Biking in Bed Stuy Survey
Stats from a recent DOH survey of bicyclists in North and Central Brooklyn via Brooklyn Eagle: 80 percent of Bed Stuy bicyclists are male, 2 out of 3 were commuting, 9 out of 10 ride in bike lanes, and 95 percent of those riders prefer riding in bike lanes. In addition, more than 70 percent…
Stats from a recent DOH survey of bicyclists in North and Central Brooklyn via Brooklyn Eagle: 80 percent of Bed Stuy bicyclists are male, 2 out of 3 were commuting, 9 out of 10 ride in bike lanes, and 95 percent of those riders prefer riding in bike lanes. In addition, more than 70 percent observed were not wearing helmets and 20 percent biked against traffic.
i’m betting there is some correlation between being male and not wearing a helmet.
btw, has anyone else biked through bedstuy and gotten nasty comments and honking and shouting from people in cars the whole way through? i have personally found it very off-putting, especially on bedford.
cmu, agreed I didnt start wearing helmets till I moved to brooklyn. How many people drive to Prospect park, then ride a bike? If you’re moving at a clip in the park, inexperience riders can deifinately screw up your day. In NYC cycling is a niche activity for most.
As I recounted before, the only close accident I had with a cyclist was when I was in my car pulling out from a parking spot behind a van on a one-way street, with the road clear behind me, when a cyclist riding the wrong way up the street swerved and missed the front of the car by inches. It woulda been horrible at the speed he was doing. Can’t recall if he was wearing a helemt.
People think helmets keep you safe are terminally risk-averse. Note:
1- nowhere else in the world do many cyclists wear helmets
2- there re a hell of a lot more cyclists there
3- there are fewer bike lanes and more traffic (check out India)
4- helmets don’t even help if you get in a real accident
5- we all grew up sans helmets
Helmets and the stupid spandex gear those “serious cyclists” wear just makes cycling a niche activity instead of an everyday thing like walking. I find it really stupid that people DRIVE to the park, put on their helmets and piddle around the loop as if they’re about to be mowed down by aliens.
I see. Thanks, Denton.
To go along with my 10:37, I’m going to start snapping pictures of vehicles doing this and upload them to my Flickr page. I think I’ll call it, “GET THE EFF OUTTA THE CROSSWALK, YOU BUTT-NUGGET!” Perhaps Mr. B will use the photos for story.
🙂
Snappy, legally a bicycle is a vehicle subject to most of the same laws. So yes, you either ride around the block, or you can dismount and walk the bike.
Pete, very little Chinese restaurant delivery but there’s actually NO place where the food is even edible.
We seriously need a good Chinese restaurant.
“Au contraire, only dumb cyclists wear helmets, particularly in the park or on wsidealks.”
Helmetless at your own peril, lots of stupid people in park.
I had a couple of nasty Park Slope lesbians leaning on the horn at me last night as I flagged down a car.
Words were exchanged. My driver said PS women were nasty!!!
Discuss.