Closing Bell: PPW Protest, After the Fact
The blogs have brought in lots of news of the PPW bike lane showdown this morning. Streetsblog was at the pro-rally, where hundreds of people gathered to defend the traffic-calmed street. About 70 or so opponents gathered close by, although there wasn’t much dramatic confrontation. Gothamist quotes an anti-bike lane spokesperson: “Why do they think…
The blogs have brought in lots of news of the PPW bike lane showdown this morning. Streetsblog was at the pro-rally, where hundreds of people gathered to defend the traffic-calmed street. About 70 or so opponents gathered close by, although there wasn’t much dramatic confrontation. Gothamist quotes an anti-bike lane spokesperson: “Why do they think they can mutilate this extremely beautiful boulevard? It is useful maybe to a handful of bikers.” This was met with booing, and the counter-argument that bike lane access is about “The sustainability of New York. This is about reducing our dependence on oil!” Sounds intense. Did any readers attend?
Hundreds Rally in Support of PPW Bike Lane [Streetsblog]
Protests Pit Seniors Against Cyclists [Gothamist]
Photo by Ben Fried / Streetsblog.org
Wait a second, so people disregarding the law on a street without a bike lane means that we should get rid of other bike lanes? How does that make any sense?
Also, I see car drivers doing stupid, crazy, homicidal things all over Brooklyn every single day. Mid-block u-turns into active crosswalks, whipping around corners without yielding to pedestrians, running red lights. Does that mean that we should get rid of car lanes? Why or why not?
tybur6, Please. The only thing you were right on is I said nothing. I posted on a message board. If you’re hearing things, perhaps its better to log off.
The bottom line is TOO MANY bikers are riding irresponsibly in the roads that the drivers are regulated, licensed and accountable on. This is why SO MANY oppose the bike lanes.
And ZINKA, Oh there isn’t a bike lane on Greene Avenue. I stand corrected it’s on Dekalb and several bike lanes intersect Greene. . However, though no there’s no bike lane it doesn’t stop countless bikers from disregarding the traffic laws on Greene and its narrow two way avenue. THIS IS WHY many drivers want all bike lanes gone.
There is NO bike lane on Greene Avenue! Just goes to show that a lot of the bike lane haters don’t have their facts even remotely straight.
Snowman2 — your comment actually doesn’t make any sense. How is registration of bicycles in ANY WAY a call for accountability?! How does registering your car make you a better, safer DRIVER?! It doesn’t!?
In actuality, I DID call for accountability. It’s called ENFORCEMENT of traffic laws. ALL of THEM. Don’t whine about bikes when drivers, pedestrians AND cyclists are breaking traffic laws and NOTHING is being done about it.
Regardless, If you honestly think that bicycles are the most dangerous things on our roads and that, somehow, bike lanes make it worse… well, I can’t even have a conversation with the likes of you. It’s clear you are calling for streets to become “car-only” — too bad the traffic laws don’t agree with this.
By the way, I don’t EVER go the wrong way down the road on my bike and I always yield to pedestrians. It’s funny, there’s no mention of the pedestrians stepping in front of ME when I have a green light!! Or the cars that regularly squeeze me off the road because they can’t stand waiting 10 seconds until there’s a safe place to pass me.
tybur6, you’re knee-jerk negative reaction to calls for accountability speaks to your lack of judgment. Maybe you’re the moron flying down Smith St during the afternoon rush, boldly running the red light in front of the subway exit. Or are you silently speeding down a quiet side street the wrong way, pedestrians (who are looking for traffic coming from the right way) be damned.
You have no credibility.
Oh… and by the way, most, if not all, bike lane have been installed with MUCH thought of how they will affect the neighborhoods!! That’s the point! There will be impact on both biking safety and traffic! The PPW bike lane was first and foremost a TRAFFIC CALMING measure. The actually bike lane was a byproduct.
brooklynbrowngal — You have said NOTHING.
(a) I’m not aware of the Greene Avenue bike lane, but I’m sure it’s perfectly fine. REGARDLESS, bikes can ride down the middle of the lanes if they want. They are authorized users of the streets in this fine Borough — I don’t care what you think.
(b) I don’t want to minimize your friend’s death, but I’d be curious what the actual circumstances were. You were purposefully vague. This is also VERY rare compared to the thousands and thousands thousands of deaths every injuries and deaths caused by car squishing pedestrians and cyclists.
As a side note, just yesterday a driver with serious tunnel vision came up behind my car all aggressive and swerved to the left to try to get around me. There was a BICYCLE next to him. A bicycle he drove by and didn’t notice! The bicycle decided to ride on the sidewalk. I don’t blame him
(c) How has licensing and registration done ANYTHING to reduce speeding, running red lights, aggressive driving, dangerous maneuvers, etc. IT DOESN’T!!! Enforcement is the only thing that works. Funny you didn’t call for more traffic tickets…
(d) This particular bike lane was installed BECAUSE OF the community. The Park Slope residents asked for it through its community board!
The older people MAY have been complaining to be complaining HOWEVER, the bike lanes were put into existence with little to NO thought as to how they would effect the neighborhoods they are in. SOME of the bike lanes are in areas that are two way streets (GREENE AVENUE) and barely passable by a single car going in opposite directions. Much less a bike lane.
Other issues are the bikers aren’t following the rules of the road. THEY ARE creating dangerous situations for drivers and pedestrians in the process. A friend of mind was killed last summer in one of the bike lane neighborhoods trying to get out of the way of a bike rider who wasn’t following the traffic rules.
Drivers have to pay license, registration, and yearly inspection fees and SO should bikers over the age of 13. It’s the only way to fairly regulate safety.
How about getting rid of the bike lane and not letting cars into the park?