Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

Street Cheats: The 13th Precinct Parks All Over the Second Ave Bus Lane

The Second Avenue bus lane on a Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Photos: Rich Mintz

In the competition to use city-issued parking placards to immiserate the greatest number of bus-riding New Yorkers, the 13th Precinct on the East Side of Manhattan gives the cops and court officers of downtown Brooklyn a run for their money.

It's not quite the all-day, every-day bus lane blockage you see on Livingston Street in Brooklyn, but when the 13th Precinct decides to occupy a chunk of the Second Avenue bus lane, they really commit. And they slow down the bus for very large numbers of people -- the M15, which plies First and Second avenues, is the second highest ridership bus route in the city, carrying about 45,000 trips each weekday.

Personal vehicles and squad cars from the 13th Precinct routinely obstruct the Second Avenue bus lane in the vicinity of 20th Street, stealing time from transit-riding New Yorkers.

Reader Rich Mintz posted reports of pervasive Street Cheating during the afternoon rush on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. Each time, police were hoarding between two and five blocks of the bus lane, he says.

2nd_ave_buslanecheat

We've added Rich's submissions to our Street Cheats map. The reader response since we called for entries has been a little overwhelming, and we're working through a backlog. In addition to placard cheats, people are sending us pics of squad cars obstructing streets and sidewalks, as well as chronic bike and bus lane blockage by non-government vehicles (mostly delivery trucks).

We plan to map it all, and we're working on streamlining our system so we can process all the entries efficiently. In the meantime, please keep sending your Street Cheats photos to tips@streetsblog.org.

2nd_ave_buslanecheat2

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

The ‘Problem’ With E-Bikes? The Super Fast Illegal Ones

New Yorkers are riding illegal vehicles marketed as e-bikes with little to no-consequences, and it's a safety problem.

October 21, 2025

The ‘War on Cars’ Is Worth Fighting — And Here’s What Life Might Look Like When We Win

A first book from the prolific podcast hosts offers a solid foundation for would-be advocates against automobility — and some new ammunition for veterans.

October 21, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Carnage All Over Edition

Monday's papers were a blood tide of crashes. Plus other news.

October 21, 2025

‘Outrage’: Pols — And Even DOT Boss — Protest Trump’s Block on 34th St. Busway

A huge rally in Midtown to urge President Trump to get his meathooks off our transit included DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, who is poised to capitulate.

October 20, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: Uncharted Territory Edition

"No Kings" means hands off our busway. Plus the news.

October 20, 2025

More Tantrums: City Halts 34th Street Busway After Threat from Trump DOT

The feds threatened to cut city and state funding if New York doesn't halt all work on the 34th Street busway so the FHWA can review the project.

October 17, 2025
See all posts