Advocacy & Safety - Downtown NYC Safety warning

Super specific, but there is a monster, and I mean monster pothole right on the curb extending about 5 feet or so into the lane (plus it's got a manhole cover in the middle of it) on Canal at the southwest corner of Canal and Bway. I mention it 'cause canal & bway are feeders to the downtown bridges, and it's one of those tricky-to-see-at-dusk ones. It nearly caught me unawares, anyway.

That reminds, I've been meaning to ask about guerilla tactics. Specifically, what's the legality of spraying -- on your own, unofficially -- some reflective paint around such obstacles? My specific motivation is the Hudson Greenway: going north at night there's some horrible glare from the southbound car traffic on the adjoining highway, which makes certain road hazards, in particular, a couple of "tree islands" in the path very hard to pick out when riding at speed. I thought it would be nice if someone, preferably the City (ha! as if) would do something about it, even merely spraying a little reflective stuff at the ends of the "islands" to make them easier to spot and maybe a warning symbol like a "Y" with arrowheads. I'm too chicken to do it myself, plus who knows what liability issues are involved in our overly-litigious society.

Illegal, but unlikely to get caught. Honestly, if I were going to do it (and this is NOT an admission of having done similar projects in the past), I'd wear jeans, flannel, and workboots and an orange vest and do the work in plain sight.

ask neckface

That reminds, I've been meaning to ask about guerilla tactics. Specifically, what's the legality of spraying -- on your own, unofficially -- some reflective paint around such obstacles? My specific motivation is the Hudson Greenway: going north at night there's some horrible glare from the southbound car traffic on the adjoining highway, which makes certain road hazards, in particular, a couple of "tree islands" in the path very hard to pick out when riding at speed. I thought it would be nice if someone, preferably the City (ha! as if) would do something about it, even merely spraying a little reflective stuff at the ends of the "islands" to make them easier to spot and maybe a warning symbol like a "Y" with arrowheads. I'm too chicken to do it myself, plus who knows what liability issues are involved in our overly-litigious society.
if they're reasonably vertical, why not just affix a few stripes of reflective tape, if you don't want to spray them down?

I'd still report it to whatever authority you can get contact with. I'd imagine in NYC is goes into some bureaucracy that might as well be a trash can, but considering it takes practically no effort to report you can at least do it for that magical feeling of feeling like you are doing something good even if it doesn't provide results. Maybe it will end up on record so if someone does get hurt...

Al

Doesn't TA do this to potholes and uneven pavement in the city? Oboe, I will go "research" this with you. And I agree with robot's idea, plain sight, act like you know (and are supposed to be doing) what you are doing. Lets "look into it", its our path, and obviously we have to take care of our own in this matter. The West Side path does not seem to be in anyone's jurisdiction. Tape is also a good idea- there is a pole on the Brooklyn that needs some. I am not working for another week, lets meet after work. Any one else?

It's not how wide.. it's how deep that concerns me. :)

That's what I have headlights for hehe.

Be careful out there...
http://griswald.net/images/pothole.jpg

It's not how wide.. it's how deep that concerns me. :)

That's what I have headlights for hehe.

Be careful out there...
http://griswald.net/images/pothole.jpg

Dang! talk about a big pothole, I heard the community that lives down the bottom of that one speak a different dialect

I'd still report it to whatever authority you can get contact with. I'd imagine in NYC is goes into some bureaucracy that might as well be a trash can, but considering it takes practically no effort to report you can at least do it for that magical feeling of feeling like you are doing something good even if it doesn't provide results. Maybe it will end up on record so if someone does get hurt...

Al

I was once wrote to City about the night-time closing of the Greenway and a got a polite "too bad" letter. Maybe I'll take pics of the situation to make a stronger case for the "tree islands". FYI, I don't think tape is an option here. If I take the pics, I'll post here.