Anti-Cyclist Scaremongering At Boiling Point

The ignorance, anti-sociality, selfishness and self-righteousness here from cyclists is truly breathtaking.

EARTH TO CYCLE LOBBY: YOU ARE RIDING A 'VEHICLE' THAT CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE AND EVEN KILL. THIS REQUIRES YOU TO OBEY THE LAW AND RIDE WITH DUE CARE.Two years ago my wife was mowed down by a cyclist while she was out walking during her lunch break. Among her many injuries were two broken shoulder bones

and multiple skull fractures, one of which (a nurse later told me) is associated with a 75% fatality rate. Due to her permanent brain injuries she has had to resign from her senior executive position at a human rights organisation and accept a much less responsible job at a quarter of her former salary. She has lost her hearing in one ear entirely, still suffers post-traumatic issues, has virtually no sense of taste or smell and can't process music any more (partly due to damaged brain function, but made worse by the hearing impairment).

I support the rights of cyclists, who are also highly vulnerable to injury. But that also comes with an obligation. It means cyclists driving with due care and respecting the rights of pedestrians. When you ride on the footpath at a speed much faster than that of pedestrians, you make a personal decision. Pedestrians make no personal decision to walk on the sideawalk. We have no choice.

I was run down by a bike ON THE SIDEWALK. A delivery guy, that apparently thought pedestrians should have blinker lights. He came from behind, said nothing, didn't ring a bell, thought he'd pass me on my right, except that I thought I'd turn right to cross the street at the corner that I was approaching. Wham! I had an elbow swollen to twice it's size, and was in pain for a month. Ruined my coat. (Feathers come out of the holes caused by my fall and skid on the sidewalk). He did not apologize, and seemed to think I was in the wrong. I was kind enough to make sure he was alright before I started yelling at him.

It's really scary walking around while people ride bikes on the sidewalks. If you say something, the riders just say, "I see you, don't be a big baby." Or worse. I had an old man give me the finger for simply saying, as he passed me very fast and very close, "Hey, use your bell! Or say something."

Isn't it the law to have a bell on your bike? I mean, just use it so we know you're coming up behind us. I don't want to be run over again. Pedestrians aren't supposed to look behind them every time they inch a little to the right or left on an apparently empty sidewalk. Should I get a rear-view mirror installed on my glasses? I used to be the biggest defender of the people too scared to ride in the street.

The main difference between cyclists who ride like maniacs and drivers who drive like maniacs is about 2000 lbs. Nutjob cyclists are just as jerky as their driving counterparts, and they give the decent cyclists in this city a bad name, just like bad drivers give other drivers a bad name.

As a regular cyclist and sometimes driver, I wish the city would enforce speed limits (there is no need to drive > 25 mph anywhere apart from the WSH, FDR, LIE or BQE... even Atlantic Ave. should have 25 mph strictly enforced). I've actually received a ticket for running a red light on my bike, and I completely deserved (in my defense, I spaced out, so it wasn't completely on purpose, though I was clearly guilty). Traffic laws should be enforced for cyclists, but they really need to be enforced on cars as well to a greater degree...

DOT says only 49 Bike v Ped incidents? I'm calling bullshit on that one. First off DOT doesn't get notified of such incidents. If you want the stats, you would have to search 911 call taker history or FDNY dispatches to EMS ambulances. A friend is a fireman who says his engine company responds to several bike v peds a week. Many are only minor injuries where the pedestrian refuses to go to the ER (namely because the biker doesn't carry insurance like motor vehicles). So if one engine company respondes to "several a week" then there has to 100xs DOT's figure of 49.

The DOT Commish is a bike Nazi herself so it only goes to reason her agency would spread misinformation.

To all the self righteous Gothimist posting bike riders peddling away with a "Green smug" attitude: Slow the f&ck down & follow the rules of the road before you seriusly injur or kill someone. If not you end up under the wheels of a truck, and it will probably your own damn fault.

Hey, that does sound neutral!

