flyers littering stoops

anonymous

I am so annoyed by picking up the flyers/newspapers that are thrown on my stoop. Usually I get 2 or 3 of each. I'm on junk mail lists, and it bugs me that forests are being destroyed for this. I called 311 and they said they'd alert my local precinct, but that didn't really get me anywhere. Has anyone found a solution? I think it's the equivalent of someone throwing trash on your stoop, it's an eyesore and just adds to the litter around the neighborhood.

rose

I get two or three of everything too. Last weekend Dominos Pizza left no less than ten fliers on our stoop and scattered all over our front yard. My husband picked them all up, walked down to Dominos, and threw them on their floor. So that was somewhat satisfying, but not really a solution.

findcate

that would make me not order from dominos ever again (as if the pizza wasn't gross enough to do that anyway). there must be some way to get it stopped. who reads these? i don't get it.

(that was my initial post, sorry, i wasn't logged in)

dailyheights

Rose wrote: Last weekend Dominos Pizza left no less than ten fliers on our stoop and scattered all over our front yard. My husband picked them all up, walked down to Dominos, and threw them on their floor. So that was somewhat satisfying, but not really a solution.

That's brilliant. Who is the worst offender? We could have a Daily Heights/Daily Slope "recycling drive" and return a large volume of paper to the rightful owner. This would be a great way to send a message...

stacey

I know there is a law now in NYC that does not allow you to put flyers on a car and if you see them you should contact the NYC Department of Sanitation. Maybe if you call them they can tell you what to do if you have them on your stoop. I thought this came up once before on one of the forums but I could be wrong

findcate

I called David Yassky's office. It's something they're working on. They are actually working on a bill to categorize this type of advertising along with junk mail and telemarketing. apparently since it's outiside the house it falls under free speech (but obviously causes waste & expense for everyone).

I think a recycling drive would be a really smart idea. It would hopefully send a signal to advertisers that they are just annoying people.

rose

I'm in favor of free speech as a general rule, but are they really allowed to bring their "speech" onto my property? I don't even mind the menus, I mind the multiple newspaper-sized bags of advertisements that get thrown onto my stoop every day. I mind that if I go on vacation, I have to pay a neighbor kid to come to my house every day and clear all the crap off my stoop so it's not obvious that I'm away. I feel like I should at least be able to opt out of this somehow, the same way you can have your phone number put on the no-telemarketing registry.

armchair_warrior

i dont mind a menu or 2 but i hate the flyers for other stuff.

dw438

Subject: Fliers=garbage

Rose wrote: I'm in favor of free speech as a general rule, but are they really allowed to bring their "speech" onto my property? I don't even mind the menus, I mind the multiple newspaper-sized bags of advertisements that get thrown onto my stoop every day. I mind that if I go on vacation, I have to pay a neighbor kid to come to my house every day and clear all the crap off my stoop so it's not obvious that I'm away. I feel like I should at least be able to opt out of this somehow, the same way you can have your phone number put on the no-telemarketing registry.

As the saying goes, the First Amendment ends at the property line. The companies that hire those poor guys to put out the paper are a) trespassing on private property and b) littering.
FYI the main offender in Brooklyn is a subsidiary of Newsday. I've always thought about gathering up a week's worth of crap and sending it back to the publisher in Melville, LI, or to Tribune Co. HQ in Chicago. A mess.

findcate

apparently if they are on the front stoop, that's considered public space and free speech so it's not tresspassing. We should be able to decide as a building that we're not interested.

rose

findcate wrote: apparently if they are on the front stoop, that's considered public space and free speech so it's not tresspassing. .

I don't know about that. The front steps of my house aren't public space, they're part of my property. You don't have a first amendment right to come onto my property and start shouting into your cellphone (or otherwise speaking), so why would you have a first amendment right to distribute written materials on private property?

findcate

actually, your stoop is public space (apparently).

i know, i agree. i'm just called the city and they said it was legal to throw stuff on your stoop, basically said nothing i can do. then i called David Yassky's office and they explained it was considered public domain. so it's a fact, whether we agree or not.

but apparently the law's gotta change before we can do anything about it. maybe call yassky's office & tell them you think it's a problem (if you do).

amyskittysitting

findcate wrote: actually, your stoop is public space (apparently).

i know, i agree. i'm just called the city and they said it was legal to throw stuff on your stoop, basically said nothing i can do. then i called David Yassky's office and they explained it was considered public domain. so it's a fact, whether we agree or not.

but apparently the law's gotta change before we can do anything about it. maybe call yassky's office & tell them you think it's a problem (if you do).

Even on the stoops that have the blatant signs that say "no solicitation" and the like, there are fliers shoved into the fencing.... Highly frustrating

armchair_warrior

so does that mean i cant put up bear traps on my stoop? since its public

rose

Damn, I just spent a lot of money having my stoop rebuilt . . . if it's public space, I think the City needs to pay me back.

But the thing is, it's not a public space; it's on my property, it's part of my house. My front yard is not a public space. You're not supposed to come into my yard and pick my flowers -- though that has happened. If you come along and sit on my stoop, I can ask you to leave, and if you won't leave, I can call the police and they'll come and tell you to leave.

So I don't think it's an issue of private vs public property -- must be something about distribution of literature.

armchair_warrior

i think the stoop is like the front side walk of the street. its public and yet you own that side walk. if any maintance needs to be done its up to you to cement it, if the tree is dying on that street side walk you have to take care of it too.