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]
It would be rare the older ethnic neighborhood that really wants change.
dibs- I didn’t say he had any hate in his words.
havelc- please read my comments. I agree with you on the bike lanes. I’ve said it several times. And I have heard from older Italian folk about how they hate how their neighborhood is changing. Also from the older Polish residents of Williamsburg- there was or maybe still is a sizeable Polish community in Williamsburg. Maybe we all simply don’t like change.
I think havelc argues valid points and I don’t see any hate in his words.
“If the people who sold their property at high prices were Italian or Irish, would anyone be pointing that out?”
Bxgirl– I would absolutely be pointing it out if the cited reason that the Irish or Italian people were complaining was because they people they sold it to were turning the neighborhood into something not sufficiently Irish or Italian.
But even so– that is immaterial, because the Hasids don’t own Bedford Ave! It’s the street. It belongs to the city, and it’s a major thoroughfare for cars and for cyclists. You don’t get to decide who is allowed to travel through your neighborhood.
What makes this particularly bad is that they feel that because of their religion they are not only allowed to decide who gets to use municipal property and how, but that they should be able to impose their own moral code on them.
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.
and right back at you, cmu. I mentioned Christian Fundamentalists to put it in context- you’re the one condemning a religion (mine, actually). If you had left it at Hasids have political clout- no argument there- it would have been fine. But condemning their beliefs, their lifestyle – I don’t go for it. FYI- you’ve gotten into enough battles on this site yourself. No one has ever accused you of being warm and fuzzy.
pierre- I have said I don’t agree with them, especially on this. The street are public and I object to any religion or special interest that tries to impose its will on any other. If Hasids were the only group to want preferential treatment it would be one thing. But sadly, it’s a disease in this country, especially for the religious right. Would that cmu and others had gotten so angry over the new Manhattan Project last week.
I just hate the piling on everytime Hasids are mentioned.
At this point, you’re losing any credibility you had. Seems like you’re too timid to “look down on”/”condemn” whatever, the Hasids, but have no problem condemning say, Christian fundamentalists. I guess it OK to condemn those you don’t like, but not so if I condemn those you merely “don’t agree with”.
Also, your snideness, dismissiveness and attacks leave me amazed. What on earth did I say that could have called for this response?
Try having a conversation instead.
“Can you deny that they got preferential treatment because of their religious views and clout?”
NO denying that.
That sort of preferential treatment can be can of worms…. There are bike lanes all over different neighborhoods in Brooklyn why does this community feel they are the exception? Very disturbing to say the least!
bxgrl we are not so sure here this is not about bashing the Hasids its really about their need (based on religious lifestyle) to get preferential treatment at the expense of the general safety of cyclists! We suspect you are well aware of this no?