocation.

No one forced them to choose to be in law enforcement and I find the comments about low pay and paid overtime quite disingenuous when one considers how nicely they retire.

Chief Bratton's successful model of "Broken Windows" crime fighting was predicated on never overlooking any small violations and crimes. If the windows were broken, that was likely indicative of a larger problem endemic in a neighborhood.

Compstat is a direct result of an effort to stop even the smallest quality of life infractions, as well as cataloging the most heinous crimes by area to combat them. I know some of the officers responding to this site think that parking violations are not a big deal, but the entire model of the contemporary NYPD is based on not letting little things like this slide.

The public has a right to seek redress for these grievances, which is exactly what this website is meant to facilitate. Likewise, this measure comes only after years (decades for some) of complaints about the problem to the precincts, to borough commands, to Traffic Task Forces, to the Commish, the Mayor, and recently to 311 without any long-term positive results. On the occasion where a single vehicle owner is disciplined (regardless of the agency), another vehicle shows up in its place. When we've spoken to IAB, they assert that this issue has never been dealt with in a comprehensive manner like this, which leads me to assume that the localized complaints never made it past the precinct level.

We need the Mayor to come up with a real solution to the problems, which should start with a new and fair contract, more off street parking facilities, parking cash-out (where the value of your permit is monetized to market-rate parking values--think $200-500 a month--which you can take instead of the permit), and a host of other creative remedies.

Can someone give me an example of a "Court Clerk Emergancy?"

I find it ironic regarding the comments about a two hour commute. When my father was on the job there was a residency requirement and he took public transportation to work. Perhaps the residency requirement should be reinstated.

I also find it ironic that in a city where the mayor balanced the budget largely in the backs if motorists to whom he gave no quarter, when it comes to government employees and the press and the politically connected he says the hell with it. He speaks of quality of life issues, but it is all talk.

The idea of paying for parking, or an allowance for parking is a "cop" out and encourages unnecessary commuting in a city where what really is needed is resident only parking as it is in Boston, Philadelphia and even Hoboken. Outsiders should be using the garages.

We have the Paris Hilton of mayors here who mugs for the cameras at carefully crafted press conferences. The very same mayor who chose to chit chat in a staged press conference with Robert Denero when a press conference on government parking abuse was taking place on the steps of city hall. I have seen many articles in the newspaper where spokesman for the mayor and police commissioner deny there is a problem.

In my area where curbside parking for residents is at a premium, more and more restrictive parking has been put in place. These areas are the havens for parking abuse where selective enforcement permits scoff laws to thumb their noses at the local area residents to whom the curbside parking is denied. In addition any planning by the DOT goes out the window when NYPD parks at every truck loading zone and in every parking meter in a two block radius of the precinct as well as no standing zones, bus stops, fire hydrants and even on the sidewalk. Truckers who service local businesses have no place to park and placed in a no win situation. Local businesses suffer as customers cannot find a free parking meter so as to patronize their businesses.

The press is no help as they do not wish to kill the goose that laid the golden egg as they abuse their press placard parking privileges. This is a far cry from what freedom of the press was originally intended to allow. Here in NYC, freedom of the press simply means free parking.

The Mayor like the emperor of the fable, has no clothes and it is only a matter of time before the public at large realizes this.

There are logical and fair ways to address the issue and simply turning your back on it and allowing helter skelter madness is not good leadership.

Permits are valid in “No Parking Anytime” and “No Parking” with specific hours, in “No Standing except Trucks Loading and Unloading” and (except for Press) at Meters.

I am a former criminal defense attorney for the legal aid society. As such, I am still shell shocked from being overworked, and underpaid (so I know how all of you not-uncivil servants feel), and I am unaccustomed to defending law enforcement. So, I say this with no particular love for law enforcement (in fact, I’m quite skeptical about some of their dubious allegations against my former clients), but I also say it with a deep respect for their various roles (court staff, firefighters, EMS, NYPD, NYCDOC, Sanitation), as well as with striking sense of what is right in this situation. I’m sure this will generate many comments, and I welcome your points of view, and would be happy to comment on them.

I think that in certain claims, your website has some valid objections, and some red herrings. This argument about this section of parking on Crosby street seems a bit disingenuous, at best. For example, the street depicted in this photo has the post from the user that says there is “No Parking” from “8am to 6pm”. So I suppose the question is this: If no one is allowed to park from 8 am to 6pm, how is this hurting you as residents or as business owners if a Court Officer, or Police Officer, or dog catcher parks there?

Of course I agree with the most important issue that your website has concerns over, namely safety issues like fire hydrants, cross walks, bike lanes and side walks. No one should park there for safety and emergency concerns. Also, I understand that on Baxter or Mulberry or similar streets, or anywhere there is metered parking, that this would be a problem for merchants, and I agree with that point. These civil servants should be more courteous on how they exercise the courtesies that they enjoy. What I disagree with is how someone with a parking plaque parking in an area where no one is supposed to park hurts anyone. It doesn’t take away a spot that we could park in, does it? Does it hurt a merchant? No. Does it hurt a resident? No.

I don’t exactly see a lot of traffic on the street that is depicted in this post.

It sounds like a case of sour grapes to me, and in order to understand what is going on demographically, I believe you have to look at history. I have lived in New York City my entire life (until recently). I started out in Chelsea in the 1970’s. While it is gentrified now, it was not always so. As property values have steadily increased, it has caused a new phenomenon. The original, known as “The White Flight” to the suburbs occurred, where affluent people chose to leave the inner city because of the changing demographics (i.e. poor people that the gentry did not want to associate with).

Well, as we all know, decades have past and times have changed. The white flight phenomenon has been reversed, where the white flight is now into the city. People who are the true “lower to middle” middle-class were forced to move from Manhattan to the outer boroughs, due to dramatically increasing rents. So I, like many others like me, had to move to the outer boroughs. That was 15 years ago. About a year and a half later, the high cost of living in the five boroughs has cause my wife and I to move out of the city entirely. We still work here, and commute every day. (Yes, via mass transit like the rest of us).

So, what does that do to the changing demographic of the civil servant? I’ll do my best to break it down for you cultural elitists out there. It means that the very civil servants that you count on every single day cannot afford to live in the city that they often grew up in, and currently work for. You expect service from the city, but you don’t want to be unconvinced in the slightest way by the very people you “expect to serve you”.

