February 20, 2012: Vol. 35, No. 8

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February 20, 2012 / Brooklyn news / Park Slope / Mean Streets

Defending the Prospect Park West bike lane isn’t cheap

By Natalie O’Neill

The Brooklyn Paper

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Photo by Tom Callan

The city has already spent $140,000 defending the Prospect Park West bike lane — and that number is expected to increase after opponents of the path filed an appeal.

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Bike lane foes are wasting taxpayer money by dragging out a lawsuit over the world’s most talked-about strip of green paint, cycling activists claim.

The city has already spent more than $140,000 on legal fees to defend the Prospect Park West bike lane, according to documents obtained by The Brooklyn Paper. And now that the cycling path opponents working under the name Neighbors For Better Bike Lanes are appealing a court case they lost last summer, the city can expect to shell out even more cash on lawyer fees — a fact that infuriates neighborhood bike boosters.

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“It’s an outrage,” said cycling advocate and lawyer Mitch Sonies — who thinks citizens shouldn’t foot the bill for defending a lane that has the support of the community, according to a survey.

“[The appeal] is not going to change the outcome; they’re just trying to make more noise,” said Sonies.

The lawsuit, which last year earned international headlines, argued that the bike lane turned the peaceful street into a danger zone for pedestrians and demanded it be removed.

It also alleged that the city’s Department of Transportation fudged data to make the lane seem more successful than it really is.

Jim Walden, a lawyer for the bike lane opponents, says critics of the Prospect Park West path have the right to appeal — and the case is more than worthy of one — because they aim to expose a government agency of wrongdoing.

He described criticism of the appeal as Kafkaesque.

“This is America,” said Walden. “Get real.”

Reach reporter Natalie O'Neill at noneill@cnglocal.com or by calling her at (718) 260-4505.

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Reader Feedback

Mattt from Cg/ch says:

Yes, this is America, where the wealthy and powerful get "pro bono" representation by some of the most politically connected and expensive lawyers in the world in order to .... I don't know how to end the sentence. This is such a pointless lawsuit. What benefit does nbbl get if they win? A couple of extra parking spaces?

Feb. 20, 8:47 am

Or from Yellow Hook says:

If the bike laws were enforced, it would be funded from the fines!

If the bikers policed themselves, people would be supportive of the bikers!

"Get outa my way! I'm saving the world on my bike! Red lights are for cars! Whhhhaaaaat? I can't hear you I got headphones on! Sidewalk works good for me for a few blocks. I don't need a light, I can see where I'm going."

Feb. 20, 9 am

Judahspechal from Bedstuy says:

I think the NYPD is wasting way more tax $$ because of the number of suits the city have to payout. Way more than $140 grand you would agree?

Feb. 20, 10:02 am

S from PPW says:

Shame on Iris Weinshall. How many worthy projects, from education and street safety to senior services and improvements to parks could be purchased for $140,000.

Shame on them Louise Hainline, Chuck Schumer, Lois Carswell and the whole lot of them.

Feb. 20, 10:13 am

Brad from Brooklyn Heights says:

Or, I walk a lot and I also ride a bike. I can't remember the last time I felt threatened by a bicycle. When was the last time it happened to you? I see you on a lot of these bike articles and you seem to have a bit of a chip on your shoulder, but I don't think it's justified. What's the problem?
And I agree with everyone else: Iris Weinshall, Louise Hainline, Chuck Schumer, Lois Carswell, and Jim Walden all need to take a step back and consider what they're doing here. They've gotten a fair hearing, we all know what Art. 78 says, we all know there's a four-month SoL on these things, and they are not behaving like members of the political class should.
Bike lanes keep people like Or safer; hopefully, they'll be able to move past their strange embittered attitudes when they see that bike lanes help out everyone.

Feb. 20, 10:32 am

S from PPW says:

Don't feed the trolls. Ignore Or.

Feb. 20, 10:34 am

mark davis says:

does anyone have the figure on how much this lane cost to build? I recall the annual budget for building bike lanes in NYC is something like 2 million total.

