BROOKLYN, NY — Opposition to newly painted bike lanes on Kent Avenue is so strong in Williamsburg’s Hasidic community that one Orthodox leader vows that the faithful will block traffic if the city does not remove the cycling routes.
In South Williamsburg’s Satmar section, the wheels were already spinning against the bike lanes — which eliminated curbside parking and standing when they were painted last month — and now de facto Satmar spokesman Isaac Abraham kicked the conflict into a higher gear when he said this week that private buses would obstruct Kent Avenue to pressure the city to remove the lanes and reinstate alternate-side parking.
Jews to City: Remove Bike Lane!
BROOKLYN, NY — Opposition to newly painted bike lanes on Kent Avenue is so strong in Williamsburg’s Hasidic community that one Orthodox leader vows that the faithful will block traffic if the city does not remove the cycling routes.
In South Williamsburg’s Satmar section, the wheels were already spinning against the bike lanes — which eliminated curbside parking and standing when they were painted last month — and now de facto Satmar spokesman Isaac Abraham kicked the conflict into a higher gear when he said this week that private buses would obstruct Kent Avenue to pressure the city to remove the lanes and reinstate alternate-side parking.
“We will ask all the drivers: ‘When you pick-up or drop-off our children, put your bus in an angle, block the entire street, wait ’til the parent gets to the door of the bus, [and] slowly — very slowly — take your child off or put it on the bus, [and] don’t rush to get back on the sidewalk,’” said Abraham, who added that the protests would occur every morning from 8–10 am and 4–7 pm and would be accompanied by rallies.
“One day the traffic will be backed up all the way to Long Island City to [the] Department of Transportation Headquarters, traffic will come to a halt,” he said.
Abraham revealed to The Brooklyn Paper his calls for a traffic slowdown just before a contentious Nov. 24 neighborhood meeting about transportation hosted by Councilmembers David Yassky (D–Williamsburg) and Diana Reyna (D–Williamsburg) that addressed the controversial Kent Avenue bike lanes, which are placeholders for the proposed Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway — a divided cycling and walking path planned to stretch from Greenpoint to Sunset Park.
Members of the Hasidic community said that blocking traffic is their only way to voice their grievances about the no-stopping, no-standing signage that they have protested since the city installed the signs on a Saturday morning last month and immediately issued tickets, even though observant Jews aren’t allowed to drive on the Sabbath.
“I don’t like it, but if that is what needs to be done to get their attention, people are going to do it,” said Williamsburg resident Leo Moskowitz. “We don’t want to do it, but if we have to, we will.”
Department of Transportation Bicycle Program Coordinator Joshua Benson — who fielded questions and insults at the transportation meeting — wasn’t surprised by the negative response from some members of the community, which included complaints from business owners about declines in sales and difficulties with deliveries.
Benson said that the lane was necessary to create a “network” of bicycle paths around the borough, and suggested that in time, Williamsburg residents might come to embrace the cycling lanes.
“Change is hard, and when we change the way the streets work, there is always an adjustment period,” he said.
esti
what a hillul hashem in the eyes of all new yorkers who rely on those bike lanes for their safety!
Leo
dumb comment Esti – how would you feel if the did the on Kingston Ave.
anon
Hilul Hashem? The pro bike lane people are shining examples of passive (and even aggressive) demonstration.
People have had enough of these backhanded tactics to force agendas on them.
There is nothing illegal with a parent walking their kid slowly to the bus, and with the bus blocking lanes when no one is allowed to pass in any case.
wasteoftime
come on people, get your act together and let the bike lanes be there for the safety of the bikers. What will blocking the streets in the morning and making more traffic help take away the bike lanes, they dont take up that much of the road that it will make a big difference….
mendy
we should only learn when in comes to thiese things from the satmar comunity and if you have time go show your suport becase they would do the same for you if you were in need ide like to personaly thank the satmar bikur cholim
G-d-s Right Hand Man
I gotta suggest a gated community for the sabbath observant as one of the issues is natural law that is involved with Av Melochos and Toldos.
Certainly it is written by King Solomon OB”m the memory of the righteous is blessed
There is a difference between my mind went for a ride and my mind went for a walk
G-d-s Right Hand Man
Yo bikers stay off my sidewalks !!
G-d-s Right Hand Man
It is all for PEACE High and Low !!
duh
And that’s not all
G-d is resting
who is going to protect me from the bicycles
that opinion says that is good for you
that opinion says that is good for you
so what did your rabbi,papa,maama and/or book tell you is the law/halacha/minhag/derech eretz
inside knowledge
its all going to work out well
Duh.
To Leo.
Talk of Dumb comments. Yours is a shining example of one.
I personally would feel very happy if they did it to kingston street.
For starters I personally prefer to bike, it healthier, cheaper and more efficient than a car.
The main obstacle that is keeping me from using a bike as my main mode of transport is the lack of bike likes.
I like biking, but I don’t want to risk my life, bike lanes are a very practical solution.
If you have ever been to europe, you will know that many people use bikes as their main method of transportation. If they can do it, so can we.
Incedently, europeans are much less obese than Americans. Dare I suggest that there is a correlation?
In short. I am not telling you to give up your car for a bike. If you want to loose out on all the increasing health benefits, that is your choice.
What I am telling you is don’t destroy my method of transportation. There are so few bicycle lanes, yet there are so many roads.
Stop being a hater. Let people live.
The end.
JG
The tickets which were given on shabbos were rescinded. Follow this plan and you can expect tickets for everyone who doesn’t “move along”, and for anyone who “rallies” in the street without a permit. Amazing that so many men have the time to do this from 8-10AM and 4-7PM for days on end.
Respect
I wouldn’t want to be a Byciclist on a path full of angry people anyway.
I don-t get it
What’s wrong with a bike? Get some parking lots and driveways (if you know what those are). I am talking to you too, CH
yates ha-cohen
NO ONE IS FORCING THE “CHASSIDIM” ON THE STREET TO STARE AT THE NON RELIGOUS WOMEN WHO RIDE THEIR BIKES.
stop the Taliban agenda’s.. let other people live, let them ride their bikes..
neps
why is evrebody so angry how the residents of williamsburg are responding imagine a bike lane on kingston avenue erev shabbos with already so much traffic?
BP yid
Duh, biking is NOT tznius for women, especially on Kingston Ave…oh well I don’t think it would make much difference to the tznius problem there anyways.
It is worrysome that no one thought of the tznius problem that satmarers might be avoiding.