Williamsburg, NY - Fewer Than Expected Turn Out to Goofy Bike-Lane 'Funeral' |
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News Source: NY Post
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Fewer Than Expected Turn Out to Goofy Bike-Lane FuneralWilliamsburg, NY - Cycling activists decked out for a New Orleans-style funeral - and singing “When the bikes go marching in” - braved the nasty weather yesterday to “mourn” the death of the Bedford Avenue bike lane.
“An injury to one bike lane is an injury to all bike lanes,” event leader Ben Shepard told fellow cyclists gathered to mourn the loss of the Bedford Avenue lane, closed by the city last month.
About 35 cyclists wound along Wythe Avenue to the corner of Bedford Avenue and Wallabout Street, where taps played over a speaker.
They’ve been at odds with neighborhood’s Hasidic community over the Bedford lane, which ran from Flushing Avenue to Division Avenue. Residents had complained that scantily clad cyclists were distracting those meant to be concentrating on the Torah, not tank tops.
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Read Comments (21) — Post Yours »
1
Dec 14, 2009 at 08:35 AM Grow Up Says:Report as Inappropriate
Please! Can both sides of the issue grow up and deal with life? There are more and bigger things to fight over than a silly bike lane! It is getting really tiresome to listen to each side's complaints. Yes, the chasidim are upset about how they dress (but then take away the sidewalks as well because scantily dressed women will still be walking down the streets). Yes, they bikers want somewhere to bike and are upset about it unceremoniously taken away.
Just grow up- both sides! Bikers- deal with the lack of bike lane, keep riding down and then hopefully for safety's sake they will find a solution. Chasidim- learn to control your thoughts, ideas and eyes! What- are they going to have separate hours for grocery shopping? Are the streets going to be labeled which gender can walk on which sides now?
2
Dec 14, 2009 at 08:59 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Isn't it ironic how 35 people vs. a community of 20 thousand plus can attract media attention so easily?
And when sane people cry anti-semitism, all those liberals start screaming "don't play the anti-semitism card"!
What is it if not that?
3
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:18 AM JJ Says:Report as Inappropriate
I am proud of mr B.H. and the others who showed up in the rain. Bike lanes are important for the safety of bikers, drivers and pedestrians.
4
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:08 AM yoelg Says:Report as Inappropriate
To #1 What- are they going to have separate hours for grocery shopping? Are the streets going to be labeled which gender can walk on which sides now? It will be a wonderfull thing if we can make it in the jewish b"p & willi
5
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:24 AM chusid Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Please! Can both sides of the issue grow up and deal with life? There are more and bigger things to fight over than a silly bike lane! It is getting really tiresome to listen to each side's complaints. Yes, the chasidim are upset about how they dress (but then take away the sidewalks as well because scantily dressed women will still be walking down the streets). Yes, they bikers want somewhere to bike and are upset about it unceremoniously taken away.
Just grow up- both sides! Bikers- deal with the lack of bike lane, keep riding down and then hopefully for safety's sake they will find a solution. Chasidim- learn to control your thoughts, ideas and eyes! What- are they going to have separate hours for grocery shopping? Are the streets going to be labeled which gender can walk on which sides now? ”
Stop with those stupid commend about dress dress
the problem here in will. Is that the people are not used to those bikers and they are afraid for any accidents etc. So please stop to use the wrong wards ID"L
6
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:35 AM the people from will. Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Stop with those stupid commend about dress dress
the problem here in will. Is that the people are not used to those bikers and they are afraid for any accidents etc. So please stop to use the wrong wards ID"L
”
100% this is the reason why they fight to take it off
7
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:34 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
The media keeps on pulling out the trump card "scantily clad". As a williamsburg resident myself, I can assure you that this was not my grievance against the bikelane, rather the bikers total disregard for pedestrian and traffic safety.
8
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:31 AM baruch Says:Report as Inappropriate
35 people showed up in the pouring rain. i was there yesterday. traffic was blocked up and down bedford ave. many chasidim said, "don't blame us. it's a few crazies that want to do this. we wish we could bike. we hate the mayor as much as you do. if our leaders really wanted to help us, they would fight for one day a week alternate side of the street parking, not a stupid bike lane."
9
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:46 AM formelly Says:Report as Inappropriate
it was raining heavily so the crowds did not show.
to#2
since most of the leaders of the cycling protest are Jewish I doubt they are antisemitic, but against anti-stupidity and selflessness yes
10
Dec 14, 2009 at 09:48 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
jj you sound like you are the person who you are commending. no one else cares about the stupid bike lanes. they are a nuisance.
11
Dec 14, 2009 at 10:03 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
It was a peaceful and funny protest. Nothing wrong with it. The chareidim should learn a lesson from them. They got their message across and it was peaceful.
