Skip to content

Recent Comments

RSS
  1.  

    Clarke

    The four in Williamsburg were not on the map at least when membership opened. Very excited they’ve been added, as it will increase LES-Williamsburg connections vastly (vs. taking J train over bridge and ending up much farther east, or walking and taking ~30 mins). Add a massive dock in the new Delancey St plaza and cross-bridge connection is made so simple.

    That’s definitely one thing that station planners will need to stress as system changes after rollout. Increased docks on either end of bridges, as they’re the easiest, grade-separated infrastructure that currently exists and can work as a halo for hesitant riders to try the system off-street.

  2.  

    Ben Kintisch

    It’s not totally clear. Doug Gordon posted a photo of a bike share station in the edge of Park Slope. Maybe they are thinking that steadily expanding on a rolling basis will help the system grow in membership and usage. It seems like both Park Slope and Williamsburg will be huge areas for the program, and the sooner those two nabes are included, the more the system will grow.

  3.  

    Anonymous

    Absolutely. Crystal clear. They just do not do it and the mayor has not instructed the police to clamp down on this deadly behavior. And the AG and the courts are not on the page either.
    Now we know what it feels to be black in this country. We are victims of WWP, walking while pedestrian .

  4.  

    Anonymous

    I share your wish for more enforcement but i doubt we will ever get it. Even camera legislation is hopelessly stuck in Albany so we are left with engineering.
    Yes the time will be shorter, but for risk adverse pedestrians it will be safer. What is the point of having more time if I risk being killed the whole time? Alternatively there can be a 100% safe but shorter period , and then I can cross out of turn but be hyper vigilant.
    Ideally the phases dedicated to cars should be shortened everywhere.

  5.  

    Andrew

    We most certainly do not – pedestrians already have to wait long enough to cross the street, and split phase signals will ensure that we have to wait even longer, while getting the bare minimum of time to actually cross the street. In practice, pedestrians will just cross against the light rather than wait unnecessarily.

    What we do need is enforcement of the existing law. The three precincts that meet at Union Square issued a combined total of 50 violations in April for not giving right-of-way to pedestrians. (If they had any interest in doing so, they’d have no difficulty issuing 50 violations in one hour at this one intersection.) The 6th Precinct alone issued three for the entire month (but during that same month issued 87 seat belt violations). That’s meaningless, and drivers know that they can get away with murder.

    Ideally, people who threaten to kill pedestrians with their cars (because they don’t feel like waiting a few seconds) should be treated no differently than people who threaten to kill others with their guns – but that would presumably require new legislation.

  6.  

    Andrew

    Just remember to don a blindfold before you get behind the wheel, and you’re automatically absolved of everything.

  7.  

    Andrew

    From http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/trafrule.pdf:

    Section 4-03

    TRAFFIC SIGNALS

    (a) Traffic control signals. Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights successively, the following colors shall indicate and apply to operators of vehicles and to pedestrians, except as superseded by pedestrian control signals, as follows:

    (1) Green alone:

    (i) Vehicular traffic facing such signals may proceed straight through or turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits any such movement. But vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right of way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is exhibited.

    Why does it matter that “authorities could not prove he knew he had run Buta over”? Whether he knew about it or not, he failed to yield the right of way to a pedestrian lawfully within the intersection.

  8.  

    Anonymous

    Have they been adding additional proposed stations continuously?

    http://citibikenyc.com/stations

    I noticed that they now show stations in williamsburg; whereas before there were none, I think. Are they supposed to be part of the 2nd phase?

  9.  

    jimmy

    its not easy driving an “ff” truck, 50,000 pounds through manhattan traffic back and forth to queens to get loaded, on top of that you dont realize dot employees are underpaid for 8 years as a assistant highway repairer, dodging tractor trailers on the bqe / cross bronx, exposed to cancerous fumes from asphalt and diesel fumes, worked like a slave i shovel 8+tons of asphalt a night. we are paid prevailing wages only after 8 years of service. so listen say what you want but even if the city contracted out paving and milling operations local 731 union workers get paid more than us. its a shame what happened to the poor woman i dont think it would its fair to judge his or other highway repairers salary in any way

  10.  

    Bronxite

    The 43rd Precinct has done a great job fighting crime. However, speeders and reckless drivers are a major problem in this community. The 43rd Precinct area is divided up by the Bruckner Expressway and Bronx River Parkway. White Plains Rd in particular is really bad (especially one block south of this fatal accident on White Plains Red/Bruckner Blvd, last year the site of a high profile traffic death) thanks to auto-centric Bruckner Plaza. We could really use a Slow Zone and aggressive traffic enforcement by the NYPD.

  11.  

    Streetfilms

    There are lots of people biking out here. On some days 34th Avenue is a bike highway during the summer. We just need a few more bike lanes here or there and a fully safe Queens Blvd. That’ll probably be for the next administration!

