Everyone knows that bicycles are more dangerous than cars. Nevertheless, the city created a bike lane along Prospect Park West, ostensibly to put stroller moms and old people in harm’s way. Now empowered Park Slope residents are protesting. Reclaim the streets!
The New York Post reports that the 19-block path—which replaced a lane of car traffic and some parking spots four months ago—has inspired dueling rallies. Supporters and opponents have already held other rallies, answered Surveymonkeys, attended meetings, and protested or supported the lane electronically. The anti- side is particularly tenacious, because they are fighting a war on TERROR:
“Hundreds of residents say they feel considerably less safe since the installation of the bike lane,” says Louise Hainline, who founded a group called Neighbors for a Better Bike Lane. “It is now hazardous to cross the street, to park a car, and to open a car door into traffic lanes. It is, in fact, terrifying.”
It’s terrifying because of how the bikers ride around like assholes, said 71-year-old Joane Taylor to the New York Daily News, in so many words:
Taylor … said she was almost knocked to the ground on the path near First St. when a biker zoomed by, pushed her back and didn’t stop to see if she was okay.”I jumped back, pulled the dog’s leash back [and] I lost my footing and fell on the trunk of a car,” said Taylor, who bruised her hip in the encounter. “I don’t want to be overly dramatic…but if I was the mayor, I’d be worried about lawsuits.”
There wouldn’t have to be any lawsuits if the city just made bikes illegal. Then the roads would be safe again—for the babies, and the stroller moms, and the grandmoms, and the cars.
A city DOT spokesman told the Daily News that his agency “hadn’t observed” any crashes involving bikes and pedestrians. Maybe he was wrong? Because it’s really hard to believe that this bike lane isn’t just killing everybody who dares to approach it.
So Joane Taylor (and "hundreds of residents") think bikes should stop as soon as someone sets foot in the street? Do these people walk right out in front of moving cars too? Pedestrians need to learn to yield to bikes (operating legally in the street and/or in a bike lane) the same way they do cars… it makes absolutely no sense that they don't realize this already.
I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven Grumblecores with the last seven plagues–last, because with them God's wrath is completed.
After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Bike Lane Testimony, was opened.
Out of the temple came the seven Grumblecores with the seven plagues. They were dressed in dirty flannel, ironic Snorg T's and wore quizzically cocked eyebrows, snarky with disdain. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven Grumblecores seven golden bedpans filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven Grumblecores were completed.
And I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, " Go, pour out the seven bedpans of God's wrath on the earth…. Well? What are you waiting for?! Put those Triscuits down!! Go forth on your fixed gears, and represent, you slackers! "
I bike everywhere in this town and I love it, but come on: bikers in NYC act like total pricks. To other bikers, to pedestrians… just like how cars will accelerate past you like hellions just to have you pass them in turn at the next like, bikers blow through intersections when pedestrians have the walk signal– most don't even slow down– and don't get to their destinations any faster. They are dicks about it, too… pedestrians seem confused and suspicious when I stop for them at a crosswalk.
Bikers are going to lose this good thing we have going if they continue to be dicks. The people will turn against us. Oh, and fucking respect the direction of traffic for shit's sake. It's a block out of your way to be riding in the fucking direction of traffic. CHRIST.
I live on Prospect Park West and walk my dog in the park everyday and I can tell you that having the bike lane has indeed slowed down traffic and has made crossing PPW much easier and safer. I think it's ridiculous that some people can't bother to look both ways when crossing the bike path. What is so damn hard about turning your head in both directions to look for oncoming bicyclists???