Wednesday’s Headlines: ‘I Got Bikelashed!’ Edition
How bad is the bikelash right now? Perhaps this story will illuminate the current place of cyclists in this city’s transportation ecosystem.
I was biking northbound on Jay Street on Tuesday morning, going slowly because I’m getting close to 100 years old. Approaching the intersection of Willoughby Street, I noticed that the light was red, so I slowed down even more and stopped.
There was a guy standing at the corner — but in the bike lane — holding a very large cup of coffee and staring at me menacingly. I assumed he was waiting to cross. I’m used to being stared at menacingly by pedestrians; even when I am slowing down, and even when I am lowering my left hand to my side to show that I am stopping, and even when I indeed stop, pedestrians will still glare at me as if to say, “I don’t trust that you’ll stop!”
To reiterate: I was at a dead stop. But the guy with the coffee, who was holding it as if he intended to weaponize it, would not cross. Instead, he remained in the bike lane. Then my light turned green. But I did not proceed because I thought he still wanted to cross. So he screamed at me, “YOU CAN JUST GO AROUND ME, YOU KNOW!”
I said, calmly, “I was letting you cross,” to which he responded with a baby talk version of “I was letting you cross” (sort of, “Wy was wetting you kwoss”). So I pedaled on (again, with the green) as he bellowed behind me, “MOTHERFUCKER!”
Seconds later, I was almost splattered by a driver who signaled left, but then turned right — and only stopped because I screamed.
I bring it up because everywhere I turn — including when I stop at red lights — I’m seeing the bikelash, most recently at the anti-bike lane rally on Saturday on W. 72nd Street. Want to get a sense of the rally? Just look at the comments under Gus Saltonstall’s otherwise straightforward West Side Rag story about a small cohort of Upper West Siders who are being driven to derangement by the prospect that the Department of Transportation would build the kind of bike lane that it has been building … all over the city … for nearly 20 years.
Putting aside the fact that most of the anti-bike-lane speakers would only offer their opinion if they could remain anonymous, the comments show that that a) people didn’t even listen to the DOT’s presentation on the plan [click here to read]; b) people are happy to complain that DOT isn’t talking to “the community” even though the plan was, indeed, presented to Community Board 7 on April 14; and c) the DOT does need to do a better job of championing its own designs, instead of leaving it to community organizers at StreetopiaUWS or random bike riders like Dan Schwartz to push back on the haters.
One final note about the rally, which was neither noted in Saltonstall’s story nor by any of the anti-change speakers: The rally was held on pedestrian space that itself had been reclaimed from car drivers back in 2002. The old-timers who attended the rally to object to one type of repurposing public space forgot that, at one time, enlarging the size of Verdi Square to provide a new exit for subway users, reduce car crashes and add a vibrant new plaza was itself a controversial idea. (I know because I was there back then.)
The point is: Change isn’t hard. In fact, it’s the only way forward.
In other news:
- Speaking of change, don’t forget that I’m (im)moderating a panel discussion with “War on Cars” podcast co-hosts Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon on their book (co-written with Aaron Naparstek), “Life After Cars.” It’s at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Midtown. Info here. And if you can’t make it, it’ll stream here.
- The City looked at how low-income New Yorkers struggle to just pay their transit fares. We looked at new approaches to expanding Fair Fares. And amNY set up today’s Council hearing on the subject.
- Meanwhile, the Daily News came out against free buses. So much for “Tell it to Sweeney!” But the paper also let Bradley Tusk argue that the city should run the subway system, a much-debunked idea.
- Looks like a few bad apples are going to spoil the entire barrel for pedicabs. (NY Post)
- So let me get this straight: A police captain mouths off about how much he hates the mayor, and he gets busted, the Times and Daily News reported. Meanwhile, 120th Precinct cop James Giovansanti endangers thousands of Staten Islanders every day, and we can’t even get a comment from City Hall …
- … No wonder NY Mag thinks Mayor Mamdani is going too easy on the cops.
- The MTA is going to improve the transfer between the Junius Street 3 and Livonia Avenue L stations. (Brooklyn Eagle)
- The Post will even defend a university president who struck students with his car.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
