Wednesday, January 4, 2012

What's going on in Astoria?

"I have been searching around online to find out what happened with these cases, and if these unconscious men laying around really had a medical condition or if my tax dollars were used for their unnecessary ER visits.I don't know and haven't found any news stories about this. What's the deal?

Within the past 6 months, during my daily routine or going to or from the Steinway St. subway station, I've come across a young man passed out on the street, around 34th Ave. and Steinway Street and most recently tonight, someone who apparently fell on the steps of the train station, at the exit closest to Broadway. Their body positions and seemingly how no one seemed to notice how they ended up there, seem very odd to me.

No joke, I'm just curious as to why guys are passing out in the middle of the street. Low sugar levels, drunkenness, are they high, are they looking for a hospital bed to sleep in?

All 3 men that I've walked by (and have called 911 for them, along with other by-standers) have probably been in their late 20's, early 30's. Fairly well-kept and dressed, nice sweater & jeans, and found unconscious.

1. A Friday night in July 2011, 7:30pm: 34th Ave. in front of Entenman's Outlet. Man laying unconscious between cars, he's on his stomach with feet over the curb into the street. Strange that he was positioned so close to two parked cars. A few people call 911. He seems to be drooling. A woman brings a bottle of water to try to make him drink it, he keeps mumbling that he has some kind of soup. As sirens get closer, I see him pick his head up quickly and put it back down. I don't stay because I have a train to catch.

2. A Monday afternoon in August 2011, 3:00pm: Southside of 34th Ave. Salvation Army. Walking back from the grocery store (passed by that point about 1/2 hour before), a man is unconscious, laying on his back, between two cars. His feet were hanging over the curb, like he had slipped or something. People were gathering around. I asked the Halal cart vendors if they knew what was going on. He didn't know and said that the ambulance is here all the time, just earlier that day a woman got hit at that intersection.

3. A Thursday evening in December 2011, 11:00pm: At the bottom of the Steinway Station steps, exiting towards Basureo restaurant, a young man is laying flat on his back at the bottom of the stairs. The placement of his feet are under the hand railing. The group of subway riders ahead of him are standing on the steps looking back at him and calling 911. Did his feet get caught under the hand rail? He looked like he only fell from 4 or 5 steps up- not so high. And possible to catch yourself with your hand or land on your butt unless there was a medical issue.

All these incidents happened during nice weather, no rain or snow to slip on. I'm glad by-standers will call 911, but if these are hoaxes it's very disconcerting. What's the deal?" - anonymous

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is -exactly- the same thing you'll see over on third and second ave's in the 80's in Manhattan.

It is rare now that temps have fallen but as soon as warmer weather arrives the refugees from the bars over there will again populate the sidewalks, vestibules (pissing and vomiting) and making a general nuisance of their drunk, stoned selves.

The bar owners don't care...what the hell if someone is getting rich, that's what counts.

Anonymous said...

The homeless and illegals do that in Los Angelos to get priority on free beds, medical and meals. -and sue the city for neglect and all sorts of stuff

It looks like the copycat get-overs figured out how to work the system here.
You can bet some of these guys have crooked Forest Hills lawyers and doctors to get settlement money from the city
What worse is once that game is called these people will switch to robbery and mugging. People are getting pretty desperate

Anonymous said...

Obviously a new hipster fad. Trustafarians playing at being homeless in the street (then they go home to their parents estates in Greenwich CT on the weekend).

Anonymous said...

It's probably Bloomberg's fault, right Crappy?

Robert said...

Anecdotal. I live a block from this corner, and I have seen nothing like the author describes.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like heroin is coming back.

FlushingRepresenter said...

in their late 20's, early 30's. Fairly well-kept and dressed, nice sweater & jeans, and found unconscious.


Definitely hipsters and their "look at me" antics.

Anonymous said...

Drunk Mexicans. They're heeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrreeeeee.

Al Chapman said...

I see this from time to time.

A couple of people down on their luck. They don't know how to deal with it so this is one option.

Occupy Wall Street hits Steinway Street

Anonymous said...

I saw something similar in Forest Hills last summer. Weird.

King Ning said...

Next time you encounter one of these fiber optic-armed, asparagus stalk-framed urban explorers lying on the ground, just give him a light kick in the ribcage. Guaranteed he'll flinch and react. This is nothing more than another stupid me-monkey stunt a la owling, Batmanning, etc.

Anonymous said...

Looks like some hipster stupidity. Give the next one a good kick

Anonymous said...

I saw the SAME young man, that I saw passed out in front of Enteman's, while walking home this summer. He approached me and seemed confused and was talking about trying to find his keys and a car and asked me if I drive. I asked if he wanted me to call someone for him, to pick him up. He said no and walked away. He seemed STONED out of his mind.