Scooter Sweep in the Slope
Are the city’s powers that be conspiring to rid Brooklyn sidewalks of scooters? Yes, according to a poster on the Forum who says the mayor’s office directed the police to “get them all off the sidewalks last week.” When we walked down a stretch of Third Street on Sunday, there were a number of scoots…
Are the city’s powers that be conspiring to rid Brooklyn sidewalks of scooters? Yes, according to a poster on the Forum who says the mayor’s office directed the police to “get them all off the sidewalks last week.” When we walked down a stretch of Third Street on Sunday, there were a number of scoots and motorcycles parked on the sidewalk (like the ones above), but a couple of guys we talked to who live on the street said they’d noticed some scooters being impounded last week, which “happens from time to time.” An officer from the 78th Precinct said that as far as she knows, the precinct hasn’t been ratcheting up pressure on scooter owners who park on sidewalks. “I don’t think we’re doing it any more lately than usual,” said Office Ashby. “We tend to respond to complaints from home owners.” Whether or not cops have been towing more scooters than usual lately, we sympathize with the plight of two-wheelers who don’t want to see their rides wrecked by parking in the street. And it doesn’t seem like taking up a bit of sidewalk on a wide thoroughfare like Third Street really gets in anyone’s way. But beyond that, as one person on the Forum commented, “Here’s an enlightened idea for the Mayor’s office… just provide safe and legal scooter parking SOMEWHERE and watch the scooters in that area just fly off the sidewalks!”
Scooter Parking [Forum]
bren you are one angry person. i think that nless or until you experience some of the things that are being said you can’t fully appreciate the level of pain. i didn’t until i owned a scooter. more aware now. my bike has been knocked over and and i sleep better knowing it is at least locked to something making it a little more difficult to just pick up and steal. it costs a lot of money to fix. parking on the sidewalk, not in anyone’s way……priceless.
This is Park Slope.
People here claim to be liberals, but what they actually are, are a bunch of entitled wanna be yuppies.
To those who denounce scooters…making up ridiculous lies about their emissions (when yes…they hold TWO GALLONS OF GAS!) are absolute trash and should start to be held accountable for treating our surroundings as such.
I think we should start taxing people who DRIVE CARS in a city that has such great subway access. We should be doing everything possible to encourage scooters and bicycles.
Not trying to justify your sad usage of a car to go to Fairway because you’re too lazy to walk to Key Food.
God, so pathetic.
11:02 AM, it’s not easy going into a strange neighborhood and trying to find secure parking for anything! 🙂
I agree with your suggestion, and other posters… yes, it would be a great idea if the city would assign dedicated parking spaces for motorcycles, scooters, etc., but until that comes to pass it’s not legal, and anyone doing it is really walking around with a huge attitude of entitlement… park your ‘cycles and scooters in the street, at this point in time that’s where it’s legal to do so.
I don’t feel that ‘cycles, scooters, etc. belong tied up, or left on the sidewalks in residential areas… they can easily tip over and hurt someone, they block folks from exiting their legally parked vehicles safely, they can tip over and damage legally parked cars, and again, who becomes liable in the case of injury or property damage.
They wouldn’t park illegally if there were legal parking where car owners wouldn’t think of them as obstacles.
Such parking will not be created because the city generates too much revenue impounding and ticketing bikes.
“Scooters have worse emissions than automobiles. They are worse for the environment that a car. People who say they drive one for environmental reasons are lying. It is about their convenience.”
That is absolutely false. Modern, 4-stroke scooters get up to 70 mpg and are very clean burning. There are also hybrid models now and even electric ones like the Vectrix.
As for the oft-misinterpreted emissions information your are quoting, it was a study of the old vintage model 2-stroke scooters. They are more polluting than a car but that’s on a per gallon basis. Since they only use ONE or TWO gallons a week, do you really think that is worse than your SUV that uses that much fuel in an hour?
On a total emissions basis, even ‘old dirty’ scooters are more green than virtually all cars.
Scooters have worse emissions than automobiles. They are worse for the environment that a car. People who say they drive one for environmental reasons are lying. It is about their convenience.
They park on the sidewalk knowing it is illegal and take off their plates exactly for that reason hoping to circumvent the law.
As a driver who wants to ride my bike more but gets discouraged by asshole drivers…
…I vote at least two bike-scooter lockup spots, in regular parking spots, on every block. Everyone should own a bike or a scooter who wants one, and the parking should be as free and hassle-less as car parking is here.
It is too easy to drive in this city. Drivers are the entitled ones.
So because scooter owners have various problems, that gives them the right to hijack a public sidewalk?
That is ridiculous.
It’s not their space, period!
Find a place to park it or ride the subway like everybody else.
I would love to pay for parking…if I could find a garage or lot that will take my bike. I have a vintage Lambretta and hate to leave it on the street or sidewalk. It’s my main transportation and my baby. Unfortunately most lots won’t take scooters. It’s not so easy going into a strange neighborhood and trying to find secure parking for a bike that weighs less than 200lbs. I wish the city would assign dedicated motorcycle and scooter parking.