The guys who are bothering people are the sons and grandsons (or maybe daughters) of the people who were doing the same siht 25 years ago. I really thought that when the tan brick apt building got fixed up (south side of street) the block would get better.

Why You-tube? Surely not to humiliate them - I don't think they would care. Maybe as a way of warning people off Wayne St. and downtown for a while - how do you publicize that? When realtors and landlords start getting hurt maybe action will be taken.

Some of the buildings are ripe for gutting, why are the landlords holding out? Are they rent stabilized?

It sure is sad when a few people can ruin what is otherwise a great neighborhood.

why not just catch it on film and post it on Utube, let the whole world know, nothing like public embarassment for the local politicians to get their butts moving.

wayne st girl - I absolutely agree with you on all accounts. It has gotten so bad lately.

I live on Monmouth and Wayne, and I have to make a choice everytime I walk home whether i'm going to walk on Columbus or Wayne. I'm still not sure which is the lesser of two evils. The catcalling on Columbus is so incredibly bad, but I feel that it is a more traveled street so there is less of a chance of something happening there. However, after ignoring the shouts one day one of the kids threw a plastic cup or something at me. So, since then I've walked up Wayne street.

It's really sad that I literally walk in a zig zag up the street so that I can do my best to avoid these people. And, now when I get to Wayne and Jersey, i proceed up the middle of the street.

where are all the free-lance journalists with video cameras - jc is a gold mine for this sort of stuff. Siht jclist could have there own guy out there reporting for us and selling the news stories to the media.
webbie could pay a guy on a weekly basis and share the money made selling news reports - listers could feed the guy with news ideas left right and center.

Dear Wayne Street Girl,

I am really sorry to hear that people are harassing you so badly. I used to live on Wayne before Jersey right next to what is now Subia's from '94 to '02 and while I got the occasional "Hey Shorty" it was never as bad as you describe. The only thing I might suggest is something I learned from a movie (Truly, Madly, Deeply) which is to walk IN THE ROAD. That way you are lit by the street lights, you can see traffic approaching you (I am assuming this is mostly at night on your way home) and you aren't running the gauntlet of jerks on stoops, at the bodega and in the park.

And unfortunately, like most sexist harassment, people will keep doing it if they think it gets a rise out of you. You might pretend to tune them out better if you wear headphones (but don't play music if you want to keep your wits and ears about you.) That way you'll have an additional prop to help you act nonchalant and deny them the charge of feeling like they succeeded in being annoying jerks!

I live on Barrow and Wayne and the cops don't want anything to do with this mess. That park is a disaster and I have called many time to get something done about it but I don't know what else to do.
Meth or coke is being sold from that bodega, I HAVE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES! I also see people out of their mindes waiting for it to open around 6am.
Constant drinking, smashed bottles and SKETCHY people are out their at all hours.

Please!! What can we do about this? I saw bulldoze that shithole now!

These guys live in the building behind the pharmacy - I like when I see them at the park though ... cause that means I don't have to walk by them

The very best thing you can do is to get off
Wayne St. as soon as you can. It is now and
has always been The Pits.
I remember that many years ago, I had
wanted to buy a house on that block, to
the horror and consternation of everyone
I knew -- but the real estate agent refused
to sell it to me for fear of my household
getting murdered in our beds.
It's bad when even the agents tell you
to stay away!

i live on wayne street between jersey and barrow, and i can't stand the neighbors. fortunately, they don't give me a very hard time, but they are not friendly at all, even after a year or so of trying to say hello, etc..

i'm sorry to hear (and surprised) that they are so nasty to you, especially after 7 years on the block!

You're probably right. But, I do find that men who do this are complete cowards. When I lived uptown, every time I would go out by myself, someone would make some type of harassing comment. Not one man ever said anything to me when I was with my husband. Sometimes, as scary as it may seem, sticking up to them does work, but, yeah, it's risky, cuz after all they are drunk.

I lived with a similar situation in Harlem for three years. Finally we moved here and I feel so much better. If you find yourself not wanting to do simple errands because you're worried about the harassment, it would be worth it to leave. Totally unfair, but worth it for your spirit.

Good luck to you. I don't think the police are going to be much help.

You wouldn't want to threaten anyone. That could only make things worse.

Are these the guys who hang out outside of the building next to that little park?

You should have called 911 if the guy was physical with you... that's assault and he may have been arrested. Also, isn't public drunkeness illegal as well?

I feel for you. If you are able to, it'd be worth it to move. It's horrible to feel dread every time you have to walk down your own street.

Do you have any large and mighty male friends who can threaten this guy on your behalf?

Perhaps you can file a John Doe restraining order.

Does anyone else have the same issues with their neighbors on Wayne street? I moved to Wayne St about 7 years ago. My 'neighbors' on the corner of Wayne and Jersey used to escort me to my door with suggestions of what they wanted to do to me, and other flattering items. After four years of ignoring them they now call me racist. I have put up with their lewd comments and hoped they would ignore me as well ... unfortunately the harassment continues. The leader of the group recently tried to get physical with me, he was walking towards me on the street and basically tried to ram me out of the way.
I have called the cops (via the non-emergency #) a few times to ask them to 'disperse' the crowds and complained of verbal harassment, there are often 5-8 of them drinking on the corner. The cops of course never come... they clearly aren't interested in being proactive about anything on Wayne Street (in my 7 years of living on Wayne Street I have never seen a cop approach them) I am assuming that I am not their only target and other girls on the block face similar harassment. What can be done about enforcing a no loitering policy on that corner?