Does this figure include the costs to run the courts or just the cities legal fees for defense?

Feb. 20, 11:08 am

johannesrolf from Washington Heights says:

this is money well spent. it is the price we pay for a democratic society, which allows people with different points of view, to air their differences in a court of law.

Feb. 20, 11:10 am

ty from pps says:

Johnnesrolf -- Yes, you're right. But another part is for "people with different points of view" to realize they are being petty, childish and harmful to aforementioned society. They had their airing of grievance. They lost, on multiple counts (not just the Article 78 aspect). It's time to move on with life.

Feb. 20, 11:17 am

Your Neighbor from Park Slope says:

"they aim to expose a government agency of wrongdoing."

There was no wrongdoing. There was a lengthy, open and public process that led to an overwhelmingly popular redesign of a street that really needed it.

Jim Walden will expose no wrongdoing. He will, however, continue to make baseless accusations as part of a smear campaign aimed at making it harder for Janette Sadik-Khan's DOT to make the city safer and better for cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders.

Louise Hainline and Loise Carswell: Shame on you.

Iris Weinshall and Chuck Schumer: Shame on you.

Norman Steisel: You have repeatedly proven yourself to be utterly shameless, so whatever.

Jim Walden and Georgia Winston of Gibson Dunn: You too are beyond shame. Please remove yourselves from Brooklyn neighborhood affairs and stick to your bread-and-butter work destroying the planet by defending companies like Chevron against environmental whistle blowers. You guys are great at that.

Feb. 20, 11:25 am

Dave from Park Slope says:

Mark Davis, published reports put the cost of the PPW reconfiguration work at about $300,000. And I recall plenty of opponents of the project complaining about that cost "when the city is laying off teachers." Where are they now, as the city is being forced to defend this widely popular redesign, which has made the street demonstrably safer, from the "right" of a spurious appeal.

Sure, Jim Walden et al have the right to go to court; it's too bad they don't have the sense to go away.

Feb. 20, 12:12 pm

Taxpayer for Better Neighbors from Brooklyn says:

Lois Carswell told WNYC's Brian Lehrer that "it hardly makes sense in these economic times to spend over three hundred thousand dollars on a bike lane" when the city was cutting bus service, even though the bus service was cut by the MTA, which has nothing to do with bike lanes. (Like most NBBLers, Lois isn't much of an expert on anything except hating bike lanes.)

Now, a lawsuit that even Iris Weinshall, Norman Steisel, and Louise Hainline know is without merit, is costing the city $140,000, a figure that's sure to grow and grow as their appeal goes on.

Hypocrites.

Feb. 20, 1:14 pm

K. from ArKady says:

I was thinking less of Franz Kafka and more of Charles Dickens. There is where you might find a solution to these problems. All those bells in Brooklyn can be put to good use, yes?

Feb. 20, 1:19 pm

tom from sunset park says:

Brad: Your argument would be stronger if you didn't assume that everyone knows what 'Art. 78' is or says, and what 'SoL' means.

Feb. 20, 1:58 pm

Steve from Slope says:

I still want the Brooklyn Paper to host a debate between one of these NBBL people and Eric McClure or another supporter of the bike lane. Stop hiding behind lawyers and lawsuits and talk to the community directly. If their suit is so worthwhile that it's worth $140 thousand of taxpayer money, they surely they'd want to set the record straight and warn people of the danger they face if they set foot on PPW.

What say you, Brooklyn Paper? Where and when should you host a debate?

Feb. 20, 2:08 pm

ty from pps says:

Tom -- The links imbedded in this article and any basic google search about this ridiculous lawsuit would describe the Art. 78 (article 78) limitation and anyone can quickly figure out that SoL (in this context) means Statute of Limitations.

In fact, if anyone supports the shameful display of Louise Hainline and Iris Weinshall's hypocrisy... they probably already know this stuff. And are probably one of the dozen or so cranky people in their club that resent their neighbors and see themselves as little kings in their twisted bubble of a world.

