Are the bikers really the problem? (AFP/Getty)

When people tend to complain about bikes, it is in terms of law-breaking dare devils. Whether or not this is accurate, at the very least, the pedestrians who so often feel threatened by these two-wheeled madcaps need not look over their shoulders fearing for their lives.

Well, that might still be a good idea, especially with an 18-wheeler barreling down behind the bike, but the odds that a cyclist might actually kill, or even maim you are incredibly slim, according to new city data.

Last year, the City Council passed Local Law 13, requiring the Police Department to track all bicycle accidents. Some critics of the legislation argued this was simply a tactic to demonize cyclists, a not uncommon practice at the Council. One of the advocates of the law was Nancy Guskin, whose husband was struck and killed by a delivery cyclist headed the wrong way down  Midtown street. "The main problem is that there aren't accurate statistics now, so we don't know" if the street-level policies are work, she told Gothamist two years ago.

But now that the data is out, it is clear how unmenacing cyclists actually are. Streetsblog crunched the numbers:

According to reports collected by NYPD and compiled online by NYC DOT [PDF], police responded to 27 bike-ped collisions citywide in the last three months of 2011, resulting in 26 injuries.

Over the same timeframe, 754 car-bike collisions injured 755 cyclists and killed three. Ten motor vehicle occupants were injured in those crashes.

[...]

Based on the most recent data available from the state DMV [PDF], more than 2,600 New York pedestrians are injured by motorists in a typical three-month period, and 50 are killed. In addition, about 15,000 motor vehicle occupants are injured in traffic crashes. (Raw numbers compiled by NYPD [PDF] show somewhat higher rates in April 2012.)

We’ll have to get a full year’s worth of bike data to make an apple-to-apples comparison. But with these preliminary numbers, looking just at the risk to pedestrians, it seems motorists are causing about a hundred times more injuries than cyclists. These raw numbers don’t account for the severity of injuries, which is almost certainly a great deal worse for crashes involving multi-ton vehicles capable of high speeds than for crashes involving lighter and slower bikes. The lack of pedestrian fatalities caused by cyclists gives some sense of the severity gap between car crashes and bike crashes.

At the same time, 30 percent of commuters drive or ride in vehicles (including taxis), compared to less than 1 percent who bike to work every day, so an apples-to-apples comparison is still far off. If anything, though, more bikes make the streets safer, as traffic fatalities across the board have fallen at the same time ridership has risen, so the more people on the street, the busier it may be, but also the safer. People will indeed remember to look over their shoulders.

Scofflaw? (Bridget Flemming/Downtown from Behind)

City Councilman David Greenfield is introducing a bill today to require every New York City cyclist to wear a bike helmet.

It is an intriguing proposal on a number of levels.

Currently, only children 13 and younger are required to wear a bike helmet. Think of the last time you saw a cyclist cruising by—were they wearing a helmet? Through highly unscientific personal observation, this reporter would say odds are evenly split for and against helmets. Maybe it's a little higher, hopefully, so this is simply a safety measure, and a warranted one, like seat belt laws.

This is to be the attitude of the councilman, who told The Observer, "This is the simplest thing a cyclist can do to protect themselves. To do anything else is frankly irresponsible." He pointed to federal statistics showing that 96 percent of bicycle fatalities involve people not wearing helmets (which may have as much to do with the cyclists attitude and actions as the presence of a helmet, but the numbers still speak volumes.)

Still, the best way not to get killed on your bike in the city is to keep from getting hit by a car. Which begs the question if this is not simply more anti-bike legislation masquerading as pro-bike legislation. Going back to the back-of-the-envelope assumption that half of city cyclists don't wear helmets, dumb if legal as that may be, how many of them might stop riding if it meant the choice between mussed hair and a $25 fine? With thousands of bike share bikes on the way, could this kill the program before it even gets off the ground?