  12.  

    Ben Kintisch

    Looks so loverly!

  13.  

    Anonymous

    And now I have my key.

    Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!

  14.  

    Anonymous

    I registered yesterday evening and my number was in the mid 13,300′s.

  15.  

    Anonymous

    Great message to send to all motorists who do not yield to pedestrians who cross with the walk sign. So what is the point of the walk sign? Now it it is squarely in the hands of DOT : WE NEED SPLIT PHASE SIGNALS ! EVERYWHERE. ( As you can tell i am infuriated) .

  16.  

    Kevin Love

    A big round of applause to Mr. Van Bramer and his staff for cycling to work today. Why am I not surprised that the council member with the Dutch name is the one cycling to work?

    Mr. Van Bramer’s bicycle also appears to be the only one with fenders. The other four bicycles in the photo are useless for all-weather riding, unless I work at an office where having a stripe of road grime and mud showered up my back constitutes acceptable office attire.

  17.  

    Hilda

    Still think that Streetsblog should run a pool for people to guess how many members there will be in a year. Can enter as many times as you want, each entry is a $ pledge to Streetsblog, and there has to be cut-off date, maybe June 1st.
    But I do wonder if Citibike has skipped any numbers…

  18.  

    Trustafarian

    It’s true! Spending $95 for a year instead of hundreds per month on car payments mean you must be part of the 1%!

  19.  

    Anonymous

    That’s two people for every bike, so I wouldn’t worry, yet. But if it grows as fast as I’m sure they hope it will… My question is, how will bike distribution work out? Will empty docks and dock blocking be a big issue? The system will be a big PITA if you can’t find a bike, or park it, when you need to.

  20.  

    Anonymous

    Finally, someone coming out against . . . wait, what are you against?

    Oh, that’s right. People sharing bikes.

    That’s, like, so radical, dude.

  21.  

    Lee Haber

    Wait, so its ok to run someone over if you had no idea you were doing it???! WTF?!

  22.  

    Mike

    I just realized why I haven’t seen it in Prospect Heights. I went on the map and saw that it is still in the planning stage. Does anyone know the timeline for the neighborhoods not yet included?

  23.  

    Born Here

    You’ll need 80,000 to be true 1%ers.

    Much for the few, few for the much.

    On Citicorp’s dime, no less! Go Bloomberg.

  24.  

    Bluewndrpwrmlk96

    I don’t know if you’re still reading this but check out Frank’s Bike Shop for your new wheel. Grand Street before the FDR Drive, Lower East Side. Their prices are usually reasonable.

  25.  

    Larry Littlefield

    I should have starting getting around by bike a couple of decades before I did. It seemed impractical, and substantial expenses and effort were required before it could be tried.

    But now, if you live and work in the service area, or take take commuter rail or ferries to the service areas and are beyond walking distance, it could be tried for $95 per year, plus the purchase of a helmet if you feel you need it. Big difference.

  26.  

    Anonymous

    Two CitiBike stations are being installed today near my workplace! Yay!

    Oh, wait… 13,000 signups??? I totally didn’t expect that. I’m really beginning to worry if there will be enough bikes!

  27.  

    Anonymous

    I haven’t noticed anything different about my commute today, other than the TA set up by the bridge. It didn’t seem like a lot more people rode today.

  28.  

    Ben Kintisch

    I’m waiting eagerly for my founding member key fob and my wife’s to arrive. Also, I saw a Citibike van passing me on Franklin Ave. and I cheered.

  29.  

    Daphna

    I have a permanent chain around my saddle to the frame. I lock both of my wheels since they are both quick release. I have older low quality components on my handlebar so I do not worry about that being stolen.

  30.  

    kevd

    Chain leash is a good idea.

  31.  

    kevd

    I’ve been leaving the crappy old lights on my bike when I lock up. Because I’m kinda hoping they get stolen.
    I have 2 sets of gummy lights I’m using instead.
    After weeks of this, and the crappy lights always being there when I returned, they finally got stolen during a 2 hour lock up in Midtown.

  32.  

    Bluewndrpwrmlk96

    Sometimes it’s a group all with wrenches and allen keys…they’ll even take the bell, anything that can be disengaged and they even took parts when the bike was parked in the garage in his apartment house. My friend use to take out his saddle.

  33.  

    Anonymous

    What about your saddle? You lock that too?

  34.  

    Anonymous

    Thanks for that link. Why do they give her a column to spew that garbage?

    (I may be white but I’m certainly not rich)

    Unless she lives in specially designated public housing, she’s rich. And blinded by her privilege.

    Why would they publish that garbage? Yes, it’s an opinion. But it’s steeped with ignorance and stupidity. Oh, and she walks to work. Here’s a cookie. Oh, and here’s a way to save 70% of the time it takes you to walk to work (as a free lancer . . . ?).

