If mom ran NYC

Another cyclist has died this month in NYC area. That makes 3 in June alone.

Mom is finding it really hard not to be extremely nervous each time her and Frank or other's bike.

How can it be less dangerous? What will it take to create safer streets and better bicycle awareness.

If mom ran NYC she would know exactly what to do to make it safer.

That's like saying that the world would be a better place is more people thought like her. It sounds nice to say, but really may not be true.

But if mom was going to try and make it safer in the streets here in NY she would. . .

First make the speed limit of cars, 10 miles per hour slower. Or maybe 10 miles an hour tops. She would reinstate the constant carpool rule, in hopes that it would eliminate excess cars. She would not allow trucks in the city at all. The only large vehicles would be small dump truck, vans and maybe buss's but maybe not.

Then she would make one car lane on each street that had more than one lane totally dedicated to bikes. Forget the skinny bike lanes that are so close to parked cars, she would just make one whole large car lane.

For the other one way single lane streets she would just ban cars.

Then she would make it a complete Felony, here me felony to open a car door into traffic. She would insist that all passengers of cars in the front or back use the car door that was closest to the side walk. Speaking of that, all the sidewalks would be free because there would no longer be street parking allowed. You could only drop people off on curbs, in special designated areas like as if you are pulling up to a hotel.

Every car would have to park under ground in parking garages. The only cars that could park ever on the street would be police cars, ambulances and fire trucks (which would be allowed.)

Then she would make it a rule in companies, or any job that if you stopped driving to work, and started riding a bike you would get a $2000 tax free bonus. And if you bike to work with a co-worker who is less skilled on a bike than you get 3 extra days off a year. (in praise of being a teacher)

She would then get messengers to volunteer 2 hours a month to teach classes about changing tubes, and how to lock your bike, and anything else people would want to know. And in exchange every messenger would have health insurance.

There would also be a Bloomberg sponsored prize yearly for the person who helped the most people stop driving and start riding their bikes, taking buses etc. and worked to make the streets a safer place for cyclists. The prize would be a college education for 10 people of their choosing and free bikes for life.

Then to make sure that Transportation Alternatives continued to be the best company, she would give them and everyone who worked there 1 million dollars a year. (it being a non profit and all, that money would have to be for very specific reasons which would be determined)

Mom would then, stop the rain and the snow in the city, so that every day was a great biking day.

She would turn some of the old parking spaces in to great bike parking that was safe, and supervised. She would also have cute valet bike parking for people who had more money to spend. She would also make sure that all those employee's working bike parking had health insurance.

Every other street meat cart would also sell tubes, and air pumps, and tires and other necessary bike parts. So you could always fix a problem.

And to top it all off, she would remove the gas stations from the city and replace them with bike shops, and quick repair places open 24 hours. This would be so no one was ever stranded and could always get their bike fixed.

Ok so obviously there are problems with this idea, like how would people carry heavy things, or if you can’t walk or physically ride a bike what would you do? And I am sure if mom spent a few more hours on this she would think of something.

But of course this fantasy has to come to an end. That is of course unless the rest of the world thinks this way too . . .

I guess all mom is asking is for no more cyclist death’s to happen. And for the city to be a safer place to bike in. But until then, those who passed will be remembered and missed. And when this city is a safer place they will not be forgotten.