Readers nominated two new additions to the Maskless Hall of Shame, and they sent photos. Disregard for the health and welfare of everyone else still plagues Roosevelt Island.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Reports confirm a growing frustration with unvaccinated and face mask refusing folks. Not only are they endangering others, especially children, they’re retarding a return to normal because, through their carelessness, they spur an upswing in new cases.
It’s a tyranny of bad neighbors and poor citizenship affecting us all, but we hoped RIOC might step up, at least for Roosevelt Island. They have not, at least not enough.
Rumors were around, but this is the first photo I saw…
…of a maskless Red Bus driver.
Not really a shocker for the public safety operation that still can control bicycles
But top of the list for the Roosevelt Island Maskless Hall of Shame…
From today…
What makes her special? Let’s let our reader tell her story.
Waiting for a Tram on the Manhattan platform, she saw this woman, the only violator in the crowd, and hoped she’d mask up before boarding.
She didn’t.
“I sent the operator over to her with a mask,” our reader said.
“She held the mask for a few seconds in front of her face but never put it on. She thought somebody was in front of her, and the driver would not see.”
Editor’s note: As part of his responsibility for his passengers’ safety, the operator has an obligation to see. Especially when already alerted to the behavior.
“She took the mask away. That was when I took the photo.”
But the story didn’t end there, though. Instead, it took a humorous turn.
“But now comes the strangest part. The tram arrives at the Island, and she puts the mask on as she leaves the Tram.
“How stupid can a person be?”
We can’t answer that yet, but the bar is getting higher and higher.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
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- From an Upper East Side Legionnaires Outbreak to Queens FestivalsAn Upper East Side Legionnaires outbreak, Queens safety cases, specialized high school admissions, robotaxi concerns, and nearby festivals shape this week’s headlines.
- From US-Iran tensions to Ridgewood preservationHow global events touch daily life on Roosevelt Island: international headlines meet local routines, preserving community balance and neighborhood identity.
- Legionnaires response, Queens bus upgrades, and NYCHA fundingExplore the steady rhythms of Roosevelt Island as city life blends with local routines, from public safety to community gatherings. Discover how behind-the-scenes work supports our daily pulse.
- Upper East Side Legionnaires cluster and Queensbridge NYCHA fundingCatch the latest neighborhood news updates from Roosevelt Island and across the river, including public safety, health alerts in the Upper East Side, new funding for NYCHA Queensbridge, transit upgrades, and community events.
What the Promenade Remembers
The light on the East River in the early morning is different from the light anywhere else on the Island. It comes in low and sideways, catching the water in long, uneven flashes. On certain days it makes the promenade feel less like a walkway and more like a corridor someone once meant to finish but never quite did. When I was younger I found the suggestion to stop and look at it faintly ridiculous.