I bike daily all over the city and have never come close to nailing a pedestrian. Why? Because I expect them to be clueless and walk in front of me and I adjust by routes and speeds accordingly. The bikers who stubbornly insist on high speeds in high pedestrian areas can talk all they want about idiot pedestrians, but they're really just saying, "I will ride however I want whenever I want, willfully ignoring the reality of city riding."

I agree. Thanks for being the man.

Fuck cyclists. The next time one blows through a red light and almost hits me, I'm going to jam a stick through his/her spokes. The majority of them really are assholes.

I'm picturing you carrying a stick around Manhattan and haunting the periphery of crosswalks. It's sad, really. But thanks for the useless, incendiary, and completely fatuous comment... because that's something you would only post on the internet, never actually do.

because almost hitting you is the most pressing traffic issue in NY today.

hey, here's a crazy idea that would make everyone happy: cops ticketing cyclist and drivers for their traffic infractions!

there's just not enough street acreage in NYC for everyone to get along. i propose a city layer in the clouds...

The scaremongering will continue until it becomes urgent for the city take yet more money away from it's citizens in the form of bike registration (and other) fees. Along with an agency to monitor and accelerate that theft. Sort of like how the Taxi and Limousine Commission was created.

It’s unfair to point the finger at the entire cycling population for making the city unsafe for pedestrians when an overwhelming number of pedestrians don’t even know how to safely cross a street, or, when an overwhelming number of drivers still think that bikes do not belong on their roads. There are plenty of responsible cyclists, myself included, that absolutely abhor the irresponsible riders. I agree that there need to be more regulations involved in city cycling and I would love nothing more than to see those bike salmons heavily ticketed. It's not just dangerous for pedestrians, but it's dangerous for those cyclists who are obeying the laws as well! This whole city needs an attitude overhaul when it comes to commuting. I’m tired of stories like this being reported; vilifying an entire community instead of actually addressing the problems in a fair, balanced manner is irresponsible. Segments like these do nothing but fan the flames of our transportation wars and make animosity grow towards cyclists in the city. Irresponsible drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike make this city dangerous, so how about running a segment on how we can make a better commute for everyone in the city? Oh right, because creating a villain for people to hate gets more attention than balanced, informative reporting.

Walkers do not always have the right of way. When vehicles strike pedestrians outside of the crosswalk, the driver is not charged. See many gothamist articles concerning that very subject.

Cross in marked crosswalks when you see the walk symbol. Otherwise, stay out of the street.

They may not get charged with a crime because it isnt. But in these cases there is frequently a civil lawsuit involved in which the walker wins. Why should I stay out of the street when bikes and mostly cars break the rules all the time? Im not against bikes at all. I just think its a bikers fault if they crash into a walker. Just as I think its a cars fault if they crash into a biker.

All I know is that if a bike runs into me while Im walking, Im beating the sh8t out of them, no questions asked. Bikers should break for walkers, if they dont they deserve a beat down.

Not if the walkers are idiot douchebags who don't know how to cross the street with the "walk" signal. Hey, I'm guilty of jaywalking, but at least I look to see if any cars AND BIKES are coming. I also realize that if I get hit while jaywalking, then it's 100% my fault.

I disagree. Walkers always have the right of way. Faster moving vehicles have to watch out for me, not the other way around. I dont walk into old people and blame them for being in the way. Its my fault because Im moving faster than them. If I cant avoid them I need to slow down or stop. Same goes for bikes and cars. If they are moving faster than me they need to avoid me.

"Walkers always have the right of way. Faster moving vehicles have to watch out for me, not the other way around"

Apart from the fact that you are wrong about walkers always having right of way (as others have pointed out), even if you were right, is this really a principle you want to live by? I mean, even if it was ENTIRELY the driver's legal responsibility to look out for you, wouldn't you ALSO want to look out for yourself, since you're the one with the most to lose in this situation?

