I was surprised to learn that the Red Bus now requires strollers to be folded while riding for the "safety of our children."

Please tell me how it is safer for me to hold my infant in one arm, my folded stroller in the other, and any bags or belongings I have with me with that third arm I wish I had, all while standing on a moving bus!?

Let’s admit the real reason, which is that the buses are overcrowded and undeniably strollers do take up room. However, there are other things besides strollers that take up room. Just two examples: walkers and grocery carts.

Would it be correct to tell an elderly person they must fold their walker before entering the bus? No. Because the walker is a necessity for that person. And so is a stroller for a mother who has a heavy child or multiple children or must travel a long distance.

Would RIOC receive even more complaints if passengers were told they must remove their belongings from their carts and fold the cart before entering the bus? Yes. Because what is the use of a cart if one must carry their belongings by hand in addition to the folded cart?

I understand that the MTA buses do not allow for open strollers (or wheelchairs, walkers, and grocery carts for that matter). But, up until this point, the Red Bus has. And I, like many others I know, moved to Roosevelt Island assured that we could access the Red Bus with our children in strollers.

Much like anything else that takes up room on the bus, strollers are a necessity. Children are safe in them and should be allowed to remain in them on the Red Bus.

Welcome to Roosevelt Island. How refreshing to have a public servant dedicated to the interests of the people, after the previous administrations.

A crisis exists in middle-income housing, acknowleged by Mayor Bloomberg, judging from his actions. Mr. Shane is right that every effort should be made to preserve affordable housing now and into the future. Government exists to serve the people and address problems that impact their lives. His efforts will acrue to the benefit of the people.

To the Editor:

Something good at RIOC!

Today (May 19) the Island florist staff was out planting a variety of flowers in the curb side planters on Main Street.

The florist shop has graced Main Street for 17 years. This year, for the first time, RIOC approached this local business to bid on doing the planting, rather than going to other flower places. Now that is a positive move that supports all parts of our community.

I am wondering what is the difference between:

a) The Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority is a New York State public-benefit corporation whose mission is to plan, create, co-ordinate and maintain a balanced community of commercial, residential, retail, and park space within its designated 92-acre site on the lower west side of Manhattan.

b) RIOC is a public-benefit corporation responsible for the development, operation, security and maintenance of Roosevelt Island (147 acres).

I see that size is different, what else?

The Battery Park City Authority conducts periodic surveys among Battery Park City residents and other constituent users to obtain feedback about facilities, amenities, and quality of life issues on people’s minds. The last such survey was conducted in 2004 (see www.batteryparkcity.org/pdf_n/Demographic_Study.pdf).

We cannot choose our representatives to the RIOC Board of Directors, but at least we could say our opinion about quality of life here.

If RIOC is not planning such a survey, how about The WIRE – could it be done?

Concerning the new bus route, it is disappointing to see the new administration at RIOC is falling into the same mistakes we have seen before. When I come out of the subway, I need to make a decision: Wait or walk? And, if it is raining, I generally take comfort in the subway station, where I can sit and stay dry till I see the bus coming.

The new route gives me a new decision: Walk north or east? Since home is toward the north, and east is but a barren bus stop, it’s an easy decision I take little pleasure in making.

One of the many glaring ill effects and legacies of your predecessor, Herb Berman, and his bountiful incompetence is the serious issue of cars speeding, running stop signs, and ignoring yield signs on Main Street. Somehow Mr. Berman saw fit to actually remove critical stop signs on Main Street, even though his PSD officers rarely wrote a ticket for running the stop signs in existence, saving their summonses for the easier, non-moving vehicles, generally residents’ parked cars with expired MuniMeter permits. I know this because for years I have observed PSD officers in vehicles literally sit and do nothing as cars just glide by the enormous stop sign at the base of the ramp onto the Island, onto Main Street.

Berman made a bad situation worse by removing these stop signs. I routinely walk elderly people across the street now because they are afraid to assert their pedestrian rights by trusting a car to actually come to a full stop at a stop sign and wait for them, as the culture on Roosevelt Island is routinely permissive when it comes to moving violations (oh – except for U-turns).

