Bicyclists in New York City are dealing with yet another peril as they navigate bike lanes in the city: Garbage. According to a report on Bkreader.com, a group called Street Riders organized a cleanup recently in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where nearly 35 volunteers cleaned its bike lanes. They say what they removed from the bike lanes possibly saved lives.
They found debris ranging from nails, glass and other sharp objects trapped in frozen snow piles along a stretch of bike path on Grand Street near Hooper Street. They also found trash bags that had fallen onto the bike paths from the sidewalk as well as puddles of wet cement and gravel, apparently from trucks. Safety advocates say businesses including companies that operate trucks have a responsibility to not litter bike lanes and that to avoid this type of debris on bike lanes, bicyclists have to suddenly enter regular lanes of traffic where a driver may not see them in time.
The Push for Bike Safety
The issue of bike safety has gained significance especially during the pandemic where more and more New Yorkers are using bicycles. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in December that 2020 was a record year for protected bike lane expansion with the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) constructing 28.6 lane miles of new protected bike lanes across all five boroughs.
This is part of de Blasio’s Green Wave Plan, which aims to install more than 80 miles of protected bike lanes by the end of 2021 when the mayor will leave office. However, last year has been grim for New York City bicyclists. September 2020 was the deadliest month for bicyclists since de Blasio took office in 2014. Seven people were killed in bicycle accidents in September including three just in Brooklyn.
Negligent (Careless) Drivers and Liability
A number of bicycle accidents in New York City occur because of drivers who are distracted or not paying attention to traffic conditions including the presence of bike lanes. Drivers have a duty of care to everyone on the roadway including bicyclists and bicyclists have the same rights on the roadway as drivers of other vehicles. Bicycle accidents have the potential to result in catastrophic injuries or even fatalities and may cause lifelong disabilities that prevent victims from earning a livelihood.
Victims who have been injured in bicycle accidents can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families of deceased bicycle accident victims can file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages such as lost future income, funeral costs, medical expenses, pain and suffering, etc. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to guide you through what can quickly become a complex process and help you maximize the compensation you receive.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and/or medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.bkreader.com/2021/03/10/during-bike-lane-cleanup-street-riders-nyc-ask-where-are-city-officials/