I do try to watch out for myself. I dont run into the road with my eyes closed or anything like that. I look both ways then cross. Its just hard for me to watch out for cars/bikes making a turn onto the street Im crossing and crashing into me from where I can't see. Its alot easier for a faster moving vehicle or person to slow down and avoid slower moving vehicles or persons than it is for a slower person to avoid something that is coming at them fast.

And you're right, according to traffic law walkers dont always have the right of way. That being said, I have never heard a case where a walker was charged for crashing into a car/bike nor have i heard a successful civil suit where a walker had to pay for bike/car damages from walking into it. However I have heard many civil cases where a walker was awarded damages for bikes/cars crashing into them. Maybe I just said it the wrong way.

crosswalks and sidewalks, chief.

stay in your bike lane and never break any bike laws, boss.

if you'll notice, as i've pointed out before, i don't ride. i cuss and kick at cyclists and drivers alike. but if i'm dumb enough to cross a major avenue outside a crosswalk, i'm smart enough to look both ways (even on a one way street).

but whatever, keep wandering out and looking for fights, boog. let darwinism do its thing...

agreed wobble. The problem with bike lanes is that cars and pedestrians alike don't respect them. What do you have to say about that, boog?

Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way while breaking the law by jaywalking. Same goes for bicyclists with cars.

The problem with crosswalks and sidewalks is that vehicles and bikes don't respect them. The only difference is if I walk across a bike lane I wont mow down a biker but if a bike speeds across a crosswalk or sidewalk he will mow me down. In both cases the walker is getting run over. Bikes must yield to pedestrians as it is very difficult for a person who is moving 1/4 the speed of the bike to move quick enough to avoid the bike.

The bottom line is faster moving vehicles/people must yield to slower moving vehicles/people or the slower moving vehicles/people are going to get run over.

Everyone always abiding by the rules will never happen so see Sketto's post below and you'll understand what bikers should do.

what makes you assume im wandering out into the street without looking. I look both ways and then walk. Frequently, a bike/car comes from somewhere where they weren't in my line of sight or from behind me. I dont have 360 degree vision. Maybe you do. Lucky you.

well aren't you just a responsible adult who is willing to be culpable for his/her actions???????

rub our faces in it why don't ya!

(you're 100% right)

i've gone from anti-bike to pro-bike, even though i don't ride. mostly because it's becoming painfully obvious that anti-bike mouthpieces are fuckwads and i don't want to agree with them on anything.

also, girls on bikes are hot.

If you drive your car from point A to point B within the five boros with no passengers and no cargo (like most drivers) then YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. Get your fat, diabetic ass out of the car and bike, walk, or take the MTA. Your cars destroy the environment, make it hard for children to breathe, and have caused infinitely more deaths and critical injuries than cycling ever will. And a comment on bike lanes: as a ten-year daily bike commuter, I can say that bike lanes are far more dangerous than just riding along with traffic. Assholes park there & never get tickets. Cops & emergency vehicles hang out there, shooting the shit. Cabs use them as private, protected turning lanes. Until drivers stop blatantly violating traffic safety laws with no repercussion, I don't want to hear another fucking word about a cyclist running a red light!

come on folks, literacy has nothing to do with dialect.

i've almost been hit by bikes. i've also almost been hit by cars. guess which i would prefer.

I think there's different degrees of rogue riding but the one act that is the most dangerous has to be riding against traffic - and it seems obvious that most of these infactors are completely oblivious that this is dangerous and a law; it's a law right? Seriously, I can't count the number of times that I've almost been clipped, hit, etc. and 9/10 times - there was a bike lane going the correct way one block over. does this mean that riders don't know their own streets (new to the city, don't read bike-maps) or are too lazy to bike over one block. I blame ignorance and think that a push for educating riders on laws and the NYC bike system would really go a long ways.

Answer: License the bikes just like cars...bike riders must have insurance, points system for too many violations, and a tag that can be read just like on a vehicle. Extra bonus..... big $$$$$ for NYC

I usually walk (subway/bus) around our awesome city, but I also bike. For every biker blowing though a red light (usually looking before to make sure it's clear), there are 10 pedestrians that "creep" into the crossways when they don't have the walk sign - or just jaywalk in the middle of the road. Often, people don't even look up the road before they get a few feet in. WTF?? Didn't their parents teach them to look both ways before crossing?

