New York City Bicycle Accident Attorney Nicholas Rose is continuing to monitor on his New York Injury Lawyer Blog the ongoing battle between New York City cyclists and motor vehicle drivers vying for road space on New York City streets.
The latest move by the Bloomberg administration is a push to scale back what was initially to be a divided – therefore separate and protected – bike lanes extending from 34th Street to 125th Street on First and Second Avenues the New York Times reports.
Transportation Department officials are insistent that the lane constructions are just to be delayed until 2011, that the change in plans is little more than a temporary situation. But, New York City cycling enthusiasts who hosted a rally on City Hall steps last week believe the “delay” is really a signal by the Bloomberg administration that the bike lanes will go terminally unfinished.
Along with the gathering of about 40 cyclists came 2,500 handwritten letters for the Mayor from lane supporters. Concern for the project is not just a move to advance the cause of cyclists. According to Gothamist, a ten-year review of Department of Transportation data suggests that between 1998 and 2008, close to 4,900 pedestrians or cyclists were killed or injured between Houston and 125th Streets along First and Second Avenues with more than 70 percent of accidents happening on the incomplete stretch between 34th and 125th Streets.
And it’s not just tension between the Mayor’s office and cyclists that is ratcheting up. Local law enforcement and cyclists are also butting heads with more frequency as New York City cops have taken a more aggressive posture with cyclists who violate traffic and lane laws.
One recent Gothamist report ran with an image of a NYC police car parked atop the green bike lane. The copy indicated that more than one cyclist was ticketed on the corner of 14th and 1st after attempting to ride around the parked cop car, thus crossing from the bike lane onto the street. One cyclist said he received a $130 ticket for “reckless operation of a bicycle” for the maneuver.
As a New York City accident attorney, Nicholas Rose understands that being involved in a traffic accident is often one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. We would like you to know we are available for a free and confidential consultation if you have been injured in pedestrian traffic accident. To schedule an appointment, call us at 1-877-313-ROSE (7673).
