Posted to NYC News on
by Jen Chung for the Gothamist

BROOKLYN, NY — The Hasidic community has been upset over bike lanes in their South Williamsburg for months, what with the immodest apparel of female bicyclists and the lanes taking up street space. Previously, the Hasidim announced they would use private buses to intentionally block bike lanes; now a reader tells us about her ride today:

Latest From Kent Ave. Bike Lane: Hasidic Chicken

by Jen Chung for the Gothamist

BROOKLYN, NY — The Hasidic community has been upset over bike lanes in their South Williamsburg for months, what with the immodest apparel of female bicyclists and the lanes taking up street space. Previously, the Hasidim announced they would use private buses to intentionally block bike lanes; now a reader tells us about her ride today:

Things have gotten pretty terrible in the saga of the Kent Ave. bike lane, at least for me. Today I had to ride between North Williamsburg and Fort Greene. On my way there, an older Hasidic man stepped right off the empty sidewalk and into the bike lane right in front of me as I was riding by Shaffaer’s Landing. He seriously tried to play a game of chicken with me and stepped in that lane when I was a good 10 yards back so I would have to swerve around him.

On my way back around 4 p.m. things got a bit worse. As I was making a left from Wallabout onto Kent to go under the BQE (not the best route, I know, but I wanted to get home quickly) a bus drive by a Hasidic man (no other people on it) sped up to make the right onto Kent in front of me even though there was no room for him to make the turn. I know this is hard to explain in an email, but he made it impossible for me to access the far right side of the street. I had to turn in between two lanes of traffic. There was no space for me to get over until I got closer to the light, which had by that time changed. I tried to pull up into the gas station on that corner, but a huge truck with a crane started backing out. I had to swerve back into traffic where I hit a huge crack and bit it. My head almost got run over by a car. Fortunately, I got away with a scraped knee and the creeps.

Of course, by the time I finally made it back to the start of the bike lane again on the other side of the BQE there was a guy driving his minivan down it…IN REVERSE! Can’t wait to bring this up at the Community Board meeting.

That would be Community Board 1. The next meeting with a scheduled public hearing is January 1, 2009 (we’re checking to confirm whether that’s still on).

Related Articles

12 Comments

  • MADD

    LEARN HOW TO BAN SMOKING IN BARS AND TRANS-FAT IN YOUR POTATOES. ALSO LEARN HOW TO CREATE TRAFFIC HAVOC FOR MOTOR VEHICLES BY CREATING STUPID AND UNNECESSARY BIKE LANES INSTEAD OF CAR LANES. BUY ‘HOW TO RUN A CITY FOR DUMMIES’ BY MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG. IN STORES NOW!

    PLUS GET THE EXCLUSIVE BONUS ‘HOW TO TICKET THE HELL OUT OF ORDINARY CITIZENS’ FREE FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS!

  • shmuly

    oh my gosh. while i somewhat understand the reason behind this behavior from williamsburg, I think their methods are wrong. it’s just a big chilul hashem

  • Yitzi

    Michael Bloomberg has crazy ideas but blocking a cyclist like that is rude, a chilul Hasham and down right nutz.

  • CV

    The Rebbe used to say, “Derocheho darchei noam” = the ways of Torah are ways of peace.

  • Really now?

    To MADD.

    You write “ALSO LEARN HOW TO CREATE TRAFFIC HAVOC FOR MOTOR VEHICLES BY CREATING STUPID AND UNNECESSARY BIKE LANES INSTEAD OF CAR LANES

    WOW, thats a lot of feeling, without any substance.

    Maybe you can take the moment to explain in detail why exactly the bike lanes are ”stupid and unnecessary“.

    Because I think they are ”brilliant and essential”.

    So take that.

  • I WANT ANOTHER CAR LANE BACK

    As a driver who drives to Manhattan every day through Bedford Avenue, I want to say I have never seen any crazy behavior from drivers rather from bikers. We have lost an entire lane for bikers- so please please TELL ME WHY BIKERS ARE DRIVING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET AND WE NEED TO SWERVE AROUND THEM. STICK TO YOUR STUPID BIKE LANE!!!

  • mendy

    i understand ther reasons but not how they respond
    (they should put sign’s saying baike at your own risk)