Friday’s Headlines: Two Would-Be Bike Mayors Head-to-Head Edition
Gordon. Kuntzman. Mano-a-mano. Two guys who kid around about someday being the city’s first bike mayor (our money’s on Gordon, sorry boss) represented the all-powerful bike lobby on BRIC TV’s 112BK, hosted by MacKenzie Fegan. Well, it wasn’t exactly Ali-Frazier, but the pair championed cycling, criticized Mayor de Blasio’s flagging interest in Vision Zero and blamed drivers for virtually all our ills.
It’s must-watch TV. (Also embedded below)
Here’s the rest of the day’s news:
- A cab driver could have easily killed a dozen people after losing control of his 2,500-pound cab in Midtown around lunchtime. But, sure, Mr. Mayor, let’s only listen to old ladies complain about 30-pound bikes. (Gothamist, NY Post, amNY)
- We’re so frustrated with Sleepy Bill de Blasio that we’ve stopped even asking for updates on the long-stalled final phased of the Queens Boulevard bike lane, so we appreciate that the Queens Chronicle asked — though the paper got the same ridiculous non-answer from the Department of Transportation that everyone else has gotten: “We’re doing it, but we can’t say when.”
- The city’s expanded — and still expanding — speed cameras have gone live. (NYDN, NY Post)
- The subway really is getting better (NY Post, amNY), but the MTA is way behind on planning for the next, inevitable crisis, Jose Martinez reports in The City.
- It’s time for another installment in the ongoing tabloid HOV lane dummy story. (NY Post)
- Meanwhile, City Hall won’t tell us when the protected bike lane will be restored on Dyckman Street in Upper Manhattan. We’re nearing the one-year anniversary of the city’s Zero Vision move to actually downsize its protected bike network.
- NY1 followed our story about the Transformation Department’s toilet plunger-protected bike lane.
- Oh, and New York City has no regard for cyclists’ lives. (Bicycling)
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. And this BRIC TV episode of 112BK with Doug Gordon and Gersh Kuntzman: