A New York county lawmaker says he doesn't think his consitituents should be riding bikes in the community.

Suffolk County Legislator Thomas F. Barraga penned his conversial and somewhat surprising response to a teen whose mother was hurt riding a bike.

Barraga said, according the web site Talking Points Memo, that no one should "ever ride a bicycle or a motorcycle" in his community.

The unusual response was first reported by Long Island Newsday.

Barraga said the reason was that "Suffolk County is a suburban automobile community -- drivers expect to see other drivers on the road, not bicyclists and motorcyclists," according to the Newsday report.

Click here to read the teen's letter.

Click here to read Barraga's response.

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