GALLAGHER SENDS IN A REINFORCEMENT
Today was eventful.
As is my habit, I checked the crosswalk early and then returned after puppy-walking. I got down on the crosswalk and shot my first clip at 11:32 am. By noon, an officer by the name of Vazquez appeared in a well-equipped cruiser outfitted as a speed trap with lots of cameras mounted at odd angles on the back. He proceeded to take over the crosswalk button and hand out pamphlets to those bikers who stopped when he turned on the red stoplight.
This is a tactic I wholly approve of. Raising awareness is always a good thing.
Sometime around 12:30, a well-dressed guy on a scooter refused to pull over for Vasquez. At the next green, Vasquez gave chase in the speed-trap cruiser and returned a few minutes later to report he had raised awareness in another fellow traveler.
Soon thereafter a Tour-de-France cyclist charged Vasquez at a red light, went thru it, and cursed Vasquez out for getting in the way. Once again, on the next green, Vasquez gave chase and returned a good time later to report that he had issued two summons to the most recent stoplight crasher. It was only later I learned that on Fridays Vasquez has to go wait in court to support these summons and will not be able to do very much enforcement as a result of the enforcement he did today.
What are the takeaways here?
- The meeting with NYPD Central Park Precinct Commanding Officer Gallagher is producing some positive if temporary results. Vasquez showed up today and did some good. He raised awareness and he issued two summons. He will probably show up again.
- Vazquez alone cannot control this situation. Even as a temporary solution, at least two officers are required: one at the crosswalk and the other downstream. Only one has to go to court.
- But even two officers doing enforcement/consciousness-raising a few hours a week is not a viable long-term solution. A speed bump or rumble strips would be a long-term solution and it would work 24/7 without having to show up in court. That's what we are demanding by Labor Day.
Tonight's screengrab is an NYC Parks vehicle and a horse-drawn cab running the red light nose-to-butt and preventing waiting pedestrians from entering the crosswalk.