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Is Car-Crushing Mayor Arturas Zuokas on the Prowl in New York?

1:04 PM EST on November 9, 2011

Think twice before blocking that bike lane.

Arturas Zuokas, the Mercedes-crushing mayor of the Lithuanian city of Vilnius, has launched a new campaign to curb illegal parking. Here is Zuokas, as quoted from a press release:

"Every single day, we go about our work and try to be good citizens. And we run into obstacles that make us want to scream because we encounter problems that we are seemingly powerless to overcome. I used a tank, but perhaps a tank is not readily available for rent in your particular town. So, here‘s an alternative for those who don‘t have a tank handy -- a sticker that anyone, anywhere in the world can place on an illegally parked car that intrudes on your space. The sticker is easy to apply and it simply says: 'Don‘t make me get the tank.' You just need to STICK it onto a car -- Mercedes or any other -- and your message will be heard."

Stickers are available free of charge in Vilnius, and if seeing is believing, Zuokas has expanded his crusade to the streets of New York.

Has the mayor of a foreign capital really gone guerrilla with an enforcement tactic soon to be abandoned by our own City Council? As you watch the video (hat tip to Animal) and judge for yourself, keep in mind this cryptic Zuokas comment: "If the sticker doesn't work, I do have the tank on standby and am willing to travel."

Brad Aaron@
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York'’s dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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