NY State Senator to Cyclist he Almost Hit: "You F***ing A**hole"

I hope he will meet with him. Least he can do after nerly killing him. And he has political power to improve things.

Oh, this is good. Is this letter in any newspapers? Is the story on TV? I'd love to see some public reaction, or at least some exposure.

What's a legislator doing driving a Mercedes?

Oh please people, the bike riders think they own the road and don't have to obey the rules of the road. If you ride a bike, you sure don't need to be riding right next to a car, because you are going to get hit.

Ride your bike, but obey the laws ... if you don't (obey the laws) don't complain when you get a case of road rash - you deserve it.

I have had a similar experience. A motorist actually veered into a cycling lane, hit me and then yelled at me not to touch his vehicle (and SUV of course).

I hope this gets lots of media coverage.....

Uh, Jeff - have you ever ridden a bike? Next to the cars is where you are supposed to ride. On a one-way street, ride on the left. On a two-way, ride on the right.

Thanks

I'm sure that he would have been even more angry to discover the crushed wheel of a bicycle was digging into the side of his precious Mercedes, had he actually hit the cyclist. I hope this brings new discussion regarding bicyclist and motor vehicle safety to the table.

Jeff, Colin WAS obeying the laws. It was Jeff Klein was NOT paying attention.

Car owners seem to think they own the road. That they can bully the cyclists by forcing them off the road, which can easily get someone killed, as Colin has already shown.

Not only that, but most cities don't even have enough bike paths for cyclists, so they have no other choice than to ride near cars. Roads were built for cars, not for humans.

Jeff, what leads you to believe that the cyclist in this article wasn't obeying the law?

He was even polite about pointing out to the driver that he was about to run him over.

I find this even more entertaining after having (yet another) wonderful incident with an auto driver here in Dallas who felt the need to turn across my path. As I veered in parallel with his car to avoid smacking head on, I delighted in the multiple gashes left across his vehicle's body: scars to remember his unobservant haste by.

Yes, cyclists need to be somewhat cautious and law-abiding, but if you're in a vehicle you can kill or maim a cyclist INSTANTLY. Defensive biking can only do so much to mitigate totally careless driving.

Here's hoping this NY state Sen. is thoroughly lambasted for his road rage.

Jeff:
I imagine that he was probably "right next to a car" because he was giving vehicles space to pass so as not to impede traffic. As in, he moved over as far as safely possible to make it more convenient for the vehicles with which he shared the road.

I hate to say it, but I agree with Jeff's comment. I am all for supporting biking to work. No doubt about that since I bike to my gym all of the time.
However, this morning as I was slowly pulling out of my alley, I had a biker almost hit ME when he blew the stop sign 15 feet down the road and came barrelling at me as I slowly pulled out. He had the nerve to stop and yell at me! Like it was my fault that he was going far too fast down a congested neighborhood street and failing to stop at the stop sign. I was so angry that I gave him a negative gesture and drove off.
I wish that I could say that this was the first time, but this happens far too often for my comfort in Chicago. If you want to rage at people not respecting your biking rights, how about you respect our driving laws?

What an ass. I would love for the Senate and No Impact Man to talk while riding on bicycles so the senator will see what it's like to ride a bike in New York. I've heard accounts and it sounds like no fun at all.
That guy makes me want to vomit all in his Mercedes, screw your car.

at Jeff :

"bike riders think they own the road" - hehe.

Great generalisation, thanks for sharing that, now go sit in the corner, Jeff Klein, and think about what you did.

"when you get a case of road rash - you deserve it."

While I believe that Jeff made a valid point stressing the importance of obeying laws, I feel he expressed some ingnorance on the difficulties of safely commuting by bike. I my self have had a few close calls while trying to be part of traffic and my general rule is now: how ever I will be safest is how I go. If this requires riding up sidewalks, across lawns or politely letting a driver know I am alongside them, so be it. Bikes don't come equiped with horns and 12v batteries.

@jeff - that's pretty harsh isn't it? Where else should people ride besides 'next to cars'? Cars don't run into each other (generally) so why do bikers deserve it when they are hit by cars?

