Comments on: Blue Blockers: Perpetrators on 16th Street http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/ Moving Together, Faster Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:34:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: mike lydon http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6669 mike lydon Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:22:05 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6669 Hey Chris, You were not even at the scene, so it is actually a bit more unrealistic for you to make assumptions. No, its not that big a deal in the grand scheme of all-things-screwed-up-in-Miami. However, I stopped and observed the police officers behavior from close range. They were not on the radios. They were not communicating about public safety. They were were parked on either side of the street, engines running freely (yes wasting gasoline and taxpayer resources) and joking for about 4 minutes. I observed this very carefully. I have no problem with cops in general and realize the role they fulfill. I do however, think they could find a parking lot. I do think think they could turn off their engines. I do think they should stop speeding on the same neighborhood streets they are suppossed to keep safe. I do expect them to use turn signals for crying out loud. If you don't expect excellence, you will never receive it. Mike Hey Chris,

You were not even at the scene, so it is actually a bit more unrealistic for you to make assumptions. No, its not that big a deal in the grand scheme of all-things-screwed-up-in-Miami. However, I stopped and observed the police officers behavior from close range. They were not on the radios. They were not communicating about public safety. They were were parked on either side of the street, engines running freely (yes wasting gasoline and taxpayer resources) and joking for about 4 minutes. I observed this very carefully. I have no problem with cops in general and realize the role they fulfill. I do however, think they could find a parking lot. I do think think they could turn off their engines. I do think they should stop speeding on the same neighborhood streets they are suppossed to keep safe. I do expect them to use turn signals for crying out loud.

If you don’t expect excellence, you will never receive it.

Mike

]]> By: Jmac http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6667 Jmac Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:15:52 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6667 My friend is a police officer who was driving me around in his undercover vehicle. I understand cops may need nice cars for possibly better and faster engines, and so that they can blend into certain upscale neighborhoods, but it bothered me that he had this great need for speed when it was completely unnecessary. I told him to slow down, not only because I felt unsafe but because of all the gas he was wasting that the city is probably paying for. He said that all cops speed like crazy all the time - something I can't say I respect. Yes they do put their lifes on the line, but the purpose of this website is to teach us about effective transportation and it's natural to be annoyed when your tax money goes to jobs that seem like they are being ineffectively done. My friend is a police officer who was driving me around in his undercover vehicle. I understand cops may need nice cars for possibly better and faster engines, and so that they can blend into certain upscale neighborhoods, but it bothered me that he had this great need for speed when it was completely unnecessary. I told him to slow down, not only because I felt unsafe but because of all the gas he was wasting that the city is probably paying for. He said that all cops speed like crazy all the time - something I can’t say I respect. Yes they do put their lifes on the line, but the purpose of this website is to teach us about effective transportation and it’s natural to be annoyed when your tax money goes to jobs that seem like they are being ineffectively done.

]]> By: nemo http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6657 nemo Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:19:20 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6657 Someone has their panties in a bunch. Someone has their panties in a bunch.

]]> By: Chris http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6655 Chris Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:52:16 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6655 You have got to be kidding me. You know the reason the cops parked there because you were passing by and ASSUMED that they were just leisurely talking? That's quite a callous oversimplification of the duties of law enforcement. Those guys lay their life on the line for YOU every day and you are going to get on them because they made you go all of 4 feet to the left to get past them? Give me a break. How do you know they weren't looking for someone, or getting ready for a traffic stop? Go ahead, report it. I'm sure it will reach the appropriate shredder. I'm sorry having police presence is an inconvenience to you. If I had to choose between a safer Miami or a happy bicyclist, well, I'll gladly transport you and your bike to one of many locations where you won't ever encounter law enforcement taking up a bike lane. You have got to be kidding me. You know the reason the cops parked there because you were passing by and ASSUMED that they were just leisurely talking? That’s quite a callous oversimplification of the duties of law enforcement. Those guys lay their life on the line for YOU every day and you are going to get on them because they made you go all of 4 feet to the left to get past them? Give me a break. How do you know they weren’t looking for someone, or getting ready for a traffic stop? Go ahead, report it. I’m sure it will reach the appropriate shredder. I’m sorry having police presence is an inconvenience to you. If I had to choose between a safer Miami or a happy bicyclist, well, I’ll gladly transport you and your bike to one of many locations where you won’t ever encounter law enforcement taking up a bike lane.

