Dumbo Links Week of 18Aug07

August 25th, 2007

100-110 Bridge Street 11201
 100-110 Bridge Street (detail)

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

Filed in Dumbo Weekly Links, Dumbo in Media at 1:27 am
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  • vinegar Hill Res.
    I think DB has it exactly right. Standing out on the corner in front of Peas & Pickles seems to be a choice for this pair. Of course none of us have no idea what their lives have been like or what unfortunate circustances they may have had to deal with. But it is true that there are a few others in this neighborhood who really seem like they need help. Something about this pair feels really cynical to me. The other day the man was out there grinning in a t-shirt that read 'drug dealer' like he was hilarious and we just groaned.

    I see these two out there every day being civil to some and very harsh to others. But I'm not going to pay a daily toll to this couple just to walk down my street. And I'm not going to allow them to make me feel I should. And if I ever see them threatening anyone I will call the police.

    Seems to me we could do a lot more good giving to organizations like City Harvest and donating coats and clothing to local shelters rather than handing out cash to this couple several times a week.

    As for the lecture from Bob, your heart is in the right place, but you have no right to presume that the people posting here have no compassion or have never fallen on hard times of our own. I don't believe anyone posting here has a problem with people who need help, nor I do believe anyone here is in denial about how lucky we are that we aren't the ones standing out there. But I'll bet a lot of us have 'made it' on our own, working hard and saving what we earned. I'm happy to give and I do, but not to this pair.
  • DB
    Bob - those guys are not homeless. They walk back to Farragut Houses every evening, back to their homes. There are many less fortunate, harder-working people in this area who don't feel the need to impose themselves on us like this. They are panhandlers, not homeless people, and their way of life is a choice rather than a necessity.
  • local
    rikc:
    yeah - please have a talk with 'P&P' management. i think you'll find it's the same folks as bridgefresh. duh.
  • Bob
    As I read your comments regarding these two homeless people, the thought that keeps coming to mind is your complete lack of compassion for those less fortunate than you. Do you really think that it is your "right" to live the way that you do and that because you own or have accumulated "things" this makes you more important than others? I implore each of you to think back to a decision, a time, a fortunate set of circumstances that has put you in the position that you are now and for just a moment imagine that instead of going your way, it didn't. Instead, you struggled, made bad decisions and ended up in a very tough situation. Is it possible to imagine your being in the same position as these two people? Most of you will say "not a chance". This is where you are wrong, there is always a chance. Ask the hedge funds manager that has suddenly been told that his "lock" on the global economy has fallen apart because of CDO's gone bad and his perfect world is falling apart. Most of you have never felt the markets' lash. You will and then what will become of you? Might you at some point in your incredibly sheltered lives ever need an act of compassion? If these people are dangerous, call the cops. If they need help, find a way to help because in the end, they are people just like you and the difference is so slight that you have all missed it.
  • rikc
    Last night I stopped in P&P and received a usual harsh comment from smokey (not sure who you’re referring of the two dudes often out there, but I mean the younger one) after saying my usual No just as he was to ask for $. Only thing unique this time was he followed me and throw a fit about my rudeness. Couldn’t help myself from having one of those involuntary laughs that you can’t hold in. He didn’t take that well, and then got too close to me. I thought he was going in assault me and I got nervous and pushed him down. Regret it cus he’s just going to be on mind when I go there now.

    Anyway, this has nothing to do with neighborhood character or artists v suits. And I prefer/live on the dirtier side of dumbos tracks, but like that I can get a bite at P&P at 3am. So I agree with those above who put the responsibility on P&P. That night clerk is a coward, even though he acts indifferent. Often when I’m on line he won’t look at nor say a word to me or most people, but he’ll acknowledge and say hay to tough looking dudes.

    Unfortunately Bridgefresh doesn’t have P&Ps hours. people who work there are cool and seemingly enjoy having a chat with you. We need to bother P&P mgt.
  • sharon
    Wow, I don't even live in DUMBO and just came across this list by another link. Why don't you contact the community police officer for your nearest precinct and ask him/her to have regular watches by the cops on the beat? Also, growing up just 1/2 hour north of you I was in the city plenty and my Mom is a native of Brooklyn. You can't expect to live in the biggest city in the country and not be exposed to beggars. Maybe the "thoughtless yuppies" should move up to Westchester or Rockland and live among the rest of the clean, rich people so you won't be inconvenienced by the beggars? Oh, that's right...you already have moved there over the last decade and ruined our lovely county wih your pushy NYC smug nouveau riche attitude. Hmm, maybe you should just band together and buy Manhattan so only the yuppies can live there. Kick out anyone who makes less than you. Rich people do drugs also, does that make them better than the poor, homeless people who do it? I think not. They just don't smell like piss.
  • Ed
    OK, look. I admit I've given them a little change now and then only because they seemed harmless and polite. At the same time, do I like them hanging around? Of course not! So maybe I have been a hypocrite. So sue me. Bottom line, if the few people talking on this board all boycott them it will make no difference as others will continue giving to them. What needs to be done, if anything can indeed be done, is first for Peas and Pickles to bitch about it to the police. Anybody ever ask them if they have?
  • vinegar Hill Res.
    Is this all about the man and woman who hang out in front of Peas & Pickles? One of them chase your girlfriend, Alex? That's horrible.

