Is he a regular killjoy, or just a natural part of the Brooklyn street ecosystem? Pastoralia writes on the Park Slope Message Board at Brooklynian.com:
Has anyone seen this guy? He’s white, got a slight build, knobby knees, usually wearing a large gardener’s hat?
This past weekend I was walking back from the gym and he was going to every street post and tearing down people’s Stoop Sale signs. What’s the deal? I was going to confront him but I was already late and he has the sort of weasely little face that makes you immediately dislike him. He walked up 7th street between 6th and 7th Ave. I’m not sure if he lives there or was off to rip down other people’s signs.
And these were for stoop sales that were currently happening… this really pisses me off. What gives him the right? If a cop comes and rips a sign down because it’s illegal to be on city property- that’s one thing (and they have better shit to do than waste time doing this) but when some one man army thinks he knows what’s better for all of us– that’s F’d up.
LINK: Stoop sale sign ripper (Park Slope Message Board; Brooklynian.com)
I saw him too!!! He was ripping down signs 2 weekends ago on 7th ave and Lincoln. He looked very angry!
i saw him on 8th ave. between 11th and 12th st.
I spotted him as well. He may be from the Park Slope Civic Council, which supports removing anything posted on public property, particularly lightpoles, mailboxes, etc. This is a neighborhood beautification program. The idea is that if people want to post things for stoop sales, they should do it in coffee shops, etc. (where the owner permits it, like Tea Lounge), and not litter the public streets.
I ageee with mk2. In fact, I once a while ago saw two people, a man and a woman before a lamppost on 5th avenue removing a poster off a lamppost. I even found a city regulation against this sort of posting and once saw a sanitation car stop a young woman from posting a flyer on a lammpost on Union Street near the bridge over the Gowanus.
Is Pastoralia aware of this environmentally incorrect activity on the part of those who put up any sort of kinds including stoop sales. I’ve seen stoop sales written on chalk on the sidewalk. That seems like the more decent thing to do. What with laser printers, people put up all kinds of self-promoting signs unthinkable before the age of the pc.
I saw him about 6 weeks back and confronted him about removing signs that people had just put up. He frankly was extraordinarily nervous and yet confrontational. He essentially yelled at me and ran off down the street. I would not be surprised if he has some serious issues. This was not a rational person.
You Know its illegal but condone it ? Good for the Ripper
it Looks dirty and ugly and its Not your Property to post on
Pay for an ad or use craigs list
Do these people go around and take signs down after the sale NO ,
HOW DARE YOU , UNDERSTAND ITS AGAINST THE LAW AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE ENFORCING IT
he is the notorious park slope sign ripper,
iv’e seen him for years, the beady eyes mealy mouthed guy.
dressed like a freak and patrolling the slope for signs to rip down.
a troll like weasel man – claiming he is “empowered” by the
civic council (btw i spoke to one of their executives
and although they don’t condone his claim of
being empowered by the council, they like the nabe
clean of postings and sorta don’t mind his activities only his claim.
i have confronted and seen him confronted but to no avail.
he must have no life or brain, and probably needs help and
much t.l.c. as he has no rhyme or reason to his ripping activities.
i have tried to use triple reverse psychology and suggestive thought to try to get him to realize that the slope needs him to chill out!
sometimes my girlfriend and i yell out “rip.. rip.. rip..” or even run in front of him and rip an expired posting off the lamppost before he gets a chance, it really irks him (hopefully to think)
i guess it’s some revenge for some community postings of events and social activities i have posted and saw him rip down.
omg i’m becoming like him but on the other side of the equation…
by for now…
Yea, he’s around but harmless. Until a few years back when I posted signs for my upcomming stoop sale. That evening, the signs were down. I was not happy and take no offense in seeing my poles around the slope plastered with upcomming events, stuff for sale or a lost kitty.
He’s harmless, but so is posting on poles. And if he’s not from the civic coucil, stop misrepresenting yourself Ripper!
This guy is not autistic. He lives on 5th Street in the building on the corner of 4th between 4th and 5th Avenue. He drives a new red toyota celica sports car. I have seen him wave to friends as he gets in his car and revs it up after a day of ripping down signs.
He does rip down signs for lost people and pets. I have seen this with my own eyes. He rips down signs about community organizing with zeal. THat seems to piss him off more than anything. God forbid we rally against the banks. Driving the car he drives and living where he lives it seems he has a lot at stake in big business.
He has no right to censor what I see and do not see. It is insulting and it is not harmless. He robs us of the art that exists in most neighborhoods that makes this NYC. He also has directly hurt animals by tearing down lost signs.
He is beady eyed and mean looking. His sister is his twin image that is why she is defensive. He is not sick he is just a very mean person who enjoys controlling our environment as if it were his own. Then driving his fancy new car like a maniac.
I wish he would move to a neighborhood in a suburb. It would be better for him NOT to do this with his time. His family is selfish in not seeing how unhealthy this is and how easily it would be solved if they moved him out side an urban setting.
I’m from Park Slope , and I have never seen this guy but I’m amused at everyone’s stories lol. A notorious sign ripper, wow. lol. The best one is David Linken telling us about his twin sister and the red car. You can’t make this crap up.