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Tremont Towing driver double parks in bicycle lane beside no parking zone for caf con leche

LAS OLAS CAF SCOFFLAWRY REDUX
8 October 2014
By David Arthur Walters
MIAMI MIRROR
City officials have not responded to several years of complaints about the daily waves of
scofflaws that wash up on the curbs of the Las Olas Caf on 6
th
Street and Euclid to park beside
the yellow curbs, double-park in bicycle lanes, block pedestrian crosswalks; all this even when
legal parking is available.
Scofflaws believe they have police protection because tow trucks, Parking Department and
Police Department vehicles do likewise. Members of the police motorcycle unit, whose primary
duty is enforcing traffic laws, are often seen enjoying repast inside while their motorcycles are
parked by a yellow curb, even when an adjacent legal space is available. The icing on that cake:
when the driver of a Public Safety patrol car parked in a no parked by a yellow curb outside
joins them.
Instead of being the problem, the police department could be the solution. Cops should
frequent the Las Olas Caf on breaks and park by the yellow curbs as a warning that anyone of
lesser authority who does likewise will be ticketed and towed.
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Car being towed a block from Las Olas Caf
Ironically, one wave after another of scofflawry continues while tow trucks tow off cars in the
surrounding area.

In desperation, I petitioned the city commission to at least make the illegality legal by charging
the usual $35,000 annual fee each for the dozen public parking spaces usually filled with
illegally parked vehicles. I suggested the caf be renamed to Las Olas Drive-In Caf, and the NO
PARKING signs be changed to LAS OLAS CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY.

Man in black stalking to caf (right) threatened me for photographing his KIA (left)
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Unsurprisingly, given the policy of the new administration to only respond to expressions of
gratitude and appreciation, and ignore naysayers, I received nary a reply. Perhaps officials
dropped by the sanctuary to park illegally and have cortaditos.

Unmarked city vehicle Tag 219924

Who cares about bicyclers? Drivers were at caf
The commissioners, the mayor, the city manager, the police chief, and the director of Parking
simply do not care about this perfect demonstration of the consequences of official negligence.
After all, what can anyone do about it if not them? They certainly do not want to punish the
new owner of the popular caf, said to have been the place to go to fix things with cops and
code compliance officers. Why, instead of getting the former owner to pay the concurrency fee
he owed the city, the commission honored him for his contributions to the community.
That is not to say that Parking Department officers have never given a ticket at the infamous
intersection. One officer, when I suggested he go there to give a couple dozen tickets a day,
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told me he remembers giving a ticket there some time back, but he does not hang around there
because he is a vegetarian hence does not want to pollute his body.

As a matter of fact, I observed a Parking Department truck go up and down the street, passing
by nine illegally parked vehicles. He stopped along the way to have a long conversation on his
cell, and then kept on going.

Again, the more cops around, the better. I am all for a police state as long as the laws are fair,
evenly and diligently enforced, and brutality strictly limited to the most egregious disrespectful
behavior. It is now de rigor to openly disrespect cops although disrespect threatens their overall
safety. Of course all lawbreaking officials should be publicly despised and shamed if normal
disciplinary procedures are of no avail.
Cops have been observed having lunch from time to time, and also regularly meeting to confer
at the Vita Life health food store a block away from Las Olas Caf. The owners also own the
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Meridian Market, laundry, and discount store on the next block. They have complained to the
police about the riffraff loitering, panhandling, and drinking in front and behind their
businesses. They spoke to the captain personally about such matters, and he said he will take
care of it. It is not entirely taken care of since they cannot be present very minute. And
everyone has their rights. Yet they could do more. I have recommended that they patrol the
alleys on their way to and from the Las Olas and Vita Life. People have been robbed, stabbed,
and raped in those alleys, not to mention the sight of drunks rolling around and even passed
out impeding traffic.

Police assembled perhaps to plan protection
of Jews from terrorists on the high holidays

Recent photos of police patrols in Columbia
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Drunks said the jail and alleys of South Beach are preferable to Guatemala

Meridian Market frequent loiterer, and behind badly managed city funded building
They do not live in the building. Female residents are particularly fearful.