Closing Bell: Bike Lanes and Organized Religion Don't Mix
The Hasidim are not the only religious group with a lack of respect for bicycle lanes. In the middle of the day yesterday on Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights, church goers were using bike lanes as their own personal parking spots—and not a ticket in sight.
The Hasidim are not the only religious group with a lack of respect for bicycle lanes. In the middle of the day yesterday on Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights, church goers were using bike lanes as their own personal parking spots—and not a ticket in sight.
5w30- Listen, friend. A bunch of people who believe in invisible super-people in the sky double-parking is not, I admit, that big of a deal. They get together once a week, do their thing, double park, fine. Same goes in alternate-side-parking areas. Not fair, but not that big of an issue.
However, bike lanes both encourage cycling among those whose risk-tolerance is not as high as yours (or that of the aged and perhaps kevorkian-ready mr textpert) and, yes, keep cyclists safer. Does it make cycling risk free? No. It makes it safe-ER. Which is good. Because it is rather dangerous, and yet has lots of benefits. Bike lanes also concentrate bicycle traffic, meaning they make other roads less congested and conflict-y. Again, all about making it safe-ER.
Obviously, if you prefer your cycling to be as dangerous as possible, you and textpert are welcome to bike the wrong way down Atlantic Avenue. I’ll let you know when I’m driving to Fairway, and I can try and accentuate your excitement.
@Dave–
You’re quite possibly one of the coolest people on here.
That said. Getting your face broken for “remedying” something this stupid is quite silly. ya know?
sundays and churches have near-diplomatic immunity across the city. used to see them quadruple parked in harlem, on lawns, sidewalks, you name it. i recall funeral homes being given a good preference also.
seriously though, the bike lane nazis are starting to seem much worse than myopic here. give the church people a break. going code red on this is only going to hurt your cause when real support is needed.
The usual whining douchebags. Christ, you’ve got the whole f-ing road to ride on. A white stripe isn’t going to protect any one of us when the time comes.
What Expert said.
Traffic is not all that busy on Sundays between 9 and 3. That particular stretch of Bedford is only crowded if the traffic backs up for some reason, which rarely happens on Sunday morning. It’s not going to kill people to go around one or two blocks of double parked cars. They have been managing to do so for years.
If this is an instance of church parking during service, it has a long history in many cities (in San Francisco double-parking was allowed, or at least ignored, during certain church hours). As sparafule said, in this case we cyclists can easily go around the cars. Live and let live.
Same for trying to ride along Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights. The bike lane is jammed with cars in the block between Clark Street and Pierrepont Street when church is in service.
This has been going on for years. In Crown Heights, religion and community organizing is the currency.
This happens in Bklyn Heights too, along Henry Street.