While the general theme of your entire website is laudable, it is also somewhat elitist. I say that because of the way you speak of the various agencies, and the general tone of “Uncivil Servant”, and statements like “no one is forcing them to take that job”, “they chose to do that”, all smacks of a group of people who focus on the SERVANT part of civil servant. Like you are somehow “there masters”. You expect “them” to do “your” dirty work, and do it silently, and then slink away unnoticed, without inconveniencing you in even the slightest way, the way that the old lords of the manners expected their servants to do their work and do it unnoticed, like they were a second class society. They are not SERVANTS, they are municipal employees, and there are literally hundreds of thousands of them, working at the municipal, state, and federal level, and for that staggering number, these so called parking problems are, to me, exaggerated.

We all know that a civil employee starting a career in the city cannot afford to live in Manhattan. Not a police officer, not a federal agent, not even a government attorney The starting salary for a police officer is less then $26,000 BEFORE taxes. If they park their car in a no parking area that we, more specifically, I cannot park in ever, it doesn’t really bother me at all. I agree with all of your points in the other areas, and I think you should cut some of these guys some slack. Just one man’s opinion. And to all of you civil servants out there, thanks for keeping our city safe, clean, and moving. We count on you everyday.

It would make a lot more sense to simply utilze the official red signs in the appropriate numbers than make moot existing signage.

To have a sign say one thing and mean another is just ridiculous.

If in fact the local precinct is entitled to police officer private vehicle parking, it has to be done in an orderly and sensible manner.

As for the press, they are only allowed to park when actually engaged in covering a news story at the loaction of the news assignment, or in a designated NYP red signed zone for three hours.

If the intention from the city was for court workers to have free parking they would have given them space in a city owned garage. They dishonor the brave people who worked and died in 911 by saying some how that gives them special rights to break the law.
We as citizens of New York are watching you, so when you continue to flaunt and abuse of your position, realize you are really not getting away with anything. You should hang your heads in SHAME!

Cutting them some slack, Legal Aid Mike, give me a break. Take you violin to the subway. There are plenty of people in this city scraping along at low pay, no benefits and no pension bloated in theor last years of employment.

The law is the law and if these people have a case, let's deal with it legally, Legal aid Mike.

It's amazing that police officers are defending people blatantly imitating them...?? Anyone in law inforcment should be outraged. Guess the blue wall even covers people pretending to be cops as well.

The bottom line is all we have here are commuters abusing their placards, which in my opinion shouls simply not exist.

This encourages what officials claim they don't want, too many cars coming into the the city.

The irony lost on Legal Aid Mike is that these are the very people who are supposed to represent law and order.

Another Point that no one seems to have made is if having cars parked on Crosby doesn't impede traffic .. then why are there No Parking Signs at all?

You say your not annoyed b/c you can't park there so why not let them.. but again.. why can't you?

Seems that this street should be open to public parking thus enabling either local residents or people planning to shop in this very commercial area to have a place to park...

Furthermore.. if it was metered parking the city would be able to gain income from these spots....

Also for the record.. this block is above Canal st.. thats quite a trek away from the downtown court houses... The whole reason they started parking here in the first place is b/c they were pushed out of the downtown area..then pushed out of chinatown... why do u suppose that is?

If they only make so little pay a year they really shouldn't be spending their money wasting gas. It's back to public transportation like the rest of us for you.
Think of how much safer we'll all feel riding the subway knowing we are surrounded by people in law enforcement.

I am sympathetic to Legal Aid Mike's Message and have become more so by reading comments apparently made by law enforcement officers on this site (the ones without the threats, that is). I am a former member and union rep for a union of municipal employees that earns about what NYPD officers do. I'm all for giving municipal empoyees their due.

But what has been going on is that the City has been giving NYPD and others less than they deserve with a wink and a nod, saying "go take more if you need it--from the citizenry." When complaints have been brought to NYPD, nothing has happened--the City is happy with the system as it is.

The whole thing has grown far beyond just NYPD on OT and it extends to people who have desk jobs and don't have to drive, retired former bureuacrats who are giving nothing of value to the city and presumably are already getting pensions, and even people who print their own fake placards. The problem keeps growing because the apparent "rule" that the people who write the tickets can't ticket anything that looks like a placard.

And many of the NYPD commenting on this site (with some definite exceptions, see comments 52 and 55 here: http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/675#comments) are afraid to criticize the obvious and gross abuses, and will even defend them, because they don't want to lose their "park anywhere" privileges. So they defend a crazy system under which if I wanted to park my car in Central Park near the precinct, I could do so and no one would stop me because there is no enforcement.

The people on this site are going to keep posting. The NYPD who are commenting can either work with the process and have some control over it or fight it and face the risk of having no control and/or getting disciplined to the extent they make threats of retaliation. Those who want a constructive solution should bring this website to your commanding officer's attention and urge him or her to work with other commanding officers to come up with a plan for the NYPD that will work for EVERYONE.

Comment by Anonymous commenter on Fri, Mar 16 2007

<<interesting... so, if they work 9 hrs, make and arrest and are stuck for another 4, they are supposed to commute for 2 hrs on the train at 3 am... to come back the next day...

guess the next blackout, riot, or 9-11 they should all take the bus in... then you'll complain about "where are the cops, etc">>

Court officers hardly fit your description and I am sure they can manage quite well on public transportation.

I think the issue of what the intent the DOT had when placing the No Parking signs or whatever restricted signs exist is very important.

In my neighborhood all restricted parking signs do is restrict the local residents from parking while scofflaws do. They do not open the streets.

In this city of signs that do not say what they mean or mean what they say there is no rhyme or reason to signs.

Either no one should be parking there or everyone should be able to park.

If indeed the city chooses to provide parking for court officers it should do so by following proper procedure and the signage should be clear so all can see. If in fact court officers have no right to free reserved street parking as I understand it, then they should not be allowed to park in restricted parking areas.

It is not rocket science.

None of the arguments about low salaries or long hours or long commutes would hold water in a court of law.

What organization issues these Court Officer permits #22? On what basis do you assert that this is legal parking?