There has been a rising current of such legislation amidst the bike backlash, some good, some bad. The call for bicycle registration has been widely viewed as a way to cut down ridership, while everyone can agree cracking down on bad delivery bikers is good for all New Yorkers—they can make life miserable for walkers, riders and drivers. Even the supposed NYPD crackdown on bikes is good if done right. Harassing riders safely traversing Central Park is one thing, but people going the wrong way down streets or blowing through stoplights not only present a safety risk but also create animosity among the ranks by giving the good cyclists a bad name. (Ditto angry drivers and jaywalkers, of course.)

With the exception of his complaints about the Ocean Parkway bike lane being shoveled while surrounding streets were not—a reasonable complaint, but one that also ignores that different machines for different jobs were used on the job—Councilman Greenfield is generally progressive when it comes to transportation issues, with the possible exception of leading the charge against those Department of Sanitation shame stickers, which proponents argue help enforce parking rules.

"It's basically common sense," the councilman said of his bill.

Perhaps bikers really should start wearing their helmets voluntarily. Maybe they should even be more diligent about following the laws, even when it's not convenient or entirely necessary. Sure, putting a foot down at an empty intersection where the light is nonetheless red might slow you down but it will also win you some respect. Even as a jaywalker next to you decides to cross since things are all clear.

This is what we were thinking when reading Justin Davidson's bracing defense of driving in the latest issue ofNew York magazine. Amazingly, he makes the practice sound appealing, rather than appalling.

Driving in the city is an extreme sport. Arriving from more placid places, you can feel the intensity spike as you home in on it. Lanes become notional, tailgating distances narrow, and you become more attuned to the body language of other cars. If you’re vigilant and blessed with good peripheral vision, you can often predict when another car will swing from the left to dart into a right turn.

Once you get into the lurching, irregular groove of city driving, it has a perverse adrenaline kick. Sharp as a forest beast, you process the crackle of random stimuli at a rate that would make a processor blanch. The other day, in the 30 seconds it took to drive one Manhattan block, I registered a double-parked SUV, a weaving bike messenger, a bus muscling abruptly into my lane, a jogger sprinting across the street as the light changed, an eighteen-wheeler filling the center lane, a massive pothole at my right wheel, and, at the corner, a walker gripping half a dozen dogs eager to bound into oncoming traffic. Somehow, my brain filtered those relevant observations from the streaming data of awnings and mailboxes and jackhammer noises and passersby. If mental exercise can slow the aging process, then driving in New York just might be the fountain of youth.

But for driving to work, so must every other mode of transportation—the more the merrier, and the merrier everyone will be:

Fulminating against drivers makes them feel beleaguered and resentful of changes that improve their lives. From behind the wheel, each new bike lane can look like an incursion into automotive territory, but it’s actually an amenity that gives us all more ways to travel and eases pressure on the roads. Streets designed solely as traffic conduits attract unsustainable amounts of traffic. For those who must—or choose to—drive, the best way to make the route more fluid is to help others ditch their cars.

[...]

If New York is to become a better habitat for automobiles, it should never be cheaper to drive than to take a less convenient form of transportation. To put it another way: Saving time should cost money, and vice versa. That way, car-­haters can stop spluttering about the ills of driving and let the rest of us whip around the city in ­motorized tranquility.

So long as a bike helmet law is done for the right reasons, to make the entire transportation system safer and smarter, it will be hard to argue with. But if it undermines these goals, then the whole debate is headed downhill faster than an out of control delivery bike.

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC

Pissed about Park Slope Parking (StreetInfo.Org)

Oh, crazy Brooklynites, will you never change? It's been less than two months since the incident at D’Amico Coffee in Carroll Gardens, when an angry note on the door alerted fans of the 75-year-old shop that nosy neighbors had petitioned the city to get involved in their coffee battle (apparently some people just hate the smell of freshly roast grounds).

This weekend continued the passive-aggressive madness in the form of more homemade "notes": with area residents this time taking to the streets in Park Slope to leave long-form essays on the windshields of motorists who took up too much space with their parking without violating any actual laws.

Read the entire two-page citation, via StreetsBlog.org.