I'll admit, there are stupid bikers and I hate them too. I've often encountered bicycle deliver guys going the wrong way directly in front of me. There is always a moment when I'm not sure if the idiot will go to the right or left of me and I'm always cringing at the thought of a head on collision.

That being said, the only time I've been hit (as a bicyclist) was by a car who "did see me." Idiot. She had JUST passed me and then took a right without signaling. Do New Yorkers not know how to use their god damned turn signal??

If we make bikers get insurance, then surely you'd be open to making pedestrians get insurance as well.

I am in a state where you have to have insurance just to have a drivers license even if you don`t own a car. In Europe if you [the pedestrian] are in the wrong and a vehicle or bike hits you the operator is in the clear.If the vehicle, bike, or you personally gets damaged/hurt the pedestrian will have to pay up. IMO that`s how it should be here.

CBS and the Post have nothing better to do than produce a campaign against cyclists? Unreal.

Of course there are cyclists who are annoying (driving against traffic, getting too fast too close to pedestrians etc), but come on! There are so many more important issues than raging against cycling: environment friendly, doesn't take up much space, AND cyclists put themselves in danger.

And regarding pedestrians being hit: I bike regularly, and pedestrians are generally completely blind in regards to cyclists, even when the cyclist has a green light and the pedestrian has a red one.

Oh, and how can anyone be against bike lanes?

Look people, there are douchebags of all persuasions and lifestyles. I'm primarily a driver, and a motherloving Lexus SUV this evening just rounded the corner and cut me off as I was stepping into the crosswalk. He almost took me out. He came so close, I could have, and probably should have, given a roundhouse to his piece-of-shit older model Lexus. It's not drivers vs. bicyclists vs. pedestrians. The fight is good people vs. douchebags.

It's impossible for me to take them seriously; harder, still, to not feel pity for them. Because of the unabashed and unjustifiable hatred for persons who choose to transport in a way that does not harm anyone (through careful observation and quick decision-making), I canceled our subscription at work, encourage other readers to seek other sources, and generally have no faith in any opinion by a writer at the Post.

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It is possible to have an opinion that is objectionable without using fear tactics and insults to justify it. The Post needs restructuring; in its current form, it will cease to be relevant in a couple months at most.

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the post hasn't be relevant for years. decades, perhaps.

I live on the UES and it's the automobile that is the #1 menace. Furthermore, a transportation system based on the private automobile is not sustainable. I'd rather get hit by a bike than a car.

The real question is: Why aren't politicians and celebrities having sleezy sex scandals so Andrea can go back to her regular beat?

This proves yet again that "thefacts" is actually Andrea Peyser.

Since mainstream news media have all but abandoned reporting and analyzing news, they might at least create some useful propaganda instead of pitting New Yorkers against each other with this sort of sensationalist crap. How about a really informative series about how New York City streets are changing to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, AND drivers and reminding us that we ALL have a responsibility to follow the rules and look out for each other. Who benefits from all of this hate mongering?

As with most disputes, the best solution will piss off everyone. Eventually we'll have bike lanes everywhere (which drivers hate) and lots more police enforcement of biking laws (which bikers hate). Everybody loses! And life goes on...

The number one quality of life menace on the Upper East Side is the number of cyclists? Please. I live in UES. The number one menace to quality of life is the 2nd Avenue subway. And anyway, I'd like to see the delivery guys stop using bikes and then we'll see how long it takes for everyone to start complaining about how long it takes for their takeout to arrive. Or their dry cleaning. Or whatever the hell else those people have delivered to their doors.

Did anyone suggest delivery men stop using bikes???

Yes but the 2nd avenue subway is (eventually) going to improve the quality of life here. Whether or not you and I have to come out of our nursing homes to see the new subway, well that remains to be seen ahaha. But seriously UES needs this subway... so I'm rooting for it.

