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]
Funny thing is- niether of the scooters in the picture is locked to a sign or lightpost-so by the logic here in posts one could easily throw them into the middle of the street.
I like the enlightened idea, but the fact is this nonsense is to generate revenue for the city.
If the issue was sidewalk space, an occassional warning would do the trick, or maybe a ticket. Impounding is just to get the cash.
If you leave your bike on the street, it will get hit, knocked over, dragged.
I’d rent a space for my bike, but all the garages have been replaced by glassy condos.
In Copenhagen you can’t help but notice the swarm of bicycles/mopeds chained to every stationary object available.
Quite simply, it’s worth the clutter.
While not the scale of NYC, much less Brooklyn, it’s a profoundly more enjoyable given the noise and pollution reduction.
I say pass a law that allows parking of anything on two wheels on the sidewalk.
Scooters need to be locked to something – they can be lifted easily and thrown in a truck/van and stolen.
As long as they are not blocking pedestrian traffic, what harm are they causing on the street.
I’ve had people pick up my 500lb motorcycle from legal street parking and put it on the sidewalk so they could take my parking space. I’ve also had hundreds of dollars of damage done to my bike from people knocking it over when the park. Even with all that my motorcycle stays parked in the street.
My scoot is a different story – it is locked to a pole on the sidewalk.
In Philadelphia, many streets in downtown have 1 or 2 dedicated two wheel parking spaces every few blocks. There is no reason why NYC can’t do the same.
You also have to remember, many parking lots will not take 2 wheeled vehicles at all, so choices are limited.
sidewalks are for people. dedicated bike, scooter spots would be better.
Whatever problems scooter people have, they shouldn’t ever be allowed to park on the sidewalk.
No way. No how.
One wheel, two wheels or four wheels. Keep ’em on the street where they belong.
On a sidewalk, yes they are an eyesore, especially the ones in the pic covered with tarps.
Whoo needs the noise, drips, stains and mess plus the sheer bulk of these things on the sidewalk… plus, who’s liable if a motorcycle/scooter tips over and injures a child playing, or a person walking by? the hapless homeowner whose front sidewalk you have decided to turn into a parking lot?
Come on… this is a no-brainer.
almost identical? you mean “less”?
to all the scooter and motorcycle owners out there, I say we find out where Bren lives and t.p. his house.
since when is a scooter an eyesore? Do you consider bicycles chained to a pole or tree (usually in groups) an eyesore as well?