Son of a....

[camwyn]

From the Transportation Alternatives NY e-bulletin:

Many T.A. members have called in reporting tacks on the West Side Greenway especially near Riverbank State Park, but a few calls have indicated the problem might be as widespread as from 68th-175th Streets. Some are estimating that as many as 200 cyclists have flatted in this area in a few short weeks. The Parks Department is trying to address this problem, has reported it to the Manhattan Parks Commissioner's Office and is requesting increased PEP patrols in the area and increased sweeping of the path.
This criminal mischief cannot continue.

If you see tacks on the Greenway or someone putting down tacks, be careful, ride until you feel you're at a safe distance and call both the 33rd Precinct at 212-927-3200 and 311. Explain your location and the situation patiently (the NYPD will want to know your cross street even though you are on a greenway) and let whoever you speak with know that this is a recurring problem.

It is crucial to call both the local precinct and 311. 311 can send a page out to the Parks Department and request rapid action to sweep the path at that location and remove the tacks and the local precinct can take immediate action.

Comments

[campkilkare]

What assholes.

[acid-mousie.livejournal.com]

what utter twats. seriously, who does crap like that?

[batyatoon]

... yeah, that definitely qualifies as NOT FUNNY.

[camwyn]

If they're scattering tacks as far north as 178th street, then someone needs to be SMACKED, because that's in the vicinity of the very sharp drop from the path that runs under the George. Someone going up the hill wouldn't be in as much trouble, but a bicyclist coming down from under the bridge who hit a tack would be going at something like twice normal speed.

[acid-mousie.livejournal.com]

wouldn't that come under some form of attempted assult or criminal injury or something? it's bad enough having to deal with traffic and crappy roads without people going out of their way to mess with cyclists.

[camwyn]

Entirely possible, but the kind of person who deliberately scatters tacks on a paved road used by pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters does not strike me as the sort to give a rat's arse about either human welfare or the severity of charges that might be brought against them. Either that, or they're some idiot kid who doesn't bother to think.

[silveraspen]

Criminal mischief indeed. *sigh*

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

Who is just ... that... ok, no words.