The growing number of people riding bicycles instead of driving cars is a good thing. But safety is the priority, so cyclists and drivers alike must BOTH follow the rules. A college student was hit by a bicycle as she crossed Court Street near Baltic Street on March 16. An ambulance took her to Lutheran Medical Center where she was treated for a concussion. The cyclist had been a hit and run until a Good Samaritan called 911 and a large crowd including 2 police cars appeared on the scene and change his mind. The very next day, Police Commissioner Kelly stopped his van en route to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to aid a pedestrian with a head wound also caused by a bicyclist.

If you ride a bicycle, please make sure to respect all traffic rules. Obey traffic lights. Do not ride on the sidewalk. And do not drive the wrong way on a one way street. For more in depth rules, check out Biking Rules.

Pedestrians and motorists must also be alert. People often walk into the path of a bicycle and motorists frequently open their car doors right into oncoming bicycles. A cyclist was killed in the Bronx when someone swung open a car door without looking the same week as the pedestrian accidents described above.

In other local cycling news, CB6 has set up a short, online survey that will help us continue to plan and advocate for safer, easier and more pleasant bicycling within and through our district. Results will be reported back to the CB6 Transportation committee, and in a future newsletter issue. Won’t you please take 5 minutes to share your opinions with us? PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!
(link to survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NWMRYR6)

And finally, after many years of tireless advocacy our neighbors at the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative have gotten the full attention of NYC’s Department of Transportation, now a full partner in planning the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a planned 14-mile multi-use path, stretching from Newtown Creek to Owl’s Head Park. The project will increase access to the waterfront, improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, and connect the numerous public open spaces along the waterfront. Come help plan the greenway at the upcoming workshop April 13th, 6:30p – 8:30p at the Red Hook Recreation Center, 155 Bay Street, Brooklyn.
(more info at: http://www.brooklyncb6.org/announcements/#12)

Joanne Nicholas contributed to this post.