Upload

This video is unavailable.

Repainting The Bike Lane On Bedford Avenue

occupyeverything occupyeverything·13 videos
97

Subscription preferences

Loading...

Loading icon Loading...

Working...
172,593
Like     Dislike 39

Sign in to YouTube

Sign in with your Google Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to like occupyeverything's video.

Sign in to YouTube

Sign in with your Google Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to dislike occupyeverything's video.

Sign in to YouTube

Sign in with your Google Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to add occupyeverything's video to your playlist.

Uploaded on Dec 7, 2009

New York City bicyclists repaint 14 blocks of bike lane on Bedford Avenue.




The Take Back Our Bike Lanes Campaign is a coalition of bike commuting citizens unaffiliated with any established organization who came together to challenge the sudden removal last week of the bike lane on Bedford Avenue between Flushing and Division in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.




We want to clarify misrepresentations in the press that the conflict about the Bedford Avenue bike lane is between the Hasidic and hipster communities in Brooklyn. It is not. The real conflict is between the citizens of the City more broadly and certain corrupt government officials.

The Bedford Avenue bike lane has provided safety for bike commuters en route to the Williamsburg Bridge. Although New York law gives bicyclists the right to ride on City streets regardless of whether there is a bike lane, the DOTs unannounced removal of this bike lane has endangered those who use Bedford Avenue as the main artery between their own neighborhoods and the Williamsburg Bridge. The affected neighborhoods include Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, and Flatbush - some of the poorest areas of the City.

The Citys removal of the bike lane resulted from a quid pro quo between certain religious leaders and the Bloomberg administration. Without consulting the community at large, Bloomberg sacrificed the safety of bike riders in the name of appeasing a special interest group. His back-door deal, made in the run-up to the mayoral election, sacrificed the safety of citizens who cannot afford the Mayors ear at the altar of political expediency and favoritism. That represents the worst kind of hypocrisy and cynicism.

We support the recent repainting of the Bedford Avenue bike lane and call on Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to decline to prosecute potential criminal charges arising from it.
We demand that the city government consult the greater citizenry through approval of local community boards and the holding of public hearings in all affected communities whenever there is a proposal to remove a bike lane in the future.
We also call upon all citizens to join environmental advocacy group Times Up! on Sunday for a New Orleans-style funeral group ride down Bedford Avenue starting at 2 pm at 99 South 6th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Loading icon Loading...

Loading icon Loading...

Loading icon Loading...

Loading icon Loading...

Ratings have been disabled for this video.
Rating is available when the video has been rented.
This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Top Comments

  • mtanyc

    This area is run by hasidic jews and has been for about 70 years, they HATE bike riders and anyone who is not Jewish.

    · 23

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate mtanyc's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate mtanyc's comment.
  • Carlos López Zaragoza

    Guys, you inspired us.

    · 10

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Carlos López Zaragoza's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Carlos López Zaragoza's comment.

All Comments (600)

Sign in now to post a comment!
  • MrSam4850

    39 Hasidic Jews disliked this video...

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate MrSam4850's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate MrSam4850's comment.
  • George Washington

    awesome

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate George Washington's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate George Washington's comment.
  • UrbanEsta

    Then they should've still went through the proper channels to get them back, because most likely those will be removed as well. If you want a bike lane, register to have one.

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate UrbanEsta's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate UrbanEsta's comment.
    in reply to Chris Spontak (Show the comment)
  • Peter Moore

    I was talking more about the vandalism...

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Peter Moore's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Peter Moore's comment.
    in reply to Strideo1 (Show the comment)
  • Strideo1

    I know. They're doing road work and not even wearing orange vests. What will people think?

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Strideo1's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Strideo1's comment.
    in reply to Peter Moore (Show the comment)
  • Chris Spontak

    You are an idiot, they were repainting ones that the Jews lobbied to get removed.

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Chris Spontak's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Chris Spontak's comment.
    in reply to UrbanEsta (Show the comment)
  • cefnonn

    Don't divert your thoughts with racism. Since the 1980's, (Reaganism, Thatcherism) it's Big Money that's controlling the politicans in the US, and in Europe. You might say that my statement doesn't challenge your premise, but I'd beg to differ.

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate cefnonn's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate cefnonn's comment.
  • Peter Moore

    My word, this gives cyclist a bad name!

    ·

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Peter Moore's comment.

    Sign in to YouTube

    Sign in with your YouTube Account (YouTube, Google+, Gmail, Orkut, Picasa, or Chrome) to rate Peter Moore's comment.
  • Loading comment...
Loading...
Loading...
Working...
Sign in to add this to Watch Later