The Coalition Against Rogue Riding (C.A.R.R.) demands strict enforcement of traffic regulations for all street vehicles, including bicycles, and supports measures that will enable these regulations to be enforced reliably and efficiently.
BY CAROLYN PROTZ AND SERGIO CABRERA | As The Villager has reported, city officials have developed a carless plan for 14th
St. in order to mitigate the impact of intermittent reductions of
service on the L-train line. The plan has generated considerable anger
among a number of local and advocacy groups who have now filed suit
against the city. (https://www.thevillager.com/2019/06/suit-slams-14th-st-bus-plan-urges-court-action/)
Somewhat lost in all of the controversy surrounding the lawsuit is
the fact that the city has given for-hire-vehicles like Uber and Lyft
(F.H.V.’s) — but not New York City taxis — special dispensation to
traverse 14th St. in order to pick up passengers. This special
Taxi
medallion owners charge the city’s proposed 14th St. plan unfairly
favors for-hire vehicles, which passengers can contact to pick them up
on 14th St. Under the plan, yellow cabs would not be able to “cruise”
for fares on 14th St. — though taxis do have an app called Curb.
exemption is the essence of arbitrary and capricious, and should
surprise no one that taxi medallion owners agree with the lawsuit’s
observation that the plan lacks “some modicum of rationality.”
From a taxi standpoint, the lawsuit’s indictment of the plan was
dramatized the other day at a City Council hearing on the role of New
York City and the Taxi and Limousine Commission in the decimation of the
value of the taxi medallion. Councilmembers took turns excoriating the
T.L.C. for its willful blindness and collusion in the decline of the
industry. (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/nyregion/taxi-medallion-investigation.html)
One of the central complaints made by medallion owners was that
T.L.C. aided and abetted the decimation of the taxi medallion by
exempting F.H.V.’s from many of the same strict regulations that were
mandated for taxis. (https://www.crainsnewyork.com/op-ed/real-killers-taxi-medallions)
Perhaps the most egregious example was the T.L.C. allowing F.H.V.’s
access to the Central Business District — otherwise known as the “Taxi
Exclusionary Zone” — for the price of a $250-a-year license when
medallion owners had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for that very
same right.
Another exemption involved the requirement for wheelchair
accessibility. The city mandated that 50 percent of all taxis must be
wheelchair accessible by 2020 — a requirement that places extra
financial burdens on cabbies. Yet, for more than four years, Uber and
Lyft rejected the demands of advocates, and resisted all legal efforts
at compliance. (https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/stuck-neutral-de-blasio-leaves-wheelchair-users-curb-article-1.2957859)
In the end, a watered-down compromise was reached that falls far
short of the taxi mandate, one that gives Uber and Lyft another unfair
competitive advantage. (https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/7362-the-city-s-bogus-compromise-with-uber-would-hurt-riders-with-disabilities)
What aggravates us to no end, is that for the past four years, taxis
(but not the F.H.V.’s) have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars
to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — 50 cents for each
passenger fare. At the same time, as most transit experts agree, the
F.H.V.’s have been draining resources and riders off of the buses and
trains. Allowing a 14th St. exemption to the culprits who
have made mass transit worse is really a case of adding insult to
injury, not only to taxis, but to mass transit riders, as well. (http://fortune.com/2017/10/13/uber-lyft-public-transit-ridership/)
The bottom line is that if 14th St. is to be car-free,
then there should be no exemption for any entity, but especially not for
one that has played a major role in making congestion in New York City
so much worse. (https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2017/02/27/its-settled-uber-is-making-nyc-gridlock-worse/)
However, if any exemption is to be created, it should be given to the
taxis — whose numbers have been capped since 1937 — and which have
always been seen as a protected public franchise and an iconic symbol of
New York City. Protz and Cabrera are taxi medallion owners
This is an EXCELLENT piece and it highlights one of many things that is wrong with this " 14th experiment."
It
reminds us again that for all the propaganda released about this plan,
it was, and is, a disastrous plan for anybody but the lobbying groups
that have deep pockets and influence our representatives.
Quite an interesting article and the fact the tlc (F.H.V.) licenses
were allowed to grow unchecked and they now seem to contribute the most
to traffic congestion present in the city.
I wonder who
(possibly), in the current city administration, was promised a job, from
Uber or Lyft, after they leave their current government one or maybe
campaign contributions to seek higher/other office?
For
the second time in 4 days and the 13th this year a bicyclist has been
fatally struck on the streets of New York City. Ten bicyclists were
killed in all of 2018. In tonight’s incident a 57-year-old man was hit
at high speed in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
All this side stepping of reasonable regulation enabled to “promote
ridership.” The proof is in the pudding. New York has been taken
for a ride.
The Citibike program enables people to rent a bike. Avoiding repairs
and maintenance. The lack of repair work and increasing commercial
rent puts small bike shop owners out of business.
Bike lifers who helped build the bike culture.