In response to Legal Aid Mike, my take on the "no parking" zones that are wall-to-wall cars is this:

Why are those signs there? They are there because some other city agency (probably DOT) determined that for traffic, safety, or other reasons that people should not park there during the designated times. Maybe it's for delivery vehicles. Maybe the designation was a bad decision, and should be changed.

However, what placard abuse does is act as a de-facto veto by employees of one agency on the (presumably) well reasoned policy decision of another agency. For instance, there is a narrow stretch of street near my house that is marked "no standing." It's packed with placard-bearing cars every day (including the spots in front of the hydrants). This means that in the event of an emergency, it is quite likely that emergency vehicles will not be able to get through (which is why I think the area is marked "no standing").

Does it make any policy sense whatsoever for individuals with placards to be able to unilaterally decide to ignore the policy decisions of other agencies?

Then there are the clear-cut public safety issues -- blocking sidewalks, blocking fire hydrants, parking in crosswalks and parking in bike lanes. For many of the agencies (e.g. NYPD), it's clear in the law and as a matter of common sense that it's better to park on the sidewalk than waste any time. But for the most part that isn't what people are complaining about -- e.g., they see patrol cars pull up on the sidewalk, the officers get out, and go get something to eat. Or in some places, sidewalks and crosswalks simply become de-facto day-long parking spaces for patrol cars.

Let's take the problem that merchants face. When official vehicles take up all the metered spaces, then this has a direct and substantial effect on their ability to make a living. The policy reason for parking meters in most places is to allow short-term visitors to park, usually so that they can patronize local businesses or services. Again, it doesn't make sense to let the individuals with placards decide to both subvert official DOT policy and ruin local businesses.

If the answer is designated street parking for certain agencies (already done in a number of areas), then so be it (although I agree with Matt that lot parking and a buyout are preferable). But at least with designated street parking, the relevant agencies can think it through and ensure that it's done in a way that doesn't create public safety problems, and that takes public input into account.

The idea that these people are uncapable of using public transportaion is quite weak.

Funny, parking for residents, who by the way as the film points out are being disrespected, is considered a petty issue, while for government workers is the most important thing in life.

Like it or not even NYC is a community where people live and have rights to the peaceful enjoyment of their environment.

I object to the buyout concept as it encourages unneccessary commuting by people perfectly capable of using mass transit.

I would submit that someone working very odd hours would find little problem finding parking.

I think you guys need to get a life and stop looking to put law enforcement on the spot. Why dont you people get neighborhood watches going and help keep the streets safer in stead you are worried about people parking there cars.

#37, this is a neighborhood watch in progress.

I believe the best way to characterize post #37 is called spin.

I think transportation alternatives has some very good ideas on how to improve the quality of life for the residents of this city.

What you want is the status quo and to disrespect the residents of a community.

Post #38 good point indeed.

As I said, I welcome all responses. I also have conceded that there are many relevant points that this site appears to be championing, such as fire hydrant violations, cross walks, etc. I also said I was unaccustomed to defending them, but here I go again:

Since most of you hide behind anonymity (you don’t even have a screen name) I’ll have to refer to you by anonymous post #.

#25 -I think the real person who should hand their head in shame is you. You said:

“If the intention from the city was for court workers to have free parking they would have given them space in a city owned garage. They dishonor the brave people who worked and died in 911 by saying some how that gives them special rights to break the law.”

I worked with the best Court Officers in the state, the New York City Criminal Court Officers, and although the events of 9/11 took place before I worked there, it is common knowledge at the Courthouse that three Court Officers perished at the WTC that day. Their names were Captain William "Harry" Thompson, Thomas E. Jurgens and Mitchel Wallace. These three made the ultimate sacrifice, while dozens of other Court Officers responded and were injured in the rescue effort. The saying is true “all gave some, some gave all”.

Shame on you raising the specter of 9/11, and for singling out and slandering hard working court personnel in your quest for parking justice!

So to #26 “Cutting them some slack, Legal Aid Mike, give me a break. Take you violin to the subway. There are plenty of people in this city scraping along at low pay, no benefits and no pension bloated in theor last years of employment.”

I can’t take my violin to the subway system, I need a permit for that too. As for plenty of people getting by in the city on low pay, we all know they are a disappearing breed my friend. When was the last time affordable housing was built in Manhattan? What happened to all the affordable Mitchell-Llama housing, like West Village Housing and Independence Plaza? All market value properties now. Yes, there are plenty of poor people in the city, they just aren’t complaining about parking plaques. There too worried about being able to afford living in Manhattan.

If you can‘t even concede that point, then we all know that you have a credibility issue, and anything you say should be suspect. And what is the comment about their pension, what, you don’t think they deserve that either? Or would you have them rely on the generosity of corporate employers such as Wal-Mart, ENRON, Adelphia or WorldCom. If you begrudge their benefits, why don’t you apply to be a servant? Or would that be too much of a pay cut for you, and force you to move out of your lofts on Crosby street, or your condos on the upper east side?

So to #28 who says “The irony lost on Legal Aid Mike is that these are the very people who are supposed to represent law and order”.

Yes they represent law and order, however, do you complain when you (and if not you with your “holier than thou stance on parking”, some of your friends or acquaintances) are the beneficiary of a law enforcement official exercising his/her professional discretion and not issue you a summons for drinking in public, or a warning for speeding or running a stop sign? I’d love to see that…Police officer: “You can’t drink in public, so pour that beer down the sewer and get out of here”; #28 “Sure, I’ll pour it down the sewer, but only if you enforce the law, search me, ask me for my identification, and a) if I have it, conduct a warrant check and issue me a summons (Minimum $25/fine or up to 10 days jail); or b) if I forgot my wallet, take me down to jail to ascertain my identity and make sure I’m not wanted for a crime”. Give me a break #28.

Or do you think that they should arrest everyone for everything, and not give that teenager smoking a joint a break, or how about that adult drinking beer in public? Or the slap on the wrist to the kid stealing candy, rather than arrest them, throw them in jail, let them go through the system, and then have to deal with Legal Aid Mike in front of a judge, because, as you would have us believe, it must be “law and order” every time.

Again, just one man’s opinion.

