Bicycle Safety

Last week, columnist Steve Dunleavy used his 400-word rant-space in the New York Post to urge the city's cab riders and motorists to throw open their car doors in front of "pedal punks" riding their "maiming machines," and, "take back the streets" from bike-commuting "kamikaze jerks." 

Derek Lake died on June 26 when his bike tripped over a steel plate and fell beneath the wheels of a moving truck in the midst of Houston Street's reconstruction mess. Brad Hoylman, a Village resident, chairs the Traffic and Transportation Committee of Community Board 2. Hoylman talks to Streetsblog about the  Community Board's reaction to Lake's death and its plans to try to prevent similar horrors. And he reminds us that, despite a $30 million reconstruction project that includes no new bicycle amenities, Houston Street is supposed to be a part of New York City's Bicycle Master Plan. 

In today's New York Sun Bradley Hope scoops up the first follow-up interview with former DOT Bicycle Program Director Andrew Vesselenovitch after his controversial resignation letter. Vesselenovitch has a big story to tell and I have a feeling that this isn't the last we've heard of it:

From Crain's Insider:

Outgoing Bike Program Director Rips Agency Bosses

"The tragic loss of two bicyclists this week has shocked all of us and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families and friends. Unfortunately, New York City's crowded streets often cause conflict between cars and bicyclists as they attempt to share limited space." -- NYC DOT statement, June 29, 2006.

Call on Mayor Bloomberg to "take control" of city streets.

Thursday, June 29, 2006, 9:00amCity HallOrganized by Transportation Alternatives

The steel construction plate above may have contributed to Derek Lake's fatal bike crash yesterday.