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Crime & Safety

Cyclists Still Breaking Speed Limit in Prospect Park

A Daily News reporter clocked bikers running red lights and going over the posted speed limit in Prospect Park.

Two pedestrians, , and , have been hospitalized in the past six months with serious injuries after being struck by cyclists in Prospect Park, but the Daily News says that hasn’t slowed anyone down.

A Daily News reporter armed with a radar gun clocked bikers going as fast as 31 mph, though the speed limit for cars and bikes in the park is 25 mph. The reporter also witnessed incidents of bikes speeding through red lights at crosswalks. In a day, 8 out of 50 cyclists broke the speed limit, according to the report.

In January, the 78th precinct vowed to crack down on speeding cyclists, as reported by the Brooklyn Paper and .

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“More enforcement will be implemented for bicyclists who disobey traffic laws,” said an unnamed source at the 78th precinct in January. “If [an officer] sees a bicyclist go through a red light it’s the same as if a car does.”

The Daily News reports that just 22 cyclists were ticketed in the park this year.

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A few weeks ago, including a new “highly visible” crosswalk and a narrowing of the two-lane road to one lane with orange traffic barrels near the the area where Cohen was struck.

The on November 16, where park users expressed their opinions, ranging from a ban on cars and bikes to better pedestrian education.

“People need to realize that [the drives] are not a velodrome,” said Geoffrey Croft, founder of New York City Park Advocates. “It’s a park with many different users.”

Cohen, a 55-year-old park volunteer, was struck by a cyclist in the park on November 3, and was put into a medically induced coma at Kings County Hospital. Two weeks later, she was fully conscious and breathing on her own, according to a friend.

Jacks was struck by a cyclist in the park on June 11 and sustained serious brain trauma and fractures throughout her face and skull. According to the New York Post, Jacks is suing the City for $3 million, blasting the Parks Department and NYPD for their “negligent, careless and reckless” lack of traffic enforcement inside of the park.

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