Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Why Did Robin Williams Beat Ticket For Sidewalk Cycling? Cuozzo Knows!
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 20, 2011
Modified Apr 20, 2011
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 Apr 20, 2011
Modified Apr 20, 2011
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
As you may have read, Robin Williams was on The View yesterday, where he again rolled out his anecdote about getting pulled over by the NYPD for biking on the sidewalk. "I wasn't dressed, like, in bike clothing," Williams explained. "I had a single-speed track bike, and I had on a bal aclava, which basically makes me look like a terrorist or a crack dealer. No one was on the sidewalk, and all of a sudden woop-woop!" The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck wasn't amused, telling Wiliams, "I got hit by a bike on a sidewalk!" Williams replied, "Well, it's the law because of her." And because of every other inconsiderate jerk who bikes on the sidewalk—these people should be ticketed, to be sure.
But obviously if you're a Hollywood celebrity, you're above the law. Once the cops checked Williams's ID, they sent him on his way with a warning, explaining, "There's a new law. Look, we won't give you a ticket this time." Of course, it's not a new law, but nevermind that—what's interesting to the NY Post's Steve Cuozzo is that Janette Sadik-Khan put in all these damn bike lanes, so now cyclists are riding on the sidewalk. Or something. We don't understand his point! In his words:
Now, cops' refusal to ticket Robin Williams for bicycling on the sidewalk clearly shows [Sadik-Khan's] already won the hearts and minds of The Finest. What better way to tell cyclists that the NYPD "crackdown" on lawless riders is a joke, if all it takes is a celebrity name to get you off?
Ah of course, it makes perfect sense—Sadik-Khan got a tip that Robin Williams was biking on the sidewalk, and she called her friends in the NYPD (because they just love her) to pull the star over and not ticket him, so that he would go on TV and spread the word that the cyclist crackdown isn't to be taken seriously. Sadik-Khan was probably hiding up in the school book depository chucking about the whole thing as it went down!
We've often likened Cuozzo to angry confused Grandpa Abe Simpson, who was immortalized in a Springfield tabloid for "yelling at a cloud." But after today's Cuozzo rant—in which he blames DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan for two cops who failed to ticket a movie star—we're starting to regret our Native American nickname for Cuozzo, "He Who Yells At Cloud." His latest opus is so baffling that it reads like he just randomly typed in his most hated keywords into a word processor and called it a day. In a way, he now reminds us of another beloved cartoon character: Rosie, the Jetsons' confused household robot. One discombobulated anti-cyclist polemic comin' right up, Mr. J!
We get that Cuozzo's being sardonic when he writes, "Clearly the NYPD needs a tougher hand at the top. Sadik-Khan is obviously more feared by her minions than Kelly is by his. Time for a change!" And his notion that the cyclist crackdown is "a joke" is spot on—but not for the reasons he espouses. Cuozzo seems to think it's a joke because cops aren't doing enough to write cyclists tickets, but we know that there's been an increase in summonses, as articles in such papers as the NY Post have illustrated. When the NYPD is wasting resources ticketing cyclists for carrying tote bags on their handlebars and pointing radar guns at cyclists to bust them for speeding in Central Park, the best word for that really is a joke. It's just not funny—unless you're some atavistic Archie Bunker-type who thinks these damn cyclists are to blame for NYC's traffic problems, and your flaming hemorrhoids, and your adulterous wife leaving you, and the lousy Knicks...
Tagged
bike lanes
cyclist crackdown
robin williams
steve cuozzo
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
NYC Council to consider earlier Legionella reporting after deadly outbreaks
A bill facing a hearing Monday would require cooling tower owners to notify city health officials when bacteria levels reach a much lower threshold.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 18, 2026 at 7:36 p.m. ET
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
Bail reform remains major issue in NY governor's race, 7 years after it became law
By
Gino Fanelli
NYPD identifies Bronx man, 26, killed in Midtown subway shooting
By
Ryan Kost
,
Elizabeth Kim
and
Phil Corso
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
By
Ryan Kost
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 .