Feb. 20, 2:51 pm

Joe R. from Flushing says:

This lawsuit is exactly why tort laws need to be reformed. Making the loser pay court costs, as is done in every other first world country except the United States, would cause a lot of frivolous lawsuits like this never to have been filed in the first case.

Feb. 20, 3:57 pm

Brownstone from Park Slope says:

The Zombie movie "PPW 13" premieres at the Pavilion Theater.
Zombies arise again, attacking pedestrians and bicyclists on PPW!
Zombies come by Limo!
They never die, they never go away!
Come see the PPW Zombies walk the (bloody) red carpet at the theater opening.

Convenient access - F Train Public Transit and PPW Bike Lane right to the door.
Valet Bicycle Parking will be provided.
Only Zombie Limo Double Parking Allowed.

Feb. 20, 5:51 pm

NBBL fan from PPW says:

THANK YOU to Iris Weinshall for her valiant defense of Prospect Park West! I'm glad she's used her job at CUNY, her email address, and her husband's political connections to fight this destructive bike lane.

This terrible accident is EXACTLY why it must be ripped up and erased from Brooklyn's memory forever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oskj9hiKo4U

Iris Weinshall is a hero!

Feb. 20, 6:27 pm

Brownstone from Park Slope says:

NBBL fan,
I'm speechless!
There is nothing I can say to rebut, refute or refund this video. It's a must watch.

Feb. 20, 6:42 pm

ty from pps says:

HA! That is AWESOME!

Feb. 20, 6:44 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

Making personal attacks on the members of NBBL isn't going to get any of you anywhere. If they were looking at some of your comments, they will see you as nothing more than a bunch of fanatics who believe that everything can only exist according to them. Also, I find blacklisting another hit below the belt, which is very common for what is being done on Streetsblog all the time on those who don't share their view. They aren't against bicycles in general, they just don't feel that taxpayer dollars are worth spending on lanes that are hardly ever used durring the year compared to the transportation that is used all year long. Still, they have the right to appeal wheather some of you like it or not, because it's the law.

Feb. 20, 8:03 pm

Franz from Bohemia says:

Y'know what's really Kafkaesque? Gregor Samsa waking one morning to discover that he's turned into a monstrous, lawyer-like creature working for Gibson Dunn.

Feb. 20, 8:41 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- You know what else is allowed by the law? Pointing out that I think your seemingly never ending comments are really really stupid... and that your comments appear to me as being similar to the types of comments a person with no subject matter knowledge and a mental disorder (perhaps caused by head trauma) would make. Naturally, this is just the impression being made. Of course I'm not a member of a team of psychiatric health professionals that would care for and evaluated such a mentally "challenged" individual.

That's based on my experience with brain damaged people. My experience with such people is as extensive as your experience with bicycling in the city and knowledge of bicycle infrastructure in the city. So, I am very confident saying it is your right to make comments similar to that of someone recovering from a bullet to the head, but that I don't need to give you a medal for speaking nonsense. But I will say, you are a very strong and brave man for trying so hard.

Feb. 20, 9:23 pm

ty from pps says:

By the way, I'll be riding my bike to work tomorrow... and locking it to a FULL bicycle rack.

Feb. 20, 9:26 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

By no surprise, you resort to more personal attacks, ty. Thank you for proving to me that bike zealots will even cross boundaries to downplaying those that don't agree with you, which is why you will probably lose later on. I even created a term for people who talk just like you do, and I call it Hamasing after the terrorist group that constantly attacks innocent civillians in Israel by being known to fight dirty. Reguardless, the personal attacks you make are very insulting and really low even for you. Then again, what am I going to expect from a bike zealot? Another thing, name calling and other insults actually makes me believe that you are not serious or even possibly have a very low IQ level. Talk to me when a grow a brain, and real debaters do NOT resort to such ad hominems. Saying such things really makes me question your integrity, and even makes me think that you use the internet to be someone you are not hence acting like a little good. Act your age for once.

Feb. 20, 10:22 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- I'm sorry my "personal attacks" make you question my integrity. Unfortunately, it's your utterly crazy comments that make me question your grasp of reality.

