Right now, one of those stamps is the bike lanes. From the perspective of managing the city's growth and making safe and liveable streets, bike lanes are critical to ensuring the quality of life in the city.
So it is unbelievable, and regrettably true, that there are city residents who are adamantly opposed to bike lanes. They organize protests. They coerce spineless elected officials. The lie, cheat and play dirty to get what they want. They act like the complete a-holes we know them to be while they're in their cars: parking in the bike lanes, driving while intoxicated and/or talking on their cell phones, and hitting cyclists and running from the scene. Yes, this is basically road-hogs versus tax payers who want to live nice lives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/nyregion/23bicycle.html
It comes down to this. Cyclists must get involved in cycling advocacy. Support bicycle advocacy groups. Write letters to the newspapers. Get involved in the local political process by actively attending Community Board meetings. And if you really want to make a difference, get a post on your local community board; it's not as hard as you might imagine.
The easiest, most undemanding way to get involved in cycling advocacy is 1) become a member of Transportation Alternatives and 2) Give them an extra financial gift to help them do their work. Here's the link. Act today, because cycling today depends on what we do right now.
Best,
Robert
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Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply (TM)
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2010 Robert Matson
