Jackass Kids Are Still Throwing Shit At Bikers

image via Gothamist

I'm sure most of you biking FIPS'ters remember poor ole Park Sloper Stephen Arthur who, back in August, was hit in the face with a brick while biking home from work. Where did that brink come from, you ask? An accidental shove from a construction site? No, it was some a-hole kids standing on a pedestrian bridge over Navy Street in Clinton Hill (between the Walt Whitman and Ingersoll Housing PJ's). In case this isn't obvious: IT WAS INTENTIONAL! 

The brick grazed the side of Arthur's head, breaking his tooth, while the fall brook his wrist. In addition, he later required a hernia operation due to the injuries sustained. Most have said that Arthur is lucky to be alive, but he told Gothamist his recovery process has sucked:

Sure, relative to being killed or brain damage, I am okay... I am in physical therapy now for TFCC, so I am putting a lot of effort into that, so as to avoid surgery. The hernia surgery was completed in early November, that seems to be going as planned, but I have sworn off biking until I am fully healed, which could be another few months.

You know what's hot? The kids not being caught after the first incident. You know what's hotter? The police not even following up on the incident. You know what's hottest? THE JERKS ARE STILL DOING IT! 

According to the Brooklyn Paper (the same paper that recently saved Art and Christmas), one biker said he was hit with a golf ball. Other bikers have complained about being pelted with apples, water balloons and beer bottles. This is serious shit, NYPD! People's lives are in danger. This is what Arthur had to say on the police's lack of interest in his assault:

I am wondering why the police never investigated the crime. It was only in the first weekend of December that I got a return phone call from a detective from the 88th precinct, Detective Orrego, partially because I supplied a photo to a Captain Lola Obe, who is in charge of policing the housing projects. Detective Orrego told me that there are cameras somewhere on either end of the bridge, where they might be able to fingerprint the kids who attacked me, and others. But I am wondering: Why did they need my photos in order to do that? The police knew the time that the crime occurred, around 6:35 p.m... I am more than willing to work with the NYPD on this, as it is proven that there are multiple instances of these attacks occurring from that spot.

The response from the 88th precinct has simply been: 

"We are working with the housing complex to increase patrol near the footbridge."

Really? Well that should make us all feel safer. The term "working" might as well be a middle finger to bikers. So if you're biking down Navy street, wear full-body protective armor or carry your own damn brick to pelt back at the bastards (not actually recommended).