Show #460 – July 6, 2019

Guests: Aaron Gordon; (encore presentation with)Phil Liggett

Last week, we reported on the death of Robyn Hightman, a 20 year old messenger, bicycle ambassador, and evidently an up-and-coming competitive cyclist in NYC.

Then, 3 more cyclists were killed in rapid succession in NY and that brought the total for 2019 to 15. In all of 2018, there were 10 cycling deaths in the City.

Interestingly enough, NYC has a Vision Zero program on the books and a fairly large number of laws that seem to go unenforced; or, at least that is what you would be led to believe when the NYPD published a notice that said .they would enforce the traffic laws for three weeks beginning July 1st and ending July 21st.

Does that sound as ludicrous to you as it did to me? IF the laws are on the books why aren’t they enforced ALL THE TIME?

Why does it take multiple deaths to decide to enforce already in place laws? And, why do the police take the opportunity, immediately after a high-profile incident such as Robyn’s to begin ticketing cyclists in the area of the crash?

I actually have some answers… well, I spoke with someone who has SOME of the answers and understands the situation pretty well, including being one of those cyclists who was ticketed for an “infraction”.
Aaron Gordon is a senior investigative reporter for jalopnik – yes, it’s a car centered organization. Yet, he thinks that the work he’s doing now helps to inform his reporting on the many sides of transportation.

Then, as the Tour de France kicks off today in Brussels, and with the untimely loss of Paul Sherwen, I thought it might be appropriate to bring you an encore presentation of my 2014 conversation with the “voice of the Tour” Phil Liggett.