Widow Applauds New Bike Safety Crackdown
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Cyclist safety watchdogs are applauding the news as officers throughout Brooklyn are under orders to ticket bike riders riding on sidewalks, running red lights and riding in opposite direction traffic.
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Nancy Gruskin, whose husband was killed by a wrong-way cyclist in 2009 on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, said it's a start.
"If we are going to change our infrastructure to include cycling, this is a zero-tolerance policy. You must obey the rules. If you don't, you'll have a severe fine," she said.
Fines begin at $50 for first-time offenders and patrollers will focus on places like downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Carroll Gardens and Park Slope—all places where cycling is a common way to get around.
"This isn't enough. We need to keep speaking out about it. We need to have it out there in the media and our elected officials saying this won't be tolerated," Gruskin said.
With that rise in popularity for cycling, Gruskin added that law enforcement seems to be taking the issue much more seriously.
"Because this movement is growing and we need to make sure it's done lawfully," she said.
