Comments on: Cyclists Rally at City Hall http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/06/29/cyclists-rally-at-city-hall/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:26:24 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Tom Brice http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/06/29/cyclists-rally-at-city-hall/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Tom Brice Fri, 30 Jun 2006 22:17:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/06/29/cyclists-rally-at-city-hall/#comment-530 a shame on all these deaths a real shame. a shame on all these deaths a real shame.

]]> By: Christian http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/06/29/cyclists-rally-at-city-hall/comment-page-1/#comment-528 Christian Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:18:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/06/29/cyclists-rally-at-city-hall/#comment-528 I commute to work on my bike from Fort Greene, Brooklyn to Penn Station most days, and there are a few things I've noticed. 1. Signs that say "Share The Road" would increase drivers' awareness of bicycles. Cars always honk when I'm in a lane because they don't know the law. If the road is unsafe, I can take up a lane. This happens all the time when navigating around double parked cars. Simple signs posted around the city might remind drivers that bicycles have a right to be on the road. 2. "Watch For Bicycles" signs at heavy bicycle crossings. At the exit of the Manhattan bridge bike path on the Manhattan side, the bike path leads to a pedestrian-heavy intersection at the end of the greenmarket throroughfare. Cyclists are flying downhill, and peds can't see around the wall. While I haven't seen it happen, I would imagine that there are collisions and near-misses here all the time. A simple sign that says "Watch for Bicycles" on the Greenmarket side and a sign that says, "Slow Down: Pedestrian Crossing" on the bike side would help. This is an easy solution for many dangerous intersections throughout the city. 3. Bike lane buffer. I would just like to say that I LOVE the 8th avenue bike lane. Until this was painted, I was taking 6th avenue and hating life. Now I ride up Hudson to 8th avenue and enjoy my cruise to work. The best part about the lane is the buffer zone of about 8 feet between the bike lane and the far left lane of traffic. No matter how much we bitch, cars will double park. Parking is so limited that it's inevitable. The buffer zone gives cyclists some room to maneuver around double parked cars. This isn't feasible on narrow streets, but on big avenues it makes a big difference. I think there is something similar on 2nd avenue, and I definitely feel much safer biking on these streets. 4. Any cyclist who rides at night without lights is a moron. Buy some blinky lights you fools! They are not just for ravers anymore. 5. Any cyclist who complains about pedestrian traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge is a first-rate dickwad. TAKE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE YOU JACKASS. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the biggest tourist attractions around, and tourists by definition are blind and unaware. The Manhattan bridge bike path is empty at all hours - much safer, much easier. My condolences to the families of the cyclists who have died recently. I commute to work on my bike from Fort Greene, Brooklyn to Penn Station most days, and there are a few things I've noticed.

1. Signs that say "Share The Road" would increase drivers' awareness of bicycles. Cars always honk when I'm in a lane because they don't know the law. If the road is unsafe, I can take up a lane. This happens all the time when navigating around double parked cars. Simple signs posted around the city might remind drivers that bicycles have a right to be on the road.

2. "Watch For Bicycles" signs at heavy bicycle crossings. At the exit of the Manhattan bridge bike path on the Manhattan side, the bike path leads to a pedestrian-heavy intersection at the end of the greenmarket throroughfare. Cyclists are flying downhill, and peds can't see around the wall. While I haven't seen it happen, I would imagine that there are collisions and near-misses here all the time. A simple sign that says "Watch for Bicycles" on the Greenmarket side and a sign that says, "Slow Down: Pedestrian Crossing" on the bike side would help. This is an easy solution for many dangerous intersections throughout the city.

3. Bike lane buffer. I would just like to say that I LOVE the 8th avenue bike lane. Until this was painted, I was taking 6th avenue and hating life. Now I ride up Hudson to 8th avenue and enjoy my cruise to work. The best part about the lane is the buffer zone of about 8 feet between the bike lane and the far left lane of traffic. No matter how much we bitch, cars will double park. Parking is so limited that it's inevitable. The buffer zone gives cyclists some room to maneuver around double parked cars. This isn't feasible on narrow streets, but on big avenues it makes a big difference. I think there is something similar on 2nd avenue, and I definitely feel much safer biking on these streets.

4. Any cyclist who rides at night without lights is a moron. Buy some blinky lights you fools! They are not just for ravers anymore.

5. Any cyclist who complains about pedestrian traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge is a first-rate dickwad. TAKE THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE YOU JACKASS. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the biggest tourist attractions around, and tourists by definition are blind and unaware. The Manhattan bridge bike path is empty at all hours - much safer, much easier.

My condolences to the families of the cyclists who have died recently.

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