To the Editor:

Re “To Ease a City’s Traffic, Shifting from 4 Wheels to 2” (news article, Sept. 4):

As someone who has traveled on two wheels in great cycling cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam, I know that New York City has a long way to go before the city truly feels like a welcoming place for bicyclists.

Past city administrations have shown little faith that, if nurtured, bicycling could grow into a major transportation alternative; and they have been loath to force motorists to cede even a small part of their dominion over our streetscape.

Happily, it appears that the Bloomberg administration has grasped the fundamental point that “if you build it, they will come.” But as important as infrastructure improvements like protected bike lanes are, equally crucial is a recognition on the part of all New Yorkers that bicyclists are not interlopers on our streets, but are to be respected as legitimate users with equal rights.

This respect will gradually increase as conditions improve and bicycling rises in popularity, but the mayor could give it a huge push by launching a public information campaign with a simple message: “Bikes belong.”

Kenneth M. Coughlin
New York, Sept. 5, 2007