    I hate walking by these two, but I've never been harassed by them in any way. In fact the woman doesn't make eye contact with me -- not that I want her to. We never talk to them or give them any money and they leave us alone.

    I have seen the people who own or work at Peas & Pickles hanging out with them outside. I suppose it's just easier to be friendly, but I'm surprised they're not trying to discourage the pair from hanging around. It sounds like their presence keeps many from shopping at the store.

    None of this is to say that I expect to live in a city without homelessness and can't handle being faced with people who are in need, but getting yelled at or chased is appalling.
  • DB
    Hi, I run a small art studio in Dumbo, creating work mainly from leftover food that I find in the street. As an artist and a human being, I find it terrible that you people castigate the beggars so. What character would Dumbo have if it wasn't for the subtle aroma of our resident homeless folk?? How dull and lifeless would Front St be without Smokey and Cracky shuffling along it?? And how can you wish on your children a neighborhood where they can walk the street without being assailed by dishevelled smackhead criminals reeking of piss? All you yuppies and 'clean people' should be ashamed of yourselves.

    Yours,
    Douchebag
  • fejfek
    alex, you are my hero -- i couldn't agree more. if we want them gone (and i don't care what any of you liberal douchebags say, we ALL want them gone), we need to band together and take action. nobody wants to be hassled EVERY time they walk outside of their home but low-life, disgusting junkies. i don't care what you say, you don't want this, so every junkie-lover out there jump on board and let's get these pieces of shit out of here.
  • alex
    More police presence, combined with a more aggressive approach from the stores on Front St, is the only answer. The whole neighborhood has to start pulling together to get rid of these people.
  • bqwkjbd
    neal is right. please stop giving these douchebags money. i get so angry when i see you yuppie AND artist a*** giving them money, with that dumb smirk on your face like you (a) just saved the world, (b) just made a great new friend with a bum and that makes you soooo cool, or (c) were so scared by their presence that you're just glad giving them money saved the horrific beating you surely would have received had you not. i hate all of you money-givers even more than i hate smokey and cracky, and i'd be pretty pleased if they suddenly spontaneously combusted right there on the street -- so that's saying something. STOP GIVING THE CRACK/SMACK/WHATEVER HEADS MONEY -- LET THE WELL DRY UP AND THEY'LL MOVE TO DEFILE ANOTHER NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.
  • alex
    One of them chased my girlfriend the other day. I would call the police but they all have same dirty clothes, cracked out expression and abominable smell, so I can't even identify which one of these feral creatures did it.
  • Get along
    Neal, are you serious? If so, your 12:55pm post exhibits a stunningly smug self-righteousness, and an ignorance of the fact that your own a**hole intolerance is precisely what attracts a**hole behavior in others.

    I fully agree with the supply and demand observation, and share your stance regarding supporting panhandlers in our neighborhood. However, if you think you've never benefited from the kindness of strangers in a time of need, think again. Go watch Trading Places, remind yourself of your dependence on others' goodwill.

    I am frankly just as inclined to starve out people with your attitude from this neighborhood as I am panhandlers.
  • Neal
    I do not think they are crackheads so much anymore, they have moved back to their roots, Smack! That would explain why these stupid artist and hippies love them so much, they have something in common.

    It is simple supply and demand people, stop feeding these a**holes and they will move along to another neighbourhood. By giving them money you are directly lowering the quality of life in this area and destroying our standard of living. Thanks a lot you douchbag hippie scum.
  • another
    You guys are a bunch of whimps if you feel threatened by these guys. Here is an idea, let one of them hit/push you, and then you have good legal grounds to get him/her arrested and your problems will be over.
    This is funny, yesterday I saw the woman waiting for the F train. She had a backpack and looked like she had just finshed a long day of work.
    I wonder if she even lives in the neighborhood. Probably comes here from Manhattan.
  • tim
    I'm in total agreement. Dumbo can retain its charm and character without being held hostage by these cracked up hoodlums.
  • fdgdfgdf
    f’ing crackheads outside peas and pickles must go — enough with the bullshit harassment. can we start a campaign to get these disgusting shitbags out of our neighborhood. and don’t all of you artist AND yuppie douchebags who give them money and pretend your bestest friends with them b/c you’re scared of them, or think it’s cool to befriend them, or are just too stupid not too hate them start in with any of your “yuppies get out of the neighborhood,” or “this is brooklyn what did i expect,” etc. bullshit. we’re all in this dumbo thing together now, and these piece of shit drug addicts must not be allowed to infect our nice neighborhhod. they are disgusting and harassing, and if they haven’t harassed you yet, just try ignoring them and not giving them money and you’ll see their true a**hole colors — lest we forget, they are crackheads. especially that crackwhore — ugh, she is really nasty. artists and yuppie douchebags unite!.
  • ick poo
    It's up to Peas & Pickles to police their property and establish no loitering rules and clearly they don't give a shit. As long as you're still coming in and paying their inflated prices it's all good to them. Maybe they'll start caring and do something about it if you start shopping at Fresh Direct.
  • bqwkjbd
    is there nothing that can be done about smokey and cracky outside of peas and pickles? these two (especially that evil woman) are disgusting, harassing and downright nasty. i’ve started ignoring them — not provoking in any way, just ignoring — and now that crack bitch feels compelled to make nasty comments to me, my wife and my infant child every time we walk by. can’t these low life be removed from the area? is there nothing the cops can do? the dirty, nasty mean crackheads must go.
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