If I Were Mayor of NYC....

(Author's Note: This post is the latest installment of an ongoing, unofficial "Tribute To New York City" series we having going here at TFtC. Check out the rest of the series here and here.)

New York is an amazing place to live. There is more excitement and culture contained within one city block than in the sum total of many other American cities. But let's face it ladies, it isn't the safest nor easiest place to raise kids. Every mom in New York has at least once uttered the words, "If I were in charge around here..."

My election as the next NYC mayor is not a likely scenario for many reasons: I haven't held a political office since 8th grade student council at Floyd Light Middle School, many of my husband's relatives run around the U.S. picking berries and washing dishes illegally, and, oh yeah... we are officially no longer NYC residents. Nevertheless, these are some changes I would make:

1. All subway stations must have functioning elevators. No more schlepping strollers up and down crowded and often wet concrete stairs. I would call this "Marian's Law."

2. Existing subway elevators (few and far between, located only at major city hubs) would be replaced and subject to daily fumigation (or at least very intensively cleanings). Anyone who has dared to enter a NYC subway elevator understands the high toxicity level of these places.

3. All cabs would contain at least one car seat that could be easily stored in the trunk when not-in-use. How many of us have darted across the city holding a small baby while PRAYING that nothing happens? It's legal in NYC for children to ride in cabs without car seats, but not any less safe, and unfortunately, it's pretty much impossible for a parent to shlep around a car seat in the city.

4. All of those horrid storefront trap doors would be permanently LOCKED! Anyone who has spent time in the city knows what I am talking about. In NYC, every business has a cellar located directly underneath the storefront used for storage. Metal doors ON THE SIDEWALK access the cellar from underneath. I have peered down many o' cellar doors and the fall is LONG and HARD. Workers are loading and unloading goods through these doors all day long, and these doors are often left WIDE OPEN. If you (or heaven forbid, your child) isn't paying close attention, it would not be difficult to fall into one. I often wonder how prolific these accidents are, although I have to admit, I've never heard of an actual incident. Regardless, more than once I woke out of bed in a cold sweat after dreaming that one of my children had fallen into one.

5. All traffic violations that result in putting young children in danger (i.e. failing to stop at stop signs and red lights, turning into the crosswalk with children or strollers crossing) would result in triple fines and a suspended driver's license for the violating driver. And, oh yeah, if I were mayor, traffic violations would actually be enforced.

I have to remind myself now that I'm out of the city that I need to actually follow traffic laws....but it is nice to be able to cross streets with my kids without having my stomach in knots.

6. I would also institute "pee-for-a-fee" bathrooms around the city. For 50 cents (no charge for kids), you would be guaranteed a clean and safe restroom environment for those "in-the-city" bathroom and diapering emergencies. Each restroom would also have an attractive "mother's room" for moms who want to breastfeed with a little privacy....like at church, but without the smelly diaper bin and leftover-from-the-1970's rocking chair. The men's restroom would also have changing tables.

Fifty cents, you say! Well, I would have paid many times that amount...especially when I was pregnant. It would have saved me a lot of logistical planning. Both of my babies camped out on my bladder so I always made sure I was within a 20 block radius of a Barnes & Noble whenever I was in the city.

Any additional laws you can think of that need to be enacted to ensure a new, child-friendly New York?