New York City Still Failing Its Citizens
I’m going to continue to pick on New York City as long as they continue to put their citizens in danger. The latest indictment against The City (pdf) comes from ‘The Bicycle Scholar’, John Pucher, in his latest study of cycling — comparing 9 major US metros:
New York is a special case. Not only is New York by far the largest of the case study cities, but it has the most mixed record on cycling policies and accomplishments. Although cycling has almost doubled in New York City since 1990, it lags far behind the other case study cities in almost every respect. It has the lowest bike share of commuters, the highest cyclist fatality and injury rate, and the lowest rate of cycling by women, children, and seniors. New York has built the most bikeways since 2000 and has been especially innovative in its use of cycle tracks, buffered bike lanes, bike traffic signals, bike boxes, and sharrowed streets. Yet New York has almost completely failed in the important areas of bike-transit integration and cyclist rights and falls far short on bike parking and cycling training. Moreover, the refusal of New York’s police to protect bike lanes from blockage by motor vehicles has compromised cyclist safety. New York has much to learn from the other case study cities, which have implemented a far more comprehensive, integrated package of mutually reinforcing policies to promote cycling.
The items I bolded are all closely linked — if you provide no training/education and enforcement of cyclist rights, and allow/condone the actions of a violent, anti-cyclist police force, you will end up with high numbers of fatalities and injuries. It’s not rocket science.
And all of the anti-cyclist policy of New York City is true even before they officially launch into their new hate campaign against cyclists. And this is not just JSK and the NYC DOT carrying out this campaign — it has the blessing of Paul Steely White and Transportation Alternatives. If I’m a cyclist in New York City right now, I’m on the phone with TA, DOT, and the Mayor, and I’m saying, “Are you trying to get me killed?”
New York is important to cycling — it is the largest city in America, it’s huge on the national and international cultural stage, America is still the car capital of the world, etc. If we can manage to turn the tide in New York City, anything is possible.
But it’s not all bad in New York City — Bill Cunningham New York, the film — is out. Check out the trailer, below:
Bill is the bike-riding NYC-based fashion photographer who really gave NYC Ciclovia a lift when he started covering some of the scenes of NYC’s events, dubbed Summer Streets.
Here are some of the superlatives Bill used to describe the 3rd summer streets event in The City:
- really special
- a total New York happening
- the most extraordinary thing you ever saw
- success like you’ve never known
- everyone was out
- a triumph for bikes
- i never saw such a contraption in my life — it was terrific (about a 20-ft long bike)
- all we can hope is they repeat it next summer
- you can’t imagine what it was like — it was like the day after a blizzard, but a blizzard of bikes — if it happens again, get your rollerskates, get your inline skates, whatever you have on wheels, and get it out on Park Avenue.
Of course, every day in every city on every street, bridge, and tunnel throughout the world should be ciclovia — free to travel by bike without fear of being harassed, terrorized, or killed by marauding drivers. Who will be the next world city to take ciclovia to the next level, and do World Car-Free Day in a big way?
Hat tip: Washcycle.