Mike, some good points, but you don't want to go too far with the argument that NYPD should be permitted to break the law because NYPD use professional discretion and don't enforce every violation they see. NYPD have vast discretion and need to have it, because every second of every day in NY there are 10,000 laws being violated and you can't act on all of them. But that awesome discretion is supposed to be exercised according to principles of law enforcement policy about which crimes are most important to pursue.

If your point is "NYPD are human, don't expect more from them than you would from yourself," fair point. But if the point is "NYPD could make your life miserable if they were to use their discretion to target you," then you are just joining in with the commenters here who are making threats along those lines.

Legal Aid Mike,

The situation on Crosby St. represents a defacto Court Officer parking lot at the expense of the neighborhood.

90% or more of the cars parked or standing on this section of Crosby are Court Officer placarded (Union Issued, which are not supported by any legal provisions)and are parked all day long. These Court Officers and the people who emulate their placards with various benevolent association placards rely on the police to not ticket their illegal parking as a rule, not as an exception.

If you want to cry about the needs of the Court Officer, cry to the city to buy some real estate for a Court Officer parking lot, don't expect the abused neighborhood to tolerate this systematic and chronic problem. In this neighborhood these areas were once loading zones, and as the neighborhood has become more oriented around retail the needs for parking has only increased, and the needs for loading lessened. If we took the Court Officer's cars out of the equation, I believe that most traffic engineers and urban planners would say that this neighborhood needs some alternate side parking for residents,and mostly metered parking for Soho shoppers, along with loading zones. I think that this is what we will see in the end, because this will be better for residents, and better for businesses.

Crosby Merchant

I want to be perfectly clear that this site and the photos posted on it as well as the stories has nothing to do with the people disresecting law enforcement and other placard holders and all to do with law enforcement and placard holders disrespecting and abusing the people of the community they are supposed to serve.

legal aid Mike, you are a professional spin doctor and make no sense whatsoever. All your argments are illogical and pointless and franly disrespectful of the people of teh community.

Steve, you raise valid points as well, and my point is the former of the two. I am a former legal aid attorney (hence the name), and as such, do not condone threats or violence (or retaliatory tactics by law enforcement, such as targeted, or over targeted enforcement at all. As I said above, I feel a bit strange defending municipal employees given my former profession - you guys are going to make me change my name to “Unlikely Defender“, or something like that). Like I did every day in the court room, I encourage and condone healthy discourse and debate. You will note that is what I said in my first post.

CrosbyMerchant,

I totally respect your opinion, and it would be nice if the city did buy parking for their employees like many cities do. But as I commented earlier I fully support the website‘s position with respect to safety issues, however, you posted that the sign says no parking from 8am to 6pm, so forgive me, but I don’t see how any vehicle with a parking plaque parking there affects your customers if they can’t park there during the hours in question. You are right that those “areas were once loading zones, and as the neighborhood has become more oriented around retail the needs for parking has only increased, and the needs for loading lessened”. It is a valid point.

But it is one of the red herrings that I mentioned because if these “plaques” as I’ll refer to them, were not parked in front of your store, then the space would be empty, it would not be filled with your customers, who are eager to purchase your wares.

Now if the signs were different, and were metered parking, then I would whole-heartedly endorse your position (see above) but as your customers can’t park there during those hours that you posted, I fail to see how your clientele is being affected, and how you are being affected. Just one man’s opinion.

Mike

Mike, you sound like a very bitter man.
Not all of us are carriage trade individuals. Most of us are scraping along struggling to make rent. Few of us have teh pay or benefits and retirement oppotunities of the people in question so get off your high horse.

We are expected to pay NYC garage rates of we want a car in the city even if we need it for making a living. Most of us gave up our cars or even the idea of owning one and those of us with cars fight the daily battle for a legal parking space.

I could have quite a nice car if I had free reserved free parking at taxpayer expense. I can't even imagine how life would be if I could come and go as I pleased as do these people you make your pleas for.

Legal Aid Mike,

I think we are in agreement in some sense. These zones are recently designated no parking from 8am to 6pm, before that they were loading zones. It may be possible that these zones were designated no parking 8-6 for the purpose of defacto city parking. Who is to say, but considering the volume of traffic on the street it would seem that you could have some parking on it. It is busy, but not crazy, at very least one side could be metered parking. You say that if the signs were different you would whole heartedly endorse my point, I say they may not be because of the Court Officers, etc. Chicken and egg.

Crosby Merchant

I think you guys should post where the drug dealers sell their drugs, and what vehicles they used. Location where narcotics and guns are sold. Not about petty parking issues in NYC. Maybe crime in the outer boros will go down. The Police in this city are doing more with less. Keep up the great work NYPD. Keep your head high and don't let his site and Sharpton wannabes distract you.

Mike, I am going to cut to the chase here. I have been at trying to get enforcement of the regulations for twenty years on and off and the last three years straight, non-stop.

I have been bullshitted right up to the level of the mayor and police commissioner regarding enforcement and even an admission that there is a problem and last year realized the only solution to the problem is in signage changes in areas where restricted parking is abused.

I have problems in my area with the press, MD's and DD's and clergy as well as college faculty. I think you will have a hard time making excused for them and their bravery and sacrifice so cut the crap. Placard abuse is a city wide scourge and your minimizing of the situation is way off base and your responses frankly just spin and twisted rationalization.

Your arguments are disingenuous and frankly ridiculous. We either all live under the rule of law or we have chaos.

This web site allows the people to expose the reality of the situation in an attempt to find a resolution. All you speak of is the status quo, which as we would say in East New York, sucks.

Your rationalizing completely off base, and comments regarding anonymity and believe me many of us have out ourselves out there and have been threatened with reprisals. And this from the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law.

Anonymous 47, you said:

“Mike, you sound like a very bitter man.” What on earth did I say that leads you to conclude that I am bitter?

As for “Most of us are scraping along struggling to make rent. Few of us have teh pay or benefits and retirement oppotunities of the people in question so get off your high horse.
We are expected to pay NYC garage rates of we want a car in the city even if we need it for making a living”.

That goes exactly to the original point I made in my first post above regarding the disappearing middle class in NYC. I lived that struggle for many years until I, like many before and after me, have come to realize my hard earned dollar would be better spent in the suburbs. I am not, however, bitter. But thanks for the concern :-)

To poster #49, with all due respect where a police officer parks his personal vehicle has nothing whatsoever with your post.