This has been on my mind for months but I was just now –on Memorial Day – nearly hit by a car when crossing Main Street in front of my building in the crosswalk adorned with the "Yield to Pedestrians, NYS Law" sign. The driver speeded through at roughly 40mph, screeched to a halt some 20 feet past the crosswalk and then yelled out at me, "Why don’t you look before you walk out into the road, a**hole!" I pointed back to the "Yield to Pedestrian" sign. Then his car screeched away.

The unenforced 15mph speed limit – a joke at this point –is not enough to maintain the safety of pedestrians. We need stop signs and, more importantly, PSD or NYPD to enforce them. Are we going to have to see our citizens literally run down in the street before we see RIOC do something about this?

Concerning the new bus route, it is disappointing to see the new administration at RIOC is falling into the same mistakes we have seen before. When I come out of the subway, I need to make a decision: Wait or walk? And, if it is raining, I generally take comfort in the subway station, where I can sit and stay dry till I see the bus coming.

The new route gives me a new decision: Walk north or east? Since home is toward the north, and east is but a barren bus stop, it’s an easy decision I take little pleasure in making.

Would you please explain to me the thinking behind this new "safety" rule on the bus? How is holding a baby in one arm and a folded stroller in the other (leaving no arms to hold on with) safer than having the baby seated and strapped into a stroller?

In case you have not noticed, there are lots of babies on the Island and not one of their mothers thinks that this a good idea. Dangerous yes, unfair yes, inconvenient yes, physically impossible yes. Good – no!

You can expect to be hearing from many of them.

Also what should one do with the baby while folding the stroller, perhaps lay him or her out on the sidewalk; balance the baby on one’s head?

I respectfully ask that RIOC drop this nonsense.

The rule will only be applicable during rush hours. Does that ameliorate your concerns? I appreciate your views and we have tried to strike a balance between the safety for the greater number, coupled with the crowding issue, and the needs of those adults who struggle with little ones in strollers.

Thank you for your quick response. As far as ameliorating my concerns go,

• Can you please let me know what are the defined "rush hours"?

• Please make certain that the bus operators know that this is the policy, as I was refused access to the Red Bus yesterday (Sunday 5/20) at 8:30 p.m.

• It seems to me that, if this is for "rush hours," it pertains more to issues regarding overcrowding on the buses and the Island’s inability to handle the increasing volume of public transportation needs. I find it somewhat insulting that this is being packaged as a safety issue! I find little correlation between folding my stroller and increased safety on the bus.

Thanks for your attention in this matter.

Whoa, where are you coming from? Your first decision to reroute the buses and put them on a non-schedule schedule is a mistake, obvious to anyone living here, but, thankfully, easily remedied. Though imperfect, due to a dearth of buses, the Tram-based schedule has worked for the last 30 years. As my daddy used to say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You’ve got plenty of other things that are.

Like your attitude, Mr. Shane, my daddy would have really liked to fix that. So, your approach to the citizens of this Island is to hold them hostage until you and/or your boss are out of office. To hell with the people living here, let them sue us! It will take 8 years through the courts, and, by then, we will be outta here. That seems to sum up your cynical approach to the matter of privatization. You and your boss will do it your way, no matter the consequences to the community.

What arrogance! If this is the way in which you will govern, it is unacceptable. Furthermore, your approach to privatization is at odds with the realities on the ground. My god, Berman & company were bad enough due to their incompetence and cronyism. But, if your statement holds, you boys are no better. This is not the ’70’s during a major recession. This is the 21st century and the definition of "middle income," housing costs, etc., have dramatically changed. Not to have a dialogue is unacceptable.

Mr. Shane, as you can tell by our overwhelming Democratic support, most people on this Island have the greatest respect for the present administration. We waited 12 long years for the Pataki reign to end and embraced the Spitzer administration. Were we mistaken? We were keenly aware that privatization was going to be a watershed issue. We were ready to make our case. Therefore, as the Island steward, sit down with those who have plans for the future and give them an honest and open hearing.

There are so many things that need afixin’ on this Island. We were hopeful that this administration would commit itself to that task. If you wish to fulfill Governor Cuomo’s vision, this could be a new beginning.

Karen Mann