Yeah, when it's running the 2Ave subway will be awesome. The federal government should be pouring money into projects like that to help create jobs, improve transportation and reduce pollution.

I can't people who ride the opposite. Serves them right.

Aiello via Streetsblog:

"The city DOT press office has no business talking to you - or to me, or to anyone, about inquiries made by other journalists."

Hahahaha. What a hack. What a total, lame, hack.

When award-winning TV investigative reporter Ti-Hua Chang asked DOT about opposition in Little Italy and Chinatown to the Grand Street Bike Lane for a story he was doing,

DOT wouldn't respond to his question, but instead referred him to Transportation Alternatives to get a statement!

How fucked up is that?

A City agency avoiding a reporter's legitimate questions, and referring him to a bunch of lobbyists instead. DOT is full of hacks.

He's completely right though about that.

No, he's wrong on two levels. In most states it's clear that interaction with government officials is not privileged or private (reporters can FOIA other reporter's FOIA requests for example). And when someone is lying, it's doubly important that they cannot have that info hidden.

You two have obviously never worked in a press office before. You never talk to one reporter about what another reporter is doing. Aiello is 100 percent right about that. But there are lots of ways to release the information that you want to release without talking about the other reporter. Ask that former Streetsblog punk Aaron Donovan who sold out and went to work at the MTA press office, he'll tell you.

No, he's completely wrong about that.

If a journalist is going to lie about publicly-available information supplied by a government agency, the agency he's lying about has to be able to respond.

The cops were indeed busting bikers on the Central Park road yesterday evening. I saw them first on the east side with a few guys stopped and their bikes being loaded into a patrol car. Then again on the west side where nobody was stopped but cops were lurking just off the road watching and waiting for whatever they were watching for.

JDS, you should get yourself to Columbus Avenue, where all week long new striping for a new bike lane has been going down between 96th and 94th.

They now have crossing guards (at least they did on Sunday) on East and West Dr. in CP. The cyclists seemed confused and/or disobedient. I'm guessing this is all in reaction to that elderly lady who was badly injured a couple of weeks ago.

Numerous times in Brooklyn I have almost killed cyclists running red lights, once was by a few feet on 4th ave.

However much I might hate bikers at any given moment, it still pales beside the might of my hate for private drivers. Not to mention the ultimate worst: non-NYC drivers. "Oh, hey! Just thought I'd not pay taxes on your city's infrastructure & then act like a maniac in my death machine, thx!"

I skip to work on fart-power everyday. Sustainability!

You know that "I almost killed..." makes YOU seem like the menace, right?

Yeah, i was at a red light and saw these 3 cyclist in all their gear come down the street. Light turned green and I could see them not even stop. I edged up into the intersection and scared the crap out of them. I could have stapled them to the brick wall, don't they know they will get hurt more than my car?

I kind of wish the bike lanes were marked to go both ways on the avenues.

I agree the bike lanes should be 2-way on the avenues! If they widened the one on 1st Ave, for instance, by about 2 feet and run the sidewalk-side lane to go against traffic (s.t. the lane closest to traffic flows in the same direction), it would be incredibly convenient!

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But this is not fair to do to vehicles in this current setting; we need to wean them from our city streets, not ban them. It'll take a lot of people a long-ish time to achieve the sexy biker leg look ;)

We all enjoy sweaty biker legs. I award this comment two poots.

That's ridiculous. They're marked one way because the traffic goes one way. You're thinking would add to the chaos.

Pardon my typo, "Your thinking would add to the chaos."

Do the DOT's numbers really mean anything? Who even reports a bicycle collision unless someone is seriously hurt?

Forgot to mention that I was not hurt, did not want to be late to work and did not report anything. The asshole stood on the ground, a couple of people ask me if I was ok. I noticed people were looking at him like "ofcourse another asshole cyclist".