There had been some concerns about whether or not traffic impacts on the corridor had been sufficiently addressed and what the best means to mitigate traffic at pedestrian crossings might be. “It’s not going to be quite so simple at the full board, and they wanted to take a step back and make sure they had all the answers,” one community board member told The Observer. As we previously reported, the board’s transportation committee approved the 6½th Avenue plan unanimously.

A presentation and full board vote is expected at next month’s board meeting, on May 10. It is not yet clear whether that would slow down plans to install the crosswalks this coming July.

Among the issues being considered is whether to replace the proposed stop signs on 51st Street with traffic lights. This may sound like a disaster for drivers, but it is actually considered an improvement over a stop sign. The crossings at 51st and 52nd streets are the busiest along the entire corridor, and there are concerns that with a stop sign pedestrians might stream through the intersection during lunch or rush hour, preventing cars from ever passing.

A traffic light would instead create designated times for both walkers and drivers, creating a smoother flow of traffic and better conditions for both vehicles and pedestrians.

For those who still fear a traffic jam nightmare, look no further than 57th Street, where mid-block traffic lights have already been installed between Fifth and Sixth avenues and Sixth and Seventh avenues. This has not only improved pedestrian safety but also reduced traffic times because drivers are contending with fewer jaywalkers. And since New York traffic is a game of hurry-up-and-wait, what is another stop light?

That is why the department continues to reject calls for yield signs at the crosswalks. While some board members have expressed concern about the need for late night traffic to have to come to a full stop at the intersections, the department believes that is the only way for the crosswalks to work to keep pedestrians safe.

As one transportation source put it to The Observer, “Yield signs? Are you kidding? New Yorkers view yield signs as green lights. They’re blind to them. It would never work.”

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC

This is especially delightful in light of

1. Our last Democratic Vice President, the emissions-hating Al Gore, and

2. An Onion article entitled 'Shirtless Biden Washes Trans Am In White House Driveway.'  Which he addresses with an interview that may as well appear in The Onion:

C/D: While shirtless, have you ever washed a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am in your driveway?

JB: [Laughing] You think I’d drive a Trans Am? I have been in my bathing suit in my driveway and not only washed my Goodwood-green 1967 Corvette but also simonized it.  At least the Onion should have had me washing a Trans Am convertible. I love convertibles.

And we love Joe Biden. What does Joe Biden not love, however? Not being allowed to be Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused, basically:

JB: ...I still have my 1967 Goodwood-green Corvette, 327, 350-horse, with a rear-axle ratio that really gets up and goes. The Secret Service won’t let me drive it. I’m not allowed to drive anything. It’s the one thing I hate about this job. I’m serious.

This is surprising, given that the one thing most people would assume Joe Biden hates about his job is being the White House's Mascot-In-Chief. Also, classic sans-context Bidenism:

So I jumped on that sucker and laid rubber.  A great feeling.

Indeed it is, Mr. Vice-President. Indeed it is.

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek

Dune Buggies! (The Standard)

The list of Fiat 500 lovers continues to grow. Not only do a few hundred New Yorkers have Cinquecentos already, but the Fiat 500 is practically the Obama car, and at least one 500 was spotted inside Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's compound. And herewith is the tipping point: Andre Balazs is smitten with the tiny car.

As Stan D'Arde—yes, that is the name of the hotel's pseudonymous social media specter—tells us, there is a special deal going on out on the East End:

What I’ve done for you, my little Stan D’Auto lovers is create a weekend package to end all packages (aside from my own, bien sur!)

For the next three Fridays, I have arranged for the 11am flight to Shelter Island be made available to you for only $350 one way.  With all the money you save on the flight, you can buy me countless martinis when you arrive at Sunset Beach just in time for lunch.   I’ve also accommodated for every single passenger to have their very own FIAT® 500 or FIAT® 500 Cabrio once they’ve finished dining!

Yes.  You heard me correctly.  That’s eight FIAT® for eight passengers.  All yours for the weekend!  Just make sure to get it back to Sunset Beach in one piece!

How long before Kanye or Chelsea Handler start driving one? And the real question: How does it handle on the Meatpacking District's cobblestone streets?