Feb. 20, 10:29 pm

ty from pps says:

... but VERY creative... ya know, given your limitations. "Hamasing" -- I mean, that's brilliant.

Feb. 20, 10:31 pm

Resident from PPW says:

I echo NBBL fan's sentiments. THANK YOU to Iris Weinshall for her valiant defense of Prospect Park West! I'm glad she's used her job at CUNY, her email address, and her husband's political connections to fight this destructive bike lane.

There are other traffic alternatives to slow the traffic down than this rarely used (ok, it gets used on summer weekends) ode to Bloomberg's legacy. Imagine the uproar if NYC built a road or subway line that is only on summer weekends.

Feb. 21, 5:06 am

Resident too from PPW says:

Imagine the uproar over Jones Beach, Central Park, schools, community pools, public tennis courts and plenty of other thing that aren't used 100% of the year. Why, I was riding my bike on PPW last night at 1 am and didn't see a single driver the entire time I was there! Why do we devote so many resources to roads that aren't used all the time?

Never mind that the bike lane is used 365 days per year, unlike those pesky, money-losing schools and parks!

Feb. 21, 8:49 am

Other Michael from Park Slope says:

Tal

I think even the people who would say they agree with you think you are an idiot. You have no understanding of the facts or issues in regard to Prospect Park, bike lanes, or urban living in general.

and please have your Dad sue me. That would be fun.

Feb. 21, 9:06 am

Billy Gray from Greenpoint says:

Tal is a troll. Don't feed the troll.

Feb. 21, 10:59 am

Tal Barzilai from Mentally Illville says:

By no surprise, term for people who think that you use the internet the personal attacks you make are name talk just like you do, and I call it fight dirty. Reguardless, saying such things really makes me question your integrity, and even makes me calling and other insults actually makes me believe that you are not serious or even possibly have a very low IQ level. Hamasing after the terrorist group that constantly attacks innocent civillians in Israel by being known to very insulting and really low even for you. Then again, what am I going to expect from a bike zealot? Another thing, Talk to me when a grow a brain, and real debaters do for proving to me that bike zealots will even cross boundaries to downplaying those that don't agree with you, which is why you will probably lose later on. I even created a NOT resort to such ad hominems. SAct your age for once. you resort to more personal attacks, ty. Thank you to be someone you are not hence acting like a little good.

Feb. 21, 11:48 am

Resident 3 from Prospect Park West says:

Hardly anyone uses Prospect Park during the winter.

Imagine all of this valuable urban land laying fallow during winter weekends! How ridiculous.

I believe we should turn Prospect Park into a gigantic surface parking lot during the winter so that the doorman of my luxury coop building doesn't have to work so hard to save on-street parking spaces for me and my fellow residents.

Feb. 21, 11:52 am

Josef from Clinton Hill says:

Dear Ms. O'Neill,

You write, "Bike lane foes are wasting taxpayer money by dragging out a lawsuit over the world’s most talked-about strip of green paint, cycling activists claim."

The last three words are superfluous. In reality, either this lawsuit is indeed a waste of money re-litigating an already-decided issue, or it is not.

Rather than practice the stenography model of journalism wherein you faithfully record whatever bunk both sides tell you ("they say it's a waste of money"; "he says it's 'kafkaesque' ") why not actually do some journalism and adjudicate the claims.

You are supposed to report the facts. Admittedly, it is a fact that both these parties said some stuff. However, this is not the relevant issue for your readers. The relevant matter, the matter that you should be reporting on (instead of this he-said she said baloney), is which side is factually correct.

Feb. 21, 12:50 pm

a from heights says:

Can you post the documents referred to in the article? There's lots of press coverage from this article but no description or understanding of what type of documents, how this amount was calculated or what effort it represents. Scribd or other websites can host the document, or you can host it yourself.

