First Blog Entry: The bedford bike lane dispute Brooklyn Bikers vs. The Hasidic Community

"Hipsters repaint bike lanes in brush off to Hasids"

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/bike_war_paint_g7EizkFEZktV3IlNUJosQM#ixzz0fetDdUC4
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/bike_war_paint_g7EizkFEZktV3IlNUJosQM#ixzz0Z7GPthVP

I first heard about this issue in the spring of 2008 in the Daily Post. After the city installed the Bedford bike lane in 2007 the head "rebe"of the Hasidic community instructed all of their bus drivers to park at a 45 degree angle so bikers could not pass. Then, this December, the Bedford bike lane was removed by the city. Immediately I was wondered how taking a bike lane out would make anything safer. Then I read that the Hasidic community is very conservative and they feel uncomfortable seeing women in very skimpy clothing. Having moved to New York the summer of 2008, I didn't know very much about the the Hasidic community. When I saw this article I felt like I didn't know enough about their faith and values to judge them. I did a little research and found a documentary called "A life Apart" that tracks the Hasidic community's history in New York. The community moved to NY around the time of WWII to avoid persecution. When the came here, they didn't want to assimilate. America was a place where they could continue to live the same way they had in the past and keep themselves isolated. The Hasidum do not believe in romance and they didn't want the bike lane because they are trying not to compromise their religion in today's world. Seeing men and women very in skimpy clothing makes them feel vulnerable.

I understand that this bike lane could potentially compromise their faith, but the mystery is in how this issue was dealt with. The daily post claims that Bloomberg removed the lane in order to sway the Hasidic vote for his re-election. If it's not true, this is quite a coincidence. The bigger issue is how the government uses our tax money. It was posted that the city spent approx. $30,000 installing and deinstalling the bike lane. It doesn't leave me feeling very comfortable about big city government. If this was a deal struck in the closet what bigger deals are going down with you and I's money? Im sure 30,000$ is no biggy.

Now for the hipsters who went out to repaint the bike lane... Well after you've been given something its always hard having it taken away. Especially when it was done with a lot of controversy. In their eyes, a bikers eyes, how is taking a bike lane away making the city safer? Which is a damn good question. I understand that it's not making the bikers safer but letting the hasidum practice their faith without being comprised. Now the big question is... Since their is no bike lane will bikers choose another street to ride on or will they continue to use bedford? There is another bike lane on Kent ave, five blocks north of bedford, but its more out of the way.