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC

That's some traffic jam. (Fiat)

Joel Karie was returning from a trip to Maryland on Thursday, having left that morning to make rehearsals at the Minskoff Theater, where he is a singer in The Lion King. He had just pulled over on 10th Avenue and 44th Street to hop out so his partner, Derek, could take the wheel. Just then, a red-and-black Mini Cooper pulled up behind them, and an older gentleman with a salt-and-pepper mustache got out.

“He wanted to know if I actually liked it,” Mr. Karie told The Observer. “People seem to have a very positive reaction, but then they want to know if we enjoy the car as much as they seem to.” It was the same reaction Mr. Karie has gotten not only driving around the five boroughs for the past two months, but also on the streets of West Baltimore and at a Delaware rest stop. “It’s kind of ridiculous” how much attention the car draws, Mr. Karie said.

He is the proud owner of a brand new Fiat 500, one of only a few hundred in the metro area. He opted for the 500 the sport model, because it came in the color he was looking for, Tropicalia Yellow. “It cost a few thousand dollars more, but that’s what I like about the Fiat,” Mr. Karie said. “I didn’t get a small car because I couldn’t afford a better car. Really, really both of us wanted to buy an American car. However, when you go under $20,000 in an American car, it feels like you get what you pay for. I don’t get that pop I get with the Fiat. You can buy the baseline 500 and it doesn’t feel like the baseline.”

Mr. Karie is one of a growing number of New Yorkers making this very calculation, buying what the auto industry refers to as A-type or “city cars,” but what The Observer prefers to think of as clown cars. The Smart Car has been tooling around our streets in almost laughably limited numbers since 2006, its two seats reminiscent of latter-day Phaeton buggy. The following year, another European import arrived, BMW’s re-engineered Mini, and it has colonized every corner from the broad avenues of midtown to the brownstone streets of Brooklyn.

Now, the Cinquecento, as it is fondly called, has been popping up all over the city, part nostalgic coincidence, part cutting-edge Euro-cool, all concerted marketing push.

“The whole thing started in New York,” said Ariel Gavilan, head of communications for Fiat North America. “When they started to research the car, one of the places they did their research was in New York, even before they ever knew it would be for sale here. New York is a cultural hub, a megacity. It is the epiphany—the pinnacle of a modern city. It is a global icon. Like the Fiat.”

Why the Fiat 500 Is Perfect for America: ‘It’s the Obama Car!’

The new 500 Cabrio convertible was first unveiled at the Javits Center in April, at the annual New York International Auto Show, and not at the typical conventions of Geneva or Detroit. The first North American media availability was here—O.K., so is every media availability—but so too was a public meet-and-greet in Times Square two weeks ago, a public art installation of full-size fiberglass 500’s and giant pots for pear trees (It’s green!), and, on Sept. 8, Fiat will debut its Gucci-branded 500 on the opening night of Fashion Week. A major media campaign is underway, reaching TV, radio, billboards and—this being an Italian car—the cinema.

Nationwide, Mini sold 28,273 cars between March and July of this year, compared to 7,982 Fiats. The companies do not break out sales figures by city, but it does bare mentioning that the Mini is available in far more. The Mini is also having its best year ever, up 37 percent since the period in 2010.

Still, in a city with “New” in its name, where having the latest designer bag or rarest cut of heritage beef is a critical status symbol, the Mini’s popularity may be stalling. “The Cooper’s been the ‘it’ car for too long,” Jalopnik editor Ray Wert wrote in an email. “It’s time to see a shift for folks who are fashion-conscious, and this car’s got all that and a bag of artisanal chips.” In his review of the car, Mr. Wert declared, “The Fiat 500C is neither fast nor sporty. But how can you not have a blast driving a convertible this cute?”

The 500C at the New York Auto Show. (Getty)

New York has never been much of a driving town. Even after Robert Moses plowed a few dozen freeways across the cityscape, car owners have never been a majority. Yet car ownership has risen slightly over the past decade, according to the U.S. Census, from 44.3 to 46 percent, after seeing virtually no growth the decade before that. As gentrification brings more suburbanites to the city, they are bringing their cars with them. And while New York has never been much for car culture, it loves all things continental. As the city trades in its gritty streets for cute and cuddly byways, there is ever more room for cars.

