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 agree, northsloperenter. Most of my encounters with bikers are the messenger types in manhattan that ride right through the intersection.
I’ll typically call them “asshole” or something but someday one of them is goiung to be the unfortunate recipient of my umbrella in his spokes.
I had an encounter with some hipster type riding on the sidewalk in Philly and shouted at him and he turned around to shout back and hit a parking meter!!!! There was a cop standing on the corner and I think he ticketed him.
That really made my day.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 2, 2009 11:47 AM
In the last few years as a pedestrian I’ve had maybe 1 or 2 really CLOSE calls with cars, both times the car braked and the driver looked really shaken up. In that same time period I’ve had maybe 5 close calls with bikes and in each case the biker NEVER slowed down, never even looked my way unless it was to smirk, just continued riding after almost plowing into me at a high speed.
I agree, northsloperenter. Most of my encounters with bikers are the messenger types in manhattan that ride right through the intersection.
I’ll typically call them “asshole” or something but someday one of them is goiung to be the unfortunate recipient of my umbrella in his spokes.
I had an encounter with some hipster type riding on the sidewalk in Philly and shouted at him and he turned around to shout back and hit a parking meter!!!! There was a cop standing on the corner and I think he ticketed him.
That really made my day.
“I tend to agree with both Joe and Benson…Why should bikers get special lanes, ramps etc. The city has spent millions of bike lanes…the city needs to start taxing bikers just like that tax owners of cars. Bikers also continuously break traffic laws … why aren’t they receiving tickets and fines like we drivers? It’s ridiculous!”
Pretty much because drivers have this sense of entitlement and refuse to share the road – pretty much summed up by your statement.
What a sore subject – bike lanes sure bring out everyone’s claws!!
“It’s incredible how this biker vs. pedestrian battle has mushroomed in the last decade. ”
I think what happened was some of the bikers decided to declare war on cars. But, in persecuting their war, they managed to piss off a lot of pedestrians.
Now, some pedestrians have declared war on the bikers — for many of the same reasons that the bikers declared war on car drivers in the first place (i.e., a highly visible minority of them are assholes with no respect for other people’s safety or right to use public space).
Remember the SATs:
An asshole car driver is to a biker as [blank] is to a pedestrian.
a. a kitty cat
b. a puppy dog
c. an asshole biker
d. a drunk segway rider
“Not really,” I said.
Then an older man came over and yelled at the kid in Yiddish for talking to me so I went away. Anyways, a few years later I googled it and the answer is below:
http://www.sytekcom.com/rooster/hasid2.html#HASID2-Q13
Posted by: Heather at December 2, 2009 11:28 AM
Had no idea about that Heather. many of my “off the boat” Italian relatives are also not crazy about having dogs in the house.
I tend to agree with both Joe and Benson…Why should bikers get special lanes, ramps etc. The city has spent millions of bike lanes…the city needs to start taxing bikers just like that tax owners of cars. Bikers also continuously break traffic laws … why aren’t they receiving tickets and fines like we drivers? It’s ridiculous!
oy, heather! what’s on that website? it was blocked by my work firewall. heh. but really, it was.
“Whatever floats your boat (like I said). See you at the demonstration!”
Nah, you won’t see me there. Like I said, I’m amazed everyone is making such a big deal over this. There are far more important things going on. I just wanted to point out that’s it’s possible to bike to work and have a Manhattan job where you dress up a bit.
“Putting my life in the hands of some guy driving an unmarked white truck with the names and addresses of three different non-existent businesses on the door is not something that’s terribly tempting to me.”
Pussy!! 😉