Exactly!!! While crossing Broadway in front of City Hall, during morning rush hour, some asshole bicyclist cutting through bumper to bumper traffic at who knows what speed, as I pass in front of a van close to the sidewalk, CRASHHHHHHH! We both go flying, I get up severely quick (I meant to do that) out of embarassment, him on the ground pursuing an Oscar. I walk towards him ready to pound his stupid looking face, holds out his arm, asks me if I was ok and apologizes for his negligence. The apology saved him and he was probably an actor or was really hurt. Fuck bike lanes which are not used, fuck crazy bicyclist!!!

According to the article:

"The DOT's numbers show that accidents between cyclists and pedestrians have gone down almost by half since 2001, from 130 to 49"

1. Who did the math? 49 is less than 40% of 130.

2. Regardless of that quibble: If the under-reporting is consistent through the years then the stats demonstrate that ped/cyclist accidents have gone significantly down.

3. Two wrongs do not make a right. Even if the cyclist ran a red, the driver (or passenger) should NEVER have flung the door open into a bike or car traffic lane without looking first. That's for the benefit of all parties.

Yeah that's true. Good thinking. Also I don't know if I trust "streetsblog" anyway, it doesn't link to the original statistics, just the crashstat thingy.

they got the numbers from the DOT in an email. it's not on the Internet. Why not contact the DOT's press office for the same stats?

I'm generally pretty pro-cycling, but I did witness an idiotic cyclist get his comeuppance on 5th Ave in Park Slope last weekend. While walking on the sidewalk, I heard a pretty big crash and looked over to discover that a cyclist had been badly doored. My immediate reaction was one of sympathy for the biker until he started screaming at the driver, who then responded "YOU RAN A RED LIGHT!" Needless to say, the shamed cyclist slunk away on his badly damaged wheels.

Meh, not impressed. Sounds more like the driver's protestation was a mere technicality rather than being essential to the incident. I mean, what, he consciously decided "OK, it's safe to open my door now, since the light is red and I know nobody is coming"?

Doesn't seem likely. Sounds like he doored the guy, then noticed the light was red, and tried to turn it around.

It was dark out. I doubt he could see the guy coming, who was going REALLY fast considering he'd just run a red light. I'm guessing the driver checked the light via his sideview mirror to see if it was ok to open the door BEFORE doing so (at least I hope so) since he never looked behind him after the guy fell. Anyway, you may disagree, but the cyclist knew he was in the wrong and left without further protestation. Cycling, just like driving, comes with responsibility. It's not like these are country roads out there.

Regardless, if he ran a red light then he ran a red light.

It was important that somebody said that. Thank you for offering that wisdom.

When was the penalty for running a red light changed to summary assault by a random stranger?

re: Tony Aiello. No surprise that a hack journalist who lives in the suburbs would put together an anti-bicycle smear job rather than an honest assessment of what's going on here.

Tony, face it. You're a dinosaur. You're the older generation. Your values? Believing that the world revolves around your gas-guzzling SUV? Ending. Your generation fucked us all, and now we're going to clean up your mess. You don't like it? Stay in the goddamn suburbs, isolated in your big home, afraid of your neighbors and whatever it is that goes bump in the night up there.

The cities are back, baby, and cars aren't even close to being the best way to get around them.

Forget Aiello.

Focus on DOT!

Is there anyone here who really believes DOT's Big Lie that only 49 people were hit by cyclists last year in all of NYC?

Anyone besides the paid hacks and lobbyists at Streetsblog and TransAlt, and a few Spandex Nazis on Gothamist

I'm from younger generation and you should shut your mouth and respect your elders.

Sorry buddy cutting off SUV's will not save all the worlds problems like you tend you think, maybe getting a real degree instead of spewing bullshit will do you good.

Oh and next time you see a NY driver give them a 'thank you' for paying for your bike lanes. Maybe in the future you can pay insurance and car taxes, like men do.

Aleksey, I *guarantee* you I pay more taxes, and have more degrees than you do.

And Tony Aiello is still a hack fuckwad.