Cyclists die-in, demand safe streets
BY GABE HERMAN
Too many cyclists are being killed
on the streets, and to drive home
the point that something needs
to be done about it, hundreds of cyclists
held a mass die-in in Washington
Square Park on Tues., July 9.
Despite the push for increased street
safety under the Vision Zero plan,
there have been 15 cyclist deaths so far
in the city in 2019, compared to seven
at the same point in 2018, and 10 for
all of last year.
“Ultimately, the balance of our streets
should be tilted in favor of people — not
the cars that clog our streets and hog
our curbs,” wrote Ellen McDermott,
co-interim executive director of Transportation
Alternatives, on Streetsblog
before the die-in. “Ever greater reclamation
of street space is the answer —
like we reclaimed Washington Square
Park from the automobile six decades
ago and never looked back.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio responded earlier
this month to the growing number
of cyclist fatalities.
“We are seeing a dangerous surge in
cyclist deaths on our streets, and we are
taking action,” the mayor said on July 1.
“I have directed the N.Y.P.D. to immediately
launch a major enforcement action
that will encompass every precinct
and crack down on dangerous driving
behavior like parking in bike lanes.
“At the same time,” the mayor continued,
“I have charged the Department
of Transportation with developing
a new cyclist safety plan to make
biking in our city safer. No loss of life
on our streets is acceptable. Last year
was the safest year on record — and we
have to keep pushing the envelope and
increasing our efforts until we achieve
Vision Zero.”
The next day, the Police Department
said a three-week-long citywide initiative
from July 1 to July 21 would pay
special attention to dangerous parking
and moving violations, such as doubleparking,
parking in or blocking bike
lanes, and speeding, failure to yield and
distracted driving, like using a phone
while behind the wheel.
Patrol supervisors will also respond
to incidents where cyclists or pedestrians
have been struck to investigate
whether a right-of-way law has been
violated.
Auxiliary police offi cers also will be
doing education outreach for drivers,
cyclists and pedestrians about safety
tips, according to police.
Despite the promised crackdown,
some cyclists have reported that police
cars themselves have been part of the
problem in recent years when it comes
to blocking bike lanes. There is even a
Twitter account devoted to the issue,
called Cops in Bike Lanes, which was
started in 2013.
“The N.Y.P.D. will work with all of
Cyclists held a die-in at Washington Square Park on July 9.
A protester lay on top of a yellow cab near the die-in on July 9.
our city partners to implement a comprehensive
plan to reduce and ultimately
eliminate bicycle fatalities,” said
Police Commissioner James O’Neill
when the mayor’s July initiative was
announced. “The N.Y.P.D. vigorously
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
supports Vision Zero, and enthusiastically
promotes safety for everyone on
our city’s streets.”
6 July 18, 2019 TVG Schneps Media