Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Woody Allen gets in touch with his Nimby side as he leads campaign against New York cycle path

Won’t somebody please think of the wealthy elderly

Woody Allen has written to his local community association about plans to create a cycle path in front of his house. He’s not happy about it. He’s not happy about cyclists in general.

The Telegraph reports that the 80-year-old director has lived on New York’s Upper East Side since 2006 and has issues with the proposed cycle path on East 70th Street. He says the road’s too narrow for a bike lane and already busy with school and hospital traffic.

“It is home to many elderly people who comprise most of the residents, and a bike lane for these people is definitely an accident waiting at some point,” he said.

The plan to use East 70th Street only came about after a proposal to add three pairs of bike lanes on one-way streets between Central Park and the East River Esplanade was abandoned following pressure from local residents.

Channelling Nimbies the world over, Allen says that the extension of the city’s cycle paths is “out of control,” and seems to be of the opinion that cyclists don’t deserve them.

“The great amount of cyclists do not obey any safety laws and ride freely at varying speeds on the sidewalks, through stop lights, the wrong way on one-way streets, sometimes lethally.”

Allen has history when it comes to his distaste for those who opt for two wheels. Speaking to Interviewer Magazine in 2011, he said:

“New York has changed for the better in some obvious ways, like the dropping of the crime rate and people don't squeegee my windshield when I come to a stoplight. On the other hand, uncontrolled bike riders are a great hazard, and the wonderful idea of more and more people having bikes in New York will turn sour as people become alienated because so much of it is out of control. That will be a pity.”

At a recent meeting of his local community association, Allen described the proposed bike lane as "unacceptable," adding: "None of the streets can accommodate a bike lane in a graceful way. Every street has a good argument why it shouldn't have a lane."

Cycling has been on the rise in New York in recent years. Neverthless, 75 per cent of residents say they never ride a bike.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

20 comments

Avatar
RGRHON | 7 years ago
0 likes

When your reaction time is down to zero and you can't walk or see you can still drive around in Mr. Ford's nightmare while you drool so long as two things happen:

1) The state continues to license unfit drivers.

2) Those damn cyclists and pedestrians don't get in your way and cause you to lose your license by committing suicide being on the same road with you.

Hey woody! Can you hear me? It's time to use your money to hire a driver! Hey Woody! Woody!

Avatar
laura_ci | 7 years ago
0 likes

He says the road’s too narrow for a bike lane and already busy with school and hospital traffic.

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but if more people cycle (or walk), then there is less congestion from cars, therefore the roads will be less busy. I appreciate that hospital traffic is a bit different, but anything, making the roads less busy will also benefit the hospital traffic.

What an idiot...

 

Avatar
harrybav | 7 years ago
0 likes

That Midnight in Paris film was good fun. Not much more to be said on Woody vs cycle lanes, really.

Avatar
Hypoxic | 7 years ago
2 likes

The guy's a bag of shit! So how come suddenly we listen to opinions from bags of shit?

Avatar
zanf replied to Hypoxic | 7 years ago
1 like

Hypoxic wrote:

The guy's a bag of shit! So how come suddenly we listen to opinions from bags of shit?

Theres a difference between listening to and reporting of shitbags opinions.

Avatar
Bikeylikey replied to Hypoxic | 7 years ago
0 likes

Hypoxic wrote:

The guy's a bag of shit! So how come suddenly we listen to opinions from bags of shit?

 

Because he's a rich and famous bag of shit.

Avatar
HarrogateSpa | 7 years ago
7 likes

and people don't squeegee my windshield when I come to a stoplight

This is the line that betrays Allen. He plainly always travels by car, and thinks of that as the 'right' way to travel. People on bikes are people who are not like me, so it's fine to spout a lot of prejudice dressed up as facts.

It's funny really. You'd think he might have a bit more insight into human character and motivation, given his job, and that he could be able to apply that insight to himself. But obviously not. 

Avatar
steve77 | 7 years ago
0 likes

living in the UES, we dont really need more cyclelanes, just drivers that can drive and pederstrians that look before stepping out in the the street. Most of the "bad" cyclists are the posh tw@ts on citi bikes and the delivery guy's 

Avatar
MNgraveur | 7 years ago
4 likes

He's just looking for publicity for his new movie. 

"Honey, I f**ked the kids"

Avatar
brooksby | 7 years ago
7 likes

So bike lanes are an accident waiting to happen, but huge NY roads full of huge NY motor traffic is just fine and dandy. Hmm... 

Avatar
burtthebike | 7 years ago
4 likes

Woody, time you gave up the comedy, you're not funny any more.

Avatar
Paul_C replied to burtthebike | 7 years ago
3 likes
burtthebike wrote:

Woody, time you gave up the comedy, you're not funny any more.

he hasn't been funny for a long time now...

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
4 likes

He'd be all right with it if cyclists were mostly lyric clad jailbait.

 

 

Avatar
ron611087 | 7 years ago
15 likes

"The road is too narrow for a bike lane". 

It's wide enough for fucking cars!

Avatar
handlebarcam | 7 years ago
11 likes

Come on, I think some people here are being a little unfair. Still, Woody should think about the consequences if his campaign were to succeed. If there aren't any cycle lanes in his neighbourhood, how is he going to teach his future wife how to ride her bike? You know, the one with the My Little Pony decals, pink tassels and stabilizers.

Avatar
fixit | 7 years ago
7 likes

that is what is all about fellas, the fucking wife beater and his fucking windshield. people like this do not care about bicycles, forests, spring and summer. they only care about their fucking windshield, thats it.

Avatar
Housecathst | 7 years ago
3 likes

Isn't he a pedo?

Avatar
bogbrush replied to Housecathst | 7 years ago
7 likes

Housecathst wrote:

Isn't he a pedo?

Only factually and legally

Avatar
tommy2p replied to Housecathst | 7 years ago
0 likes

Housecathst wrote:

Isn't he a pedo?

well he's not a pedalist

Avatar
BBB | 7 years ago
3 likes

What an Allen key...

Latest Comments