Eyes on the Street: 34th Precinct Leads by Example

As seen outside Wednesday’s 34th Precinct Community Council meeting. The driver of this livery cab stopped on Broadway, backed 90 degrees into the crosswalk, drove forward (about halfway across the crosswalk) to straighten out, then backed up again, taking up a good share of the disabled access curb ramp in the process. Then he and his passenger got out and walked into the station house without incident, despite the police presence outside — which is no surprise given the position of the NYPD van to the right.

This stretch of Broadway, between West 182nd and 184th, is constantly lined with police and personal vehicles parked perpendicular to the street. You can even see it here.

  • Smith

    The NYPD mindset reminds a little of the US military during the Vietnam War: To protect your city we’re going to turn it into a parking lot.

  • Jonathan

    Umm, agreed that those two blocks of Broadway are pretty much (and W 183d up to Wadsworth too) reserved for NYPD vehicles. But where else are the police who live too far to bike to work going to park? I would consider law enforcement officers as a privileged class as far as parking goes: how are they supposed to get to work in case of emergency?

  • JF

    Jonathan, if there is an emergency, I don’t see why they can’t take a cab or car service, or get picked up by a police van, or carpool. But for the sake of argument let’s assume that “emergency” means that every police officer must report to duty alone, in a private car. But why would they need to commute, alone, in their private vehicles every day, regardless of emergency?

  • I almost got doored yesterday by a guy double parking right across from the precinct. He was in an unmarked car and not in uniform, but for some reason he looked like a cop to me. To tell you the truth, I don’t really mind the cops parking perpendicular to the curb in front of the precinct, but all of the double parking is really dangerous.

  • JF

    I don’t have a problem with the head-in or angle parking as long as they don’t park partly on the sidewalk, which they do in front of the 108th Precinct in Long Island City.

  • Niccolo Machiavelli

    Maybe you should do a run down of precincts where cops park illegally, I think it is all of them. Try Union between Hicks and Henry in Brooklyn. The cops are entitled since they are the ones who write the tickets and know they are entitled, they always make sure they tell us. Have you seen NYPD rant?

  • jd

    the big problem with the angle parking is the bus stop on the northbound side opposite the precint is blocked forcing busses to stop in the single thru lane on bway stopping traffic. I dont know why they just dont remove that bus stop.
    related to this is if someone wants to turn left off bway onto 184th – they block the thru lane.

  • JF

    JD, you say you don’t know why they don’t remove the bus stop. Maybe because people need to get on the bus there, and it would be an inconvenience to walk to another stop?

    It is stupid that Inspector Capul lets his officers park in the bus stop.

  • ginsbu

    JD, it isn’t true that Broadway has a “single thru lane” in that stretch: Broadway is supposed to have TWO travel lanes in each direction, but one is constantly blocked by perpendicular parking, causing congestion which regularly backs up into the heavily trafficked intersection with 181st St. The blocked bus stop merely compounds the problem. In addition perpendicular parking regularly extends onto the adjacent side streets as well. Many of the vehicles parking there do not have placards at all and it is likely that many are also associated with the SSA office across from the precinct.

  • Jonathan

    @JF: I would assume that it’s difficult to find a cab in Orange County that would take you all the way into Manhattan, especially in case of natural disaster or really bad weather, but I haven’t looked into it and I might be wrong. As for why cops don’t carpool: If your carpool buddy is held overtime are you going to wait for him or her?

    I do agree with you that parking in the bus stop should be out of the question, however.

  • JF

    In really bad weather, I think the train would be a better bet from Orange County, and in a natural disaster the tunnel traffic would be worse than ever. It would be really stupid for the NYPD to depend on a cop who lives in Orange County.

    Assuming that they can stay on the road and get through the tunnel, sure, let them drive in. My main point was that that has nothing to do with everyday commuting.

  • Thanks

    JF, carpooling to work on a daily basis? Most of the people who work in these building all work differing schedules and various hours. The city is required to provide parking, it’s part of the deal. Did you notice that the back parking lot can only hold about 15 cars? And those are for investigations. And the police cars that won’t fit out on the street.
    A cab or car service? Why should they have to pay to take a cab to work? You want the city to arrange to pick up police officers from their homes? That’s a novel idea. Get with it asshole.

  • JF

    I love you too, NYPD!

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