Washington Temple & the Bedford Avenue Bike Lanes

The Cycling Risk Indicator has certainly shown an improvement over the past few years:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2013-nyc-cycling-risk-indicator.pdf

Still not real safe though; Bikes come into too much contact with cars and other motor vehicles: http://www.streetsblog.org/2014/01/31/nypd-16059-pedestrians-and-cyclists-injured-178-killed-in-traffic-in-2013/

When looked at in relation to the number of peds and trips taken, bikers seem to be getting injured and killed more often.

Do you think DeBlasio will be able to achieve his goal of getting us to take 6% of trips by bike by 2020?

http://www.streetsblog.org/2014/09/18/nyc-bike-commuting-has-doubled-since-2009-while-solo-driving-dropped/

1.5% of trips by bikes is pretty sad.

Despite the views you assume I hold, I'd actually like for NYC to get up to the trip level of most other US cities.

Until then, the bike advocates face a Catch 22: Biking as transportation can't become safer until more people do it, however, more people won't do it because it is dangerous.

This causes advocacy orgs like Streetsblog to argue that biking is safe, while simultaneously publishing monthly motor vehicle - biker slaughter stats and calling for more drivers to be held responsible for their actions.

While the biking community is making progress, from the outside, the arguments they have to make to achieve said progress is pretty humorous.

You might not be able to see it that way.

BTW, please let me know how it goes with the pastor.

You seem to believe that because that I do not choose to commute via bike, that I do not like those who do.

This strikes me as strange, because I am usually self-interested. For example, I have the perspective that every person who commutes via bike is one less person on the subway with me. Likewise, everyone who drives is one less person on the subway with me.

As a result, my goal has long been to have as many people use "surface" transportation (bikes, buses, cars) as possible.

However, as NYC becomes more crowded with people, all forms of transportation are becoming clogged. The transportation system of NYC (roads, bike paths, subways, etc) are all falling behind the needs and desires of its residents.

Despite this, my feelings on the subject is very mild. The Ghost Bikes I see around the city, the tallies of pedestrian and biker injuries and deaths in Streetsblog and other such publications seem to have little to no effect on me.

I am no particularly vested in a particular form of transportation over the other. I find it difficult to champion drivers, bikers, subway riders or pedestrians.

Perhaps because I understand transportation as a complex system, I believe that everyone will take whatever form of transportation works best for them, and don't really judge them for their choices.

In short, you are unlikely to get an answer from me about "Smart Streets" or "Complete Streets" ...but I find the level of excitement they generate in others interesting.