Victory At Bassett Deli: Sign Confusion Cleared Up


by Arthur Borko on Dec 1st, 2009
Bassetts Deli and Caterers in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

It's a miracle! Common sense prevails in DOT sign changes at Bassett Deli

Way back in October we told you about the bad sign situation in front of Bassett Deli and Caterers on Avenue X and East 14th Street. At the time, the “Stop Sign Ahead” caution blocked the “Alternate Side Parking” sign, causing many customers to become victims of the city’s agressive ticket policies. Police stalked the intersection, waiting for unwitting violators.

Well, no longer. Local drivers and customers at Bassett Deli and Caterers won’t be victimized by this ghost sign anymore.

Early Thanksgiving week, workers from the Department of Transportation arrived to make adjustments. According to Frank Bassett, owner of the neighborhood institution, DOT sought to swap their positions, so the alternate side parking sign blocked the stop sign ahead. But an employee of the deli with a little more common sense came out and suggested that they put both signs on one post. In an amazing instance of bureaucratic clarity, they listened! They’ve removed one pole entirely, and both signs are finally equally visible.

As good as this news is, the change is not enough. The current hours scheduled for street sweeping still hurts business for Bassett as the sweeping occurs during the lunch rush. Bassett says they still expect to have quiet Wednesdays so long as the city continues street sweeping at that time.

“It’s the availability of parking around here. It’s terrible,” Bassett said.

Though the confusion will be eased with the new sign placement, he’s doesn’t expect much change in the midweek pattern.

“Wednesdays are Wednesdays,” he said.

Considering the low traffic and population on Avenue X in that area, the very need for street sweeping is called into question. After all, we’ve seen how ineffective it is anyway.

(With additional reporting by Ned Berke)

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  • bb
    If the city wants to make money with a legitimate aggressive ticket policy, why don't they install more cameras, and ticket the outrageous drivers who got thru red lights 3 seconds after they change.

    For instance, coming off the belt parkway at sheepshead bay road and shore parkway (heading east). I cross that street almost every day of my life. The light changes to red, and 3 seconds later cars are still barreling through red lights. One time I said to one (he got stopped at the light making the left), "you went thru the light pal". His response was "I'll beat your head in with a **** baseball bat".

    It seems to be a new unwritten traffic rule in the Bay that a car can go thru the light up to about 3 seconds after it has changed. If the city wants to make the streets safer for pedestrians like me, and cut that budget deficit at the same time, they will crack down on this. Then again, it seems to be the policy of the this liberal government that we coddle to all scofflaws and criminals, and the honest people are the criminals.
  • Actually, they have to stop. The street gets cut off at East 15th Street.
  • Larry
    Looks to me like "Stop Sign Ahead"
  • All I can say is that it is a good thing I don't drive anymore. Those picturegrams drive me nuts. I assume the sign means to stop, look and then go. But the icons themselves don't make that much sense.
  • I don't think Teresa needs to give us any proof. She is the head of CB15 after all. I doubt the DOT would have changed it on their own.

    Teresa thank you very much for acting on my article, it's going to save a lot of drivers some money, but the question begs to be asked. What can we do about ASP in the area?
  • Local Broker
    do you have proof that you were the one who actually got it done. lol.
  • Thanks, Theresa. We were wondering who to credit!
  • Theresa Scavo
    Community Board 15 put the request in to have the signs changed. After reading about it on this web site, I contacted DOT to have the signage repaired.
  • BrooklynQ: You're right. We gave the workers an unfair deal. They deserve credit. It was probably their ability to recognize a sensible idea that ensured this got done correctly.
  • Actually, I don't think the person putting up the sign is a bureaucrat - just some shulb who does the work that the bureaucrats decree. Shulb's are usually pretty smart when left to their own devices.
  • Ray Johnson
    Definitely feels good to know that there are some bureaucrats who listen.
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