'Sneaky' Summons Writers Irk Motorists

Motorists driving on Hoyt Avenue and 31st Street in Astoria are getting ticked off by city traffic agents who sprint out from behind "el" pillars along 31st Street to issue tickets.

Law enforcement sources told the Gazette the traffic agents hide behind the pillars to catch motorists who get trapped at red lights in the busy intersection.

"It's crazy," the sources said. "The agents curl up behind the pillars and wait until a car gets jammed up. Then they pounce, scan the registration and toss the summons at the motorist before they skulk back behind the pillars."

Sources acknowledge that it is illegal to block the intersection, where signs clearly indicate, "Don't Block The Box". The signs also warn that motorists who get caught blocking the intersection face a fine and points on their driver's license.

"It's the way they're doing it," the sources said. "Instead of directing traffic at the intersection or standing as a deterrent, they're jumping from behind the pillars and scaring everybody."

Genevieve Lazardo said she was sitting outside a laundromat on 31st Street and 35th Avenue on August 30 waiting for another driver to pull out of a parking space when a traffic agent sped up and scanned her registration.

"The agent pretended not to hear me when I said I was waiting for the other car to move so I could park in the spot," Lazardo said. "He refused to pay attention to me. He handed me a $165 ticket and sped away. I'm sure I hold the record for how much it cost me to do my laundry."

A spokesperson for City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. said complaints to Vallone's Astoria office about the ticketcrazy traffic agents have spiraled over the past six months. In fact, Vallone has received more complaints about the tickets and the ticket-writers than for any other local issue. "People feel the ticket agents are completely out of control," the spokesperson said.

Local restaurant owners are joining the chorus, arguing that their customers can't stop for a moment to pick up take out orders.

"My wife pulled up outside my restaurant a few days ago to drop off food supplies," the owner of a Broadway restaurant said. "She ran to the door to get help unloading the car, and when she walked back a ticket agent was writing a summons. When we tried to explain, the agent sneered at us and drove away. My wife wasn't away from the car for more than thirty seconds. Is this how the city is helping small business?"

High-ranking police sources said the NYPD is looking into the actions of traffic agents who "jump and scan" vehicles at Hoyt Avenue. "Drivers know they have to be careful when they see traffic agents at a location," the sources said. "The agents on Hoyt aren't concerned with traffic control or enforcing the law. It's clear, by their actions, that they have only one thing in mind—to write as many summonses as possible."