“It’s a great rendition of the Cinquecento of the past,” said automotive designer Jonathan Kim. “I don’t think it’s the same as the original, because that is a different animal. That was a go-cart on wheels. The new one is like an adult version of that. It’s smart and well-tailored.”

Mr. Kim actually drives a white Smart car, from which The Observer caught him unloading groceries on Wythe Street on Friday night. He is an inveterate gearhead who spent seven years designing cars for Ford, including the new Mustang—the interiors are all his—and a Bronco concept car that eventually became the new Land Rover LR3. After a stint in Europe, he returned to New York around the time the Smart Car was being launched Stateside and fell in love, especially for its park-anywhere capabilities. “Everyone is jealous,” he said. “Everyone.”

He does appreciate the appeal of the 500 for New Yorkers who might not be able to commit to the Smart Car. “The position in the Cinquecento is high, just like in the Smart, which is good, especially in urban situations. You can always see a little bit over the traffic, which is what we call in the industry the H-point,” Mr. Kim said. like the design-centricness of it, it’s quite nice. There’s a nice color palette and just an array of choices to fit your modern tastes. They’ve got a great marketing component, they’ve really targeted it to the modern, urban 20- and 30-something. And they avoided the pitfall of the Volkswagen Beetle. They made the Beetle a little too retro-cutesy, whereas the Cincquacento is the kind of the modern interpretation of the older version. So you don’t get the people who grew up with the Cincquacento; you get people who don’t even know what the Cincquacento is.”

There is also the advantage of the New York’s ethnic heritage. “The Mini is more sporty, it’s a bit bigger than the Cinquecento. When you drive a Mini, it’s good; when you drive a Cinquecento, it’s passion” said Claudio Coronas, proprietor of DOC Wine Bar and DOC Wine Shop on the north and south sides, respectively, of Williamsburg. “I’m Italian. It’s my first car, I learn to drive with a Cinquecento when I was 15 years old. For me, maybe it’s something that’s more than a car. It reminds me of when I was younger.” The native Italian bought his car through a limited-edition auction last year. It is number 487 out of 500, and it was delivered in May. He laments its inability to fit more than one stroller in back, as the two Minis he owned before could, but in addition to his BMW, he said it was the perfect city car, and one he drives far more often.

“Especially in Brooklyn, they don’t like the big S.U.V.,” Mr. Coronas said. “It’s all old Volvos and Suburus, the electric, hybrid. The first thing everybody asks is how many miles on a gallon. The first thing—‘Cool, cool. How many miles?’” The answer is 30 in the city, 38 on the highway. That is in five-speed manual. Opt for the more American automatic transmission and it’s 27 miles per gallon in the city, 30 on the highway.

“The Fiat 500 is absolutely poised to become the new ‘it’ car for BroBos,” Jalopnik's Mr. Wert said. “It’s cheaper than the Mini, smaller than the Mini, and, while still looking retro, doesn’t look at all like the Cooper.”

Yet the bigger challenge may be converting those who are not automotive or Italian devotees—one Fiat is having no trouble with. “The aesthetic is very sensible,” Mr. Karie said. “I hate driving, I’m not a huge fan of it, so anything that enhances that experience is good. I feel very comfortable in this car. It’s like an Apple computer. Aesthetics and design can make something boring fun. It’s not just how it looks but how it works. It’s nice to know someone has put some real thought and care into the product, instead of just stamping it out on an assembly line. If I’m caught in traffic, I want to feel good being stuck.”

Clobbering cobblestones in Soho. (Fiat)

It is a small sample group, to be sure, but three of the four new Fiat owners The Observer spoke with happened to have owned a Mini previously, including Mr. Karie. “I can get more bang for my buck this way,” he said. There is roughly a $5,000 spread between the two. Beyond that, the 500 is smaller, albeit by five inches, and with a smidgen more head room but half an inch less leg room. There is better fuel economy. Most important, and almost unquantifiably, there is what the Italians call sprezzatura.

