Bike Lane Liberation NYC

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This photolog: Bike Liberation photos

It was Bike Liberation day

Bicyclists gather on 2nd Ave. to "ticket" motorized vehicles parked or standing in the bike lane.


The "Bicycle Clown Brigade" wants to draw attention to the dangerous conditions created when motorized vehicles occupy bike lanes. The activists also believe the NYPD should be enforcing the law which prohibits stopping, standing and parking within, or otherwise obstructing, bike lanes.






The police department was waiting for the group to arrive but made no attempt to prevent the start of the proceedings. About six scooters, two patrol cars and a van were parked on the west side of 2nd Ave between 10th and 11th. After the cyclists left, the police departed in a different direction.





The group started out on 2nd Ave and 10th street and rode around the neighborhood liberating bike lanes. They rode up 1st Ave, across 14th St., and then back down 2nd Ave where they continued south toward the Lower East Side.

Barbara wrote:

Cyclists declare Tuesday, August 23, Bike Lane Liberation Day
Bicycle Clown Brigade to ticket vehicles parked or standing in bike lane
Starting at 6:30 pm, in the 2nd Avenue bike lane between 10th and 11th Streets


New York, NY: On Tuesday, August 23, a Clown Brigade made up of bicyclists and volunteers with TIME'S UP! environmental and bicycle advocacy group will ticket motor vehicles parked, standing or stopped in the 2nd Avenue bike lane. The clowns will draw attention to what they believe the NYPD should be doing: enforcing laws that protect bicyclists, and in particular, ticketing motorists who violate Section 4-08(e), which explicitly prohibits stopping, standing and parking within, or otherwise obstructing, bike lanes.

The Clown Brigade hopes to help those motorists realize that besides being illegal, blocking bike lanes is hazardous both to bicyclists and motorists. Cyclists are forced to swerve into traffic to avoid crashing into the obstructing vehicle– if they see it in time. Those cyclists then risk being struck and even killed by inattentive or aggressive drivers. And motorists trying to avoid the displaced cyclist may strike other automobiles, cyclists or pedestrians. The bottom line, the clowns point out, is that parking a vehicle in the bike lane makes transportation by bicycle dangerous, discouraging its use and encouraging more people to drive. The best solution? Just don’t park, stand or stop in a bike lane.