I have the technical skill to ride on those kind of streets, I just don't feel like getting sideswiped by a cab going 45 mph or being crushed between two cars or crossing over four lanes of traffic to make a right turn.

Grand street is a little out of the way for me if I'm coming from Wash Sq Park, but I do end up using it sometimes. That lane has its own interesting problem of the bike lane putting you on the left side of cars at Chrystie and suddenly the bike lane jumps to the right side of the street!

yup, but 1) one ends up very close to the island thingy at the foot of the bride and 2) it beats ridng that 6, yup, 6 block circuit via ridge.

in recent years no one ever thought of houston as a direct route to the w'burgh bridge. it simply is more effective than some other routes - instead of going to ridge, etc, go via suffolk, cross only the west bound lanes of delancey and voila! this would be especially convenient if there was a continuous bike lane on houston (and perhaps suffolk as well).

I fail to understand how Houston is a direct way to the Williamsburgh Bridge. Ever since they flipped the one-way signs on Clinton, you have to proceed two blocks past Clinton, turn right on Ridge, and then right on Delancey in order to get to the bike path entrance.

there is only one solution: bike lane on houston all the way (except for the non-existent east bound lane west of 6th). NO, we are not dropping the issue!

If you are heading east on Bleecker, it ends at Bowery. Your only choices for getting to the other side of Houston are:
1) Riding down Bowery (yikes)
2) Jiggling over to 2nd street and taking it one block to 2nd ave, where the bike lane ends at Houston in the middle of a very busy double left-turn lane.
3) Going over to 1st ave and riding the wrong way for two blocks until you're riding the right way on the lanes at Allen Street.

the most environmentally friendly solution is the one that gets the most cars off the road. We cannot do nothing while waiting for the "perfect" solution...

I've ridden on a few of these new green bike lanes in brooklyn and begun writing to all my local politicians to make the color a new standard for all the city's bike lanes. i encourage every else to do the same!