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That controversial Grand Street bike lane, beloved by cyclists and loathed by some business owners because it makes receiving deliveries onerous, now has a new enemy: Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson. The comptroller was in Chinatown doing some pandering campaigning yesterday when he announced that, if elected, he would tear up that dedicated bike lane, which is buffered from traffic by a row of motor vehicle parking. Thompson told voters, "I'm in favor of bike lanes but you can't put bike lanes in without speaking to the community. You can't put bike lanes that are doing damage to local businesses."
Of course, Streetsblog was like, Did he really just say that? The local community board approved the Grand Street bike lane project 33 to 1! We all know truth is the first casualty of campaigning, but it's interesting to see the city comptroller paint bike lanes as bogeymans stymieing economic prosperity.
It may be the Grand Street bike lane inconvenienced some critics, but has the "damage to local businesses" really been confirmed or quantified? What has been quantified is its impact on safety; as Streetsblog notes, "The Grand Street bike lane has about a year of service under its belt, and the safety record is clear: Injuries are down nearly 30 percent since the bike lane was installed. Thompson has basically pledged to make streets more dangerous under his mayoralty."
Will Thompson's bike lane demagoguery affect your vote? Before you rush to judgement, check out his new TV ad, in which a narrator intones, "After eight years of everything going to the rich and powerful, we need a mayor who cares about us." But who will care for the poor, innocent bike lanes?
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Getting rid of the bike lanes isn't enough.
I'm definitely not voting for him now. And I don't even own a bike.
I agree. As much as I hate Bloomberg, I wouldn't vote for someone as clueless and out of touch as Thompson.
What a douche.
I haven't seen one clip or article about Thompson that wasn't either precluded or followed up with something about Bloomberg. Even this f&*king short article has a bloomberg ad.
"After eight years of everything going to the rich and powerful, we need a mayor who cares about us."
Yes, we do. But what guarantee is there that Thompson would be that mayor? He could be just as bad or worse. It's starting to look like a race between the devil we know vs. the devil we don't.
Finally! Lets get rid of sidewalks too! We need room to drivvvvvvvvvvve!!!! vroom vroom! I am so SICK of a city like New York pandering to people who want to get around! I came from Houston to get away from people who liked to be outside of their cars (mainly this one Mexican guy who had the audacity to ride a bike)
Having grown up here, I can tell you that cops didn't used to care about most 'quality of life' issues, with few exceptions.
One of those exceptions was biking on the sidewalk.
The only trouble I ever had with NYPD was when I was caught on the streets with a bike. I was 9 - 11 years old and it was a little BMX bike. I was afraid of traffic, but NYPD was not listening. "Either walk the bike, ride in the street or I am going to toss your bike in the trash, kid." I walked the bike (around the corner, then rode on the sidewalk again). Now I take the subway everywhere and do not own a bike (sold it, was stolen from purchaser 2 weeks later).
Until the cyclists get off the sidewalks (delivery guys included), they do not deserve their own lane. Bikes need to regulated like cars (i.e. tickets, points, penalties). Not everyone deserves a bike.
Let me deconstruct your logic, Knickerbocker.
You don't want people riding on the sidewalks.
You admit traffic can be intimidating, to say the least, for cyclists in New York City. You experienced that yourself!
You don't want bike lanes because people riding on the sidewalk don't deserve bike lines.
Do you see the breakdown in logic here?
Rules are rules = Logic.
Any more questions?
Way to lose, Bill. Dumb ass.
If you can't deal with the traffic in NYC, don't ride a bike.
If you can't deal with bike lanes in NYC, don't drive.
If you don't have a useful argument to make, don't comment.
I hear that on the LIE, they don't allow bikes at all. Why don't you drive there? It sounds like the perfect place for you.
Streetsblog: "With Tony Avella out of the way, Thompson has no bike lane-bashing rival nipping at his heels. There's no anti-livable streets flank to shore up."
That dastardly Avella! That's why he lost..he opposed the bike lobby!
www.forgotten-ny.com
Leave the bike lanes alone!!!!!!
dammit brian lehrer, why did you have to say anything?
It's retarded to remove the bike lanes. Plain and simple.
Bike lanes will encourage people in new york to ride bikes instead of using cars, less cars means more bikes, and ups the need for more bike lanes, and so start the good circle of lowering the congestion in New York.
Removing them, is a step backwards.
I like the bike lanes. They keep the bikers more contained. And I'm all for more NYPD regulation for people riding bikes. You have your own lane, now it's time to be forced to adhere to traffic rules just like motorists. As a pedestrian, I'm sick of diving to the curb to avoid being hit by some unapologetic, self-entitled biker. Why do you all have to be such a**holes?!
And Thompson being clueless that the local board approved the bike lane? Why should a politician let the facts get in the way of a good rant?
Thompson, you just lost the support of at least one registered Democrat who was ready and willing to do his part to get Bloomberg out of office, just a few days after voting for you in the primary. Now I'll be voting for the billionaire again.
Seriously, tearing up bike lanes because of a few disgrunteld store owners? Have some sense, dude.
Just when he was starting to gain a little steam too.
Very disappointing.