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In the News: First Precinct Responds About Biker Rampage
••• An email from the NYPD’s First Precinct: “In light of the recent motorcycle incident in Tribeca, the 1st Precinct wants to keep you informed on the enforcement of dangerous or illegal motorcycle operations. NYPD has 25 motorcycle-enforcement initiatives—to deter and cite dangerous or illegal motorcycle and other motorized bike operation. This includes deployment of police helicopters which help to inform ground units of problematic areas. The 1st precinct traffic team has been and will continue to enforce the law with individuals that ride motorcycles in a unsafe matter.” It goes on to list the number of citations made by the NYPD this year, none of which explains why the bikers rode unchecked…. And I assume you’ve seen reports in the news that NYPD members were said to be among the bikers.
••• From Notify NYC: “There will be a fireworks display off of Pier 16, in the East River near the South Street Seaport in Manhattan [today], 10/6/13, at approximately 7:20 p.m.”
••• “The city Department of Transportation announced a proposal this week to install raised, concrete medians on South End Avenue and West Thames Street with the goal of improving pedestrian safety in Battery Park City.” —Tribeca Trib
••• That NSA billboard is “part of a teaser advertising campaign for a company that will be revealed next week.” —Animal
••• Two of the three coasters from Friday’s Where in Tribeca…? game have been guessed. Do you know the third?
8 Comments
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“….none of which explains why the bikers rode unchecked.” Yes, exactly, @TribecaCitiizen this is a BS non-response from the 1st precinct. The real question is if they have all of these tactics at their disposal for dealing with the bikers, NONE of them were used while they made their way through tribeca. The 1st precinct needs to explain why.
None of which explains why no police came to scene of the horrific chase and beating of Alexian Lien and his wife and baby, which lasted more than 6 minutes. In spite of (3) separate 911 calls from Alexian’s wife, police never responded. They were probably attacked by the same group that terrorized Tribeca.
Slashing tires, stomping on one man’s head while his wife and baby sit defenseless in a Range Rover (ugh, worst choice of cars for this scenario)….yup, just a normal Sunday ride with the boyz. The NYPD can catch the guy who posted his fasted lap of Manhattan on YouTube, but it takes a little more time for them to protect a citizen from a pack of hyenas. I guess all of the HERCULES unit, helicopters, and anti-terrorist technology doesn’t help the average Joe from a bunch of 2-wheeled leathered-up cowards. What?!!! And some of them our members of the NYPD un-finest unit? Protect & Serve, but only when we’re on duty and not ridin’ with our homies. Did they have a permit?
In 2002, Bloomberg announced his Operation Silent Night initiative that was supposed to deal with noise issues in the city. I was perplexed that there was nothing in it about motorcycles, so I wrote to him and explained that there were these huge motorcycle drive-bys on West Street that made enough noise that I couldn’t have a conversation in my living room which is almost 2 blocks away. In addition, there were problems crossing West Street because they would tie up traffic and not stop at red lights, and if you were in a cab with the meter running you had to wait a long time for them to clear out. It looked like it had the potential to get worse, and I thought cracking down on the noise would be a place to start.
My letter/email was forwarded to the precinct and I got a call from someone to discuss it. The conversation was a convoluted sham and I finally ended it when I realized they don’t care about any of this and just want to talk until you go away. The gist of it was that the great big NYC police force is powerless in the face of a gang of low-i.q. out-of-town hoodlums on motorcycles; the NYPD is warned by police departments outside the city when these groups are coming through, but all they can do is try to make everyone else get out of the way, although they really don’t want to even bother with that.
I was particularly interested in why individual cyclists are not cited for noise violations, and I was told the NYC police department, the bane of international terrorists everywhere, does not have and is not ever planning to acquire one of the gizmos that measures the noise. One thing that struck me: he said something like “using one of the gizmos to measure noise is really more of an expressway thing, like in NJ, than a city thing.” He was also not interested in the gang on Albany Street that was tearing around and riding on the sidewalks. It was even ok with him that they don’t have licenses on the bikes much of the time. I took pictures of the violations but it was as useless as trying to get rid of the tour buses. It wasn’t until I was walking past the precinct and saw all the motorcycles that I realized it’s just one big happy family and I was wasting my time.
It is distressing to see that the hoodlums are being supported in the press and by their buddies while the family is not and wonder if anyone is going to organize a rally against this whole sick incestuous mess.
I am equally perplexed by all of this. None of it adds up, and the hypocrisy is blaring! Its obvious why the self interested police department has no interest in getting involved, but I can’t fathom for the life of me why the press seems to be taking the side of the gang, or as anderson cooper likes to call them… “biking enthusiasts”.
Its pretty clear from the videos posted on this site of the activity down here in our neighborhood that they broke countless laws and deliberately tried to intimidate and scare pedestrians on foot and others in vehicles… putting multiple people and children in harms ways. Why isn’t any of this mentioned in the media, and why hasn’t the first precinct specifically commented on what took place in our neighborhood, and more importantly why they never showed up to repeated 911 calls and complaints about it. That alone should warrant a comment from them… you get multiple 911 calls but then don’t show up?!?!
I am completely frustrated, saddened and angered by all of this. The situation seems completely hopeless. Basically what NYC and the police are telling us is that if you are a large unruly mob, then its okay to do whatever you want to do to innocent civilians.
I can’t say i’m shocked that the residents of Tribeca are up in arms about this yet supported the unruly mob that tormented the residents of the financial district under the guise of a protest. I do not condone the actions of this motorcycle gang, but the NIMBYness of Tribeca residents is unreal. I believe all quality of life issues should be addressed – ALL – not just the ones that directly impact your ten block radius.
If only they had peaceably taken over Zuccotti Park, then they could have been dealt with, using an appropriate show of force.
maybe the police ignored it because they were part of it.