It was democracy in action

To the editor:

(re: “Making a difference? Or just making a mess?” Jan. 28)

While I am loathed to give credibility to last week’s editorial, the massive inaccuracies and misstatements of fact in the editorial require a response.

I do appreciate the positive statements about me in the editorial, but the personal attack is absolutely unwarranted.

The opposition to the bicycle lane was grounded in legitimate arguments that narrowing Independence Avenue would have a terrible impact on the flow of traffic, and would interfere with emergency vehicles and deliveries on Independence. Most importantly, Community Board 8’s traffic and transportation committee ultimately agreed with this position.

Prior to the meeting, the community board received approximately 110 communications, and more than 100 of those were against the bike lane. I am told that subsequent communications are also of a similar ratio.

At the meeting, more than 225 people attended, and a similar proportion of them spoke out against the bike lane.

Those who favored the bike lane had an equal opportunity to see our flyer and to express their views. Their failure to do so leads one to the inevitable conclusion that there was very little support for a bike lane.

This effort was a tremendous example of democracy in action. The people spoke, and the traffic committee listened. This grassroots effort should have been commended by The Riverdale Press, rather than being criticized.

The editorial conspicuously omits to mention that this effort was joined by the boards of six other major co-operative apartment buildings in the area, and by both synagogues along Independence.

The editorial misquotes a conversation that I had with the editor. I agreed with the editor that the introduction to our flyer, which said “Community Board 8 is planning to propose” was a mistake, and it should have said that a “working group of the traffic and transportation committee is planning to propose.” We all knew that this was the beginning of a process, but it was also the best point at which to put an end to one horrible element of the proposal.

The editorial makes a huge leap from the fact that I and some members of my family have contributed to the city council campaign of Eric Dinowitz to presume that my opposition to the bike lane was intended as a personal attack on another candidate. That is blatantly untrue.

I did not allow my personal or political opinions to enter into my efforts regarding the bike lane proposal, and The Riverdale Press should not have done that either.

I reiterate that this was democracy in action, and should be lauded by the entire community, even though it was personalized and attacked by the editor.

Jeffrey Moerdler

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