Bike Lane Wars Abound
The Brooklyn Paper is chock full of stories about bike lane conflict today. First up is more drama surrounding the new lanes on Prospect Park West. As you may recall, DOT’s decision to axe one lane of car traffic to make way for a two-way bike lane was done despite opposition by Marty Markowitz and…
The Brooklyn Paper is chock full of stories about bike lane conflict today. First up is more drama surrounding the new lanes on Prospect Park West. As you may recall, DOT’s decision to axe one lane of car traffic to make way for a two-way bike lane was done despite opposition by Marty Markowitz and many others in the driver camp. Now, it turns out, some pedestrians who are used to only having to look one way before crossing are up in arms. Meanwhile, down in Bay Ridge, Community Board 10 voted earlier this week against two new proposed bike lanes. “The city is bent on taking away driving lanes for cars,” said Allen Bortnick, a member of Community Board 10. “We are not going to be able to live with this comfortably.”
Idea for a new youtube video: Hitler finds Out There Are Bike Lanes in Berlin.
Good defense, 11217.
There are a lot of jealous posters here.
Your accomplishments are admirable.
Never been to Argentina but they sure make some good wine.
DH — What about a $50,000 car with a “Bumper Badger” hanging off the ass end…? That certainly looks better than a little ding or two.
By dirty_hipster on June 23, 2010 3:08 PM
The only thing that confuses me more than driving in the city is driving around a crazy expensive, sexy car in the city.
I guess you’ve never been to any city in Asia then!!!!
11217- I appreciate your sentiment, but what I think you fail to see is your sanctimony. You are very quick to point fingers at others (fat people using too many resources), but will justify your own behavior (traveling makes you a better person) based upon your personal value system. I think you fail to understand that a truly democratic and progressive society appreciates that they do not have the right to impose their will on others just as they would not like to have someone’s will imposed on them. Furthermore, you should learn to appreciate that others have different experiences. Not everyone can afford to travel to 30 countries or to Argentina regularly (that’s alot of carbon footprint there), so they obtain their rejuventation from driving to the mall or eating a big meal. You laud the Europeans for being more concerned for their fellow humans, but yet you don’t demonstrate any of that yourself.
“What is with Park Slope?! Why does my car seem to get new dents whenever I park it there for more than a few hours?”
You managed to park a car in Park Slope?
That deserves a thread.
I personally have a real animosity for people who drive SUVs, especially Hummers. I’d say that 75% of the time when I see somebody driving aggressively or recklessly it is somebody in an SUV. Of course, to each their own. Apparently some people really like driving those things and I have even met a couple of nice people who own them, so you never can tell.
Benson —
I would posit that *forcing* is the only way that is going to get things as important as this done! When you have curmudgeons like you that refuse to see even OTHERS using alternative transport as positive.
Seriously, please tell me what “moral suasion” would be effective in reducing the automobiles on the road?
Even when the DOT does a study of places like Prospect Park West and concludes that there is NO JUSTIFICATION for it to be a 3-lane road — it’s like the world is coming to an end when they reduce it to 2 lanes.
If you actually want the FedEx truck to make more than 5 deliveries in an afternoon, something pretty drastic is going to have to take place. But I’m very happy to hear your examples of effective moral suasion.
I would love to know the rules for bicyclists. When you drive a car you have to follow the traffic laws which include stopping at red lights and stop signs as well as give pedestrians the right of way. I have yet to see a bicyclist that has stopped at a red light, stop sign or to allow someone to cross the street. I have driven down streets where there are no dedicated bike lanes but a painted picture of a bicycle on the street which somehow has given bicyclists the right to ride in the middle of the street, sometimes in groups of twos and threes, taking their damn sweet time while a line of cars is waiting to pass them. I wish them no harm but if you want to have the same rights on the road as a car then you need to obey the same laws.