And I think the woman who wrote the piece did so with considerable sensitivity to ensure that the indication the the “gentleman” was a Hasidic Jew should be read as just for identification and context and not bigotry. The implication is that whatever your cultural bias, not killing other people is a widely accepted value.

Reading such things reminds me of the struggle and anger that disappeared upon moving to the netherlands a decade ago. I remember the euphoria of finally just being part of the traffic on my bike and this realization eventually led to WorkCycles, where one of the primary goals is to spread everyday cycling beyond the Netherlands and Denmark.

That area in Brooklyn is a clash of cultures, with a neighborhood of young hipsters sharing a shifting border with a neighborhood of Hasidic Jews. The bike lanes have been a lightning rod. The hipsters want them. The Hasidics want places to park or double-park; no outsiders riding through their neighborhood; and especially no young, pretty women in shorts or skirts riding through their neighborhood (seriously, this has been an issue).

It’s says a lot about a culture that prefers idling double-parked traffic to the quiet flow of bicycles; riders enjoying themselves; and public space that even they could enjoy, should they choose to do so.

I hope the guy in the cargo bikes lives in Brooklyn. I think he’s orthodox (not Hasidic), but maybe he could do some outreach.