NYC -- The Restriction Capital of the US

[Dokkie]

Run time: 03:43 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDE3bBfGpQw   Posted on YouTube: April 29, 2011 By YouTube Member: RTAmerica Views on YouTube: 302   Posted on DU: April 30, 2011 By DU Member: Dokkie Views on DU: 984

 
There is no doubt that New York City is a pricey place to live, but the newest restrictions and prohibitions in NYC are causing a headache for many. Smoking will soon be outlawed in pedestrian plazas and parks, and as over-filling garbage cans becomes illegal (as does taking from the trash), the Big Apple is beginning to find big ways to bring in the bucks.

[freshwest]

1. They're requesting households, businesses and people to act responsibly. What's wrong with that?

It's not a money grabbing scam. It's a call to tend to one's own mess. I've heard this complaint by rightwing pundits. It's not oppression, it's not restriction. It's a suggestion to take care of one's own actions before they impact others, even the taxpayers.

It ain't 'making life hard for the little guy.' People have other ways to get rid of their trash instead of forcing the taxpayer to pay for taking care of it. As far as the smoking goes, that freedom exists until it hits someone else's respiratory tract or sends the oily residue into air systems and the walls of establishments, where it has to be cleaned. And unfortunately smokers toss their cigarette butts in parks and public places, often not in trash receptacles. Who cleans that?

I can hear Rushbo now standing up for freedom, with the music score of Braveheart playing in the background, puffing his cigar smoke into someone else's face and saying it's his right to do so. And tossing trash around since it's the job of 'the lesser people' or by default the lowly city sanitation worker to clean up after him.

[bluestateguy]

2. I wonder how much time NYC have to waste on this

If another catastrophe like 9/11 happened again would NYC cops be issuing bicycle tickets and smoking citations?

[Erda]

3. I'm a native New Yorker. In New York City before the imposition. . .

of these fines bicyclists disregarded safety laws. They rode on sidewalks at high speeds. They sped through red traffic lights and hit pedestrians. A bicycle can be deadly if ridden at high speed. People walking on the sidewalk don't expect a bicycle to appear from out of nowhere. Many years ago my niece, then a small child, was struck down on the sidewalk at our front gate by a cyclist. He didn't even stop. I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for a cyclist getting a ticket for riding on the sidewalk, for disregarding traffic laws. or for not using a bike lane if there is one. Try strolling through a park with your young child or your elderly parent and having to look over your shoulder every minute to make sure there is no bicycle that could harm them if you happen to walk to your left or to your right.

I'm not a smoker but I have to clean up cigarette butts thrown away by smokers every day. There are pocket ashtrays on the market but the average smoker doesn't use them. They even dump their cigarette butts from their cars onto the street. I do agree that cash-strapped cities will use tickets to help raise revenues. Sometimes this is out of balance and can become petty. However, I don't agree that bicycle safety laws are petty. I also don't want green spaces littered with cigarette refuse. Neither do I want to inhale second hand smoke.

[nyc 4 Biden]

4. keeping the bus lanes clear and making sure businesses dont...

fill the city corner garbages is important.

[The Wizard]

5. Easy solution to cleaning up Manhattan

A 10 dollar per axle fee for driving a motor vehicle onto the island. Those who reside there would be exempt. It would raise revenue and ease congestion. The smoking and litter basket regulations would become obsolete. By charging fees for using litter baskets they encourage littering. Making refuse collection more accessible would go a long way to cleaning up the city.

[TatonkaJames]

6. Those buses and taxi's spewing harmful smoke.. OK ?

Starving ? Go hungry and die.
What a priceless agenda.