The removal of a bike lane in Brooklyn has become a brouhaha pitting bike advocates against Hasidic Jews in a dispute that almost resulted in a topless bike protest.
Last weekend's au naturel ride down Bedford Avenue was scrapped after that wicked storm dumped 2 feet of snow on the East Coast, but the fight goes on. At issue is a bike lane the city abruptly removed from 14 blocks of the street.
The city Department of Transportation said it removed the bike lane "as part of ongoing bike network adjustments in the area." It is redirecting traffic to Kent Avenue, a street the city feels is more appropriate for cycling because it's got a two-way bike lane. But some cycling advocates believe there's another reason the lane was pulled.
Bedford Avenue runs through a Hasidic Jewish community, and many cyclists believe the bike lane was removed amid local outcry over how some cyclists, particularly women, dress. According to the New York Post, some in the community have complained of "scantily clad" women riding through the neighborhood. They cited bike traffic on Bedford Avenue as a prime example of this behavior. Some Hasidic Jews believe the form-fitting attire cyclists wear is offensive to their religious and social beliefs.
Although the city said nothing about those concerns when it pulled the bike lane, many cyclists believe religious considerations were the reason for the city's actions. The Hasidic community contends the lane should go for safety reasons, saying "kids can be knocked over because school buses are not allowed to stop in the bike lane – it's dangerous."
On Dec. 9, "vigilante cyclists" calling themselves The Take Back Our Bike Lanes Campaign rolled down Bedford Avenue with paint and stencils, repainting the bike lane and filming it. A few days later, cyclists held a funeral procession for the bike lane. The city sent a crew to remove the repainted bike lane and promised to send them again if the activists return.
Peeved, cyclists planned to ride topless down Bedford Avenue for what they dubbed a "Freedom Ride." Mother Nature had other plans -- even the most hardcore activist would balk at riding topless when it's in the 20s -- so they donned falsies instead. That didn't got over well with families leaving synagogue.
Regardless of the intent for the bike lane removal two major concerns still remain. Are cyclists given a safe alternative through Brooklyn and is the community going to accept cyclists no matter what they wear or where they ride?
Cyclists will continue riding on Bedford Avenue if the lane goes away. It's human nature to find the quickest, most direct route. If it's Bedford Avenue, don't expect that to change. To resolve this issue, both sides need to talk it through and clear up their differences. Riding topless through a devoutly religious neighborhood won't endear anyone to the cause, nor will condemning people for wearing appropriate, if form-fitting, cycling gear.
Clearly a certain amount of tolerance must be made to honor one's freedom of religion, expression and transportation.
Photo: Flickr / velobry
