Bassett Deli Contends With Tickets

Bassett Deli and Caterers on Avenue X and East 14th Street is a Sheepshead Bay institution and community favorite. A community they’ve been serving for many years. However there’s a problem, one that rears it’s ugly head every week on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m: alternate side of the street parking.

Owner Frank Bassett says business dies down like clockwork as the rule takes effect during what would be their busy lunch rush. To make matters worse, the sign warning drivers that they can’t park there is completely obscured by a “Stop Ahead” sign. When asked about its placement, Bassett exclaimed, “It’s a nightmare!”

Bassett Deli made requests with the Department of Sanitation to change the placement of the signs in the past, but pleas for help fell on deaf ears. Bassett says predatory traffic officers routinely come and lie in wait for an oblivious customer to make a mistake and park there, hurting the famed business and local residents, too. In order to help his clientèle, Bassett puts out their own custom sign on Wednesdays to warn of the impending danger.

Meanwhile, the “Stop Sign Ahead” sign seems totally unnecessary. That particular block is very short, and the stop signs are clearly visible from as far as two blocks away. One of our local pol’s should look into the matter and help a local business out. The best we could hope for is a rescheduling of the street sweeping to a less intrusive time slot, and at least the Department of Transportation can switch the placement of the two signs so the street cleaning notice is clearly visible to all drivers. Just in case I’ll be returning to the spot on Monday and using the city’s new 311 iPhone-app to file a complaint that way.