Monday, April 30, 2007

A Waste Of Menus

I am always annoyed at the onslaught of menus slid under my apartment door while I am away for the day. Not only is it a waste of paper and ink, it is a pain in the ass to pick them up and potentially dangerous to slip on them when entering a dark room. Sometimes the fliers are strewn all over the stoop, creating an eyesore. What's worse for the building owner, you can be fined by the Sanitation Department $100 for not picking up these restaurants' garbage.

Brooklyn Councilman Simcha Felder's mother received such a fine recently and you know she nagged him on it. I wonder how many times she complained to him until he finally took action and wrote a bill that would fine restaurants for making a mess. If passed, a $50 fine would be assessed for the solicitors.

Now this may seem like the over-regulation the city has endured for a while now, but I think this one may finally be a good one. The bill isn't too ridiculous and it helps the environment a little bit, as well me having to pick up the garbage they leave all the time in and around my building. If you really want to order take-out from a restaurant, wouldn't you rather make your selection based on quality and experience rather than what is thrown under your door?