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
Everyone has suspected for a long time that this whining community gets whatever it wants simple by crying “Anti-semitism!” They get special police protection and try to hide sexual abuse cases from the authorities. Meanwhile, they are powering their exhaust-spewing school buses, station wagons, vans and SUV’s with oil from the Arabs they despise. What hypocrites! And it’s the same story with fanatical Christians and Muslims—all of these insular organized religious fanatics are (and always have been) the cause of the most devastating major conflicts in the world.
I say, make a point to ride that stretch in Bedford real, real slow—a snail’s pace. It is absolutely legal for a bicyclist to take up a full lane in traffic. Let them honk their horns until the Messiah comes!
Yes, the Satmar (dunno about Lubavitchers) do not like dogs. It’s not Talmudic or anything, just cultural.
Their neighborhood is really pretty, so I used to walk my dogs there. Mothers would pull kids out of the way. Old men would cross the street. Basically, everyone would try and avoid me. It was sort of depressing and comical. Then one day, a kid, braver than most I guess, came up and asked me why I owned a dog. “Does your dog have a job? Does he do something for you?” he asked.
“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
It’s funny how people see things only from their own narrow point of view and think the whole world acts or thinks the same way.
Posted by: East New York at December 2, 2009 11:23 AM
Whatever floats your boat (like I said). See you at the demonstration!
I cycle to work over the williamsburg bridge into manhattan when it’s nice out and its not terribly sweat enducing (unless it’s over 90 degrees, which thankfully it wasn’t this summer)
Posted by: dirty_hipster at December 2, 2009 11:19 AM
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. I look at bikes as something for recreation or exercise and just wouldn’t feel safe doing it in the streets of Manhattan. I’m all for everyone doing whatever floats their boat which is why I strongly back any naked protests = ) .
“I just don’t think it’s very feasible for most people given how far they work and dress codes at their places of work. I could just imagine the restroom at work filled with people changing from their bike clothes to business casual at once, or better yet getting their slacks and suit pants caught in the bike chain.”
I biked from Park Slope to midtown virtually every day in the 1990s, when I was a reporter at a travel mag. If you’re in shape, that ride won’t work up too much of s sweat unless you’re pushing it. Even so, I did carry business casual clothes (or leave them at work) and change in the bathroom. So what? It’s a BATHROOM for Christ’s sake! Also, there are a variety of ways to keep your clothes out of the bike chain. That’s one of the easiest things to address when it comes to bike commuting. It’s funny how people see things only from their own narrow point of view and think the whole world acts or thinks the same way.
” I guess if I worked in a bar in Williamsburg I would bike to work.
I’m all for naked hipster girls protesting however. Btw, if they ask I’m on THEIR side…”
I cycle to work over the williamsburg bridge into manhattan when it’s nice out and its not terribly sweat enducing (unless it’s over 90 degrees, which thankfully it wasn’t this summer)
Snappy, there are people who should not wear those. Otherwise, I agree. Removing bike lanes won’t remove bikers.
It’s incredible how this biker vs. pedestrian battle has mushroomed in the last decade. We now have auxiliary skirmishes, like this Hasid vs. bikers row. 15-20 years ago there were no bike lanes to speak of, everyone shared the road and the level of biker vs. pedestrian enmity was far lower.
in our building at work, the elevator kinda sucks and is super slow. but some people (not in my office tho) drive to work in this building on their bike. there’s always a long line for the crowded slow elevator. there is an unwritten rule that says that if you are carrying your bike up in the elevator you are supposed to get in the back of the line, or at least let people without bikes in FIRST. of course the a-holes never do that and crowd and shove their stinky metallic phalluses inside an already crowded elevator. GRRR
park that crap outside!
*rob*
i don’t see why it matters if there is a bike lane or not, people are still going to ride on bedford. and its not as if a bike lane really protects you that much, often they make things more dangerous because people double park in them and then you have to jut out into traffic.