Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Carnage

Now That Citi Bike Is Live, Will All Cyclist Injuries Be Newsworthy?

Now that Citi Bike is live, the media are apparently paying close attention to traffic crashes that injure cyclists. So long as the cyclist is on a Citi Bike.

Both the Post and the Associated Press picked up the story of a cyclist who was hurt in a collision at Houston and MacDougal yesterday afternoon. NYPD says the cyclist ran a light and was struck by the driver of a livery SUV. The AP reports that the victim was thrown into the windshield and was hospitalized with "non-life-threatening" injuries.

Here's the AP's lede:

A rider has been struck by a SUV just three days after officials launched the nation's largest bike-sharing program.

In a typical 72-hour stretch, dozens of cyclists are injured by motorists in NYC. In April alone, 288 cyclists and 904 pedestrians were injured by drivers, and 3,217 motor vehicle occupants were involved in collisions that were serious enough to cause injury. These crashes don't make national news, and coverage in the local media is sporadic at best.

Nor are details offered pertaining to vehicle speed in this crash, which could have affected whether a collision occurred and was definitely a factor in the severity of the cyclist's injuries. The AP does say that hundreds of cyclists are seriously hurt in NYC every year, but considering the context this factoid is offered only to sensationalize. There is no mention of engineering or enforcement improvements that could make streets safer.

In fact, there's no attention-grabbing detail to this story -- no gore, no famous people, nothing -- except for the fact that the cyclist was riding a Citi Bike. The Post and the AP don't even agree on the gender of the victim. But what difference does that make as long as they can make bike-share seem dangerous.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday Video: Meet the Subway’s Straphanger-Free Trains

We've all seen them. Now, thanks to YouTube's "Half as Interesting," we can tell you the purpose of each one.

October 3, 2025

The MTA Is Headed To The Lab To Design The Ridgewood Busway

A filthy private road underneath the elevated M tracks could become a gleaming bus-first corridor.

October 3, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Good News Edition

The Department of Transportation reports that traffic deaths are way down through the first three quarters of 2025. Plus other news.

October 3, 2025

‘Bean-Counting Street Safety’: Advocates Blast Gale Brewer’s Daylighting Flip-Flop

The Upper West Side pol's inconsistent safety record is getting a second look from activists who once supported her.

October 2, 2025

There’s Good Science Behind the Human Craving for Livable Streets

It's time to understand the science of pedestrian-friendly cities. Or, why streets should be designed like gardens.

October 2, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Mourning Becomes Enforcement Edition

Why were cops ticketing cyclists at the very intersection where a bike rider was killed by a driver on Saturday? Plus other news.

October 2, 2025
See all posts