Rockaway residents have spoken…and they’re not happy with the new muni-meters on Beach 116 street. The results of The Wave’s recent on-line poll are in and residents overwhelmingly dislike the change to muni-meters on the merchant block in Rockaway Park.

In response to being asked, "Do you believe the new muni-meters recently installed on Beach 116 street are an improvement over the old parking meters?" readers supported the change by 33 percent, but 66 percent believed it was not an improvement.

Commenting about the change to muni-meters, readers referred to it as a "rip-off" and "unkind to the handicapped and elderly." Several readers commented that the muni-meters were unreliable. One resident said, "One of the muni-meters has been out of service for at least a week" and another added, "Recently, I went to Beach 116 street and the machine was broken. I had to walk half way down the block to pay, in the pouring rain. It makes me not want to go there."

The public’s frustration was clearly heard when one on-line participant said, "Rockaway seems to get things screwed up quite often. Why? Who’s in charge?"

Residents who are not supportive of the change to muni-meters should contact the New York City Department of Transportation and locally elected officials.

To participate in The Wave’s on-line polls, visit www.rockawave.com. The Wave’s website, which has been available to readers since June of 1999, offers weekly updated news, community information, archives, cyber-postcards, interactive polls, and much more.