Bike Lane Battle Following Bloomberg to Copenhagen

Brooklyn cycling activists angry about the Bedford Avenue bike lane removal are in Copenhagen and waiting to confront Mayor Bloomberg when he arrives on Monday for the international climate change conference. Baruch Herzfeld, an Orthodox Jew who runs a South Williamsburg bike clubhouse, has emerged as the unofficial spokesperson for cyclists. During a phone conversation a few minutes ago, Herzfeld told us:

How can Mayor Bloomberg go to Copenhagen and pose as a green mayor after this? He's a hypocrite, and I believe his office directed the DOT to remove this bike lane as a political favor for the rabbis, who want to keep South Williamsburg a ghetto enclave. There was no discussion with the community, like with the Kent Ave bike lane. And this bike lane was just a visual reminder for drivers to keep their eyes open for cyclists. But the rabbis don't want a visual reminder that there are other people in the neighborhood besides the Hasidim.
One woman asked me if she should go topless [during an upcoming protest] and I told her no, because we're not trying to create more confrontation with the Hasids, who actually hate the rabbis much, much, much more than I do. The Hasids in the community are not the problem; they give me the thumbs up when I bike by, and even Hasidic women have told me they really approve what I'm doing. They hate the rabbis for trying to control their lives, intimidate them and scare them.

The two self-described "self-hating Jewish hipsters" who repainted the Bedford Avenue bike lane in South Williamsburg in the dead of night Sunday (after the DOT sandblasted it away) have been charged with criminal mischief. (They're pleading not guilty.) Herzfeld tells us Bill Di Paolo, the director of progressive protest group Time's Up, is already in Copenhagen, but he was sworn to secrecy about what exactly the activists are planning. (Herzfeld also says Di Paulo will not be personally involved in any protest against the mayor.)

Here in New York, Time's Up will hold a "Ride & Vigil for the Bedford Bike Lane" on Sunday afternoon. Those clowns who've previously "liberated" other blocked bike lanes with their zany antics are expected to conduct a "mock" reinstatement of the lane. And today the Daily News published an angry editorial denouncing the Bedford bike lane removal.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on December 10, 2009 2:10 PM

Comments [rss]

felixthecat2

Baruch Herzfeld sounds like an awesome guy.

CR

You wouldn't like him as he's that one variety of animal you don't seem to like much - human.

felixthecat2

i love her.

http://www.peta.org/images/600JoannaKrupaAdult.jpg

felixthecat2

Some humans are ok.

felixthecat2

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Bloomberg did a lot of backroom deals to steal this 3rd term and it is costing the taxpayers Alot.

ladyjane

be pissed, whatever. but not in Copenhagen. I'm sorry-that conference is far more important that 0.5 miles of bike lane. prioritize please.

ladyjane

and yes, i realize that bike lanes and climate change are related, but, again, there is a time and place for everything.

JacqueMehoff

that's what you get for voting for bloomberg.

yeah, he's beholden to no one. yeah, right.

keep believing that.

oh no, he's a businessman and a self made billionaire, he's beholden to no one. he's who I'm voting for because he isn't politics as usual, he's his own man, he can't be owned.

what_a_dick

dick move

peanuthead

oh, for god's sake, its just a bike lane and, as scrappymcgee says, only .5 miles!

what about all the other terrible things that bloomberg does or condones,etc? where's the outrage about them?

on another note, the cyclists' complaint that DOT, sadik-khan, slumberg failed to consult with them is rather hypocritical and self-serving (this complaint was mentioned in a previous post or perhaps on streetsblog). one of the reasons for so many complaints about bike lanes is that they have been forced onto communities with only a charade of a public hearing or forum for suggestions (e.g. houston st, 8th ave, and perhaps grand st). there are many problems with bike lanes - removing such a short stretch is not the biggest one.

this is just another example out of many where bloomberg et al do whatever the F they want to gain or hold power.

felixthecat8

I love Bloomberg. What a gentleman, and a scholar.

felixthecat2

Valeriob, you're overcompensating. You're spoiling this blog for everyone not just me. Grow up. You're pathetic now. Should I call MTV networks HR?

felixthecat0

felixthecatIX

felixthecat5

felixthecat6,7,8and9

felixthecat,too

felixthecat8

valeriob

Yes, ask them if they have any open jobs for me, I'd love to work there.

Please stop accusing me of childishly creating multiple user names on gothamist. I have no motive to bother you, yet you continue to attack me.

I actually like this blog, stop ruining it.

felixthecat2

Well some nutcase is creating all these avatars. Perhaps "UF" Queen Tee.

felixthecat5

You know I'm not Valeriob. I'm you.

Dead Himmler

How do we know that you are not one of the fake Felixes?? I mean your are number 2?

felixthecat2

Valeriob created them all. I guess he is trying to make up for his short comings. but the Indian/Mexican girl on Twitter with him is kind of cute but taller than him. LOL.