Protesting the City's Supposed Bike Lanes

If you thought noticed a group of bicyclists playing dead on 6th Avenue near 33rd Street, your eyes weren't fooling you. Time's Up led a Bike Lane Action to "dramatize the fatal last moments of David Smith’s ride up 6th Avenue." Smith was killed when a passenger in a truck, parked in the bike lane, opened a door; Smith was knocked off his bike and into the path of a truck.

A Time's Up volunteer told NY1, "What we're here to try and do today is both honor someone who has passed, as well as ask the city to fulfill its promise to make this a bike-friendly city." Time's Up says that the city should provide safe, buffered bike lanes for cyclists.

Earlier this week, the Staten Island Advance wondered if its borough's bike lanes were too perilous - for instance along busy Hylan Boulevard, cars are parked in some parts of the lane, other parts of the lane are covered by branches and leaves. And one resident thinks sidewalks should have come first, "These lanes are in an area that has five public schools and none of the students can walk along Hylan, let alone ride a bicycle."

More photographs of the bike lane "die-in" here and a video, Bike Lane of Death, here.

Photograph of Times Up's Bike Lane Action die-in by cultshaman on Flickr

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By Jen Chung in News on December 13, 2007 5:50 PM

Comments [rss]

glennQNYC

In all of the reports I read, there was no mention that the truck was parked in the bike lane. My understanding was the cyclist was in the bike lane. Care to share your reference Jen?

Either way, it truly was a sad, unfortunate accident.

guest guest

halik007, when *you* ride your motorcycle *you* ride in the middle of the lane, capable of keeping up with all traffic, no matter how fast the traffic is flowing. The law does not require *you* stay to the right. *you* are more visible, and *your* engine makes a great deal of noise. That is how *you* stay alive. Never mind that your advice does not apply to this particular case, as the rider was riding in the bicycle lane and swerved to avoid an accident with a car that was breaking the law.

ebad

The man who DIED was a normal middle aged guy riding his bike from work. He was not someone trying to make a living as a bike messenger, thus going incredibly fast. He WAS going a a normal speed, he WAS wearing a helmet, and WAS riding in the bike lane. What else did you want this guy to do? Are you that insensitive or just insulated by ignorant cynicism? The Times Up protesters were not a bunch of kids with loads of free time. In this day and age no one is able to conceive that a group of citizens would care enough to say something, let alone about the dangers of riding bikes in NYC.

Tim N.

C'est la vie... FUCK YOU!!!

The fact that you'd even compare riding a motorcycle to riding a bike shows was a complete and utter idiot you are.

Arm the cyclists.

halik007

Do these people not have dayjobs or is another batch of columbia kids looking for something to protest?

It's sad that the guy died, but c'est la vie. People get run over in NYC quite a bit (3rd ave is a frogger playground). If you get a bigger bike lane, you'll still get people pulling out, cabs going nuts around and all the other stuff that happens in manhattan.

Maybe you just oughta slow the hell down on your bicicle, seeing that there's a good chance a door/person/car/whatever will pop out into the street. I ride motorcycles and that's what *I* do to stay alive. If you wanna fly thru the street, you're taking the risk that you'll nail something that crosses your path.