Critical Mass Panic

My previous, minimally-completed post reproduced an e-mail sent to a Brooklyn cyclist regarding the 78th Precinct's approach to "Operation Safe Cycle". I posted it here on this blog in the effort to comply with the request made by the Community Affairs Police Officer. Last night at the Community Board 6 meeting on the Prospect Park West Bike Lane's incredible success at making a safer street, the Community Affairs Officers of the 78th Precinct, Mitch and Jerry, approached me. They expressed frustration that I had posted their phone number online as they were now experiencing a backlog of phone messages on their shared answering machine, regarding bicycle complaints. In fact, Jerry explicit threatened me. In hopes of ensuring justice is met in the case of my untimely death, the below e-mails, reproduced in full w/o the offending contact information, tell the story: Wed, January 5, 2011 8:37:49 AM Bicycle Safety Enforcement From: "KIRSHY, MITCHELL" To: XXXX@X...

Biking Rules has failed. Accepting the blame for the danger in the streets to our own lives has given the supporters of the auto/oil status-quo the fuel they need to deny cyclists safe infrastructure. Accepting token "shared use" pathways as bike commuting options has let politicians wash themselves "green" while putting anyone who doesn't use a car in danger. Police and politicians stand in the way at every turn. "No criminality" is the mantra of the NYPD with regard to reckless drivers. What can we do? Who brought us here?

The review of documentary photographs and video is conclusive. In a city that boasts at least 15,000 bicycle commuters , the freely (dis)organized event known as "Critical Mass" consisted of 3 cyclists this past Friday. Admittedly, the commuter statistic is derived from fair-weather riders between the months of April and October, but one would think that with this kind of population density, you could get at least 5 people to commute together on bicycles even in the dead of winter. They can do it in Anchorage Alaska . I don't know if the kids are turning this particular phrase anymore these days, but c'mon NYC, that is some weak sauce. This is lamer than an Obama presidency. In fact, "Critical Mass" proved last week that it is easier to get people engaged in inane task of throwing snowballs at a monument, than to ride a bike this time year. This photo does not show it, but several passers-by, including a little girl, joined in coating this rock-hard tower i...