Quantcast

Grave concerns about Gravesend safety

To the editor,

I have lived in Gravesend for nearly 40 years. Through the years, I have seen some traffic and other conditions affecting residents’ health and safety get worse instead of better. An important election is coming up and now would be the perfect time to start eliminating safety hazards and improving conditions for pedestrians and bus passengers in our area.

I live near Ocean Parkway, one of the most dangerous thoroughfares in Brooklyn, and I frequently have to cross the Parkway at Avenue X. At least once a month, I see flowers, ribbons and other memorials on the parkway for people who have been killed there by the relentless traffic. If the victim was a child, there are teddy bears and dolls. There are neither cameras nor radar on Ocean Parkway to monitor speeding cars.

Every time I try to cross there are at least two or three drivers speeding through the red light. Other drivers make right or left turns as fast as they can, ignoring pedestrians.

Aren’t drivers supposed to slow down while making turns?

There is a police station nearby, but the only time I see a police or traffic officer is when there is an accident.

Can someone please tell me why there has never been a bus shelter near Coney Island Hospital? Patients leaving the hospital have to stand on a platform of rocks to wait for their buses.

There is a tree-lined area with benches nearby, but this is only usable on bright, warm, sunny days, and only if would-be passengers are able to walk from the benches fast enough to catch their buses when they finally arrive. Poor bus service is another story!

We also need more traffic lights in our area, especially on East Second Street, Avenue Y and Avenue X. These streets are very busy and sometimes impossible to cross.

A feeble and ineffective attempt was made to fix an even more dangerous traffic problem between Avenue V and Avenue W and between East First and East Third Streets by lowering the speed limit. This area must have been designed and built before cars were invented! The area has a blind curve.

Drivers coming from West 1st Street or West street going east cannot see pedestrians nor can pedestrians see oncoming cars. I don’t know if drivers can see the signs lowering the speed limit or if they even try to obey them. I think the only way to make these streets safer is to make Avenue V and Avenue W one-way streets going East from West Street to Ocean Parkway. We also need cameras and radar on these streets to trap traffic violators.

I hope someone will try to do something about these hazardous conditions before the next elections, preferably before the primaries, and before I decide whom to vote for, and before someone else is killed on Ocean Parkway. Maybe someone can even begin to build a bus shelter near Coney Island Hospital before the next hurricane!Elaine Kirsch

Gravesend

Some need weed

To the editor,

Sen. Chuck Schumer is to be commended for sponsoring legislation nationwide to decriminalize marijuana and to permit it for medicinal purposes such as epilepsy, AIDS, and combating nausea and vomiting after receiving chemotherapy for cancer.

I have read in the Science section of the New York Times [that] Israeli women used marijuana to alleviate the pain of childberth about 3,500 years ago. It is also true [that] country-western singer Willie Nelson said marijuana helped him get off heavy drinking and get off tobacco. Along with Chuck Schumer’s bill, he [recommends] cautions about the side affects; people have a right to informed consent.Elliott Abosh

Brighton Beach

Gov, take the local!

To the editor,

Governor of which state?

Once again our part time New York State governor was back in Puerto Rico spewing his anti-Republican rants and feigning concern to Puerto Ricans and their plight after last year’s hurricane.

Mr. Cuomo should have paused his perennial high profile Presidential campaign and gotten back to the state in which he was elected, to take care of our 24-7 plights.

How about helping the hundreds of residents along the Atlantic shoreline who have yet to get their houses back in livable order, five years after the devastating hurricane hit our state? How about staying in our state trying to straighten out the failing MTA, seemingly adrift with no workable plans to make it a safe and reliable unified transportation system?

How about kicking our communist mayor’s behind, taking away his funding and taking over the crumbling housing system?

There are all too many problems here in New York State to have a governor on campaign mode.

Stay home and help us!

Robert W. Lobenstein

Marine Park

Still battling

To the editor,

The ongoing feud over numerous issues between Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill DeBlasio is now into the fifth year. Based on past history between previous governors and mayors, this is really nothing new. Democrats Cuomo and DeBlasio have a lot in common with the late Republicans Governor Nelson Rockefeller (1959–1974) and New York City Mayor John Lindsay (1966–1973) along with Governor George Pataki (1995–2006) and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (1994– 2001). The same is true for the late Democrat Governor Mario Cuomo (1983–1992) and New York City Mayor Ed Koch (1978–1988). Nelson Rockefeller, George Pataki, Mario Cuomo and son Andrew Cuomo deal with mayors who want equal billing on the political marquee. Lindsay’s urban, Koch’s Big Apple, Giuliani’s safety-quality of life and DeBlasio’s progressive agenda are dependent upon both increased state and federal assistance. DeBlasio envisions himself as the national spokesperson for progressive mayors from all cities. This conflicts with governors who have to worry about all 62 counties making up New York State. It also creates problems for governors like Cuomo who harbor Presidential ambitions in 2020.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Car dealers in Bay Ridge and beyond who illegally park vehicles on the sidewalk should be shuttered by the city if they are caught repeatedly breaking the law, a local pol asserts. (Un-park it! Ridge pol’s bill would close car dealerships that clog sidewalks,” by Julianne McShane, online May 7). Councilman Justin Brannan and his constituents say they’re tired of cars crowding sidewalks around dealerships on Fourth Avenue between 88th and 95th streets. The bill would empower the Consumer Affairs commissioner to suspend or revoke the license of any car dealership slapped with two or more violations in a year for illegally parking or leaving cars on sidewalks or in crosswalks. Here’s what some of our readers think:

Well for one thing, it seems he had plenty of room on said sidewalk to stand and pose with his arms outstretched for his photo op.

Also, maybe if he worked to change the truly ridiculous alternate side parking rules all around Brooklyn there would be adequate street parking for all vehicles.

He is also speaking of putting businesses with many employees out for not a really good reason. Smells of politics all around to meMe
from Brooklyn

Brannan represents the anti-car fanatic minority in Bay Ridge. He will learn the hard way that there is no way to win re-election by attacking local businesses to placate those who hate freedom. Enjoy the little time you have left in office, Justin.Henry Ford from Bay Ridge

It is good to see Brannan taking on this issue. Car dealerships can be very obnoxious and seem to think they own the sidewalks. I am not some “anti car” fanatic but I just want to be able to push my double wide stroller without having to walk in the middle of the street to avoid 7 brand new BMWsJudy

It’s about time. Sidewalks are for people not cars! The bill should also include repair shops who do the same thing and who park cars in bus stops. A good example is Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Bay Ridge parks cars in the bus stop across from the dealership, which means buses cannot use the bus stop for the disabled that use wheelchairs and such.Jeff from Bay Ridge

Thank you Councilman Brannan for your leadership on this issue!
Katie

This has been an ongoing problem for years! Thank you for taking up the cause, Councilman Brannan.jdh

Yes enough’s enough. I am tired of these car dealerships who are thinking they can park their lot on the sidewalks and block our path. Councilman Brannan is taking a bold stance that others never had the courage to take before.Gary

This guy goes about things all wrong – like a bully. I work at a dealership that got a letter from him about this and he signed it – “The Management” – who does he think he is?Mary Ann Losala from Bay Ridge

But he sees no problem with cars owned by police officers and the city blocking sidewalks in front of every police precinct in Brooklyn. Why do the laws not apply to them?Allan Rosen from Sheepshead Bay