Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bike Lane Imbroglio: Hasidics' DIY Detour Sign At Kent Ave
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 29, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 29, 2008
Modified Dec 29, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Hasidim chafing at the increasing number of bike lanes on three consecutive roads through South Williamsburg are making good on their promise to block traffic in protest. According to the Post, someone has posted an unauthorized detour sign on private property by the intersection of Broadway and Kent Avenue, where the newest bike lane has sparked a backlash from the ultra-Orthodox Satmar community, as well as business owners who say neither customers nor delivery trucks can find parking.
The sign directs motorists one block east to Wythe Avenue (which also has a bike lane), explaining that bus drivers will be blocking the road and the bike lane when picking up and dropping off children. The sign seems to be making good on a threat from Satmar community activist Isaac Abraham, who last month vowed that "one day the traffic will be backed up all the way to Long Island City to [the] Department of Transportation Headquarters." A DOT spokesman confirmed that the detour sign is illegal, telling the Post, "Only the city can establish detours."
The immodest apparel of female cyclists had been previously cited as a reason for the Satmar bike lane opposition, but Abraham now says the opposition is about protecting children from cyclists who ignore traffic laws. Perhaps to counteract the recent effort by bike-riding clowns to defend the bike lane, the Post says Hasidim will hand out unofficial advisories to drivers along Kent Avenue every day. Abraham claims his wife was once struck by a cyclist, so he doesn't have a very high opinion of two-wheel commuters: "They are like birds flying by and dropping manure."
Tagged
bike lane
brooklyn
detour sign
dot
Hasidic
hasidim
isaac abraham
Kent Ave bike lane
new york
nyc
williamsburg
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Why New Yorkers should care about bats beyond spooky season
As Bat Week begins, state wildlife officials urge New Yorkers to protect bats, which play an important role in the environment.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 25, 2026 at 6:44 p.m. ET
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
News
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
Retired NYPD detective charged in George Washington Bridge killing out on $1M bail
By
Michael Sol Warren
Suicides decline in NYC, but inequities persist across groups
By
Jill Webb
Cuts to rural healthcare become key issue for upstate votes in race for NY governor
By
Samuel King
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .