Hasidic leaders remove bike lanes b/c women biking in shorts

[VietnamVet-BRIGHT]

From Jonathan Turley's blog ...

It is a clearly improper decision that uses city resources to enforce values of a single religious group.

http://jonathanturley.org/2009/12/10/ne ... ke-shorts/

New York City Erases Bike Lanes to Appease Hasidic Men Who Object to Seeing Women in Bike Shorts


Ultra-conservative Hasidic Jews

There is an interesting controversy in Brooklyn after the city yielded to the Hasidic community in sandblasting off bike lanes on roads. Hasidic leaders complained that they are having trouble obeying their religious law forbidding them from staring at members of the opposite sex with women biking around in shorts. Bicycle advocates have been trying to repaint the lanes.

The Hasidic community has long viewed this enclave as their special area, even though other families and artists have moved in recently. That has caused trouble with the Shomrim Patrol, a Hasidic neighborhood watch group. The Shomrim recently apprehended two cycling advocates who were repainting the lane and called the police. No charges were filed but the bikers were prevented from repainting the lane.

I find it incredible that the city would yield to such demands by a religious group to erase bike lanes. A Department of Transportation spokesman said: “We will continue to work with any community on ways we can make changes to our streets without compromising safety.” However, this is a religious-based objection to women who are not covered. Yet, reports indicate that Mayor Bloomberg wanted to appease the Hasidic community before his recently close election.

Hasidic leaders say that the cyclists endanger families and children. However, this is not the view of the city in creating these lanes and they are found in every major city. The real objection appears to be their lifestyle and the rigid religious beliefs of this sect. It is a clearly improper decision that uses city resources to enforce values of a single religious group.
.

[Will]

They should all be charged with sexual harassment.

[Whitney]

[youtube:ophlrfy9]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19oo7Ejq9WI[/youtube:ophlrfy9]

I had seen the above video before but didn't know they were having to repaint because some religious wackos thew a fit.  So, yay for the re-painters....sometimes a little bit of civil disobedience points out issues in our society that would otherwise be overlooked.

[LoneMateria]

Yeah thats the big thing, they are saying vigilantes are repainting the bike lanes.  Apparently some of the Hasadic leaders are laughing saying the city will just remove them again.  And the "vigilantes" will just put them back on, eventually it won't be worth it to remove them

[Recusant]

What I object to is the way certain media have characterized this conflict.  I read about it in another forum, and the story linked from the New York Post has the headline: "Hipsters repaint bike lanes to brush off Hasids."  

Not all bicyclists, or even all bicycle activists are "hipsters."  To characterize them as such is to belittle the growing bicycling element in our society.  Bicycles have a strong contribution to make toward many positive changes that can happen in the US, and to portray bicyclists as mere hipsters (for which I read "faddists") seems very dismissive.  Not that I'm surprised at this.  The culture of the US, which used to be one of the strongest bicycling nations in the world, has long assumed that bikes are only for kids and other "minor" members of society.  Proper citizens don't ride bikes, it seems.  I hope this attitude changes, but it's an uphill battle when confronted with stereotypes such as displayed in the New York Post.

[Whitney]

If I lived there I'd go put on some revealing clothing and get a bunch of women to do the same then go parade ourselves down the hasidic people's street.  We'd carry signs saying keep your sexist religious views out of our government.

[LoneMateria]

If I lived there I'd go put on some revealing clothing and get a bunch of women to do the same then go parade ourselves down the hasidic people's street.  We'd carry signs saying keep your sexist religious views out of our government.

Wear the thong bikini's and the tops that just cover your nipples.  And have a sign on the back of your bike that says "If you looked you will go to hell douche bags."

[Whitney]

Wear the thong bikini's and the tops that just cover your nipples.  

haha...but me in that is probably not something most would want to see.

NY women...we are giving you ideas...get to the sexual display protesting.

[SSY]

I enjoy road safety related graffiti. Also, I really don't like bike lanes being removed for some prudes, if you don't like looking at something, don't look at it, wear blinkers or fuck off.

[G-Roll]

If I lived there I'd go put on some revealing clothing and get a bunch of women to do the same then go parade ourselves down the hasidic people's street.  We'd carry signs saying keep your sexist religious views out of our government.

Wear the thong bikini's and the tops that just cover your nipples.  And have a sign on the back of your bike that says "If you looked you will go to hell douche bags."

*grabs calendar... awaits time and date of event.

[LoneMateria]

*grabs calendar... awaits time and date of event.

Lol maybe have some Playboy Bunnies do this or some Hustler girls.  We could sell tickets and make a fortune.

[G-Roll]

*grabs calendar... awaits time and date of event.

Lol maybe have some Playboy Bunnies do this or some Hustler girls.  We could sell tickets and make a fortune.

I think a keg or 6 is needed.

[LoneMateria]

We are going way way way OT lets get back on this thread.  So these religious people are enforcing their personal view to screw over everyone else because they are sexually repressed.  No one should bow to their wishes.  When you need to make a law (and take away freedoms) because of some bullshit thought crime, things need to change in your religion.

[G-Roll]

We are going way way way OT lets get back on this thread.  So these religious people are enforcing their personal view to screw over everyone else because they are sexually repressed.  No one should bow to their wishes.  When you need to make a law (and take away freedoms) because of some bullshit thought crime, things need to change in your religion.

i was unaware of any public dress code (forbidding females in shorts) anywhere in the city of NY. I hope this doesnt become something like the shria law madness in France.

[LoneMateria]

You know it kills me when people here want the U.S. to essentially become a theocracy and there is no separation of church and state.  When you look at countries like Afghanistan, Palestine, Rwanda and other places where Religion runs around unchecked you find they are the most barbaric, have the stupidest laws, and sentence every women who is ACCUSED of a crime to death.  And people here don't get it.  This here is a stupid law and I bet if these Hasidic leaders had their way it would be punishable by death.

Every time someone advocates against separation of church and state I feel like saying, "We've seen countries like the one you want the U.S. to become and we call them 3rd world countries."  I don't want our country to be like this.  This is a clear separation of Church and State issue.  New York is showing preference to Hasidic leaders by changing the city to appease their repressed sexual urges.  Whoever signed this bill is irresponsible and unfit to hold public office when he changes peoples daily lives to appease someones religion.