BUSHWICK — Police cracked down on neighborhood cyclists — issuing 160 percent more tickets — after a rash of accidents involving bikes, police said.
In the 28-day period that ended on June 12, police wrote 123 summonses to cyclists for running stop signs and red lights, 160 percent more than same time period last year, according to police.
The enforcement push came amid a spike in bike accidents, 13 during period where there are usually three crashes, according to police.
Police said that cyclists were found to be at fault for disobeying traffic signals in nine of the thirteen cases.
"Concerns have been raised by the community that bicyclists are disobeying traffic laws creating hazardous conditions," an NYPD spokesperson said.
The issue came up at a Tuesday meeting of Bushwick's 83rd Precinct mostly attended by drivers who voiced concerns about cyclists not riding in bike lanes or obeying traffic laws.
"They don't have to ride in the bike lane but they do have to stop at stop signs," said NYPD Deputy Inspector Sergio Centa, head of the 83rd Precinct said. "When we see an increase in accidents that's where we direct our enforcement."
