Results tagged “rules”

According to Councilman Bill de Blasio, the billboard industry is "synonymous with New York," and sure, billboards are always cause for a bit of fun and controversy in this city, whether depicting orgies or co-opting Woody Allen. But there have been some real game-changers lately—revenge billboards, billboards co-opting the President, and even an FBI's Most Wanted billboard. But with such rampant innovations spurring greater and greater feats of billboarding, it was inevitable those titans of advertising might find themselves falling toward the rough waters of appeals courts. more ›

With the new year, new rules will go into effect concerning the city's carriage horses. The rules were proposed by the Health Department yesterday, and according to the NY Post would include many regulations already imposed on taxi drivers. more ›

The city will enact a new protocol allowing police officers to more quickly administer blood tests to suspected drunk drivers who have refused to take Breathalyzer tests. After several DWI suspects who declined field sobriety tests didn't have their blood drawn for hours — allowing them to sober up — the police department and the city's district attorneys forged the new agreement on Sunday to speed up the blood-testing process. more ›

In the wake of Friday's foiled terrorist bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, tough new security measures are being implemented on international flights bound for the U.S. Basically, we're just a couple more failed bombings away from flying handcuffed to the armrest, naked except for hoods over our heads. But for now—in addition to much more invasive and time-consuming pre-flight screening—the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has decreed that the last hour of every flight be spent confined your seat (no bathroom privileges!) without a blanket, pillow, reading materials, personal belongings or even the precious succor of television. Those who flew over the weekend say it's a whole new world up there. more ›

After freaking out street vendors and the bloggers who love them yesterday, the Health Department has emailed us to say it was all a big misunderstanding. A provision in the Health Department's new code [pdf] raised eyebrows by declaring that "no fish, shellfish, or any food consisting of or made with an aquatic animal...shall be prepared, stored, held for service or sold from a mobile food vending unit." That's what it says, but it's not what they meant! more ›

Sheesh, now there are all these rules! A week after would-be Hamptons restaurateur Bruce Buschel published his list of 100 things restaurant servers must never do, longtime bartender and restaurant manager Patrick Maguire has fired back with some rules for people who eat at restaurants. Apparently, snapping fingers, demanding perfection, and starting a sentence with Gimmee or Get me are all frowned upon. But there are all sorts of other no-nos that come with paying strangers to serve you food. To wit: more ›

Ugh, servers. After they bring your food they're always butting in asking if you're "still working" just as you're reaching the punchline of your most well-rehearsed anecdote! Weren't we supposed to eliminate the human element from the dining experience with computers and conveyor belts by now?! While the world waits on that technology, would-be Hamptons restaurateur Bruce Buschel has completed his list of 100 things servers should never, never do. For instance: more ›

Following the pedicab crash off the Williamsburg Bridge earlier this year, the city decided to try to get those pedicab laws in order. With less than a month left to pass an inspection to obtain a license, there are reportedly only 25 of around 1,000 pedicab operators who have done so as of earlier this month. more ›

Pilots from the Northwest flight that overshot its Minneapolis destination overshot by over 100 miles spoke to investigators and, according to the Wall Street Journal, told them "that a bathroom break, chatting with a flight attendant in the cockpit and then taking out their laptops to discuss work schedules created distractions that led to more than an hour of radio silence with air-traffic controllers." Apparently the laptop use violated Northwest policy, though the federal rules don't ban them. Well, at least Pansing, Gooch, or Bumpus was involved. more ›

Despite a backlog of 3,000 liquor-license applications, the State Liquor Authority has taken the time to come down heavy on the fratastic sport of beer pong. In 2008, the World Beer Pong Tour had asked the SLA to clarify its stance on its events, and the response was typical for those bribe-taking apparatchiks at the Authority: Beer pong is forbidden because state law "prohibits the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages in a manner which does not foster and promote temperance in the consumption." Dude, whoever wrote that sounds like uptight Frank the Tank before finally hitting the beer bong. more ›

