Street mechanics violate a number of city codes seemingly written with them in mind: On the street it is illegal to repair vehicles, remove vehicle parts or discard oil. Each violation can carry fines of US$100.
But fines were rare, the mechanics said, until 2000, when the 42nd Precinct made "quality of life" issues a sudden priority and the police began cracking down on the trade. It was a sign of new times: the South Bronx was being transformed, block by block, amid sweeping plans for urban renewal.
These days, the police know the mechanics well. They know, for instance, that Frankie "Pete" Rosado flashes his worn brown tool belt at passing cars the way a prostitute might lift her skirt.
"If I'm looking at a car, I'm guilty," said Rosado.
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