bknightshadow45 Posted December 21, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 21, 2009 At least one group of bicycle activists is not excited by the planned Bedford Avenue topless bike protest through the Hasidic portion of Williamsburg on Saturday night. Transportation Alternatives, the advocacy group, just sent over this statement, urging people to keep their tops on if they truly support the reinstallation of the cycle path between Flushing Avenue and Division Street, which the city unceremoniously removed last month. “A bike lane on Bedford Avenue is about transportation and road safety,” the Transportation Alternatives’ statement said. “Rhetoric or acts that pit neighbors against one another are not just irrelevant to this discussion, they are flat-out offensive. A bike ride of people in provocative undress doesn’t make Bedford any safer, and undermines efforts to bring north Brooklynites together to solve this problem.” Organizers of Saturday’s sundown showdown say they will dress provocatively in an effort to shock Hasidic residents — some of whom have complained about the bike lane because its users tend to wear skintight or skimpy garments. Cyclist Heather Loop said that she and at least 50 other bikers will ride in their underwear because if the Hasidim “can’t handle scantily clad women [they should] live in a place where you can have your own sanctuary, like upstate.” Public nudity laws are on Loop’s side for the half-Monty “freedom ride” from The Wreck Room near the corner of Bedford and Flushing avenues up to Division Street. Hours after we received Transportation Alternatives’ statement, we received another from Hasidic activist — and failed City Council candidate — Isaac Abraham, who also condemned the nude romp in an open letter to the bike activists. “We urge and plead with you to reconsider the way the people want to protest and respect the religious believes of our community as well as the moral and respect of all New Yorkers, proceeding with your plan is and will be an insult to the entire Jewish community,” he said. “Don’t take out your anger and frustration of the bike lane removal on the entire community, when it was only one individual who stated that ‘the dress code’ was the problem. The entire community [has] always stated that safety and parking was the issue.” Updated 01:42 pm, December, 18 2009: Story was updated to include a comment from Isaac Abraham By: GERSH KUNTZMAN The Brooklyn Paper This article can be found on: http://brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/51/32_51_gk_bedford_bike_lane_protest.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted December 21, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 21, 2009 The yuppies should just go ride their bikes somewhere else, instead of causing trouble with the jewish community, if a community doesnt want bike lanes, they shouldnt have to have them, bikes are a hazard to motorists everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted December 21, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 21, 2009 The yuppies should just go ride their bikes somewhere else, instead of causing trouble with the jewish community, if a community doesnt want bike lanes, they shouldnt have to have them, bikes are a hazard to motorists everywhere While I agree with that, a religious group has absolutely no right to protest the dress of other Americans because "scantily clad" is not "indecent exposure" and it should not be confused as such. This is not Iran. Our women don't have to wear shawls and facemasks. We get to appreciate the beauty of our women should they choose to display it and any attempt to thwart that right is bunk, because that is what freedom means...not just freedom when one group or another thinks it's convenient. That said, bike lanes are overrated and are clearly the new "low carb diet", and I'm not really a fan of them in a major city except in certain areas where it is safe to put one and considers the impact on traffic in the area. Many bikers tend to be pompous a-holes who do not follow the rules of the road, regardless of whether they are dealing with cars, traffic lights, or pedestrians and that is something that needs to be corrected for bikers to continue doing their thing. They should need to follow the rules of the road. Also, this is the wrong way to go about protesting the religious community's objections. They'd be better off telling people to dress scantily in compliance with the law rather than going topless, and get a lot of people riding bikes if that's what they wanted to do. Stupidity on both sides :tdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted December 21, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 21, 2009 The yuppies should just go ride their bikes somewhere else, instead of causing trouble with the jewish community, if a community doesnt want bike lanes, they shouldnt have to have them, bikes are a hazard to motorists everywhere I'm sorry but I beg to differ. The lack of bike lanes will make them dangerous to motorists because the bikers won;t have a path to stay in, and as a result, they'll veer into traffic and may cause mayhem. But ti's not the bikers at fault, it's the city. Where do you want bikers to bike, on the sidewalk? That is much too dangerous because pedestrians are always given the right of way and any accident on the sidewalk would be a huge lawsuit. Alas, I'm just a skater and not a biker, but someone has to speak out for those who engage in recreational activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted December 21, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 21, 2009 Riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in NYC is illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted December 21, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 21, 2009 Riding a bicycle on the sidewalk in NYC is illegal. I know that. My teacher got in trouble for it because he rode it up to the curb and he got spalled with a ticket. I'm not sure of the exact price but I know it was high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted December 21, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 21, 2009 I'm sorry but I beg to differ. The lack of bike lanes will make them dangerous to motorists because the bikers won;t have a path to stay in, and as a result, they'll veer into traffic and may cause mayhem. But ti's not the bikers at fault, it's the city. Where do you want bikers to bike, on the sidewalk? That is much too dangerous because pedestrians are always given the right of way and any accident on the sidewalk would be a huge lawsuit. Alas, I'm just a skater and not a biker, but someone has to speak out for those who engage in recreational activities. they can ride their bike in the park or something, or down side streets where there isnt a lot of traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted December 21, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 21, 2009 they can ride their bike in the park or something What if they use their bike to get to and from work, especially if they have a bit of a distance to go between the train station and their house/workplace? or down side streets where there isnt a lot of traffic. If that serves more of a convenience to them, then sure. If not, then they have every right to advocate for bike lanes. Personally, I'd like to see more of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted December 21, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 21, 2009 What if they use their bike to get to and from work, especially if they have a bit of a distance to go between the train station and their house/workplace? If that serves more of a convenience to them, then sure. If not, then they have every right to advocate for bike lanes. Personally, I'd like to see more of them. as well I have the right to advocate them getting off the road, personally Id rather the roads be for cars, sidewalks for people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRG Posted December 21, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 21, 2009 as well I have the right to advocate them getting off the road, personally Id rather the roads be for cars, sidewalks for people I have no qualms with that whatsoever. The sidewalks are already made for people. But as a motorist, I can understand as you wouldn't want to cause a hindrance to yourself or the biker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted December 21, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 21, 2009 According to the NYS VTL, bicycles are classified as motor vehicles and are afforded the same rights to the road as automobiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbluefoxie Posted December 21, 2009 Share #12 Posted December 21, 2009 I have no qualms with that whatsoever. The sidewalks are already made for people. But as a motorist, I can understand as you wouldn't want to cause a hindrance to yourself or the biker. The worst annoyance is the LIE Service Road in Manhasset, where bikers bike 3 wide and block the right lane entierly, then give u dirty looks when you go around them. Its a community choice, if the people of Williamsburg think its going to cause problems in their neighborhood, they can have it removed, let them move the bike route over to a less crowded street, and install a biking restriction down their downtown area if they are trying to avoid making a bad traffic situation worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.