Even Fiat dealers have picked up some Mini converts. At the new Fiat studio at the corner of 11th and 51st—a block down from The Daily Show studios—George Gaeta has been closing deals since the dealership opened in April. “I used to work up the block,” he told The Observer Monday evening, referring to the BMW/Mini dealership at the corner of 56th Street, on the other end of Manhattan’s automotive row. He had just finished selling twin sisters from Michigan on the car. “It’s not that powerful, but it’s a lot of fun to drive, especially in the city,” said Lianne Rinaldi. “We remember it from going to Italy as kids,” added Carla Rinaldi.

As for concerns about “Fix It Again Tony,” the notorious reverse-acronym from Fiat’s first entry into the States, Carla noted, “That was before we were even born.” With the current offer to pay down parking to $99 a month, for some it is too good a deal to pass up. Caleb Denis, the dealership manager, said one man called the car free because he was paying $350 per month in car payments on top of $450 in parking. He drove home in a Fiat that day.

mchaban [at] observer.com | @MC_NYC

The listing reads:

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME AROUND ONCE IN A LIFETIME TO OWN A PIECE OF CAMELOT FROM THE KENNEDY DYNASTY.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, JR. WAS A BELOVED PERSON THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT HIS PERSONAL VEHICLE IS BEING OFFERED FOR SALE. IMAGINE ACTUALLY OWNING THIS VEHICLE IN YOUR CAR COLLECTION, MUSEUM OR SIMPLY IS THE BEST CONVERSATION PIECE EVER. WE ARE SURE THAT YOU CAN FIND MANY VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE SHOWING JOHN AND HIS WIFE CAROLINE GETTING IN HIS SAAB ATTEMTING TO AVOID THE PAPARAZZI IN NEW YORK CITY.

THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND FIND.

THIS VEHICLE DOES RUN AND DRIVE BUT IS BEING SOLD STRICTLY IN " AS - IS " CONDITION AND SHOUILD BE PURCHASED BASED ON IT'S CELEBRITY STATUS.

The auction ended moments ago; it would appear nobody shelled out for the car. We gave the car's seller a ring; a gentleman from a company called Platinum Owners answered, and while declining to give his name, did answer a few questions for us.

Why'd you guys value the car are $100,000?
(Laughs) I think the value they came up was because they had no idea what the value was.

And where'd you get it?
From a mutual family friend.

A mutual family friend of yours...and the Kennedys'?
Yes.

Are you selling it on behalf of the Kennedy family?
No.

But you're selling it on behalf of...yourself?
Correct.

How's the sale been going?
We've been getting a lot of interest in the car.

Not on eBay. (Pause.) Taken it for a spin?
It hasn't been driven, the car. It's in the same way from ten years ago. It does drive, though.

And this was the last car driven by John F. Kennedy Jr.?
Yes. The car does have all the original paperwork.

But who's this mutual family friend that owned the last Kennedy car? Why has it been sitting around for 11 years? And can we take it for a spin? The gentleman who answered told us wouldn't answer these questions, but did explain that he'd kindly be putting us in touch with the car's owner. Know this, though: these people in New Jersey have a crucial piece of John F. Kennedy Jr. memorabilia, and it's more than just a stack of George backissues. If you're into that.

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek

Legislative leaders will say that they are "working closely with the governor to produce a fair and on-time budget." The governor will say that his proposed budget "makes tough choices" and "cuts across the board." And Mayor Michael Bloomberg will employ a beloved metaphor.

Check out Bloomberg's "economic engine" timeline. >>

Hammond said on-air that the ambassador would not respond to the racial humor because he'd be asleep in a chair, an evident reference to "laziness." Top Gear may have more influence than it merits -- it's now caused an international incident. BBC indicates that it will respond (possibly with an apology) to the Mexican ambassador. A U.S. edition of Top Gear airs on the History Channel -- it hasn't yet garnered the kind of attention Top Gear baits.