[NMCycling] Homeless under Montgomery on North Diversion Channel

Tue Jun 26 07:55:13 MDT 2018

I believe Paul said:  “No one has the right to sleep or congregate in a roadway of any kind”   The reason they choose the underpass is that it is out of way of the view of the police (almost always in their cars).  I guarantee you that if they chose to sleep in the left-hand lane of Montgomery, someone would call the police and the police would remove them.

Two other things Benjamin.  First as I said in my original post, “I always make it a point to say hello and am always friendly.”  Second, I really wouldn’t mind it so much if they were just sleeping.  It is the larger groups of obviously mentally impaired (weather naturally or by self-medication of drugs or alcohol) that scare me as the homeless have nothing to lose by mugging me.  And you are correct, I could “just take another route if you are fearful”.  But why should I have to get off the multi-use path and ride with the cars in rush hour traffic because the homeless think they have the right to be drunk in public (which IS illegal), block the path, and make threating comments to me?

Craig

From: Bike-racers <bike-racers-bounces at mailman.swcp.com> On Behalf Of Benjamin George via Bike-racers
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2018 6:46 AM
To: Paul Sery <pgsery at gmail.com>
Cc: NM Bike Racers <bike-racers at swcp.com>
Subject: Re: [NMCycling] Homeless under Montgomery on North Diversion Channel

Actually people do have a right to sleep in public spaces. That’s why there’s no sign saying bike riding only. https://consumerist.com/2015/08/13/justice-department-says-its-not-illegal-to-sleep-outside/<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__consumerist.com_2015_08_13_justice-2Ddepartment-2Dsays-2Dits-2Dnot-2Dillegal-2Dto-2Dsleep-2Doutside_&d=DwMFaQ&c=jTZAAM0XhIN6PlQBQ9oQqw&r=zjcm5wDL6_fsjfWONPZL1xOufKDIaLCBaRaZAVC1y-U&m=iEMOPr29fPvzqI8Vu6RYLa4-NvpwUByyLCHqpYJTboU&s=Yxbbf8pRf0A2XKZqP1NReXLoZ4iDZI52INYjhZKY5H4&e=>
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On Jun 25, 2018, at 4:37 PM, Paul Sery via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>> wrote:
No one has the right to sleep or congregate in a roadway of any kind. It's dangerous for us and them, especially in the enclosed underpasses. Affordable housing has been the claimed solution since at least the 70's but until it's achieved we should worry about our own safety. I'll continue to call the cops like I did when two guys rolled their statistically unlikely shopping cart down the ramp at me under Carlisle, or when people are sleeping on the trail as I come down the ramp at speed with limited vision - which I don't don't but should be able to because people shouldn't be sleeping on the bloody trail. Why this has to be argued is discouraging.

On Sat, Jun 23, 2018 at 3:09 PM Dennis Chavez via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>> wrote:
While we're at it, we should call in a complaint regarding those groups of cyclists "impeding" traffic on the roadways.

On Sat, Jun 23, 2018 at 8:58 AM Javi via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>> wrote:
I concur with you Benjamin. :)

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Benjamin George via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>>
Date: 6/23/18 7:05 AM (GMT-07:00)
To: Tovarh <tovarh at comcast.net<mailto:tovarh at comcast.net>>
Cc: bike-racers at swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at swcp.com>
Subject: Re: [NMCycling] Homeless under Montgomery on North Diversion Channel

Homeless people have a right to public space. Homeless people are statistically the recipients of violence as opposed to the perpetrators. I always encounter homeless folks on my rides, say hi and smile and the salutations are returned in kind. We have a huge homeless problem in town, yes. But rather than moving homeless people around to accommodate yourself, call Wells Fargo or J.P. Morgan and complain about the housing crisis rather than looking at its symptoms. And if you call the mayor tell him to fund more affordable low-income housing and mental health and addiction services rather than law enforcement—they only worsen such problems as evidenced by the murder of james Boyd. This conversation comes up a lot. You have a home, be thankful, just take another route if you are fearful.
Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 22, 2018, at 8:21 PM, Tovarh via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>> wrote:
Craig,
I work at UNM (Army ROTC) and use this path almost daily (biking, running and foot marching). The homeless in this area is a huge problem. Numerous times over the last 12 months they have harassed the cadets and challenged me while commuting. APD was on site about 2 months ago but to no avail.
I will call on Monday and echo your concerns.
Thanks
Hector Tovar
Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 22, 2018, at 4:09 PM, Craig M. Doolittle via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com<mailto:bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com>> wrote:
Hello,

As many of you know there is a persistent and consistent problem of homeless under the Montgomery underpass on the North Diversion Channel multi-use path.  My opinion is that this is because the underpass is only a block or so east of the I-25/Montgomery intersection which is heavily worked by panhandlers.  I believe they work that intersection in shifts and take shelter/breaks in the underpass.

I regularly commute on this trail and have always been worried in that area.  I always make it a point to say hello and am always friendly.  Hopefully they will get to recognize me and be nice in return.  Most of them are friendly, the regulars often saying hello to me back.  However, some of them are clearly not friendly and make other comments to me.   If one person were to shoulder check a bike rider, the rider would most likely crash and be stunned.  That opens up the opportunity for the rider to be beaten and robbed before they have regained their senses.

One night last week there were about a dozen homeless in the underpass, 3 of them clearly inebriated and arguing with each other right in the middle of the path.  After carefully making my way through I took the time to call 242-COPS and file a report and request the police clear the path.  The police keep track of incoming calls and keep statistics on them.  I also called 311.  The 311 operator suggested I call the police.  I informed her that I had already done that, and she suggested she could take a complaint report and provide it to Parks and Rec, who she said were in charge of the bike paths (is that true?).  However, I was specific with her that I wanted to file a complaint and I wanted it forwarded to the mayor’s office.  Today I received a phone call from Thomas Tozier from the Mayor’s Constitute Office to discuss my complaint.  I explained everything to him and told him I wanted an increased police presence in that area to remove the homeless form the trail and make it safe for users.  I acknowledged the work the city has/was doing on bike paths/lanes, the 50 mile loop, etc., but also pointed out that if someone was mugged or worse in that underpass that it would drastically undercut the city’s effort at promoting bicycles.

I would like to encourage all of you to call BOTH the police and the mayor’s office (311 and request complaint be forwarded to mayor’s office) each and every time there is a group under the bridge.  Perhaps if there are enough complaints, something may get done.

I don’t want to get into any arguments regarding homeless, panhandlers, etc.  There are shelters and organizations in the city willing to help those in need.  They don’t need to be sleeping on the trails, standing in large groups in the middle of the path etc.  I am sure they have rights, but so do I, and a right to be reasonably safe on the path is one of mine.

Craig

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