Revenge of the Bedford Bike Lane Activists
Angered over the city’s backroom deal with Hasidic community leaders to remove a 14-block stretch of bicycle lane on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg, a group of bike lane proponents took matters into their own hands early Monday morning. Interestingly, a post on StreetsBlog claims that the renegade painters included some members of the Hasidic…
Angered over the city’s backroom deal with Hasidic community leaders to remove a 14-block stretch of bicycle lane on Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg, a group of bike lane proponents took matters into their own hands early Monday morning. Interestingly, a post on StreetsBlog claims that the renegade painters included some members of the Hasidic community. “Scores of people in the Hasidic community are actually pissed about this bike lane being eradicated at the behest of traditionalists,” said Baruch Herzfeld, a local bike-shop operator and cycling advocate with ties to both the Jewish and secular groups in the area. “These members of the community may not want to ‘come out’ as bike warriors just yet, but they’re promising continuous action until the bike lane returns.”
Hipsters Caught Repainting Bedford Bike Lane [NY Post]
Video: Repainting the Bedford Avenue Bike Lane [NY Daily News]
Guerrilla Stripers Paint Back Bedford Bike Lane [StreetsBlog]
Men Arrested Trying To Repaint Bedford Bike Lane [Gothamist]
havelc- I don’t disagree. Its plain wrong and I completely object to any religious group acting like it owns public streets. For whatever reason. But in one sense the concept of ownership of a neighborhood is not limited to the Hasids. Howard Beach, Bensonhurst-those are extreme manifestations of the same idea- that any group owns a neighborhood, or a morality, or the right to be married.
I am a firm believer in separation of Church and State and the only thing i can say, in semi-defense of the Hasidic community, is that as a very visible and vocal group, they get more attention for exactly this kind of religious imposition than other religious groups which are not as insular. They are an easy target because of it, but they are certainly not the only religious group asking for special favors or trying to control the course of government. Sad to say- and it does make me angry.
When the Amish make it so not allowed to drive through parts of Western NY in a car, or the Muslims on Atlantic Ave make it so my girlfriend can’t walk down that street in shorts, then I will have equal beef with them.
Posted by: havelc at December 8, 2009 1:25 PM
Wow what an excellent example! Thanks havelc for such an articulate argument and dibs is right…no hate or emotional nonsense here just the cold facts.
I think havelc argues valid points and I don’t see any hate in his words.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 8, 2009 1:28 PM
iluvclintonhill- if ever an issue pointed up the necessity to vote and push your reps, this is it. Voter turnout is low but the coordinated groups, like the Hasids- is not. Politicians respond to the squeakiest wheeels
bxgirl– None of us like change, especially when it means the established residents ceding control to younger transplants (see all history of immigration).
But what’s going on here is a bit different. The Hasids, in this case, are asking for special consideration for religious purposes.
The idea that removing a bike lane– which in effect just brings cars closer to the sidewalk– as a safety measure is crazy. It’s simply a case of them not wanting “those people” in their neighborhood and the fact that they’re cloaking it in religious reasoning (girls going by) is both embarrassing to the religion and embarrassing to the city– for having capitulated.
DH- I thought you guys were all for biking nekkid through the streets in protest? I’ll be filming 🙂
I have been affected by the bike lanes also with the city turning wide streets into one lane roads and all but I am tired of the Hasidim buying off these politicians to get their way. I was raised in Williamsburg and am quite familiar with the politics that occur in that community.This has been going on for years. From the Captain at the 90th pct who they had in their pocket back in the day to the pols and Bloomberg who need their votes come election time.This favoritism and sucking up to the Hasidim for a vote has to stop. Why do they complain about a bike lane and that decision gets reversed and quickly too?Every where you look, even in Crown Heights and East New York, there are bike lanes. Why should this area of Williamsburg be any different?
If hot naked strippers (and who doesn’t love them) engaged in backroom deals to take out a bike lane for their own personal beliefs then I’m sure we’d be on their case too (and who doesn’t love hot, naked strippers)
Human nature dibs. Not that anyone has a choice- change happens.
“you’re the one condemning a religion (mine, actually)”
So in you view, commenting on Hasids’ behavior which is informed by their religious beliefs, is condemning Jew(ishness)? Or are you a closet Hasid?
I rest my case.