Police officers would get a hell of a lot more respect from the community, if they respected the people who live in the community.

How do you think residents feel when they see police officers flaunt the law and push them out of their own neighborhoods making a mockery of parking regulations.

Check out the film avaible on this site.

Mike, if you want to start a site for the dissapearing middle class in NYC have at it. Meanwhile, we who live here are trying to make it a better place.

You have a chip on your shoulder the size of a two by four. Stop takingit out on people tryingto make life here better for the residents.

I suggest you look into transportaion alternatives and learning what they are about.

They are the furthest thing from elitist snobs possible. I hardly think a group who gets wround on bicycles and not stretched limos fits into yoru description of those pushing out the middle class.

Mike,
How would you like it if I came out to your suburbs and put up signs all over your neighborhood preventing you from parking your car in your own zip code.

Then outsiders with state issued placards come in and park in all those spots, on the sidewalks, in crosswalks, in your parks and every avaible nook and cranny every available parking meter in town etc.

Think about it.

CrosbyMerchant, you said:

“you could have some parking on it. It is busy, but not crazy, at very least one side could be metered parking. You say that if the signs were different you would whole heartedly endorse my point, I say they may not be because of the Court Officers, etc. Chicken and egg.”

That is a valid position that is not without merit. I don’t know how we could find out why a sign hasn’t been changed, nor meters installed. I think metered parking would make the city some much needed income, given the great amount of consumer transactions in the area as well as stimulate the local economy.

Anonymous 50,

Why are my arguments disingenuous? Merely because I disagree with you on one point, while agreeing with you and this website on many others? Is that how it goes around here? I must either support every single issue that you do, 100% or I am disingenuous and ridiculous? That is frankly absurd. You would have us all walking the earth thinking and feeling the way you do.

You said “I have problems in my area with the press, MD's and DD's and clergy as well as college faculty. I think you will have a hard time making excused for them and their bravery and sacrifice so cut the crap“.

I don’t mean to sound sarcastic, but is there anyone you don’t have a problem with? The 250,000 municipal employees, plus all of the state and federal employees, now Doctors, Dentists, college professors and even the clergy. Who do you like besides your self, and people similarly situated?

Mike,
You simply don't get it my friend.

I suggest you start your own site for the diminishing middle class in NYC. Perhaps if we could park here and have a life we could afford to stay here.

You talk about a problem you have no understanding of. You know nothing if placard abuse in the city and hide in your suburbs telling us how to live and what we should accept.

It has nothing to do with who I like, it has to do with who is abusing parking privileges on my neighborhood, something you just can't seem to grasp.

Do you know what a press placard allows, or whath the rules are for MD's. Do you think they too are abive the law? The only people you seem to think are nit above the law are law abiding communuity residents, and this from someone claiming to be a former lagal aid attorney.

Give me a break.

Mike try reading this:
http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/the_problem

Just a few comments about "THE PROBLEM" that is found here on this site.....

"Thousands more illicitly enjoy the same privileges by photocopying permits, or by minting their own."
No problem, arrest all these people for possession of a forged instrument.....

"In part because of this parking privilege, census data clearly show that government workers drive to work at two times the rate of private sector workers."
When did census data start recording transportation preferences of government workers??????

In addition, illegal permit parking generates unnecessary traffic in several ways:

"Due to their parking privileges, many commuters who could be taking transit opt to drive instead."
Maybe the commuters don't want to be subjected to an over-crowded transportation system, where they will have to sit next to a snoring, drooling, over-ripe person who hasn't bathed all week.....maybe it's their CHOICE to drive in comfort.....they are not allowed to choose their method of commuting??????

"Because they super-saturate the curb, illegal parkers cause other vehicles to troll to find ever-elusive curbside space."
If all the "illegal" parkers weren't parked there, the other vehicles would STILL have to troll to find LEGAL curbside space.....so illegal curbside parkers have no real impact on this issue...

"When vehicles cannot find a spot, they double park, compounding traffic problems by blocking lanes and forcing erratic maneuvers."
No argument here....double-parking does cause these problems....

"Illegal permit parking degrades the quality of the air that New Yorkers breathe, which contributes to increased risk of health problems like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer."
If the "illegal" permit cars are PARKED, then they are turned OFF and not emitting any exh

"Recommendations"

"Enforce the Law"
no problem here......so let's see......

when a cyclist travels against traffic...issue them a ticket....
when a cyclist fails to hand-signal a turn....issue them a ticket.....
when a cyclist fails to come to a complete stop at a stop sign....issue them a ticket.......
when a cyclist fails to stop and wait at a red light.....issue them a ticket....
when a cyclist drives on the sidewalk or pedestrian plaza.....issue them a ticket.....
when a cyclist fails to yield to a pedestrian (they usually yell "get out of the way" or blow a whistle).....issue them a ticket.....
when a cyclist chains a bike to a tree....issue them a ticket.......

I see no problem enforcing the "LAW", do any of you???

Sounds good to me as long as you:

when a driver speeds ... issue them a ticket
when a driver turns into a crosswalk full of pedestrians and pushes their way through ... issue them a ticket
when a driver parks in the bike lane ... issue them a ticket
when a private sanitation vehicle kills yet another pedestrian legally crossing in the cross walk ... issue a ticket
when a NYPD tow truck plows over a cyclist on the west side green way and kills him ... issue a ticket
when drivers drive their cars down greenways ... issue a ticket
when a city employee uses his/her placard to park illegally on sidewalks and in bike lanes, putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk ... issue a ticket

Given I see more of the above on a day to day basis, than all the cyclist infractions you listed and rarely if ever do I see the NYPD do anything about it, I would say you do see a problem enforcing the "LAW".

Perhaps if the NYPD would actually do something to keep cyclists and pedestrians from being murdered (you call it an accident when a car is involved) by aggressive drivers (14 cyclists and 170 pedestrians killed in 2006 alone) they would not feel the need to take their safety into their own hands by breaking traffic rules to keep themselves away from road raging drivers. But if you think you are doing your best to keep the citizens of this city safe by chasing after cyclist while ignoring the road ragers speeding around our city in 2000 pound hunks of steel, then I don't really know what else to say to you.

