State Senator Sees 'Built-in Racism And Classism' Behind A Cyclist's Death In Brownsville

On Monday night dozens of cyclists, activists, and elected officials gathered on the corner of Chester Street and Sutter Avenue in Brownsville, where 57-year-old cyclist Ernest Askew was killed by a driver last week.

Askew is at least the 14th cyclist killed by drivers on New York City's streets this year. (Victor Ang, who was struck while riding a Citi Bike in April, died in June, though it is unclear if Ang died from injuries related to the crash.)

Askew's name, along with the others, were read aloud at Monday's vigil. It was a small and mostly quiet crowd, in stark contrast to the large and boisterous memorial for bike messenger Robyn Hightman, who was struck and killed by a driver in Manhattan last week.

Melvin Askew Jr., 62, said he had spoken to his younger brother about how unsafe city streets were for cyclists.

"I’m a prior cyclist myself. Just a year and a half ago his coat got hooked on the back of a truck. He survived that, but I told him, 'C’mon man,’" Melvin Askew said. "But you can’t make people do things, you can only suggest to them.”

Police did not issue any summonses to the 18-year-old driver who hit Ernest in the intersection.

“I’m going to contest that. You have to look at every angle of it," Melvin said. "The velocity that could take a life, in a 25 mile an hour zone?”

State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who represents Brownsville, called Askew's death "a grave tragedy that compounds the built-in racism and classism that is our transportation system as it exists right now."

"In Brownsville we have subway stations that don’t have elevators, we have buses that are still using diesel fuel. We do not have the public transportation options that we deserve and when we encourage people to utilize bicycles and alternative forms of transportation, they are taking their life into their own hands every time they get on that seat," Myrie said.

"We are facing an emergency, and it needs an emergency-like response. You cannot drive a 2,000 pound piece of metal with impunity in this city," he added.

On Monday, hours after cyclist Devra Freelander was struck and killed by a cement truck driver in Bushwick, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he told the NYPD to begin "a major enforcement action" against dangerous drivers and those who block bike lanes, and directed the Department of Transportation to come up with a new plan to "making biking in our city safer."

Courtney Williams, a safe streets and cycling advocate who runs thebrownbikegirl.com, said that she was "super understanding and empathetic to concerns that neighbors of color have about displacement and bike lanes...but the pattern happens that way not because of bike lanes, but because of redevelopment plans that elected officials and real estate made a long time ago."

"Some things transcend race, and social justice, and that bike lane is it. You would not say no to potholes being filled, you would not say no to streets being striped," Williams said.

After roughly 45 minutes of speeches, cyclists lifted their bikes above their heads in a moment of silence to honor Askew. A plaque was mounted, noting that a cyclist was killed nearby; activists places flowers on the sign.

A ghost bike is also coming to mark the spot where Askew was killed, but Steve Scofield of the NYC Street Memorial Project said there is currently a backlog.

“I put up three ghost bikes just last week. We’ve got four more to do already," Scofield said. "This is ridiculous. This should not happen.”

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