That was the partial consensus of Community Board 2 members, who narrowly voted against recommending the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to install five miles of new bicycle lanes in Fort Greene.

During the open discussion before the vote on the subject several board members were highly critical of the bicyclists including Anthony Ibelli, who repeatedly called them "jerks."

Before the discussion and vote, DOT Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Coordinator Ryan Russo outlined the plan, dubbed the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill project.

The plan calls for bike roadways and traffic calming measures from the Manhattan Bridge to Prospect Park, Russo said.

Under the plan, Carlton Avenue between Flatbush and Flushing Avenue will get a five-foot-wide northbound bicycle lane from Flatbush Avenue to Flushing Avenue.

Additionally, Cumberland Street, which is also known as Washington Park between Myrtle and DeKalb avenues, will get a bicycle roadway from Flushing Avenue to Pacific Street in the southbound direction.

From Flushing Avenue to Park Avenue the new route will be signed and marked with bicycle logos and chevrons.

At Park Avenue, where the Whitman Houses interrupts Cumberland Street, the route will move eastbound on Park Avenue to Carlton Avenue and along the southbound Carlton Avenue bicycle lane to Myrtle Avenue.

At Myrtle Avenue, the southbound bike lane will begin on Washington Park and continue along Cumberland Street to Greene Avenue.

For a 100-foot stretch of Cuyler Gore Park, cyclists will be permitted to share a 25-foot wide pathway with pedestrians and new signs and design treatments will be installed to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue, bike route signs will be installed and parking lanes will be marked to better guide motorists and cyclists.

At Atlantic Avenue, cyclists will turn east to access a new separated, "contra-flow" bicycle path on Carlton Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street.

A five-foot eastbound bicycle lane is also slated for installation on Willoughby Avenue from Washington Park (a.k.a. Cumberland Street) to Myrtle Avenue in Bushwick.

The new lane will extend the bicycle network to the Pratt Institute, a major bicycle trip generator and connect cyclists to other bicycle routes.

Willoughby Avenue from Washington Park to Classon Avenue is scheduled for resurfacing in the fall of 2006 with the bicycle lane to follow, according to DOT plans.

As a traffic calming measure, Carlton Avenue will be converted from one-way northbound to a two-way operation between Park Avenue and Myrtle Avenue.

The conversion will reduce speeding on Carlton Avenue, facilitate the installation of new bicycle facilities and provide 40 new parking spaces for the neighborhood.

The conversion will be accomplished by striping a 20 foot median in the center of the roadway and adding five-foot-wide bicycle lanes on each side of the street. A six-foot planted concrete median will replace the striped median.

After Russo's presentation Noah Budnick, deputy director of advocacy for Transportation Alternatives, a bicycle advocacy organization, and Fredrik Anderson from the Fort Greene Association both hailed the idea.

However, Cheryl Goodman, a resident who lives on Sands Street where there is an already existing bike lane, complained of bicyclists who flaunt stoplights and other traffic laws, and add to traffic congestion.

"I applaud in trying to calm things down, but in actuality you [DOT] made it worse," said Goodman, in urging CB 2 to recommend the DOT go back to the drawing board on the plan.

These sentiments were echoed by CB 2 members Nancy Wolf and Verdell Bivins, who added pedestrian safety from bicyclists flaunting traffic laws remains an issue.

However, several CB 2 members defended bicyclists, stating they are polite in sharing the road and added to an overall good environment.

In the end, 16 members voted to recommend the bike lanes, 15 voted against it and two abstained, which under parliamentary rules count as a no.

As a result CB 2 voted against recommending the proposed new bike lanes.

Budnick admitted after the vote there are many cyclists who flaunt traffic laws which undermines community support.

However, on the flip side you see a lot of motorists breaking the law as well, he said.

"A lot of comments were made and my hope is the city will come up with a modified plan and put it in as soon as possible because this is a very good plan," said Budnick.

DOT spokesperson Chris Gilbride said the agency went to the community board because it's the best way to inform the public and get feedback about projects.

"We got valuable feedback and that will be taken into account," he added.