12
Dec 14, 2009 at 10:34 AM from williamsburgh Says:Report as Inappropriate
its very interesting how all theses who keep on spewing hate on the chasidim here. That when a yid gets in to trouble their the first to say that he broke the law and doesn't deserve our support. And let's see here. The chasidim are living here for 50 years+ and didn't had a problem with anybody. Happens to be that the goyishe neighbors park their cars within the chasidic community because they know its safer. Now bloomberg comes shove this bike lane down our throats and no matter what the reason is we are american citizens and we have a right to oppose it. So what do we do? We didn't broke the law and erase it. No. We went to the dot had a civilized discussion and they understood us and removed it. did we brake the law? No where we violent? No. Do we have a right to ask for our needs? Yes. Now here comes some selfish hipster who wants to ride his bike and brakes the law erases the bike lanes against the law. While committing a criminal act. And all the blame is on the chasidim.sorry but we "are" american citizens and we have a right to. And again we didn't brake the law and didn't force our needs on our neighbors. No. The hipsters are the ones braking the law. And the hipsters are the once forcing their needs on us. We don't like it. And they can't force us to except it
13
Dec 14, 2009 at 11:01 AM YIPIE! Says:Report as Inappropriate
I am glad they dont have the bike lane there. The shkutzim were looking to antagonize the yiddin and now they have to try something else. The people who made the funeral are wakkos!
14
Dec 14, 2009 at 11:05 AM baruch Says:Report as Inappropriate
the bottom line is that its irrational that in williamsburg that the chasidim don't ride bicycles. everywhere else in the world chasidim ride bikes. if the chasidim would start riding bikes they would be for the bike lane. it would be better for everyone.
15
Dec 14, 2009 at 11:28 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ its very interesting how all theses who keep on spewing hate on the chasidim here. That when a yid gets in to trouble their the first to say that he broke the law and doesn't deserve our support. And let's see here. The chasidim are living here for 50 years+ and didn't had a problem with anybody. Happens to be that the goyishe neighbors park their cars within the chasidic community because they know its safer. Now bloomberg comes shove this bike lane down our throats and no matter what the reason is we are american citizens and we have a right to oppose it. So what do we do? We didn't broke the law and erase it. No. We went to the dot had a civilized discussion and they understood us and removed it. did we brake the law? No where we violent? No. Do we have a right to ask for our needs? Yes. Now here comes some selfish hipster who wants to ride his bike and brakes the law erases the bike lanes against the law. While committing a criminal act. And all the blame is on the chasidim.sorry but we "are" american citizens and we have a right to. And again we didn't brake the law and didn't force our needs on our neighbors. No. The hipsters are the ones braking the law. And the hipsters are the once forcing their needs on us. We don't like it. And they can't force us to except it ”
Bravo. Well said. I'm curious to know how many of the commentators here who keep saying that the Hasidim should ride bikes do so themselves? All I know is that my experience with bikers in Manhattan where there are bike lanes is with a bunch of selfish folk. When a biker stops for a traffic signal one can't help but be shocked as that individual is very unique! What special people!!
16
Dec 14, 2009 at 12:37 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Isn't it ironic how 35 people vs. a community of 20 thousand plus can attract media attention so easily?
And when sane people cry anti-semitism, all those liberals start screaming "don't play the anti-semitism card"!
What is it if not that? ”
Just a correction, Williamsburg's Jewish community is over 50 thousand kein yirbi. If only one protester had showed up and Williamsburg would have had a million residents, still the same article would have been written in the Post - because the article was already written long before the "event happened, with an agenda to portray Williamsburg’s residents as backward and the hipsters as in the right. That’s why they wouldn't mention a word of how this bike lane had becomes a disaster for the traffic in Williamsburg.
An op-ed piece masquerading as news.
17
Dec 14, 2009 at 01:46 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Tough luck, would the bicyclists obey traffic and safety laws, no one would've object the bike lanes. Now you missed the boat.
18
Dec 14, 2009 at 07:54 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
why couldn't the bikers ride on Kent ave. why do they need Bedford ave. its only because 'we' don't want it
19
Dec 14, 2009 at 11:34 PM ChelmiTe Says:Report as Inappropriate
When people are supposed to show respect for an Arab neighborhood its called Mutual Understanding but in an old
established Jewish neighborhood which has a long standing tradition of been Orthodox plus - anything goes.
20
Dec 15, 2009 at 08:48 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ it was raining heavily so the crowds did not show.
to#2
since most of the leaders of the cycling protest are Jewish I doubt they are antisemitic, but against anti-stupidity and selflessness yes
”
Wow thanks for saing the truth that they are selfless people.
21
Dec 16, 2009 at 03:05 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Ding dong the bike lanes the dead,
the wicked bike lanes dead....
How many people remember where that came from?