A new study by several professors at NYU and Yale has taken a close look at the purchasing habits of fast-food consumers in poor NYC neighborhoods with high rates of obesity. Researchers were curious to find out if the law requiring chain restaurants to prominently display their calorie information was influencing customers' choices, and what they found was probably not what the Health Department had hoped for when implementing the rules in 2008. more ›

The Parks Department is about to impose heavy new regulations on the pedicab operators in Central Park, but the New York City Pedicab Owners Association is begging the city to backpedal. Under the new rules, pedicabs will be forbidden from areas where taxis and carriages make pick-ups; required to operate in the right lane of traffic, not the bike lane on the left; and, weirdly, prohibited from displaying advertisements at times when other motor vehicles are barred from the park. more ›

Following the Williamsburg pedicab crash, the regulations around the human-pedaled vehicles are garnering some attention. The NY Times delves into them today, reporting that in 2007 the City Council passed a bill which was challenged in court by pedicab owners, who claimed it would allow more inexperienced drivers to get licensed. This put the rules on hold for years, but the lawsuit ended in April and still no new rules have been drafted or put in place—a task that falls in the hands of the city’s Department of Consumer Affairs. The paper notes that "the city acknowledges that its safety and licensing provisions," which include a ban on bridge travel, are not being enforced. A lawyer for the NYC Pedicab Owners Association said, “We begged the city, for the sake of safety, to please enforce these things before someone gets hurt," but so far that hasn't happened, and until it does the rules are moot. Currently the NYPD are treating pedicabs as cyclists, meaning there are no fines for carrying too many passengers and not having seat belts. more ›

The 40,000 livery cabs, black cars, and limos prowling NYC streets may soon get a bit less sketchy, as the TLC votes today on a new set of regulations to better identify drivers and their companies. The new rules [PDF] would require livery cars to display the name and phone number of the base company, as well as a city-approved window sticker, which limos and black cars would have to attach to their vehicles. And all drivers would be required to display their TLC-approved picture and license in the backseat, just like in taxis. more ›

Councilman Bill de Blasio says that because the billboard industry is "synonymous with New York," the Buildings Department should ease up on issuing hefty fines for what he calls minor infractions. De Blasio tells the Daily News, "The fines given to one single billboard can go over $100,000, but the fines issued in the East Side crane collapses were a fraction of that. It's like the world turned upside down." The Buildings Department began cracking down on illegally installed billboards several years ago after community groups pressured the City Council to take action. A spokesman for OTR Media Group, one of the city's major billboard companies, says, "This is the same Buildings Department that should be cracking down on unsafe buildings." But department spokesman Tony Sclafani explains that "illegal signs can pose a danger to the public if not safely installed." The city is currently engaged in a legal battle with billboard companies over the City Council rules, which ad men say are too restrictive and lead to outrageous fines. more ›

As the Department of Health starts moving toward a new restaurant inspection system requiring eateries to display letter grades, the Times tags along with one DOH inspector as he gives a deli buffet in the Financial District the white glove treatment. Inspector Corey Williams explains, "Nobody is glad to see us... You name it, and I’ve seen it. I’ve even seen managers panic and try to take moldy food out the back door while I’m watching." Also lots of rats, both living and dead. During the inspection, owner Peter Kim tells the Times, "My heart is racing. They are so strict. They cost me, $2,000, $3,000, easy, each time they come." Luckily, Williams finds no vermin and Kim squeaks by with a score of 21, the equivalent of a B grade under the new system, which goes into effect in July 2010. That's assuming the restaurant industry, which put up such a fight over the calorie rules, doesn't stop it. One of the industry's main complaints is that although the letter grades must be displayed immediately, restaurateurs still have to wait three weeks to challenge a finding. more ›

An observational study by Hunter College students has concluded that when it comes to traffic regulations, cyclists are incorrigible scofflaws. Students spent October observing 3,000 cyclists chosen at random at 69 locations throughout the five boroughs; they found that only 43 percent of all cyclists stopped at red lights, and roughly 14 percent did not use designated bike lanes, which is not required by law. City law does require children under age 14 to wear helmets, but the study determined that less than half do so. Also:
• Commercial cyclists such as messengers and delivery workers are required to wear helmets, but only 27 percent were observed wearing helmets.
• A gender disparity in helmet use was also evident, with roughly half of female cyclist observed using helmets, compared to just a third of the males.
• About 13 percent of cyclists were observed riding against traffic, and almost 13 percent were observed riding on sidewalks.

