The only mode of travel that the government should be supporting is mass transit, because it is the safest by far and best serves the needs of the majority of citizens (“Mayor Bloomberg Predicts Flood of Two-Wheelers in Bike-Share Program,” Jan. 12).
Pushing bicycles or other private transit weakens this indispensable system, not to mention public safety in general.
Even if bicyclists obeyed all the rules, which very few city cyclists do, it is still a dangerous way to travel, and again takes support away from the safest travel mode that meets the majority’s needs.
The mayor and others pushing massive bicycle-riding in a high-density city ignore the fact that many citizens are unable to ride bicycles.
Bette Dewing, Manhattan
Sidewalk talk
The editorial about New York City’s 2003 sidewalk law widely misses the mark (“The Fat Lady Zings,” Jan. 15).
The law has resulted in better sidewalks for all New Yorkers and saved millions in unwarranted public payouts. It brought an owner’s legal liability in line with its pre-existing legal obligations under the city’s Administrative Code.
For decades, owners have been required to repair and maintain sidewalks. The 2003 law makes the owners of commercial properties and multiple residences liable for injuries resulting from their failure to live up to those obligations.
In doing so, the sidewalk law has created a powerful and effective financial incentive for those property owners to fulfill what has long been their legal and societal obligation.
Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel, NYC Law Department, Manhattan
Blaming ‘Bob’
I usually love Jonah Goldberg’s articles in The Post (“Follies of the ‘Fiscal Conservatives’,” PostOpinion, Jan. 18).
But I am a “Bob,” and a lot of my friends are Bobs, and we all voted for Romney.
And we were very, very disappointed that he lost. If a socially liberal fiscal conservative ran against President Obama, he or she may well have won the election.
B. Bellacosa, McLean, Va.
Mama drama
I commend Michael Goodwin’s applause for Robert Doar and Mayor Bloomberg for grappling with unwed motherhood (“Finally! City to Tackle Un-Wed Mom Epidemic,” Jan. 13).
The term “unwed mother” lumps all of them together. Elective unwed-motherhood has grown geometrically compared to the accidental type and has, of course, a psychopathy less sympathetic than the latter.
The elective single mother has intrinsically said, “I don’t really care about the child’s future. I want one. The government will support this, and I don’t believe in this ‘intact-family’ stuff anyway.” This disservice to society does not represent the fathers of those offspring.
It would be wise to distinguish between the two, if only because they’d both have to be addressed somewhat differently, so there would be a greater success rate to Doar’s mission.
Steven Wolosker, Manhattan
Loudmouth pol
Your Sunday edition had an article on how to make the city quieter (“Quiet, Please,” Nicole Gelinas, PostScript, Jan. 13).
The answer is very simple: Ban all speeches from Gov. Cuomo in the five boroughs.
A. Vegliante, Yorktown Heights