A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
Peatónito — Mexico City’s safe streets superhero, Peatónito (which translates to “little pedestrian”), is in New York City for the week, protecting pedestrians in crosswalks and clearing drivers out of bike lanes.
Former New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan — Sadik-Khan’s new book Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution was released yesterday.
Jimmie Johnson — The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion will bike 400 miles from Asheville, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia to raise awareness for bike safety.
New Haven Board of Alders — New Haven’s Board of Alders unanimously approved the acceptance of a $1.2 million state grant to create a two-way cycletrack on Edgewood Avenue.
LOSERS
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie — Drivers from Pennsylvania and New York are taking advantage of New Jersey’s paltry gas tax, and it’s adversely affecting their own states’ tax revenues and local economies.
Motor Transport Association of Connecticut — The organization opposes a bill proposed to the Connecticut General Assembly that would raise penalties against drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists because it doesn’t protect drivers “from the reckless operation of bicycles or dangerous actions by pedestrians who cause accidents.”
Queens Community Board 4 — Several members of Queens CB 4 questioned the Department of Transportation’s plan to add protected bike lanes to Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst, since “only two cyclists” were severely injured in the project area between 2010 and 2014.
Staten Island PS 59 students — New Brighton Resident Ruth Levy first reported faded crosswalks near PS 59 back in May of 2014. More than a year and a half later, the intersection has still not been re-striped.
Connecticut, New Jersey and New York — All three ranked within the top ten states with the highest percentage of deficient bridges.
Given the distracted movement on the part of both pedestrians and motorists, we need a regime that penalizes bad actions on the part of both parties. We need to establish not only the rights but the responsibilities of all parties. If motorists are required to have head and tail lights so that other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists can see them, then pedestrians and cyclists should dress appropriately so that motorists and cyclists can see them. How do we set up a reasonable pedestrian environment in the suburbs where relatively closely spaced crosswalks (at least 1 every 400 feet) and sidewalks on both sides of the road are a relatively rarity in many of them. In many cases our built environment sets both pedestrian and motorist up for failure.
I’ve heard Ms. Sadik-Khan interviewed twice now on radio regarding her tome. Each time she’s introduced as “One of the world’s foremost authorities…” I break out laughing at that point because I immediately summon up a vision of “The World’s Foremost Authority”. That of course would be Dr. Irwin Corey! Still alive and active at 100 years-of-age. Always good for a laugh. Can’t say that of sour-puss JSK.
God bless, Dr. Corey.