Local News
“Oh, these poor drivers; they had to merge!”
A cyclist rides his bicycle in the bike lane on Essex Street in Chinatown in Boston on March 22, 2026. Lane Turner/Boston Globe Staff, File
July 22, 2026 | 4:29 PM
1 minute to read
As tensions over bicycle safety come to a head in Boston after a driver struck and killed transportation planner Louisa Gag earlier this month, one angry cyclist took matters into his own hands upon finding a truck parked in a Commonwealth Avenue bike lane.
Caught on camera blocking a stream of cars in Brighton, the helmeted cyclist could be heard yelling, “This lane’s closed, sorry. This lane’s closed,” per a video clip posted to social media by digital creator Paul Pasquarosa.
Asked why he was blocking traffic, the cyclist gestured angrily at the bike lane, where a truck appeared to be parked.
“Why is that f—ing lane closed? Why is that lane closed?” he demanded. “That, being there, kills people.”
He added sarcastically: “Oh, these poor drivers; they had to merge!”
Asked what his problem was, he replied, “My problem is f—ing people are dying.”
Four thousand people signed an open letter to Mayor Michelle Wu last week, urging city officials to revive long-stalled street safety projects after Gag was killed while riding a bicycle in Mission Hill. Speaking at a vigil for Gag last Thursday, Wu became emotional as she vowed to take action in memory of her former staffer.
“We will not resign ourselves to dangerous streets as a fact of life in Boston,” Wu said through tears.
Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
