Two nights ago I was bicycling up to the Williamsburg Bridge. A small crowd of bikers were gathered opposite the old Williamsburg Bank. I slowed down and spotted several city officials handing out night lights for bikes.
Free.
I got into line and a young man came up to me.
"We're from the DOT of New York and we're giving out these lights to prevent accidents." His eyes checked out my bike. "Good, you have a bell. We want pedestrians to hear you as well as see you in the darkening hours of winter."
It was barely 5:30 and the sun was setting behind the towers of Manhattan.
"Have we hit Daylight Savings Time yet?"
"No, so it will be even darker earlier." He attached a white light for the front and a red light for the rear.
"Thank you." I was pleased by this gift from the city, until he added, "We want people to ride bikes safer. To have lights and bells. To not drive the wrong way down a street or through a red light, which is a $200 fine."
"How much for not having a helmet?"
"Nothing yet." He smiled with sincerity, but I saw behind the guise of graciousness.
This was another attempt by Mayor Bloomberg to create revenue by going after scoff-laws and I said, "I probably put up a good $2000 worth of traffic violations in a day. I try not to endanger any good, but myself, however breaking the law makes me feel rich. Thanks for the lights."
"Ride safe then." The young man went to the next biker.
I rode off into the sunset, wondering how much the light batteries cost to replace, then realized that they would be stolen long before they hit E.
New York is that kind of town.
My kind of town.
No matter what Mayor Bloomberg wants.
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