We're putting on a panel!
Set your calendar for Thursday, June 27, when Streetsblog will moderate a discussion, "Whose Streets? Reclaiming New York City for Cyclists," as part of the Museum of the City of New York's ongoing "Cycling in the City" exhibition.
Just as the museum show spotlighted more than a century of conflict between cyclists and car drivers, the panel will focus on the ongoing battle for New York's byways.
"Cyclists’ attempts to share the streets with cars and pedestrians continue to stir intense community debates around issues of safety and regulation," the Museum said in a statement. "How can we rethink the relationship between cycling and the city for the benefit of all?"
Streetsblog Editor Gersh Kuntzman will oversee the discussion with panelists including Council Member Antonio Reynoso of Bushwick; Helen Ho, co-founder of the Biking Public Project; Transportation Alternatives' board chairman Adam Mansky; and Judi Desire of Uptown & Boogie Bicycle Advocacy. (Since the initial publication of this story, the Museum of the City of New York has partnered with Bike New York to offer a free "Bike Buyers’ Workshop" prior to the program at 6 p.m. The Museum has also sweetened the pot with some complimentary “bike valet” parking spots at the event.)
Kuntzman told Streetsblog that he guarantees a spirited discussion.
"This city is at a crossroads," Kuntzman said. "Vision Zero has made initial strides for safety, and congestion pricing offers a huge opportunity for the city to rethink the way it uses its roadways, but city officials still seem to view people who chose to get around by bike as effete hobbyists or criminals, while drivers continue to see cyclists as congestion-causing pests who ruin neighborhoods with their bike lanes and demands to remove parking.
"Tiny changes around the edges aren't going to make our city more livable," Kuntzman added. "We have to completely break the car culture. Amsterdam wasn't unbuilt in a day."
Mansky also promised a fun event, though he said he would emphasize the joy of cycling over Kuntzman's frequent refrain that Mayor de Blasio's failure to ensure safety is inhibiting ridership.
"My daily bike ride is always the best part of my day," Mansky said.
"Whose Streets: Reclaiming NYC for Cyclists," June 27, 7 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York (1220 Fifth Ave. between E. 103rd and E. 104th sts. in Manhattan). For information, call (212) 534-1672. To qualify for $10 tickets to the event, go to the ticket site and use the discount code "BIKE" (you're welcome). The full information, including updates on surprise panelists, is here.
