Dangerous Roads newsletter: Cycling for a cause, even while feeling unsafe next to drivers

Although he’s lived in Maryland his whole life, Jacob Landis knows too well the dangers of cycling on Long Island, and in much of the rest of the United States.

In 2012, Landis set out on a mission to bike to every Major League Baseball stadium in the country, along the way raising money for families who could not afford cochlear implant surgery. Landis, 36, who is deaf, has used a cochlear implant since he was 10.

As the father of a deaf child, I was inspired by Jacob’s Ride, and monitored his progress. In the spring of 2013, he pedaled 10 miles between Yankee Stadium and Citi Field — the shortest leg of his 12,000-mile journey — then continued east all the way to Orient Point, where he boarded a ferry on his way to Boston.

"For Long Island, I mostly remember the beauty. It was that really early, early spring, so the leaves and flowers hadn’t really come back to life yet. But I remember it being a really beautiful, slightly overcast day," Landis said.

After six months crisscrossing the U.S. by bicycle, Landis was in the homestretch of his journey, traveling from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Marlins Park in Miami — his 30th, and final, stadium. Only a couple of miles from his hotel one night, his ride came to an abrupt stop when he was struck by the side-view mirror of a passing semi-trailer truck.

Landis suffered multiple injuries, including a severe concussion, broken nose and fractured facial bones. Beyond the physical pain was Landis’ disappointment in falling just short of his goal, especially considering that, from his initial recollection, "There was nothing about the road that made me feel unsafe."

After healing, Landis returned to Florida the following summer to complete the last leg of his journey, and quickly realized, "my recollection was wrong."

"There was like virtually no shoulders. And I was out there in the daytime, and I remember thinking, ‘This road really wasn’t safe, and it wouldn’t be safe at night,’ " said Landis, whose realization also applied to many of the other places he traversed along his journey. "I had just gotten so used to riding on unsafe roads."

Beyond issues of road design and maintenance, Landis came to realize one of the biggest threats faced by cyclists is the feeling that they don’t belong on the roads alongside cars.

"When I first started riding, I’d ride all the way over, like almost on the curb," said Landis, recalling riding on rumble strips on the side of roads to stay out of the way of vehicles. "I remember being passed super closely, unsafely, getting honked at, not feeling safe."

It’s a feeling shared by cyclists across Long Island, where 49 cyclists were killed and about 300 seriously injured between 2019 and 2023, according to state data.

In time, Landis realized, for his own safety, he needed to "exude confidence" and communicate that he had as much right to a lane as a car or truck does, even if it means inconveniencing drivers who have to change lanes to go around him.

"Ideally, I wish that our entire country was designed with pedestrians and cyclists in mind," he said.

Readers speak up

I've questioned whether New York's standards for obtaining a driver's license go far enough. This reader has similar concerns.

Perhaps if the DMV road test was not driving around a Catholic school in Patchogue as it has been since 1966 when I took mine, we all would be safer. Since when is driving a potentially deadly weapon a right? It seems like it’s easier to obtain a [driver's] license than a pistol permit. Have part of the test done on a stretch of Sunrise Highway and see how many people would qualify then!

Tony Funaro

What changes do you think the DMV could make to ensure New York drivers are prepared safely operate a vehicle? Let us know at roads@newsday.com.

Newsday Dangerous Roads town hall coming soon

Stay tuned for more information about a community forum Newsday is hosting about dangerous roads at our Melville headquarters on Dec. 10. Alfonso will moderate a panel of experts and journalists about the road safety problems — and solutions — facing Long Island. More information, including how to sign up for this free event, will be in future newsletter editions.

— David Schwartz, transportation editor

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.