I'm not in NYC so maybe tensions are a little higher in your neck of the woods. I'm not a huge biker but I do ride a few times a week and cars scare the hell out of me. They are huge, and the people driving them don't always care about strangers safety nor think they should share the same road. I don't see bikers breaking laws more so than drivers and they considerably more exposed than car drivers. I'd love to have a separate path to ride on but the best I can do is share the road, sorry if I scuff your hood with my head.

Regardless who was right legally, the behavior of the state senator was dispicable. I hope this gets lots of media play.

This guy doesn't seem to have done anything important legislative-wise. Oh, no, I see he sponsored a fee waiver for senior-citizen drivers licenses. Big important work there...

Azhura said:

"However, this morning as I was slowly pulling out of my alley, I had a biker almost hit ME when he blew the stop sign"

That is leaps and bounds different from riding next to a car in traffic. Colin Beavan *was* obeying the law. Your cyclist was not. Your comment is about as noxious as saying "well, they shouldn't have been on the road!" in reply to this article:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/car-accident-cyclists-race-mexico.php

Cyclist also pay taxes. Too bad they don't get as subsidized as the car industry..

Jeff,

As I wiped out last night because of being cut off by a car, I am particularly bothered by your comment. Am I to blame for the car pulling the cut off right turn move?

True, I don't always stop completely at stop signs, than again, the cars don't either.

I have as much a right to be on the road, this Senator should really take this as a learning experience and use the power he has to effect changes that protect both motorists and bicyclists.

Repeat after me everybody;

There are bad drivers.

There are bad cyclists.

But each person is an individual. We must not generalize.

In this case, it seems like the senator was the bad driver.

But it would also be easier to be a good cyclist with more bike paths.

As a taxpayer and a bicyclist, I DO in fact own the road.

A Mercedes-driving, cyclist-threatening lawyer, and he represents the Working Families Party? Just great. Isn't there at least one political party in the US that hasn't been corrupted by these types?

Let them know what you think of their endorsed candidate here:
wfp@workingfamiliesparty.org

He might find calling someone an a hole is a lot "more dangerous than traffic." Try that in my neighborhood and you'll likely have the crap beat out of you. Good thing senators have free health coverage.

Unless the car had just overtaken the bicycle, the cyclist in this article was at fault for the incident. A bicycle is a vehicle same as the car. They should not be sharing a single lane. It should be single file; In most places this is the law. Studies show the safest place for a bicycle to be is in the middle of the lane. It's your lane; hold it. Oh, and don't pass a car unless there is a second lane, period.

Yes, I do practice what I preach.

"A bicycle is a vehicle same as the car. They should not be sharing a single lane."

Theoretically, yeah. But c'mon, this is NYC. Cars always overtake and pass bicyclists. Bicyclists never want to be in the zone of squish, but its unavoidable. Car operators cannot back up or turn without checking their mirrors.

Here's my problem with it. If you are going to ride in the street, then obey traffic laws. Don't ride through traffic beside cars because traffic is slow(it's called lane splitting), that is against the law(except in California). You have to obey the same traffic laws as cars if you want to use the roads. He was breaking the law and almost paid for it. I am sick to death of ahole cyclists who run red lights and break other laws because they think they do not apply to them. Well they do, and if you get run over while breaking the law, I will not feel bad for you.

Maybe we should all write a letter to Mr. Klein and tell him what we think of his attitude. Or give him support, depending on your point of view.

jdklein@senate.state.ny.us

Telephone:
718-822-2049
518-455-3595
Toll Free - (800) 718-2039

Fax:
718-822-2321

A Senator being an a**hole. no shock there.

No Impact Man did the right thing.

Often larger vehicles try to push smaller ones off the road, but its even more serious when its a bicyclist or pedestrian.

I've got a pretty simple policy when I ride my bike: if a car driver 'accidentally' endangers my life, I will 'accidentally' endanger his. Any driver then gives me a case of 'road rage', he will get a case of 'road hell'. I don't put up with shit from car drivers; and I hope none of them ever has the balls to try to force feed me their shit. I'd hate to have to go to jail for 'accidentally' putting an ahole in hospital.

