By Jeff Lipton
Four police officers, in teams of two, patrolled Central Avenue in Cedarhurst for about three hours on Friday afternoon, Oct. 18, during the first day of the crackdown, writing tickets to double-parkers and issuing warnings to others who were about to park in illegal zones.
One woman who was being written up by an officer brazenly told the stunned cop, I wish you death, before she drove away, said Lt. Larry Feffer of the Fourth Precinct.
The shame of it is that people verbally lambaste meter maids and cops when they are only out there doing their jobs, Feffer said.
Fourth Precinct police have attempted to put a halt to scofflaws on Central Avenue in the past, but this time they are making a concerted effort to improve traffic flow on the commercial strip, as well as to handle any other quality of life issues that arise. Inspector George Gudmundsen, Fourth Precinct commander, said the officers, by walking a beat, also provide a visible presence to help deter crime and quality of life problems. One officer arrested a suspect for allegedly peddling flowers without a license on Central Avenue in Lawrence on Oct. 18.
However, the main function of the program will be to help smooth traffic flow on traffic-clogged Central Avenue, particularly on Fridays and Sundays.
We have stepped up the enforcement of parking violations, in Cedarhurst and in Lawrence, Gudmundsen said. Those areas have traditionally been a double-parking problem.
It's a quality of life issue. Double-parkers are more than a nuisance, they increase the chances for an auto accident. They make it more difficult for motorists to drive through the commercial area.
He said officers have been instructed to park their patrol cars and walk up and down the block for a few hours on specified days.
It also helps to increase police presence on the street in the shopping areas, the inspector said. Nothing makes a person feel safer than the sight of a police officer walking down the sidewalk.
Gudmundsen said drivers who park in restricted zones such as at street corners and bus stops will also be targeted under the crackdown.
After seeing two officers with summons books in hand walking down Central Avenue in Cedarhurst, one meter maid who has worked the avenue for many years commented, I haven't seen anything like that and I've lived here all my life. But Lt. Feffer said the crackdown has been in effect before.
It's an historic problem, Gudmundsen said. We will do everything we can to remediate the problem.
The benefits to the community as a whole far outweigh the inconveniences to any individual.
If no on-street parking is available, drivers can park their vehicles in one of many municipal and private parking lots in the rear of the Central Avenue shops. Besides, the exercise is good for people, he said.
Hopefully, it will help, said one of the officers walking a beat last Friday. Everyone is happy that we are doing this. We have gotten a very positive response. The only ones who are unhappy are the ones who are getting the tickets.
Shoppers who frequent Central Avenue expressed delight that police are handing out summonses in a concerted effort and said they feel better protected with the visible police presence.
I'm glad. I think it's wonderful, said Elana Kastner of North Woodmere as she pushed a stroller on Central Avenue. As the neighborhood has become more saturated, it's very dangerous over here when you walk with your kids. And there's been a number of accidents over here recently. People shouldn't be double-parking. It takes real chutzpah and demonstrates a lack of respect.
Ivan Greenberg, owner of Davey Shop, and Jerry Cohen, owner of Trees, both on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst, also said they were glad for the extra police foot patrols. They said whenever there is a double-parker, it's an accident waiting to happen and a danger to pedestrians. Double-parkers often force drivers to maneuver around them, forcing them into opposite lanes of traffic. They also obstruct the view of the road for others.
It's getting worse and worse, Greenberg said. There have been a lot of accidents up and down the street. This is definitely a deterrent, he said of the police presence.
Cohen said police should also be on the lookout for motorists who make U-turns in the middle of the street, which poses a hazard for motorists and pedestrians. They have to be consistent with this [crackdown]. It can't be a one-time thing, Cohen said.
Cohen and Greenberg, who are both business leaders in Cedarhurst, said there are no shortage of parking lots in Cedarhurst so there is no reason to double-park.
I welcome the efforts of police, said Village of Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise. Almost at every board meeting people complain about the double-parking. We get complaints from people driving through the village. Something has got to be done. It's really terrible and so dangerous. It drives me crazy.
