Is the Bike-Ped Situation on the Brooklyn Bridge Worse?
It’s not news that bicyclists and pedestrians have to contend with a tight squeeze on the Brooklyn Bridge, but an article in The Post argues that the walking and biking lanes are more crowded that ever, resulting in a “turf war.” Construction on the bridge has narrowed stretches of the bike and pedestrian paths, and…
It’s not news that bicyclists and pedestrians have to contend with a tight squeeze on the Brooklyn Bridge, but an article in The Post argues that the walking and biking lanes are more crowded that ever, resulting in a “turf war.” Construction on the bridge has narrowed stretches of the bike and pedestrian paths, and both bicyclists and pedestrians claim that the other group is responsible for making the crossing more dangerous. Any readers who make the trip regularly care to weigh in on whether it’s gotten worse lately?
Photo by carlfbagge
New York has always been a walkers city not a bicyclers city. The distance to the store and to the dry cleaners is short. people don’t need bikes, and bikes get stolen, and garbage trucks will run you over quick as a wink. You cannot expect to suddenly change the modus operandi of a great city overnight because you really reallly think it is cool to ride a bicycle. Any sane New Yorker will tell you to walk short distances and to take the subway or bus longer distances. Bikes are for the park, or for the country.
also, this macho, aggressive, “get out of effin’ way or I’ll punch you” style of bicycle riding is strictly a NYC thing. You’re not going to find that in the Netherlands. It is so preposterous in every way to compare the cyclists in places like Stockholm, Amsterdam, and the Irish countryside with the maniacs in NYC, who like Bowl of Dick writes, really get kicks out of being rude and abusive.
I have been riding the bridge to work every morningn for almost 15 years. It is totally fine during thr morning rush. In the evening I go out of my way to take the Manhattan Bridge.
It is really simple. If a pedestrian has to go into the bike lane to pass someone or to take a picture, look both ways before you do it. Just look where you are going and everyone will be fine.
I have to say something that will make the bike lobbyists mad at me. I have been to Europe many many times over the course of many years. My wife and I have close friends in Scotland, Ireland, France, and Spain. We have visited them often and we have been to most other places in Europe and I have to tell you, the notion that everyone in Europe rides bikes is something I have not seen first hand. People enjoy recreational biking on the weekends in the nice weather, but to imply that in Europe bicycles are seen as an alternative to cars is untrue. None of our skinny, truly European friends even have bicycles, although their children do, but I have never seen them use them. Europeans like cars, except in the tourist hubs/Unesco sites where the streets are tiny and closed off to cars, one rarely sees a bicycle except for the occassional loopy villager who is either too drunk or too poor to drive a proper car. That’s real Europe. I have never actually seen with my two eyes this American fantasy of Europeans tootling around with baguettes sticking out from their bicycle baskets.
They ride bikes in Europe?
Since when?
I thought the wooden shoes prevented them from being able to pedal.
They ride bikes in Europe?
Since when?
I thought the wooden shoes prevented them from being able to pedal.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Transportation Alternatives ends up banning pedestrians from the bridge. I have never seen a lobbying group with more political clout, at least not in the current administration.
The whole thing is ridiculous-bikes do not belong on a narrow roadway – 1/2 of which is a steep downhill grade- right next to teems of pedestrians.
It wouldnt matter if every single person tried to radically adhered to their lane; at certain spots at each end the lanes cross, plus each lane is both directions which is essentially impossible to navigate if either lane is even remotely crowded. It is a serious injury or death waiting to happen.
tourist and bicyclists can both be annoying but cyclists can cause more bodily harm.