You guys suggested in another thread that I ask for a ride along to get a different point of view. Fair enough. How about you try commuting to work as a cyclist for a week or two and see if your outlook doesn't change the first time you have some aggressive driver try to hit you intentionally even as you cycle down the bike lane where you are supposed to be safe.

They make 26k for the first 6 months which goes up to 32k then 60k after 5 years and that has nothing to do with advances in rank and overtime and benefits.

Number 53, your attack on me said:

“I suggest you look into transportaion alternatives and learning what they are about. They are the furthest thing from elitist snobs possible. I hardly think a group who gets wround on bicycles and not stretched limos fits into yoru description of those pushing out the middle class.”

Actually, I do. Just because you ride a bicycle doesn’t mean that you champion the rights of those most disadvantaged. It means that you ride a bicycle. There are a lot of people who ride bicycles who are elitist, just like there are a lot of people who ride bicycles that are not elitist. This post of yours is yet another “Red Herring”.

I say this because all you point to is “we ride bikes”, which you would have us believe means the same thing as “I am not a cultural elitist”. I fail to see the correlation between your two points. Its like the old sociological paradigm of “More cars are stolen on days that a lot of ice cream are sold”. What’s the real correlation?

You also wrote: “You have a chip on your shoulder the size of a two by four. Stop takingit out on people tryingto make life here better for the residents.”

First of all, is this about what’s right for New York City, or what is right for its residents? I ask because those two points don’t always go hand in hand. In fact, anytime the city re-zones areas from residential to commercial/industrial, or puts incinerators or power plants in highly populated areas, they are not doing what they feel is right for residents per se, but what they government thinks is right for the city as a whole.

So, I suppose we need to know if this site is “to better the situation for the city as a whole“, or if it is just for the parking convenience of, as you say, “the residents”. If its just about the residents for you, then I think that validates my earlier position of servants and their masters, and I think that you, despite your post about riding a bicycle, fit into that elitist category that you so vehemently don’t believe you belong to. You do realize that the night-time population of Manhattan is about 1.5 to 1.75 million (i.e. residents like you), while the day time population is about 8.5 to 9 million people (i.e.- the commutters you have issues with. So if its about what is better for a greater number of people, you have weakened your argument.

Do the “parking rights” of the residents always go before what is right for the entire city? Or for society? Because society includes all the micro and macro entities that contributes to its daily operation, not just the one portion of micro-entities that you represent (i.e. - “THE RESIDENTS”).

Why on earth do the people who don’t agree with me say I have a chip on my shoulder, or I am bitter? I suppose its because I disagree with about 10 to 15% of the positions advocated here (by the way, it amazes me that someone could come and post agreement with 85 to 90% of what is said here, and disagree with the remainder, yet still be vilified by the majority of you out there because I don‘t fully support your position blindly. That I can actually pick and choose the points that I can support, and those I can’t. If that is the general thrust of your website, then it is a crock of you-know-what. It goes back to George Carlin’s observation that “I must not be a good American, because I like to form my on opinions…”).

I suppose if civil disagreement means that I have a chip on my shoulder, then the same must go for all of the people who post here, including you. I say this because there are obvious disagreements between a lot of posters here. So, the only people who will be tolerated by these standards are the people who 100% buy into everything you say, and not have an alternate viewpoint.

Your obvious chip is the fact that a relatively small number of violations are addressed by this website, when there are HUNDREDS of Thousands of government employees (city, state, federal) in this city, and this website deals with about 126 alleged violations attributed to approximately 20 agencies. And some of these posts involve official vehicle (i.e. one’s WITHOUT PERMITS, making the “permit violations” number EVEN LOWER). Given the real numbers, the problem doesn’t seem to be as prolific as you would have the public believe with this campaign. What a scam! How can there be a discussion if you don’t listen to everyone’s viewpoint. Or are you one of the people on this website who believe there is only on point of view, i.e. yours?

What kind of personal attacks are you going to level at me next? A bigger chip on my shoulder? Bitter? Mommy and Daddy didn’t pay enough attention to me. Outrageous, someone actually has an opinion that differs from yours by 10 to 15%, so he must have a problem, and cannot be tolerated.

You guys, and your weak arguments with respect to my points, are actually making this interesting for me. Keep up the good work, and I’ll keep up the lengthy, well thought out responses, while you guys come up with another piece of slander about me, merely because I don’t agree with you 100%. You weaken your positions.

Mike, most commuters are not driving into the city center. Most take subways, buses, and other forms of transportation.

Also, using the smallish number of posts on a site that has been live only since Thursday morning as some sort of proof that a problem does not exist is a bit misguided.

And finally, people, please refrain from the personal attacks. It should be possible to keep these discussions civil. And realize that having an opinion (one way or the other) does not make you better, smarter, or anything else than people who disagree with you. If you can't keep the conversation civil, perhaps you should not be having it at all.

Greg,

I am like most commuters here, I use mass transit every day. Also, I fail to see where I have attacked anyone. If you've read this thread from the beginning you will see that I’ve expressed support to many issues, and opposition to very few. Then, people responded to me, and I responded to their response. Please show me where I have “attacked” anyone? I think my posts have been well thought out and quite civil (especially compared with most), and I will continue to keep them civil. Why shouldn’t I peacefully express my views here? That’s what this website is all about.

Surely you know that there must be some opposing viewpoints with respect to some of the issues being debated here. Thanks!

Also, I concede your point regarding: “using the smallish number of posts on a site that has been live only since Thursday morning as some sort of proof that a problem does not exist is a bit misguided”.

You couldn’t be more right! I have to take that back. I only found this site on Friday afternoon, and have only come to realize that it was just started this week. Good point!

66, Why am I a crack pot and how am I an ass? Because I don't agree with you? It is a great argument, and well stated!

And what does living in the suburbs have to do with anything? Or are you, and others who still live in the city the only people who have the right to comment here?

I thought transportation alternatives deals with commuter issues? Shouldn't commuters be able to comment?

Mike, I was not referring to you. I was referring to all people commenting. Hence the reason I prefaced my statement w/ "People".

I suggest you look at the model provided by Boston and Philadelphia for a more sensible way to deal with resident and commuter parking.

The residents park in the streets in their own neighborhoods while outsiders and cummuters use the garages.

You fail to grash the concept that even manhattan is a community for teh people who reside here.

