UES Seniors 'Terrorized' By Bicyclists

The Los Angeles Times checks in on New York's traffic challenges and the "ambitious city plan" that will make it possible for riders to travel around Manhattan via dedicated bike lanes. Naturally, as the number of bicyclists in the city spikes -- its grown by 75% in the past seven years according to the piece -- so will the number of accidents involving bicyclists, and there are plenty of them. Last year, 271 people were killed in New York City traffic -- including 23 bicyclists and 136 pedestrians -- the vast majority by motorists, according to the LA Times, and about once a year a pedestrian is killed in a collision with a bicyclist.

Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, from the Upper East Side, weighed in with her concerns:

"Jessica Lappin, a councilwoman from the Upper East Side, hears the horror stories almost daily.

Seniors in her neighborhood feel "terrorized" by delivery people who barrel down the sidewalks on two wheels, causing elderly residents to duck and dive. "While I understand that the cyclists fear for their lives in the streets," she said, "the answer can't be whizzing by on the sidewalk at 20 mph and running into pedestrians."

Lappin added that she supported bicycling in general and -- if it was safer -- would probably bicycle herself."

New York bicycle commuters face an uphill climb [LA Times]