BLOCK THE BOX

Traffic is heavy in New York and at times barely moves. It doesn't help if cars block the intersections. So, the City has developed a block the box and you get a ticket program. If your car is caught in the intersections, like the car in the picture, when the light changes you have blocked the box. Notice that the light is green for uptown traffic.

Today, I was on the corner of 36th and Madison Avenues at 4:47 p.m. as traffic was heading east toward the Midtown Tunnel. Traffic was heavy and the police were issuing $115 tickets to anyone blocking the box.

In a one-half hour period I saw seventeen light changes and the following cars or trucks stuck in the intersection and the resulting consequences:
1) Mercedes - ticket
2) Range Rover - ticket
3) Cadillac - ticket
4) Lamborghini - ticket
5) No one blocking the box
6) Honda (beat up) - ticket

At 5:01 p.m. one officer goes over to a parked police car to report in to an official.

7) Saab – no ticket
Honda - no ticket
Large pick-up truck – ticket
8) BMW – ticket
Subaru – ticket
9) No one blocking the box
10) Lincoln Town car – no ticket
Honda – ticket
11) BMW no ticket
12) Cab – no ticket
Van – no ticket
13) White GMC SV – no ticket
NY DOT vehicle – no ticket
14) BMW – no ticket
15) Range Rover – no ticket
16) Mercedes – no ticket
17) Lincoln town car – no ticket
Honda – ticket

It was interesting that although taxi cabs were plentiful, only one was caught in the box during my one half hour study (and that one was not ticketed). And, after 5:00 p.m., even though the officers were still there they wrote only a couple of tickets whereas before 5:00 p.m. they were writing up every car that blocked the box. At $115 a ticket, they collected $575 from five cars with only one getting away. After 5:00 p.m. 4 tickets and 12 got away. I guess 5:00 p.m. must be quitting time. I must remember that for future reference.