Editorial
Sharing the city streets
With the recent tragic spate of cyclists’ deaths, once again the city’s bike culture
— and its car and truck culture, as well — are under the spotlight, as we all try to
fi gure out what must be done to make our city safe and livable for all.
After the most recent cyclist’s death, Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a three-week
enforcement blitz, including cracking down on vehicles parked in bike lanes. Obviously,
blocking bike lanes and double-parking create dangerous conditions, forcing
cyclists to veer out into car traffi c. This kind of enforcement is long overdue.
But a few weeks’ focus is not enough: This problem needs constant monitoring.
Meanwhile, sadly, in some cases, cyclists who were killed were somewhat at
fault for making bad moves — such as riding off a curb into traffi c or veering out
of a crowded bike lane and into heavy-duty vehicle traffi c.
Admittedly, New York City’s bike lanes can be pretty narrow. Not everyone
rides with the speed and skill of a bike messenger. Yes, it can be frustrating to be
stuck behind a clump of slow cyclists when you want — or need, perhaps because
it’s your job — to go faster. It all happens so fast on the streets: One false move…
Even for expert riders, it is still a dangerous city for cycling.
Ideally, the city’s bike lanes are widened. That would be a start, and would help
ensure that more cyclists, for their own good, stay in the protected lanes.
At the same time, there’s a lot of talk — and critical op-eds being penned — arguing
that New York City is “not Europe,” has bigger streets, faster and meaner
traffi c, and that we will never have a Continental bike culture here. In other words,
Gotham will never be a bike nirvana like Copenhagen. Frankly, that’s nonsense.
If we have proper bike infrastructure and if both drivers and cyclists are educated
about street conditions and show respect for each other, it will work.
One thing that is not constructive, however, is the level of hostility and intensity
involved right now. Bike activists proclaim that every time a new bike lane is
blocked, it means climate extinction is just one step closer. Meanwhile, many local
residents — such as in the Village and Chelsea, the Upper West Side and Upper
East Side — complain too many cyclists are rogue riders, with no consideration of
pedestrians or the rules of the road. Many older New Yorkers, especially, whose
refl exes, quickness and balance are diminished, dread the thought of cyclists bearing
down on them. One bad fall can be a death sentence for a fragile senior.
And let’s face it. We all know what’s causing all the traffi c in our city. It’s not the
bike lanes. It’s all the app-hail cars, the Ubers, Lyfts, etc.
The younger generation wants a bike-friendly city, and, no question, we are
heading that way. If we all tone down the intolerance, we might reach some solutions
on how to get there, while also making the streets safer for everyone.
Publisher of The Villager, Villager Express, Chelsea Now,
Downtown Express and Manhattan Express
VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA SCHNEPS
LINCOLN ANDERSON
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THE OPENING OF THE TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK CHILDREN’S GARDEN IN 1934. (NYC PARKS ARCHIVE)
A children’s garden opened in Tompkins Square Park in the spring of
1934. This photo is from an opening ceremony that was performed that
April.
STORY: “14th St. bus-plan rollout rejected, again” (posted on
thevillager.com, 7/5/19)
SUMMARY: The city Department of Transportation — not taking
a long weekend after July 4 — went to court Fri., July 5, trying
to get a judge to lift a temporary restraining order blocking implementation
of the city’s “busway” plan for 14th St. But the judge said
the situation was not an emergency, plus did not want to create a
“ping-pong effect” by lifting the recently enacted T.R.O., which remains
in effect until at least Aug. 6.
REACH: 603 as of 7/16/19
12 July 18, 2019 TVG Schneps Media
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