Comments on: Reader Contributions

By: Kindacornxyz

Kindacornxyz — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Alex, I would love to get in touch with you about banning carriage horses from NYC. We have a lot of bikers and runners on our side and I’d love to speak with you about your personal experience with the horses.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:35:17 +0000

No misrepresentation, roymond. Cars do ruin the park.

For those who liked this video, here’s another that “misrepresents” the value of car-free parks, by depicting bicycling on a stretch of Central Park designated as a Class I bike path that is ordinarily closed to all but authorized vehicles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8mF80zvgPA

Plus, here’s confirmation that the DOT will be lifting its so-called “traffic mitigation” plan
and reinstating the prior regime of rush-hour traffic only:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/pr2006/pr06_78.html

However the DOT states that vehicles will be allowed 7 am to 7 pm weekdays on the portion of the loop running from Sixth Ave to Seventy Second Street. Was that the case before the “mitigation” plan, or is this a recently imposed “mitigation” measure that is not being lifted?

By: roymond

roymond — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:12:24 +0000

So Steve, filming backed-up traffic caused by a street closing is a good example of how cars are ruining the park? It’s presented out of context and doesn’t at all address the problem. In fact, it hurts the argument against cars to misrepresent the problem.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 02:20:07 +0000

I’m busted, nony. But the cops had closed Park Drive west south of 72nd so this was my only option for getting East without a long detour. Anyway, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to film this jam. I went slow.

Alex, I have never seen a carriage out of the right lane of Park Drive as far north as 65th street during motor vehicle hours, and my hunch is it’s not allowed. I think the carriage driver got greedy and took a fare he shoildn’t have.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 01:21:41 +0000

Is it just me, or is the cameraperson travelling the wrong way on the bike path?

By: alex

alex — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 22:38:02 +0000

Steve, the incident with the buggy occured in the bike lane (which only exists in the north-bound direction) on Central Park West at about 65th St. CG, I kind of agree with you, except I ride past every night on my ride home… I gotta try something.

By: Clarence

Clarence — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:49:29 +0000

Central Park(ing)

By: ddartley

ddartley — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 21:18:21 +0000

Dude, for the first 15 seconds of the first video, I thought the cars were just parked and double parked. Then I was shocked to realize they were “traveling!”

Like trans fat in an artery, so are the cars in our parks.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:37:17 +0000

Alex, interesting question about the horse-drawn carriages and where they belong. The portion of the park loop drive running from Sixth Avenue until the turnoff to Grand Army Plaza is the most popular circuit for the carriages. The right lane has a modified roadbed (deep rut in the middle) to accomodate horse manure so that it won’t be spread all over when cars drive past at (their customarily overly high) speeds. I don’t know if there is a city rule on point but I would think that this infrastructure in the right lane of the loop, along with the runner and bike decals in the recreation lane on the left, means no horses in the recreation lane. What segment and lane of the loop were you on?

By: Ian D

Ian D — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:21:19 +0000

How sad that in the first video, we couldn’t hear the joyful chorus of honking that must have been adding a warmth and cheer to everyone’s park experience that morning. Ah, parks, our chance to escape the hubbub of city life…