Abandoned Bikes Are Piling Up On Rack Outside Of Bedford Ave. L Train Stop
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Abandoned bikes are creating an eyesore in Brooklyn.
As CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported, a mountain of metal covers the corner of North 7th Street and Bedford Avenue in the heart of Williamsburg. On the bike rack between the shiny ten speeds, are long forgotten rides.
"It seems like some of these bikes have been here for years," Simon Zhang said.
The rusted rims, fractured frames and rotted wheels left by riders months, maybe years ago make parking a tight squeeze for cyclists who need the space near the subway station.
You can find one on almost every rack and post.
"This poor bike. It was a good bike, and it's been there a long time," Michael Garza said.
What's left of Garza's own bike has been there for years since thieves snatched the tires and pedals and broke his lock in the process.
The Department of Sanitation said the owner is accountable for removal, but riders said it's too easy to leave.
"There's no responsibility or connection," Zack Eisenstat said.
The city can't just clip a bike for sitting too long.
It must be derelict, meaning it's crushed, rusted, unusable, or is missing multiple parts.
"There's no way to track the owners, and if you clip the wrong bike people are going to be upset, so it's like what can you do? Either way you're gonna be wrong," Kiefer Dixon said.
City removal only covers city property. Construction scaffolding is the construction company's problem.
The Department of Sanitation said if neighbors would like to see the skeletons removed from the street they have to call 311 and complain. There's no specific sanitation team tasked with finding the rusty rides and getting them off the rack.
The Department of Sanitation said it has recently surveyed the bike racks near the Bedford Avenue L station and tagged a handful of bikes for removal within a week.