To everyone who is carping about "lane splitting" please be aware that this is New York City. The density of traffic here makes your suggestions an invitation to assault.

I've tried to claim a full lane and had a cop car give me a blast of lights and sirens to make me get to the side of the lane so he could pass at normal traffic speed. (I've gotten the same treatment while waiting to make a left hand turn in a car as well.) If you actually try to claim a full lane you will get massive negative response from drivers. Some of that negative response includes aggressive cutting into your lane to force you to the side.

Why do bikers bitch about how they share the road until someone points out that it means they have to follow the same laws. Impeding traffic is illegal, whether on a bicycle or in a car. Failing to stop at a stop sign or traffic light is also illegal. Both of these violations are the rule rather than the exception with bicyclists. When they impede traffic by riding abreast, I treat them exactly how I would treat a car doing the same thing ... I tailgate them and honk the horn. They deserve it.

"I'd hate to have to go to jail for 'accidentally' putting an ahole in hospital."

No one else would mind though.

thanks.

Hi,

There is a nice BBC documentary called 'Road Rage' about the traffic situation in the UK where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists contending for the use of crowded roads.
As mentioned in this blog it is clear that the current traffic situation doesn’t allow full play to any of the road users. It’s best that we all start to learn to coexist.

Eddy

Otherdoug is right. There is one stretch of road on my bike commute where there is parking allowed in the auxillary lane. Usually there is enough space to stay in the auxillary lane, but the potholes are big enough that I could be thrown from my bike if hitting them at speed. For this stretch of road, I need to get in the through lane. I use my mirror, wait for a good gap, hand signal, and ride about 3 feet into the lane. Even when following the law, I still get aggressively passed by people (cut off), and honked or yelled at. This is also the only decent route without adding extra distance.

In the end, laws and road conditions were set up for motor vehicles only in most places. As noted before, defensive biking only gets you so far.

As far as following the laws, a good case in point is the speed limit. Based on observations, a vast majority of people drive above the speed (upper) limit almost all the time. Many times there are minimal consequences for a driver breaking the law, but when a biker does the same thing, there can be dire consequences.

@Jeff: I think you missed the point of the article. Is your last name Klein by any chance?

It's no surprise that some state senator with an attitude of entitlement would react this way. How dare someone knock on his precious window to save themselves from injury! What an absolute prick.

Go No Impact Man !!! Also a good mention for a great group Transportation Alternatives, they do a lot for pedestrian and bike access to the roads. They know all the angles on this stuff intimately. transalt.org As for that state senator, maybe they'll find him in a bedroom with Elliott Spitzer or something.

The right turn cut-off - drivers are lazy and usually don't check their right mirrors before making a right turn. It's just a fact of life that won't get changed easily. I am very careful when overtaking a car on the right when an intersection or open parking space is near.
Defensive cycling- I would love to fashion something that sits in a pocket in my messenger bag for easy deployment and 'traffic calming'. I usually wear a cycling shirt with my company's logo so I'll get pinned out right away. I usually just yell and ring the loud bell I have and try to keep going. Maybe sharp studded gloves, it's getting cold out.

When I drive the car, I am super alert to cyclists going by. I am usually mad that I am stuck in the car for some reason and would rather be riding. If I did something accidentally against a cyclist, even if they were wrong, I'd be super apologetic anyway because I know the risk involved and I shouldn't be in such a damm hurry anyway.

Yes, I know there are bad biker guys but don't blame me, I brake for everyone.

vsk

I think "lane splitting" isn't applicable here because we're most likely talking the distance between parked cars on the side of the street and the traffic lane. Of course, if it were a NYC avenue you could technically lane-split but I rarely see it.

In any event, lane-splling means between two active lanes of traffic. Most likely, this guy was merely biking in the equivalent of the breakdown lane.

