“Maskless tourists” on the Tram should not surprise anyone as cherry blossoms decorate Roosevelt Island. But either they surprised RIOC or they just don’t care as public safety officers, according to a Tram operator, no longer patrol the cabins.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
“Many maskless tourists” but no PSD
“RIOC defies logic, and it hurts,” our reader wrote in an email. “This week PSD no longer rides the tram,” confirmed a Tram employee.
“And oh, surprise! Upon arrival to Roosevelt Island, two officers were standing by the entrance idling and laughing with a friend.”
Although complaints like this became all too common in the past two COVID-wracked years, things changed in recent months. Tram riders consistently saw PSD officers riding in Tram cabins, enforcing mask rules. It was contagious. Operators were also firm when PSOs weren’t present.
But strangely, just as tourist volume jumped with cherry blossom season, the Public Safety Department’s deep thinkers figured it was time for shuffling back inside the office.
Taking things into her own hands, our reader – a senior – confronted the maskless tourists. Three put on masks, but “two others carried theirs as a necklace.”
Negligence has its say…
“Sad to say if you care to keep healthy as a very senior person,” she summed up, “better stay home away from bikes, motorized scooters, and overcrowded trams and red buses.”
RIOC and PSD will not be there for you. A sad fact of life for Roosevelt Island.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- A Week of Shifts: News, Weather, and Community Reminders for Roosevelt IslandA week of shifts in news, weather, and community reminders for Roosevelt Island, from Memorial Day weather to local stories and citywide headlines.
- Roosevelt Island Community News: Neighbor Stories, Local Events, and Civic ConnectionsStay updated on Roosevelt Island community news with neighbor stories, local events, civic history, and the ways citywide efforts connect our daily lives.
- A Week Around Roosevelt Island: Community Threads and Local NewsCatch up on a week around Roosevelt Island and nearby neighbors: from NY-7 politics and Sunnyside Yard to local governance, events, and city headlines.
- Building Community Connections on Roosevelt Island and Nearby NeighborhoodsExplore how building community connections on Roosevelt Island and nearby neighborhoods shapes everyday life, from transit shifts to civic efforts and local arts.
- Community Rhythms and Neighborhood Steadiness on Roosevelt IslandExplore community rhythms and neighborhood steadiness on Roosevelt Island, from public safety updates to art, weather, and the everyday connections that keep island life vibrant.
AVAC: Where the Pipe Curves
This is the final installment in my notes from the December 2nd, Operations Advisory Committee meeting, following “An Emergency, Apparently” and “Rust Is Funny Until It Isn’t”.
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