Breaking the law is breaking the law and no one is above the law. Excuses for allowing this abuse are ridiculous and if there wasnithing to hide we would nit be seeing all the ridiculous posts from the scofflaws.

All the comments on this site about how the people who post here are going to delay emergency responders, deserve to get delayed responses to their emergencies, etc., are just diversions. It's NYPD, not the poster on this site, who are delaying emergency responses. here's the proof.

There is a two block stretch of Central Park West between 61st and 63rd Street marked "NYCPD Owned Vehicles Only" that never contains a single NYPD-owned vehicle. It is always full of personal vehicles of NYPD employees with restricted permits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43954081@N00/385671790/

Because those spaces are full of personal vehicles, guys like this in a squad car who should be able to park in the NYCPD Owned Zone" have to park in the bus stop just south of that two-block stretch:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/605

These guys are supposed to have reserved parking spaces. But they are forced to park here because their "brothers" are illegally parking in those reserved spaces. And please spare me the made-up stories about the emergency that this squad car was responding to. There was no emergency. But if there was one, official vehicles would have been delayed because of the personal vehicles of the NYPD restricted placard holders. So let's be clear on who is delaying emergency vehicles--its not posters on this site, its NYPD.

Here's two more official vehicles that might need to respond to emergencies that had to be parked blocks away from the 17th precinct because all the precinct curbside paces are filled up with personal vehicles:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/532

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/529

The restricted placard holders at the NYPD Transit precinct at Columbus Circle undermine safety in other ways, and disrespect the community. There is no excuse for parking personal vehicles that are not used for responding to an emergency like this:

1) on the sidewalk:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/462

2) in the crosswalk:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/537

3) in the bus stop:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/481

4) Triple park:

http://nyc.uncivilservants.org/post/index/606

So let's cut through the crap about emergency responses and deal with the real issues: (1) the supply-demand mismatch in parking spaces for personal NYPD vehicles has to be addressed at a policy level; and (2) until it is addressed, NYPD have to respect the communities they live in by parking their personal vehicles legally, or at least safely.

Steve, well put.

The arguments from the opposition are truly ridiculous, diversionary and off topic. The parking abuse in this city is out of control and selective enforcement a great injustice. The mayor has to get out from under his desk and grow a pair of balls and deal with this head on.

everyone posting on here and putting pictures on here first better read the "Assumption of Risk, Waiver, and Release Agreement".........

Legal Aid Mike-I like your posts-very thoughtful.

Legal aid Mikes post are the dog ate my homework excuses for blatant parking and placard abuse.

What we have is selective enforcement of parking regulations and that is not how it works in a democracy.

Abused and selectively enforced restricted parking areas only serve as a haven for scofflaws. The bigger issue is the fact that the very people who are supposed to represent law and order are the worst violators.

Legal placard regulations are liberal enough without total disregard for the limitations placed on their use.

If law enforcement wants to be respected, they have to respected the people they are supposed to serve. I find their attitudes offensive and inappropriate and frankly troubling. I think most don;t have the proper temperament for the job and should seek another line of work.

Way to go legal aid mike!

Mike, can u b my legal aid?

What, now legal aid is defending law enforcement?

#71 - thank you.

#72- Anonymous (of course) You said: “Legal aid Mikes post are the dog ate my homework excuses for blatant parking and placard abuse…What we have is selective enforcement of parking regulations and that is not how it works in a democracy….Abused and selectively enforced restricted parking areas only serve as a haven for scofflaws. The bigger issue is the fact that the very people who are supposed to represent law and order are the worst violators…Legal placard regulations are liberal enough without total disregard for the limitations placed on their use. If law enforcement wants to be respected, they have to respected the people they are supposed to serve. I find their attitudes offensive and inappropriate and frankly troubling. I think most don;t have the proper temperament for the job and should seek another line of work.”

While you mention police officer’s selective enforcement, you make no mention of your “selective posting” in response to my plethora of posts (say that ten times fast).

I have started all of my earlier posts, fully supporting most of the goals of your website, such as the major safety issues of hydrant/sidewalk/crosswalk violations. I also said I have no problem with municipal employees using permits to park in otherwise no parking areas (i.e. - no parking M-F 8am to 6pm). As I posted to Crosby Merchant (this thread, above):

“I totally respect your opinion, and it would be nice if the city did buy parking for their employees like many cities do. But as I commented earlier I fully support the website‘s position with respect to safety issues, however, you posted that the sign says no parking from 8am to 6pm, so forgive me, but I don’t see how any vehicle with a parking plaque parking there affects your customers if they can’t park there during the hours in question. You are right that those “areas were once loading zones, and as the neighborhood has become more oriented around retail the needs for parking has only increased, and the needs for loading lessened”. It is a valid point.
But it is one of the red herrings that I mentioned because if these “plaques” as I’ll refer to them, were not parked in front of your store, then the space would be empty, it would not be filled with your customers, who are eager to purchase your wares.
Now if the signs were different, and were metered parking, then I would whole-heartedly endorse your position (see above) but as your customers can’t park there during those hours that you posted, I fail to see how your clientele is being affected, and how you are being affected. Just one man’s opinion.”

Regarding your ideas of selective enforcement, I also posted:

“Yes they represent law and order, however, do you complain when you (and if not you with your “holier than thou stance on parking”, some of your friends or acquaintances) are the beneficiary of a law enforcement official exercising his/her professional discretion and not issue you a summons for drinking in public, or a warning for speeding or running a stop sign? I’d love to see that…Police officer: “You can’t drink in public, so pour that beer down the sewer and get out of here”; #28 “Sure, I’ll pour it down the sewer, but only if you enforce the law, search me, ask me for my identification, and a) if I have it, conduct a warrant check and issue me a summons (Minimum $25/fine or up to 10 days jail); or b) if I forgot my wallet, take me down to jail to ascertain my identity and make sure I’m not wanted for a crime”. Give me a break #28.

Or do you think that they should arrest everyone for everything, and not give that teenager smoking a joint a break, or how about that adult drinking beer in public? Or the slap on the wrist to the kid stealing candy, rather than arrest them, throw them in jail, let them go through the system, and then have to deal with Legal Aid Mike in front of a judge, because, as you would have us believe, it must be “law and order” every time.”

