Rite Aid drums up business for trauma supplies
Observed by andygee on Fri, Jan 18 2008
[secondary photo is from December. License plate is of the trailer; the cab had NJ plates.]
Well, I passed by again, took pictures, and the rent-a-cop was there again. Our hearts weren't really in it this time around; he diligently called me a re-tard and said the truck would be there every Friday evening no matter what I did, that I could put all the pictures on MySpace I wanted and it wouldn't make a difference, because nobody gave a f*ck. I dutifully took my shots and and notes and got in out of the cold.
It's just exasperating that a business can hire a cop in order to _avoid_ complying with the law. It's also frustrating that, by design, the run from 23rd 9th to the Bowery is now the fastes 2.5 miles in downtown Manhattan by any transportation means, and things like this just spoil it.
7 Comments
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Posted on Mon, Jan 21 2008 at 03:28 PM
Something needs to be done about this. With enough exposure they won't be able to handle the pressure. I'll think on it.
Posted on Mon, Jan 21 2008 at 03:32 PM
Wonder if calling 311 every single time this happens would have any effect? I also wonder what Rite Aid HQ would think about the press from one of their trucks parked in a buffered bike lane killing or injuring a cyclist?
Posted on Mon, Jan 21 2008 at 07:54 PM
Well, ordinarily, I would be on the phone to Rite Aid forthwith, but since I've been threatened with something called "harassment charges" I'm taking things slowly. The cop's opinion is that taking a photo of someone at their job is "harassment" and my response was that I'm acting as a journalist docuementing egregious violations of city policy by taking a picture of a truck. In the mean time, should I hear about any sort of accident involving a Rite Aid vehicle, all of this stuff will be messengered straight to whichever ambulance chaser took the case.
I was thinking of sending an anonymous letter to the mayor, since he got told he can go eff himself and his policy too.
I'm thinking of going back next Friday to see what happens. This route really cuts into my training time, but I take when I want to buy stuff on the lower east side, so I may feel like having pickles in a few days.
Posted on Tue, Jan 22 2008 at 02:03 AM
The "harassment" farce the 'cop' is perpetuating couldn't be farther from the truth. It's called reasonable expectation of privacy and there is absolutely none in this situation. He should be ashamed - and remember, police are supposed to lie (in the interest of public safety and justice).
Posted on Tue, Jan 22 2008 at 02:03 AM
Sorry, I've been getting some weird errors = double post.
Posted on Tue, Jan 22 2008 at 08:56 AM
Sorry, big upgrade last night. Still working out some kinks that went along with it.
As to "harassment" ... utter BS from a rent-a-cop.
Posted on Thu, Jan 24 2008 at 01:40 PM
Um, this is America, anything can be bought and sold. The business of America is business. I don't think the police are going to ticket anyone making deliveries for any business in NYC for parking in a bike lane, double parking, idleing too long, etc. And if and when they might do this, it's usually to companies that have sweet deals with the city to reduce the parking tickets. Now, were this some civilized city such as Boston or Chicago, well then, it would be expected, but in NYC fugedaboudit!