Comments on: Central Park 66th Street Transverse Is Unsafe http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:49:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-36069 steve Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:34:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-36069 The Sec. 1146 summons is significant--esp. If family of victim intends to sue. I have never encountered a cop aware of the protection for bicyclists under 1146, and the months of delay between the collision and the summons suggests intervention by city lawyers. A clear violation of 1146, since sign said "slow" and (according to Flickr photo commentary) motorist hit victim at 30 MPH. Since 30 MPH is the limit, "slow" commands something less than 30 MPH. The Sec. 1146 summons is significant--esp. If family of victim intends to sue. I have never encountered a cop aware of the protection for bicyclists under 1146, and the months of delay between the collision and the summons suggests intervention by city lawyers. A clear violation of 1146, since sign said "slow" and (according to Flickr photo commentary) motorist hit victim at 30 MPH. Since 30 MPH is the limit, "slow" commands something less than 30 MPH.

]]> By: mork http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-36063 mork Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:53:30 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-36063 A driver cited for failure to exercise due care is huge. I can't recall ever hearing of this charge -- and it's a good sign that it's now on the police radar. A driver cited for failure to exercise due care is huge. I can't recall ever hearing of this charge -- and it's a good sign that it's now on the police radar.

]]> By: galvo http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-36020 galvo Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:25:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-36020 my revised definition of due care "due care:"“drivers must reduce speed and/ or stop to avoid hitting a pedestrians or bicyclist. this current definition of just blowing the horn and plowing through squeezing them off the road causing injuries and deaths is a load of crap my revised definition of due care
"due care:"“drivers must reduce speed and/ or stop to avoid hitting a pedestrians or bicyclist.
this current definition of just blowing the horn and plowing through squeezing them off the road causing injuries and deaths is a load of crap

]]> By: momos http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35995 momos Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:04:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35995 Trucks are banned from all the parkways in and out of the city. Why on earth are they allowed to roar through the single most important public space in Manhattan? Trucks are banned from all the parkways in and out of the city. Why on earth are they allowed to roar through the single most important public space in Manhattan?

]]> By: Glenn McAnanama http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35982 Glenn McAnanama Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:33:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35982 Excellent point Ray. Excellent point Ray.

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35980 Steve Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:16:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35980 Ray, that never ocurred to me. If so, we are endangering lives in order to avoid property damage by motorists who fail to heed the low clearance sign. Some trade-off! Ray, that never ocurred to me. If so, we are endangering lives in order to avoid property damage by motorists who fail to heed the low clearance sign. Some trade-off!

]]> By: Ray http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35979 Ray Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:12:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35979 I suspect that the barrier exists to keep trucks or other high vehicles from hitting the edge of the overpass where the clearance is quite low. I suspect that the barrier exists to keep trucks or other high vehicles from hitting the edge of the overpass where the clearance is quite low.

]]> By: Ken http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35978 Ken Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:08:39 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35978 One reason cyclists use the Central Park transverses is that there is no legal way to cross Central Park on a bike unless you happen to be going east to west at 72nd St. The park paths are festooned with "no bicycling" signs and tickets are issued. Certain paths should be designated as crossing points for cyclists who obey a reasonable speed limit and yield to other path users. Lives could be saved. One reason cyclists use the Central Park transverses is that there is no legal way to cross Central Park on a bike unless you happen to be going east to west at 72nd St. The park paths are festooned with "no bicycling" signs and tickets are issued. Certain paths should be designated as crossing points for cyclists who obey a reasonable speed limit and yield to other path users. Lives could be saved.

]]> By: Glenn McAnanama http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35977 Glenn McAnanama Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:02:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35977 Yeah, while it is recommended to wear reflective clothing and a helmet, these are not required. And the bike did have a reflector on the bike, although no mention is made of a light being present or not. Yeah, while it is recommended to wear reflective clothing and a helmet, these are not required. And the bike did have a reflector on the bike, although no mention is made of a light being present or not.

]]> By: ddartley http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35976 ddartley Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:57:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35976 "...be extremely careful if you use the 66th Street transverse...." Yeah: stay out in the middle of the lane. Don't "courteously" push yourself to the edge. Of course lights/reflectors help. Motorists should indeed be obligated to exercise due care, but cyclists should be obligated to make themselves visible. But that doesn't mean just lights and reflectors. It also means taking up space--often a full lane. And off topic, here's the revision I dream will one day be made to the definition of "due care:" “and shall give warning by <strike> sounding the horn </strike> calling out vocally when necessary.” "...be extremely careful if you use the 66th Street transverse...."

Yeah: stay out in the middle of the lane. Don't "courteously" push yourself to the edge.

Of course lights/reflectors help. Motorists should indeed be obligated to exercise due care, but cyclists should be obligated to make themselves visible. But that doesn't mean just lights and reflectors. It also means taking up space--often a full lane.

And off topic, here's the revision I dream will one day be made to the definition of "due care:"

“and shall give warning by sounding the horn calling out vocally when necessary.”

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/comment-page-1/#comment-35975 Steve Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:57:03 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/#comment-35975 This appears to be a case where NYPD reported the bicyclist at fault, at least potentially, based on an equipment violation that did not have anything to do with the collision or may not even have existed. So I would not put too much faith in the recent Daily News claim that bicyclists are at fault in the majority of collisions in two Brooklyn Precincts. This appears to be a case where NYPD reported the bicyclist at fault, at least potentially, based on an equipment violation that did not have anything to do with the collision or may not even have existed. So I would not put too much faith in the recent Daily News claim that bicyclists are at fault in the majority of collisions in two Brooklyn Precincts.

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