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New York Mayor: Cyclists are more important than drivers

Stark contrast to London Mayor Boris Johnson - but is it true?

Cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers are higher priority than drivers, the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, has said.

The remarks come in stark contrast to the views of London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has been accused of "smoothing the path of the private motor vehicle at the expense of just about everything else."

According to the New York Post, Bloomberg said at a transport conference: "The streets were there to transport people," he said. "They are not for cars ... One of the original ways was walking."

"Cyclists and pedestrians and bus riders are as important, if not, I would argue more important, than automobile riders," he said.

Come Spring 2013, New Yorkers will benefit from Citibike New York, a Barclays Cycle Hire -type scheme supported by a major bank, with  600 stations and 10,000 bikes in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The scheme will cost 25 cents a day for unlimited 45-minute journeys, and daily and weekly passes will also be available.

But New York has some way to go towards being a cycling Utopia. We regularly report on run-ins between the NYPD and cyclists, including false allegations of red light jumping, a cyclist's $1,555 fine for riding through three red lights in space of 250 metres, an officer dooring a cyclist, then accusing him of being on drugs, and an off-duty police officer pointing a gun at a cyclist. Allegedly.

 

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11 comments

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Peter_Mould | 11 years ago
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That’s a rich claim by Michael Bloomberg. As a fellow cyclist in New York City myself, I can testify that the city is not well designed for cyclists despite some bicycle friendly zones. I have been doored by parked cars before, and a couple of my friends have been injured in accidents. I started cycling after I had to sell my BMW due to its faulty swirl flaps. Not only is cycling a greener initiative, it also helps me cut down on costs and keeps me in shape. But I’m not sure how much longer I want to commute by cycling if the road continues to be unfriendly to us.

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crazy-legs | 11 years ago
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Quote:

He may have had the policies but I can't remember him actually putting many of them into practise

Certainly the concept of the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme was Ken's, the only reason he didn't put it into practice was because he'd been voted out by the time the scheme was actually in place in 2010.

Boris claims responsibility for it but the actual contract to design, build and implement it was already signed by the time Boris came to power.

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Fringe | 11 years ago
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Or her head in a basket! viva la Revolution !...(sorry been at the booze this lunchtime)

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captain_slog | 11 years ago
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I'd like to see her on a Boris bike, corgi in basket.

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Stumps | 11 years ago
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A multi million pound tourist attraction please. The country would be a sad place without them, we would end up like France, god help us !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Fringe | 11 years ago
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She's a tourist attraction that's all she is!

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Stumps | 11 years ago
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Never get rid of HRH. She is more important than the whole of the bloody govt.

But i like Bloombergs ideas  4

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Fringe | 11 years ago
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Can we get shot of the queen and her lot and put Mr Bloomberg in charge please.

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robbieC | 11 years ago
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I think we have found the next Mayor of London

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JohnS replied to robbieC | 11 years ago
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robbieC wrote:

I think we have found the next Mayor of London

We had one with this policy once, some chap called Ken.

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PaulVWatts replied to JohnS | 11 years ago
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JohnS wrote:
robbieC wrote:

I think we have found the next Mayor of London

We had one with this policy once, some chap called Ken.

He may have had the policies but I can't remember him actually putting many of them into practise

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