Feb. 21, 1:04 pm

vsk from Bay Ridge says:

Gee what a mess !! Why the anguish over a little lane designed to keep people safe? I commute 11 miles each way to work from Bay Ridge to Midtown. The 2nd Avenue bike lane is beneficial. I stop at lights, I slow down for oblivious pedestrians not paying attention, I basically yield to everybody because I'll get there faster anyway. What is such a big deal about having a little safe haven from the texting SUV drivers and other mainacs out there ?

vsk

Feb. 21, 2:19 pm

em from Red Hook says:

A big STFU already to everyone who says bikes lanes are only used on summer weekends. I commute everyday by bike that I can. This winter, I haven't missed a beat. Last winter, there were probably a total of 20 days I didn't ride because of the weather.

Perhaps it's too cold for all the fat asses in their piece of c#@p SUVs to notice us cyclists in the winter. Maybe that's why there's been such a streak of pedestrians and cyclists hit by drivers recently.

Feb. 21, 5:02 pm

Joe R. from Flushing says:

The comments about the bike lanes being seldom used are at best a red herring. It's very rare ANY bit of infrastructure is utilized to its full capacity 24/7. There are plenty of sidewalks in the outer boroughs which are nearly always empty. And quite a few roads are like that as well. Should we remove those because they're not used enough? Remember also that even a heavily utilized bike lane will look much emptier than a road carrying the same number of people in cars simply because bikes take up way less space.

Another overlooked fact is the bike network is far from complete. This situation can be likened to a highway which has a few segments here and there built, but doesn't really offer a continuous run between places of interest. How many people would find such a highway useful? And how many people will find 20 blocks of bike lane here, 10 blocks there useful? Answer is not as many as would if the highway were complete. So those complaining the bike lanes are hardly used might get more for their tax dollars if JSK was allowed to finish what she started. Remember that this silly lawsuit pretty much put a damper on new bike infrastructure citiwide.

As for winter, even with typical winter weather NYC is good for cycling at least 10 months out of 12. Generally January and February are the only months where you have lots of days where it's too cold, windy, and snowy to bike.

Feb. 21, 5:28 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

I can never understand why some of you bike zealots always attack Natalie O'Neill. You guys had your say, so let her have her's. Just because she doesn't share your views doesn't mean you have the right to call for her to burnned at the stake. Reguardless, I don't think that bicycles need special lanes. Right now, the city can't keep open public schools, firehouses, hospitals, and senior centers yet there is so much money for bike lanes. Let's not forget that the MTA had to do a lot of service cuts on numerous subways and buses. Many of those who say the bike lanes are hardly ever used are those who have actually looked at them constantly, and one of the members of NBBL actually has a video camera that look at that bike lane all the time, so it's hard to say that she is wrong when she has the evidence for that. Another reason why there are those against bike lanes isn't just because they aren't used a lot, but also because cyclists have the tendency to flout the laws a lot. I do find it an irony that you bike zealots tell us motorists to always follow the rules when you guys hardly ever do that yourselves. You have no legitimacy to say such a thing if you don't start with yourselves first and practice what you preach first before going to others.

Feb. 21, 6:42 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

Feb. 21, 6:42 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- I'm glad you have ABSOLUTELY no ability to make a well-crafted argument. It would be disappointing if you suddenly came out with something that was reasonable.

But what do I know, I'm just a "bike zealot." I guess I'm also a "car zealot" and a "pedestrian zealot" and a "subway zealot" because I use those modes of transportation too... hmm... it's tough being such a busy zealot.

Feb. 21, 7:51 pm

M from Park Slope says:

"they just don't feel that taxpayer dollars are worth spending on lanes that are hardly ever used", obviously they would rather that tax payer money be used to subsidize street side storage for their unused vehicles.

Feb. 21, 7:58 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- Also, you do know the money thing is just a STUPID argument, right? You do know that... right?

The TOTAL costs of, I believe, the last seven years of bike infrastructure was LESS THAN what the DOT spent on *additional* pot hole repairs last winter. Not the DOT's road repair budget, but the additional amount they spent on pot holes because of the particularly foul weather.

We're talking low single-digit millions for a MULTIPLE YEARS of installation. Compare this to you idiotic comparison to the school budget etc. ($23.9 Billion... Or $23,000 million per year) We're talking pennies.