]]> By: Warmonger http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6653 Warmonger Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:51:24 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6653 One thing that I wonder about - does the percentage of cops on bikes affect how a department views and prioritizes bike-related issues? I see the occasional Coral Gables cop on a bike, and that may help down the road. I've not been to the Beach much lately, but I did see a few bike cops on Ocean Drive a couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday night. I found Chicago to be a bike-friendly place, and many officers there were on bikes as part of their job - a pretty high proportion of the downtown cops, in fact. The city even placed a cop substation in the bike center in Millenium Park. Perhaps one way to do make Miami Beach more cognizant of this issue is to put more cops themselves on bikes on the Beach. Rising fuel prices are our friends in this regard ... One thing that I wonder about - does the percentage of cops on bikes affect how a department views and prioritizes bike-related issues? I see the occasional Coral Gables cop on a bike, and that may help down the road. I’ve not been to the Beach much lately, but I did see a few bike cops on Ocean Drive a couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday night. I found Chicago to be a bike-friendly place, and many officers there were on bikes as part of their job - a pretty high proportion of the downtown cops, in fact. The city even placed a cop substation in the bike center in Millenium Park. Perhaps one way to do make Miami Beach more cognizant of this issue is to put more cops themselves on bikes on the Beach. Rising fuel prices are our friends in this regard …

]]> By: Kyle http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6632 Kyle Sat, 31 May 2008 21:43:05 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6632 Cops are pigs. They are the ones that break the laws first and get away with it. They suck. Cops are pigs. They are the ones that break the laws first and get away with it. They suck.

]]> By: Dan Rather http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6629 Dan Rather Sat, 31 May 2008 14:03:50 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6629 I lost my job because of blogging... I lost my job because of blogging…

]]> By: mike lydon http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6628 mike lydon Sat, 31 May 2008 04:19:32 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6628 Ralph, thanks for your comments. However, why would you assume that I had not already taking action. I am not trying to complain and let it be left at that. Blogs can be limited yes, but they also raise awareness and can garner significant attention. Don't underestimate that. Ralph, thanks for your comments. However, why would you assume that I had not already taking action.

I am not trying to complain and let it be left at that. Blogs can be limited yes, but they also raise awareness and can garner significant attention. Don’t underestimate that.

]]> By: JM Palacios http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6627 JM Palacios Sat, 31 May 2008 03:18:16 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6627 This is quite interesting, as just last night I was perusing a website designed for reporting bike lane parking. I was looking through the Atlanta area pictures and saw cop after cop parked in our lanes. I didn't see any of cops in Miami, but perhaps you should add them. Check it out at <a href="http://www.mybikelane.com/all_cities" rel="nofollow">mybikelane.com</a>. It does seem like most of the people posting on there also report the violations to the authorities. This is quite interesting, as just last night I was perusing a website designed for reporting bike lane parking. I was looking through the Atlanta area pictures and saw cop after cop parked in our lanes. I didn’t see any of cops in Miami, but perhaps you should add them. Check it out at mybikelane.com.

It does seem like most of the people posting on there also report the violations to the authorities.

]]> By: ralph http://www.transitmiami.com/2008/05/30/blue-blockers-perpetrators-on-16th-street/#comment-6624 ralph Sat, 31 May 2008 01:41:21 +0000 http://www.transitmiami.com/?p=2460#comment-6624 the best way to get action is not by blogging but getting ahold of the people who can do something. send an e-mail to the MB chief of police Carlos Noriega carlosnoriega@miamibeachfl.gov and if you want to make sure you get some action send copies to the mayor and all of the city commissioners. You can find their e-mail addresses on the city website. this method works like a charm and gets action. no one ever changed a thing by blogging! good luck the best way to get action is not by blogging but getting ahold of the people who can do something.

send an e-mail to the MB chief of police Carlos Noriega

carlosnoriega@miamibeachfl.gov

and if you want to make sure you get some action send copies to the mayor and all of the city commissioners.

You can find their e-mail addresses on the city website. this method works like a charm and gets action.

no one ever changed a thing by blogging!

good luck

]]>