  35.  

    Driver

    If you are unable to cross a street without crossing at the crosswalk with the light, that’s fine. But to insist that anything else is foolishly unsafe is just absurd.

    And if you can’t anticipate or react to pedestrians crossing mid block, maybe you shouldn’t be driving.

  36.  

    Daphna

    Ferries:
    The Red Hook Ferry will expand its service to stop at a new landing at Van Brunt Street (in Red Hook) starting Memorial day and will run FREE every weekend until Labor Day. http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/red-hook-ferry-expanding-to-new-area-devastated-by-sandy-1.5270922

    I am jealous of the subsidies that ferries get. I understand that this is a new method of mass transit and the city wants to encourage and nurture it. I wish some of that same attitude were directed towards cycling. Cycling is also a newish and growing form of transportation in the city but it does not receive this benevolent attitude towards it that ferries receive from the news and politicians.

    Staten Island politicians want to double the night-time free ferry service to Staten Island: http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/si-lawmakers-want-more-ferry-service-at-night-1.5279008

    Why is this ferry still free? Why is Staten Island able to negotiate these types of deals? Staten Island residents pay less than half the toll on the Verrazano Bridge but their cars cause just as much damage to the roadway as a non-resident’s car; the Verrazano is infrastructure that is crucial to them more so than people who are only passing through and could take an alternative route if need be. I do not think they should get the over 50% discount on the toll.
    And as much as I believe in subsidizing mass transit, there should be some equity in how that is done; right now there is not. The free Staten Island ferry is one example on the non-equity in subsidies for mass transit.

  37.  

    Anonymous

    Nice. I might add “always signal when turning”, and might say “never make an illegal turn” to be more general (this also covers the “maniacs” who like to turn right from the leftmost and vice versa).

  38.  

    Daphna

    More complaining about citibike docking station placement and about the supposedly insufficient community outreach ahead of time: http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/walter-feeling-steamrollered-by-citi-bike-roll-out-1.5277388

    The author, Kate Walter, seems to think everyone should have been personally notified, which is impossible. She, like so many others, shows herself to be against change.

    Broadway in midtown is working out to be a wonderful place for bikeshare docks. All the space on Broadway that was reclaimed from autos has left sufficient space for docking stations. I have been glad in the last week to see the midtown docking stations finally being installed.

    1.5 weeks to go until bikeshare preview week 5/27. 2.5 weeks to go until the launch 6/2. More docking stations to be installed between now and then. I hope the DOT will stay strong and deflect all the NIMBY complaints. Once the system is up and running those complaints will dissipate. But the next week will be tough for its likely to be filled with more negative press.

  39.  

    Ridgewoodian

    Not allowed – YET. Working on that. Drafting a proposal with our “green committee.” To its credit – and I don’t often give it a lot of credit – my employer seems to be receptive to the idea, assuming some space can be found in the building. Hoping for about 12-15 spaces, maybe more; there are a fair number of us who bike and more who would if they had better storage options.

  40.  

    Anonymous

    but god damn Citibike docks!

  41.  

    Ian W.

    “Maniac” isn’t the word I’ve been using: http://dontdrivelikeanasshole.com/

  42.  

    Steve O.

    Blerg. If only we had a bike share in this town, you’d be set.

  43.  

    Anonymous

    I know, it’s my own dumb fault. I usually lock my wheel up, but I didn’t for some stupid reason last night. They’re not quick release though, so somebody was walking around with a wrench.

  44.  

    Anonymous

    bring the bike into the office!

  45.  

    Anonymous

    It would be good, in cases where drivers do not have a license, to identify whether they are undocumented immigrants or not. What it means to not have a license — and what policy implications it has — is so different when someone can’t get a license vs. had their license revoked or failed a test.

    I imagine that information is rarely going to be available (it isn’t here, though the presence of a fake ID suggests that Cletus may be undocumented), but it’s worth having in the back of one’s head.

  46.  

    Bluewndrpwrmlk96

    Sorry to hear that, bro. I always lock my wheels up, since they’re quick release, and take off all my lights and things. Even if you think they won’t steal it because it’s cheap, they will. Can’t always trust people sometimes.

  47.  

    Edward Slusarski

    Riding for fun in the BIG Apple before the BIG ride
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYkKKsAl31k
    I LUV New York and New Yorkers

  48.  

    Ian Turner

    Same here.

  49.  

    Anonymous

    One car, about to buy another, and 6 bikes (1 wife’s), I also leave outside of phase 1 and I signed up early too :) So yeah!

  50.  

    Bolwerk

    He probably has almost nothing to do with the declining homicide rate. Yet Quinn is indifferent enough to safety and constitutional rights to re-appoint him.