But #72, do you even remotely address the class issues, or just the above issues? Of course not. You merely dial up the rhetoric that it must be law and order EVERY TIME, without cares or concerns regarding the financial or social costs involved with putting EVERYONE in jail ALL THE TIME.

If you or your kid got busted for stealing or smoking a joint or drinking in public, I (and most people here) would be willing to wager dollars to doughnuts (no pun intended boys) that you would be ready to beg for the arresting officer to “exercise some discretion and CUT YOU A BREAK (if not, you’re a liar. That’s right, I said it! No one here believes for a second that you would rather your child go to jail, rather than to be the recipient of the good police officer who decides to cut little Jimmy some slack with the criminal court, and let you as a parent deal with the situation). But you would have all that end, wouldn’t you?

So, if we play that out to its inevitable conclusion, then the gentrified the “new” New York, would mean that every time one of your rich, privileged children steals (which we know they do, yes, even from your wallets while you sleep), or drinks or smokes under age, or, god forbid, smokes some pot, then by your rationale, they should not be given a break, EVER. They should be thrown in jail and prosecuted, because you are law and order every time!

Give us break by giving it a rest. You would want special treatment in those circumstances. I know I would! Just one man’s opinion.

As for me defending law enforcement, all I can say to that is..."who'd have thunk it?!?"

Legal aid mike, you can park on our street anytime!

The excuses for illegal parking are bogus and diversionary and and disrespectful to the members of the community.

Mike, I think the police should summons/arrest everyone breaking the law. They should also ticket every traffic violation possible. No one should be excused or above the law. Perhaps then we will have some civility in the city instead of the selective anarchy that exists now.

And then, perhaps, the police will be earning back some of their pay. I bet each uniformed officer in this city could write enough summons to justify his pay, overtime included, and his full pension, if they actually stopped ignoring the laws because they just don't want to deal with the paper work or going to court and stopped this unequal selective enforcement bullshit.

#79 - I think Bin Laden has too much money to qualify for legal aid services. Legal Aid, which I no longer represent, works for the poor. You know, the people who you have lined up in your "gun sites".

After you conquer the world of the adjudication of traffic infractions, I'm sure you'll be targeting liberal members of the legislature who "like to provide money for criminals".

I hate to break your heart, but the Constitution is not a technicality, and no matter how much you may wish it isn't so, there are those pesky 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments that you still have to deal with.

I know, everyone hate lawyers (until you need one).

L.A.M.

Mike,

You're right that every violation of every law can't be enforced. but there is general enforcement of the parking laws, except when it comes to folks with placards. I don't agree with people who say every law has to be enforced, and I rely on PO's to use their sound discretion to prioritize which lawbreakers to arrest or ticket. But giving everyone with a placard a pass is not sound discretion, so to muddle the situation with the example of the cop who gives a break to a kid caught smoking a joint is disingenuous. We are dealing with a systematic problem that has nothing to do with anyone's exercise of discretion. If I'm not mistaken, there are reports that some officers who ticket cars with placards have been disciplined or threatened for doing it. What has that got to do with a cop's discretion?

You wrote: "so to muddle the situation with the example of the cop who gives a break to a kid caught smoking a joint is disingenuous. We are dealing with a systematic problem that has nothing to do with anyone's exercise of discretion"

I'm sorry, is it your position that teenagers smoking marijuana in public is not a systemic problem?

Someone in this thread mentioned Chief Bratton's "Broken Windows" theory. Under that theory, marijuana arrests have risen from 724 in Guiliani's first year in office to over 59,000 in his last. Who's being disingenuous?

okay just once again i have to try to use logic... hmmm lets see i am a perp umm a skell or whatever i goto court i walk out and i see all these cars with the plaques???? i now see the id #'s ummmm did i need the website or did i walk out the court walk around the corner and view them people on this site act like the cars are hidden and lets not say i get to walk out of court my family and friends see the cars as well.. now someone tell me how the #'s on the plaque actually id someone unless someone with the computer access tells anyone ??? now if these cars were in garages and pictures were taken it would be a problem because they are not in plain view.... kind of like when a cop snatches up a suspects drinking glass in a resturant and checks it for dna !! there is no expectation of privacy !!!!! so the moral of the story is dont park illegally and use your plaque then your car cant be identified in any form or fashion.. even though they cant be id'd on this site anymore than if someone just like the someone who posted that pic walks by and sees the cars !!!!!!

just a thought but if a cop or fbi agent or court officer or any law enforcement agent used public transportation how would we know they are who they are ? wouldnt that help make the trains safer ?? wouldnt we see less illegally parked cars and people would be a little happier ? oh wait what about when they work 9hrs and make an arrest and have to stay an extra 4 ? dont they get overtime ? i mean do sanitation workers get parking perks when it snows and they work 12 hr shifts removing snow for everyone to get to work and then they have to get home i guess they should be able to park anywhere too because i know that no one can argue the fact that we need them !!!! half of the people cant drive as is.. oh lets see how bout that guy at best buy trying to get home to watch his 5yr old daughter but legal aid mike cant decide over the panasonic hd tv or the sony... he should be able to park so he can get home swiftly to his child after a hard day dealing with inept and retarded consumers all and having to stay late.. or how bout dr zizmor who had that 14hr surgery to preform ????

The comment that "now someone who might want to hurt a corrections officer knows they park here" is absurd. First, officers place the signs in their windows voluntarily. THEY make the choice that parking is more important than limiting any theoretical hazard. That blows the safety arguement out of the water. Second, this is near the courthouses! It doesn't take a genius (or this site) to help anyone figure out that there are police around the courthouses.

How often do CO's make arrests?
In response to #3

#111 I've gone the the NYPD range twice a year for way too many years. I have NEVER heard of the 3 shots and access rule. 2 rounds and cover... 4 rounds and cover... 3 rounds and cover... fire all remaining roundes until slide lock and cover. With 50 cops standing next to each other firing at 50 targets, do you want them to fire in a rhythm or on their own?

We are trained to fire to stop a deadly threat... nothing more or less... the 3 shot and asses rule was never heard until it found itself on tv.

As for the slain Aux P.O.s... they were chased down by the gunman because the looked like regular cops in their uniforms and executed. Wrong place and the wrong time for them to be on that post.

But hey, the media is always right...