I understand there is overmuch adrenaline on both sides and the situation could escalate. I would hate some dude banging on my car, but moreso I wouldn't want to be squished.

I wonder if cars have become too isolating. Too much soundproofing, ride dampening, too much cocooning. People don't pay attention to the road like they did in more lively cars, like the old BMWs and even the old Benzes.

So many cyclists are killed by moves like the senator. There was an instance a few years back where a garbage truck turned left and ran over a woman on a cycle with the rear wheels- no summons was given to the driver as I recall. I can't recall how many times I stood my bike up on the front wheel trying to avoid cars that turned in front of me- left or right, and THEY are the ones who are not yielding to traffic. Would we tolerate a car turning in front of another car heading in the same direction? Why would doing the same to a cyclist be different? Blame the victim! Personal account- I had a car make a right turn in front of me, my front wheel rubbed hard on the front passenger door, back passenger door, fender and then off the (thank god) molded bumper, which sent my wobbling in the wake afterward, but still upright. The driver had no idea I was there, and was wondering where that black stripe down the side of his car came from. Now if that bumper wasn't molded and hooked my rim, I probably wouldn't be here today.

Just to play devils advocate... as both a regular cyclist and a motorist in Manhattan, I can kinda see both sides of this. On the one hand, there are lots of very, very obnoxious motorists, especially taxi cabs and livery drivers, who could NOT give a flying fig newton about other motorists, let alone cyclists. But then again, there are plenty of obnoxious cyclists who seem to ride on the streets at barely above the speed of walking, which pretty much defeats the purpose of biking in my opinion, and creates a bit of a public nuisance. My feeling is that both cyclists and motorists have a right to be on the road and should be respectful of each other. Accordingly cyclists need to be respectful of cars. There are two sides to every story, so I wouldn't automatically label Jeff Klein the rude one in this exchange without hearing his side of the tale.

No Impact Man - If someone banged on my car while I was driving I would probably have responded the same way. Not because I'm a horrible person, but because it would startle me and anger me all at the same time. The Senator said he didn't see you and I'm sure that's the case. Do we get heated sometimes & reacted strongly, sure? Is it tough to come back down to apologize when you haven't done anything wrong...yep. An elected has the same responses as anyone else - I'm sure this has happened to drivers and cyclists before. The fact that he identified himself and you're using the interaction to try to publicly humiliate him is pretty disgusting. If this is how you advocate for us cyclists, I think you need to rethink your strategy. You could have easily sent that letter to the Senator privately and followed up with a phone call and given him the chance to deal with you directly on this. You're just adding to media sales and diminishing respect for our cause. Well written, but poorly delivered. You'd do well to offer your own apology.

Lane splitting - those of you commenting on proper bicycling should at least know the actual law.

Lane splitting is illegal for MOTORCYCLES (except in California). BICYCLES are actually REQUIRED to lane share.

The law, from the uniform vehicle code used in just about every state in the USA, says ( slightly paraphrased for clarity): " a bicycle should ride as far to the right-hand side of the right lane as is safe and practical."

Exceptions are made for riding to the left on one-way roads, making turns, avoiding debris in the lane, traveling faster than other vehicles in the lane and when the lane is too narrow to share.

Mr. Beavan was following the law, even if he was passing the driver within the lane. However, my impression is that these lanes are pretty narrow and not really sharable. If it was me, I would have "taken" the lane to avoid these sorts of problems as it doesn't sound very "safe and practical" to share these lanes.

The enviornmental/bike lobby in NY is so important that the upshot of this will be an apology by the Senator, and then we'll move on. This is not the best time for his party and constituency to be divided over a single incident.

Car drivers are generally lazy people. Bicycle riders are generally active people. Lazy people like to criticize active people because it is easy.

Get out of your car and stop being so lazy. Maybe your attitude will improve along with your health.

Laziness is the root of all evil.

thanks to the person who clarified on the distinctions between lane splitting for motorcycles and bicycles- in Illinois we are certainly required to be over to the side of the road.

Our "rules of the road" can be found here for anyone interested:

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a1434.pdf