The enterprise is now controlled by The Related Companies.The blue bikes have mechanical problems. Renters are less concerned about rough riding,repairs and personal safety.Tourists unaccustomed to city traffic take a ride on the wild side. Plunging into bike bedlam and motorists with congestion patience failure. A trickle of lawsuits indicates it may expand into a costly stream. According to a January 2018 study by Partnership for New York congestion will cost the city 100 billion dollars by 2013.The inability of emergency vehicles to negotiate bike lane squeezed streets can cost lives.There are over 3 million commuters who use public transportation 12 months a year. Around 80,000 cyclists-most of whom are young and healthy commute-weather permitting.What's wrong with this picture? A case of the tail wagging the dog.Bike lanes have shrunk vehicular lanes., One million more residents increases density. 50,000 more ride share vehicles. Voila world class congestion. First the public was slammed by rampant lawless riding. Recently congestion pricing was passed. Under whose control and exact terms still uncertain. What is certain is that the public has been hit by a tax. The result of unwise planning and political complicity. The bicycle advocates have conflated “going green” with an ends justifies the means bike build out. A dominoe effect has unleashed a bevy of problems. Tunnel vision disruptive. Politicians who are happy to accept campaign contributions while soliciting votes from a vociferous bike lobby say that it is an enforcement problem. Putting the onus on the NYPD whose authority has been undermined. What can be done? Ideally a comprehensive city plan. In the near term an independent study needs to be conducted. It would objectively assess the costs and benefits. Current and future of the bike build out. Thus providing reason and balance. The scooter lobby and two wheeled motorized vehicles are already bringing another layer of lawlessness. Ultimately it is in part an enforcment issue and needs to be treated as such. It deserves firm mayoral support. The NYPD needs to be given the tools and manpower to accomplish it. Use a compstat approach. Establish a unit that coordinates with local precincts. Cops on bikes. Cops on scooters. Licensing would provide revenue and a means of identification.Enforce the laws regulating delivery agents and the businesses that employ them. Enforcement at night is imperative. Finally enforcement must be smart, sufficient and sustained..
This morning on First Ave and 12th St a bike rider went down.
On
his own. I walked over as he pulled his bike to an island and leaned
against a tree.
A road worker came over..The rider said he hit a pot
hole. "Wasn't paying
attention."
The road worker pointed out that he hadn't been riding in the bike
lane.
That area is smooth. Prepared to accommodate cycling.
Biker nodded his head. Holding his right thumb. Gathering himself.
Smart to be wearing a helmet.
Fortunate that a car hadn't been close enough to hit the downed cyclist.
New York City’s entitled bicyclists regularly endanger pedestrians. So why does the city keep giving them more turf?
A new Hunter College study looked
at Manhattan cyclists, and found that 24% blow through red lights, 30%
use electronic devices while biking and 6.4% wheel the wrong way down
the street.
That’s not just contempt for the law, it’s contempt for the people
who have to scramble out of the way of these Lycra-clad menaces.
And while a bike may not be as deadly as a car, the cyclist is more likely to come up on you out of nowhere.
Plus, watching your phone while cycling is just nuts. “It’s difficult
enough to navigate a city street on a bike in and of itself, but
wearing an electronic device . . . could endanger other street users,”
notes Hunter sociologist Peter Tuckel, who authored the study.
Sure, too many pedestrians also get distracted on their phones — but that doesn’t make them a menace to others.
But the cyclists somehow control ever more of the city, which now has
over 1,200 miles of bike lanes, with more on the way. How does the loss
of motor vehicle lanes not increase congestion?
Sooner or later, regular New Yorkers need to take back their streets.
Both
need to be illegal-or the enforcement needs to be consistent and
effective-for public safety reasons-and revenue raising. The current
situation is NOT tenable.
Both
Bloomberg & DeBlasio administrations have been negligent. The rogue
riders have been enabled. The NYPD has been undermined and now seems to
have
largely
thrown up its hands. The public has been harmed. Every day we are
reminded of this having to treat our every step as a walk on the wild
side. NOT acceptable.
NOT
worthy of New York City. It will require a mayor getting behind a
cooperative effort. Compstat approach. Special squad that coordinates
with local precincts. Cops on bikes. Cops on scooters., Sustained until
the cyclists ride responsibly and the public is calmed. Then consistent
sufficient enforcement. Transportation Alternatives arm twisted and
spun its way
to
undue influence. Now its going to be harder to put the beans back in
the lunchbox.Let's get this addressed prior to Mayor DeBlasio's exit.
Leave a legitimate legacy of effective
Chirlane- Please convey to Mr. Seth Stein that his PR words
ring hollow. Messenger was not in the bike lane so the system can be
tight as a Riker's cell and if a rider doesn't use it-SO WHAT? Time is
coming when Mayor de Blasio is going to have to face the reality of this
public safety crisis. Perhaps by that time his quixotic pursuit of the
presidential nomination will have ebbed and flown.
Regards-
Jack Brown
Coalition Against Rogue Riding.
CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- A female bike messenger was fatally struck by a delivery truck in Manhattan Monday morning.
It happened just after 9 a.m. Monday on Sixth Avenue between West 23rd and 24th streets in the Flatiron District.
Authorities
say the 20-year-old woman was riding in the middle of the street and
not in a bike lane when she was struck by a white delivery truck.
The incident was initially reported as a hit and run, but police say the driver circled back and was not issued any summonses.
He
was apparently unaware he had struck a person but was flagged down a
few blocks from the crash and immediately returned to the scene.
The victim was bleeding from the head and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Her identity has not yet been released, but friends say she was from Virginia and staying in Brooklyn.
The area was closed for the investigation, leading to major traffic delays.
The victim's helmet and belongings were still lying in the street hours after the crash.
The Department of Transportation says this is the 11th bicyclist to die this year, compared to 10 cyclists in all of 2018.
"We
grieve at any loss of life on our streets, and our thoughts are with
the victim's family and friends," said Seth Stein, a spokesman for Mayor
Bill de Blasio. "While cycling continues to explode in popularity, we
will continue our work to make our bike lane network safer for
everyone."
It reminds us again that for all the propaganda released about this plan, it was, and is, a disastrous plan for anybody but the lobbying groups that have deep pockets and influence our representatives.
I wonder who (possibly), in the current city administration, was promised a job, from Uber or Lyft, after they leave their current government one or maybe campaign contributions to seek higher/other office?