Politics Trump Sanity in Bedford Bike Lane Battle
If you’re looking for a sign of the Hasidic community’s political clout in this town, look no further than the removal of 14 blocks of bike lanes on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg yesterday. As reported on both Gothamist and StreetsBlog, DOT was out sandblasting off the white lines that used to protect bikers on…

If you’re looking for a sign of the Hasidic community’s political clout in this town, look no further than the removal of 14 blocks of bike lanes on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg yesterday. As reported on both Gothamist and StreetsBlog, DOT was out sandblasting off the white lines that used to protect bikers on this central thoroughfare through North Brooklyn. As you may recall, the matter first reared its head last summer when some members of the local Hasidic community protested the bike lane on the grounds that some of the bicyclists who frequented it were too scantily clad; another argument floated against the bike lane had to do with “the large number of schools, stores and religious institutions.” StreetsBlog notes that the Mayor reportedly cut several deals with the leaders of the Hasidic community to gain their support. Circumstantially it looks like this was one of them.
City To Remove 14 Blocks Of Bike Lanes On Bedford Ave. [Gothamist]
DOT Sandblasts 14 Blocks of Bike Lane [StreetsBlog]
Photo by Elizabeth Press
“I believe that the City very clearly wants to create conflicts between bikers, mass transit users, and motorists. As was stated before, prior to bike lanes bikers and motorists co-existed peacefully. This is all to make the city less car friendly, to demonize those folks who use vehicles, and to provide back door taxes (in the form of use fees and tickets) that result in people chosing to give”
Divide and conquer is definitely something gov’t uses to take the focus off of themselves by letting the special interest groups fight for political support which basically means trying to win over politicians. Always great when everyone wants to be your friend…
I thought everyone on Brownstoner is in favor of Community Input???????????
“as long as “yield” means “yielding to pedestrians crossing in the crosswalk and actually going slowly enough as you approach the red light to be able to see the pedestrians in time to yield” and doesn’t mean “swerve wildly around pedestrians crossing the street without slowing down”.”
Totally agree – trust me, i’ve been hit by cyclists engaging in douchebaggery – not fun
“red lights are better observed as yield signs, or stop signs rather than red lights by cyclists”
This I tend to agree with — as long as “yield” means “yielding to pedestrians crossing in the crosswalk and actually going slowly enough as you approach the red light to be able to see the pedestrians in time to yield” and doesn’t mean “swerve wildly around pedestrians crossing the street without slowing down”.
I agree CrownHeightsLady
However there is no law requiring a cyclist to wear helmets.
Some streets – Flushing for example – red lights are better observed as yield signs, or stop signs rather than red lights by cyclists – keeps them ahead of the flow of traffic and out of drivers way.
My issue with bike lanes is that the City has very prominently placed them on high traffic, mass transit and truck routes, rather than on the side streets and less used streets where they belong. North/South truck routes in central brooklyn are Flatbush Avenue, Bedford Avenue, Nostrand Avenue and Broadway. THAT’S IT. So why chose the only dedicated Northbound truck route to reduce the number of car lanes and add a bike lane? Why not put the north south bike lane on Classon or Marcy Avenues? Why add Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Nostrand, the only dedicated southbound route?
I believe that the City very clearly wants to create conflicts between bikers, mass transit users, and motorists. As was stated before, prior to bike lanes bikers and motorists co-existed peacefully. This is all to make the city less car friendly, to demonize those folks who use vehicles, and to provide back door taxes (in the form of use fees and tickets) that result in people chosing to give up their cars. In the meantime, no one talks about how those revenues will be replaced, especially since bikers are anti-licensing, and believe that police can only ticket them if they catch them.
“If I ran a light please be sure that I’m going to get a ticket.”
Not necessarily. People do this all of the time in NYC and get away with it.
“If drivers don’t wear seat belts we’re ticketed…what about tickets for not wearing a helmet?”
See my comment above.
this is an impressive show of political clout on the part of the hasidim. who else dares to take on the holy cyclist lobby? -and win!
In Brooklyn Heights there is a big kerfuffle between the sacred cycling rights group and the Henry Street Prebyterian church. It seems that some of the congregants there actually have the gall to park in front of the church during services and thus block the bicycle lane. Yes, some of the churchgoers are elderly and infirm, but they are getting in the way of the bicycles! They should take public transportation was the message from the bike group. I’m afraid the elderly Presbyterians don’t stand a chance.
Dirty hipster…
Most of my encounters with bikers are ridicules. If I ran a light please be sure that I’m going to get a ticket…all I’m saying is that if we are all going to share the road then the rules should be the same for all of us. Bikers run lights left and right endangering life’s. If drivers don’t wear seat belts we’re ticketed…what about tickets for not wearing a helmet? Come on fear is fear!