Monday, October 10, 2011

BROOKLYN BIKE PATROL ESCORTS WOMEN HOME

The volunteers of Brooklyn Bike Patrol (BBP) escort women home from subway stations in the late evening hours, seven nights a week. The group is dedicated to making the women of Brooklyn feel safer. These are Brooklynites helping Brooklynites.

Call BBP before you get on a train. When you get off at your stop, one or more volunteers will meet you and escort you home. Volunteers carry ID cards with them and wear "Brooklyn Bike Patrol" t-shirts with a special patch on the sleeve. Each volunteer has submitted his or her personal information to the 72nd Precinct, and their photos are on BBP's Facebook page.

Eighteen subway stops in Park Slope,Prospect Heights, Sunset Park, Kensington, and Carroll Gardens are serviced by BBP on Sunday to Thursday, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight; and on Friday and Saturday, from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
  • F line: Bergen Street, Carroll Street, 4th Avenue, 7th Avenue, 15th Street/Prospect Park West, Fort Hamilton Parkway
  • R line: Pacific Street, Union Street, 4th Avenue, Prospect Avenue, 25th Street, 36th Street, 45th Street, 50th Street, 53rd Street, 59th Street
  • 2 and 3 lines: Atlantic Avenue, Bergen Street, Grand Army Plaza
  • B and Q lines: Atlantic Avenue, 7th Avenue
Escorts are willing to meet you other places too--for instance, at a restaurant, a bar, or at your friend's house--to walk you home. If you need an escort at other times, call BBP early, and they'll try to accommodate you. They try to be as flexible as possible.

Call Brooklyn Bike Patrol to be walked home at (718) 744-7592 or send an e-mail to rocket55j [at] aol.com. But a phone call is better. You'll be talking to Jay Ruiz, the founder of Brooklyn Bike Patrol. If Jay isn't going to meet you himself, he'll tell you who is.

Jay Ruiz founded Brooklyn Bike Patrol on September 14, 2011.