Feb. 21, 8:36 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

First off all, please define what a zealot is or just the word zeal in that matter and come back with the definition of that word. Most importantly, motorists already pay to use the roads through numerous taxes and fees. However, this is not the case for bicycles. If you really want a right to use the road, then start paying for it like the rest does. Unfortunately, due to being located in a place that is known for getting snow, the potholes need to be repaired, so unless you can make it stop snowing, those repairs will be needed and urgently. The only reason I mentioned all of those is because Bloomberg, who you all probably re-elected for his illegitimite thrid term, always puts his rich buddies and pet projects first when it comes to spending while constantly snubbing the public sector.

Feb. 21, 9:08 pm

ty from pps says:

WOW! You're on fire, Tal. And by on fire, just continuing the Ye Olde Towne Idiot routine.

You obviously couldn't comprehend anything I wrote. So why did you feel it necessary to comment?

And I know many many people have told you this already... but you do know that excise taxes (gas tax, registration, etc.) doesn't come close to covering the costs of roads right???????? (less than 50% in fact) ALL residents pay for the roads. Everyone. A person who has never been in a car pays taxes that go toward maintaining the roads. Everyone. The 12 year old that pays sales tax on a new t-shirt is, in part, paying for the roads.

Feb. 21, 9:19 pm

ty from pps says:

Sorry. t-shirt is a bad example. Isn't clothing exempt from sales tax now? OK. The 12 year old buying a new bicycle! :-)

Feb. 21, 9:22 pm

Mark Zuckerfarb from Pleasantburg says:

What if Tal Barzilai is software, not human?

Feb. 22, 9:37 am

ty from pps says:

Mark -- That could totally be true!! Perhaps he's an early, repurposed version of the computers that write Stephen King's novels.

Feb. 22, 10:59 am

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

For the last time, cut out the personal attacks as they are way below the belt, even for you streetsblogger zealouts. Irreguaurdless, these personal attacks only weaken your already weak arguments, and strengthen mine. Another form of Hamasing is obfuscating the facts with personal attacks against the person for who they are as opposed to what they say. On a side note, my taxes (exise, gasoline, parking) not only pay for motorists, but also for the bike lanes that I and most others do not wish to pay for, when they will only be used by an ungrateful minority of bike zealouts who think that they are above the law. And Other Michael, I could easily have my Dad sue you on my behalf, but instead I would ask that you apologize and atone for your endless personal attacks and imposturizations. Season tickets to the WNBA team of my choosing would be a start. On a side note, the fact that Natalie O' Neil agrees with me goes a long way towards prooving my point.

Feb. 22, 2:56 pm

Joe R. from Flushing says:

"Another form of Hamasing is obfuscating the facts with personal attacks against the person for who they are as opposed to what they say."

And constantly using terms like "radical cyclists" and "streetsblogger zealots" don't qualify as personal attacks? Try practicing what you preach.

On taxes, what radical motorists like yourself (just giving you back a dose of your own medicine here) pay doesn't even come close to covering for the externalities of driving like illnesses caused by pollution, hospital costs of accident victims, costs of foreign wars to secure oil supplies, etc. Don't take it from me. Read it for yourself:

http://www.assmotax.org/Releases/AMCT%20release:%20The%20Automobile%20Subsidy.php

Feb. 22, 3:22 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- I am pretty sure you must be either play acting or are suffering from a brain embolism. Which is it? Because if these comments represent your actual thought processes.... man o' man.

Feb. 22, 3:28 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

Nice impersonations ty, you just proved how low you can go. Rather than actually have a debate, you downplay everyone who doesn't agree with me, which is a hit below the belt. Nevertheless, I only got online now, so whoever made that comment at 2:56 PM today, wasn't me, but I probably know who it is, and it's probably ty, which explains his personal attacks unless he can tell me where he was at that time. I take it you still don't know what a zealot is. If you know what a fanatic is, then you know what a zealot is. Either way, those that commute by bicycle are still a very small number, and even those who commute on foot are still greater. Why spend so much on a group so tiny like this?