"To our eyes, this isn't just about personal behavior, this is about streets that are dangerous and not serving all the people who use them. Well-designed streets give us behavior we want. A good example is 9th Avenue in Chelsea, where there is now a protected bike lane. more ›

Despite the economic tailspin, developers are still moving forward with luxury residential buildings that – assuming anyone can still afford to occupy them – will result in 170,000 new cars on city streets by 2030, thanks to city regulations requiring new developments to contain a minimum number of built-in parking spots. That estimate comes from public transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, who held a press conference at City Hall yesterday urging the city to change the policy, which they say will produce 431,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year. more ›

A week ago the Times reported on Jay Dines, an upstate farmer banished from the city’s Greenmarkets for selling meat he had not raised himself. Today the paper follows up with a look at these complicated Greenmarket rules that have many farmers chafing. Alfred Milanese, co-owner of Martin’s Pretzels, is in his 26th year at the Greenmarket. But he says other vendors resent him because he’s allowed to bypass the “producer-only” rule and sell pretzels made by Mennonites in Pennsylvania: “Over the years people have pointed fingers. They say, what about the pretzel man? He doesn’t have his hands in the dough.” more ›

The Jersey shore town of Belmar has repealed laws that banned unregistered beer kegs and giving someone the finger. Apparently Belmar had instituted these laws to clean up its image as "Fort Lauderdale North" but Belmar's mayor told the AP the rules were hard to enforce. Belmar still has other strict rules as well as code enforcement officers who regularly crack down on summer renters with, say, empty beer cups left on front porches, and give more expensive noise violation fines the later it is. Most amazingly, the town maintains an "Animal House Map." more ›

Meet Arlene Harrison: The self-described “Mayor of Gramercy Park.” She’s the one to talk to if undesirables are spotted infiltrating the private oasis, which requires a key for entry and exit, as two women recently discovered when a maintenance worker ejected them from the park during their Saturday picnic. How did he know they weren't quite the right material? They were probably breaking the rules by enjoying the park. more ›

Starting Monday, alternate-side-of-the-street parking will be suspended on residential streets in Park Slope until further notice. The parking reprieve is being granted while the city changes all the signage to reflect a big change in the alternate-side parking rules: On street cleaning days, the duration of the “No Parking” times will be cut from three hours to 90 minutes in Park Slope. more ›

Now that an appeals court has ruled that the city can start requiring chain restaurants to prominently display their calorie information, Nathan’s has begun tossing up their stats just in time for summer at Coney Island. Kinetic Carnival notes that the Nathan’s basic hot dog has just half the calories packed into a Big Mac from McDonald’s. more ›

In a lawsuit that’s had more back and forth than John Goodman at an all-you-can-eat Marriott breakfast buffet, a federal appeals court has ruled that, yes, city restaurants with 15 or more establishments nationwide must start displaying calorie information for all foods and beverages. In the meantime, the city has agreed not to issue any fines for non-compliance until July 18th, by which time judges are expected to rule on the National Restaurant Association’s appeal. more ›

The incoming president of the Obesity Society has resigned amidst controversy surrounding his work on behalf of the restaurant industry. Last month Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, drew fire from colleagues when he submitted an affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. more ›

The incoming president of the Obesity Society has filed a 33-page affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, cites a study indicating that dieters who get distracted by calorie information are more likely to overeat. And even if the daunting calorie details prompt diners to go for lower calorie items, they'll just end up overeating later because their healthier choice won't really satiate them. more ›

After some City Council members were caught red-handed using public funds to distribute self-promoting ads to voters--even in election years, which is illegal--the council voted 48-1 in favor of banning the practice. The vote comes on the heels of the release of a report [pdf file] by Citizens Union that showed elected officials spent $1 million in paid advertising singing their own praises during the last five years. According to The New York Sun, city... more ›