Streets are just too dangerous

To the editor:

(re: “It’s bikes, vehicles versus pedestrians on pathways,” July 7)

I found The Riverdale Press story on cyclists and delivery couriers on Irwin and Waldo avenues pathway very interesting. Especially interesting is the last sentence: “My office and I will remain on top of this issue until we see some action taken by our city agencies,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said.

I had contacted Assemblyman Dinowitz’s office around the time of this story. We’re having the same problem with delivery bikes and motorized vehicles on sidewalks on and around Johnson Avenue, very close to the Assemblyman’s office. An aid or spokesman from his office responded by basically saying there is nothing he could do, and that it would be my responsibility to report the occurrences to the 50th Precinct.

In other words, he turned around and put the responsibility on me!

This was nothing but another lame response from a politician too weak to deal with quality of life issues in Riverdale. I have voted for Assemblyman Dinowitz in the past. I will not do so again.

By the way, I am very familiar with the pathway mentioned in the story. I often use it when walking from my home on Johnson to visit the Garden Gourmet on Broadway. It’s generally a nice walk. However, when I come to the Irwin/Waldo pathway, I’m turning my head around every few seconds to see if a bike or motorized vehicle is coming from behind. It becomes exhausting keeping an eye out for bikes and motorized vehicles while simply walking down a street.

This is now a problem throughout much of Riverdale.

I used to love walking around New York City, especially Riverdale. I now find myself fatigued keeping an eye out for bikes and motorized vehicles on sidewalks, not to mention the many vehicles that do not stop at stop signs or red lights, as well as the many drivers who will not yield to pedestrians.

Crossing the street in Riverdale has become dangerous. I’ll never forget the morning a driver at West 235th Street and Johnson Avenue began aggressively honking at a woman with a baby carriage who was crossing the street.

I can only assume he must felt she was walking too slow for his liking. I couldn’t believe the driver couldn’t wait a few a seconds while she crossed the street.

Again, I can’t say it enough: Making oneself aware of the threat of bikes and motorized vehicles on sidewalks has become very mentally exhausting. It seems like walking the streets in New York City has become dangerous once again, and not for the same reasons as in the 1970s.

Thank you for writing this story. It’s something that needs to be addressed. It also seems the New York Police Department and the local politicians will not address quality of life issues unless the issue is brought up in the media.

Very sad.

Richard Serviss