5/15 update at 430pm See new post.
<><><><><>
Update: Re Roosevelt Island Impounding of Bikes Left Out Overnight:
5/15 330pm:
What I have been told is that the complaint has been that the racks are being used as long term storage by residents who don't want to take their bikes inside and that those bikes are preventing commuters and others from using the bikes on a daily short term basis.
There is some logic to this.
-----Original Message-----
From: RIOC Advisories
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 3:27 PM
To: RIOC Advisories
Subject: Bicycle Storage Addendum
While we wish to encourage residents continuing to ride their bicycles as it is a healthy activity, we wish to discourage residents from storing their bicycles overnight on the bicycle racks throughout the island.
Bicycles will be removed by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. and stored at Public Safety for a period of 48 hours. If the owner retrieves their bicycle during the 48 hour period there will be no charge for storing their bicycle. If the owner does not retrieve their bicycle during the 48 hour period it will be donated to the Thrift Shop.
Storing the bicycles on the bike racks has been a quality of life issue for many residents, thus we wish to address this quality of life issue.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Sincerely,
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group
PSD Advisory: Roosevelt Island PSD to confiscate bikes left on racks overnight.
Original Post:
No word yet on where the bikes will be impounded to or whether a fine will be levied to get the bikes back or whether unclaimed bikes will be sold, auctioned etc. More later.
----- Original Message -----
From: RIOC Advisories
Sent: Thu May 14 14:49:34 2009
Subject: Bicycle Storage
Please be advised effective Monday, May 18, 2009 there will be no bicycle storage on the bicycle racks island wide between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. (overnight).
Any bicycles found in violation will be removed by the Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.
Sincerely,
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Advisories Group
Please visit us on the web at http://www.rioc.com/
Posts
Where else are we supposed to park our bikes over night? Is the RIOC going to offer us any alternative? Are we supposed to bring our bikes into our apartments now? How about we don't allow cars to park on the streets over night anymore?
ReplyDeleteI just recived an e-mail that there will no on-street racks for overnight bike storage / parking.
ReplyDeleteSo, unless you bring your bike into your already small apartment there is absolutely no way to keep a bike on Roosevelt Island. Great policy! Yay for us who embrace alternate transportation modes. What the hell? What is the reason for this? Theft? Looks? I understand that the RIOC should get rid of bikes that have been abandoned but outright prohibiting parking bikes on the street? Can we do this for cars as well? If not, why not?
ReplyDeleteI think RIOC got this completely wrong. Who cares if there are bikes parked overnight on a BIKE rack? It's meant for bikes. The thing people complain about is when bikes are chained to random poles and signs blocking sidewalks and entry ways. THOSE bikes should be impounded.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stupid policy.
P.S. Let's add some more jobs for Public Safety to do, they make way too much money. Besides police work, how about we add things like guest tennis passes, bike removal, and locking every door on the island like a janitor.
This is plain ridiculous! What type of "quality of life" issue is there for not allowing residents to keep their bikes locked up over night? If it is because of theft then oh well, the owner of the bicycle should be more vigilant when locking up their bike. I also seriously doubt that public safety will be able to remove the bicycles that are locked up properly with good quality locks. RIOC should not provide areas to lock up a bicycle and then impliment these types of regulations and hours for when we are allowed to use them.
ReplyDeleteApparently, bicycles at a bicycle rack is a quality of life issue to RIOC, but not empty stores on desolate Main Street.
ReplyDeleteI just can get my mind wrapped around this. What quality of life issues are there? And who are these residents Shane is referring to? And considering the times we are living in and the directions even NYC is taking how is discouraging owning a bike the right thing to do? How about the bike racks up at Manhattan Park?
ReplyDeleteCorrections to comment above: "I just cannot get my mind..." and strike "Shane" and put "RIOC" instead.
ReplyDeleteThis is so completely ridiculous. I ride my bike from Manhattan Park to the subway station (mostly to avoid the train wreck that is the red bus) so now do I have to worry about whether I come home before 2am? I don't always and I often bring my bike when I know I'll be out late as I know it will be there when the red bus won't be running.
ReplyDeleteNow I guess I'll just have start saving money to buy more locks when Public Safety starts cutting them. Glad to know that locked bicycles are a Public Safety priority. What a joke.
What!?!? No bikes on bike racks? I do not understand how decisions are made on this island...
ReplyDeleteWhat I have been told is that the complaint has been that the racks are being used as long term storage by residents who don't want to take their bikes inside and that those bikes are preventing commuters and others from using the bikes on a daily short term basis. There is some logic to this.
ReplyDeleteInstead of every night, the cops can announce they will clear the rack on day x, giving bike owners the chance to move them inside. Then the abandoned bikes can be donated or sold, and commuters who use their bikes daily can use the rack again.
ReplyDeleteTo the last commenter I agree thta periodic enforcement with plenty of notice shoud be sufficient to fix the problem that RIOC is trying to solve.
ReplyDeleteRIOC is now stating the enforcement will not be island wide but apply for now only to the Tram and subway racks.
See my new post.
http://rooseveltisland360.blogspot.com/2009/05/bike-rack-update-only-tram-subway-racks.html
Typical for RIOC First, there has been no vote, quorum, consensus. A few complaints, someone makes a decision, and the safety force spreads the news in an ungrammatical laminated note dangling from a plastic twistee. Have you given it any thought?? How about the people commuting into the island who leave the bike overnight at the subway? Didn’t think of that, did you? Do you really want to spend safety patrol time taking possession of bikes? Also, declaring a rule on Saturday for Monday is the most crazy implementation of any rule in an municipality. Nobody has time to move or sell their bike.
ReplyDeleteHere are 4 smart ways to handle it:
Move the bike racks
Put in more bike racks
Clear the racks twice a month to identify abandoned bikes
Ticket bikes that violate the clearing rule and then remove them at the next clearing.
The RIOC solution to the problem of unsightly (abandoned) bikes is absurd. Less bikes means more cars. These bikes are a solution to another problem – pollution, crowding, fuel usage. Amsterdam has accommodated thousands of bicyclists for hundreds of years without a moronic governmental response. All your rules are making people less environmentally conscious, less likely to buy things at your stores on the island, less likely to visit overnight , less likely to move here, and more likely to use their cars.
Lastly, buildings are all going to have to clean up the mess of bringing bikes into the buildings during the winter. That is also quality of life.
Exactly what he said (9:19am poster).
ReplyDeleteNow that we know the complaints came from the developers and that RIOC responded to them swiftly, its clear who is in who's pocket. Money buys influence. There is not one single positive response. not one person has said,"Gee what a great idea since it really serves our purposes!", because it serves the developers' purposes.
ReplyDeleteIf they really thought about it, they would realise it does not help them anyways. Once implemented, the bikes would scatter everywhere, onto fences, parking poles and other random places. Now at least the 'mess' that disturbs the developers is contained and concentrated. Watch what their great idea gets them.