Feb. 22, 4:15 pm

Joe R. from Flushing says:

Tal,

Bike lanes are just for bike commuting. They're also used for running errands, non-work related travel, deliveries, recreation. In fact, they're probably used a lot more for those things than for commuting. Why the narrow focus on only one type of use?

As for money, we're talking well under $10 million over a span of several years. That's a rounding error in NYC's budget which would otherwise have just vanished into a black hole of bureaucratic spending. If that $10 million over a few years had been spent on other things, it really wouldn't have been enough to buy you anything useful in a city as large as New York. It could easily be argued NYC already spends far too much on things like education, with nothing to really show for all that spending. Even adding $10 million to something useful, like mass transit, won't get you much beyond maybe a few extra buses.

Feb. 22, 5:29 pm

ty from pps says:

Tal -- I do know what a zealot is. I'd say you are one, but I don't think you're smart enough.

Feb. 22, 5:54 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

Joe, I would rather the city and state spend money on what is used more, not less. Compared to bicycles, just about everything I mentioned is used more. Then again, I take it some of the closings of some of the facilities don't concern you. The same thing with the MTA cutting service, and the real reason for the latest fare hikes are because of those who try to sneak on without paying, not because of the TWU or that we motorists are tired of subsidizing it, though I think it shouldn't be at all. In reality, even those using bicycles for other things are still a small number compared to everything else. As for ty, you really need start getting a subscription for chill pills.

Feb. 22, 8:14 pm

Mike says:

Is a subscription the Tal-world version of a prescription?

I'm coming around to the idea that Tal is a computer program too. He certainly wouldn't pass the Turing test.

Feb. 22, 8:48 pm

ty from pps says:

Mike -- I have to say you're right. If Tal was used as the human "control" in a Turing test, MANY more computers would passed!!

Feb. 22, 9:24 pm

Other Michael from Park Slop says:

Tal said

"and the real reason for the latest fare hikes are because of those who try to sneak on without paying"

I think the fare hikes have more to do to with dept repayment,

Feb. 23, 7:06 am

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

First off I am a real person, but I don't know if I can say the same things about you. I think you guys need more than just a perscription for chill pills, but an appointment with Dr Sigmund Freud himself especially since you can't seem to control your egos. Still, I find what you guys say real insulting, and is even more of the reason why Streetsblog will never be taken seriously. Overall, you guys need to stop with the personal attacks. As for Natalie O'Neill, you either hate her articles a lot because she gave you bad tasting lemonade or just decided to dump you, so your attacks on her is your revenge.

Feb. 23, 6:36 pm

ty from pps says:

Hmm... That's EXACTLY what a computer would say! Trying to trick me!

Feb. 23, 8:41 pm

Tal Barzilai from Pleasantville, NY says:

Ty, even Bush and Palin thought you were dumb saying that, and they are known idiots.

Feb. 23, 9:41 pm

Other Michael from Park Slope says:

Tal

I believe you are usually real but I think you are a little nuts. This preoccupation with commenting on things you know nothing about is a little "out there". I know I can't stop you, but don't you think you have a better use of your time?

Feb. 23, 9:48 pm

Pete from Park Slope says:

I'm for the Bike Lane. It's improved everything.
I'm on PPW all the time.
Lots of times in off hours little car or bike traffic; Then
a whole lot. Only the cars go slower now, which is better.
No more 80 mph drag racing down the straight away!
Peace.

Feb. 25, 11:41 am

Frank from Park Slope says:

This is just sad that people would spend all this time and money opposing a bike lane (a good one at that). Aren't there enough other problems to deal with? Look at Amsterdam, Paris and other European cities where cycling and its lanes actually help the city. This is so turn of the century thinking.

Feb. 26, 10:59 am

Greg from Park Slope says:

And do these people opposing it actually think if the bike lane goes away so will the bikes?! This makes it safe for everybody. If you can't cross a bike path and not look both ways you are a moron. With this lane the bikes are in a designated area and not all over the street as is the case with other non-bike lane roads.
Let's take it a step further then and have all bike only lanes and car only lanes.

Feb. 26, 11:04 am

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