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When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

toddwschneider.com

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Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#211

Post by Nimitz14 »

ska wrote: post #128
revelation wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if you do, the bikes are not going to kill you . Someone on a bike breaking the "rules of the road" is pretty much only risking his own safety, someone in a car it's almost always other people that die.

Even if you do, the bikes are not going to kill you. This is not true. It is less likely than with automobiles, but pedestrians are killed by bicycles from time to time. Obviously bicycle-bicycle accidents that happen in traffic are also dangerous.

Yes and people die from drinking too much water too.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#212

Post by ihaveajob »

njarboe wrote: post #122
fishtank wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would encourage anybody who thinks cyclocommuters are particularly bad actors to stand on a busy urban street corner and count the percentage of drivers who are actively engaged with their mobile phone. You can identify them easily because they will be shiftily looking downward at sporadic intervals, rolling stop signs, and failing to notice traffic light changes. In addition to the phone-related dangerous behavior…

I wonder how much of the rise of bike culture and disdain of driving in some of the young demographic comes from the problem of smart phone addiction. As highlighted in your first paragraph, many people don't seem to have the discipline to be able to just not look at their phone for 30 minutes while they drive somewhere. Biking could actually be a relief for some of these people as they have a socially good excuse to…

Not sure why you're voted down. I personally really enjoy an occasional ride around a few blocks just to clear my mind, get some fresh air and come back relaxed. Working from home, especially with a toddler around, can be taxing in novel ways.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#213

Post by bo1024 »

T-hawk wrote: post #182
dokein wrote: post #28

I would love to bike, but the major issue is that every single person I know who's biked for more than 1 year has gotten into some type of accident (around 10 people), whether car, car door, or poorly maintained road. These are all 30s and work-at-the-office types so maybe they're not the most coordinated, but they are also not doing stupid shit.

Counter-anecdote here. I've biked to work on and off for a total of about 5 years worth over my career, at distances of about two miles each way, in a dense city. I've never had any accident with a car. My one collision ever was with a pedestrian who started into his crosswalk against his light (I had green), thinking he could cross ahead of me but I was already leaning to go ahead of him; we both fell over but no in…

> It's really not that hard to bike safely.

I have to disagree. Depending on the infrastructure and drivers you face, staying uninjured as a city cyclist is as much luck as skill.

In many places, you can do everything mentioned and still get in accidents, or the things you mention are impossible.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#214

Post by digi_owl »

belorn wrote: post #166
Kalium wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a pedestrian in a dense Californian urban core, I have mixed feelings about bikers. Most bikers are reasonable, sensible bicycle commuters. They stay in the road, wear helmets, and follow laws. No skin off my nose. (ecologically friendly, fights obesity, blah blah blah blah blah) But I've also had multiple encounters with bicyclists who feel they are entitled to switch back and forth between a wheeled vehicle movi…

> can top 20 mph barreling down the sidewalk. Sometimes with cargo in tow. I would be very surprised to see that on a side walk. 20mph is above the speed limits for cars in cities here in Sweden, and I recall reading that while the police can catch people speeding on bikes that its not very likely event. > Usually with no notice and as is convenient for them Seems similar to parents with strollers. I have never heard…

Years ago in Oslo the police and the national broadcaster (NRK) set up and experiment where they would radar the bikers coming down a small bike road incline.

The fastest they clocked were nearly 80kmh. If you go that fast on motorcycle you are expected to wear a massive helmet and suit, yet the person likely did it wearing spandex and a bike helmet (if that).

now that speed was highly unlikely to be maintained, but do not underestimate the kinds of speeds a bicycle can get up to under the proper circumstances.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#215

Post by jandrese »

kingbirdy wrote: post #177
jandrese wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I obey stoplights on my bike, but it's really punishing sometimes. Bikes don't trip the sensors so the light will ignore you until a car pulls up behind you. This can require three or four cycles of the lights if traffic in your direction is sparse.

I've heard that if you get off and lay the bike on its side, it can help trip the sensor. Usually they're electromagnetic, so on its side the bike is a good inductor, but not in its normal position.

I'll give this a try. It should be pretty obvious if it works.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#216

Post by tomsthumb »

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #200
kpmariner wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd rather not die.

Don't be so dramatic. Waiting at red lights isn't going to kill you, in fact it may do the opposite.

Waiting at red lights _can_ be more dangerous than not waiting. Ask motorcyclists how they feel about being the lone vehicle at a redlight.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#217

Post by arstin »

ChrisBland wrote: post #125
mohn wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a cyclist yourself, I'm sure you're familiar with intersections where the sensors controlling the lights do not sense bikes. I think the best way forward is for more states to adopt Idaho's policy: cyclists can treat stop signs like yield signs, and treat red lights like stop signs. [1] If I'm riding toward a stop sign at a clearly deserted intersection, I would very much like to roll through at 10~15 MPH without…

Couldn't agree with you more, and I think the only part of my post that hit a nerve with you was related to fines for running red lights, which I should have been clearer about. (in Chicago we don't have those fancy stop light sensors) I too do an Idaho stop when approaching a 4 way stop that has no traffic, it makes the most sense. My main complaint as I live on one of the main bike corridors of Chicago is after a l…

Milwaukee Ave I guess? Yea as someone who bikes everywhere in Chicago, I hate going down Milwaukee on a bike too (partly because of all the bikers, definitely the pedestrians and cabs, partly the cars on a relatively narrow strip). At peak times Elston is faster and less stressful for a trip of decent distance anyway.

While we're complaining though, cars need to use their effing turn signals. I always check the signal as I pass through a line of cars at an intersection to let them get over in front me, but usually they'll just cut me off. So far no real issues, but I do have a policy of slapping the car hard as I can as I jerk around it. They're still full enough of that weird baseline road rage/driver anger to cuss at me rather than apologize though. (For those who don't live in Chicago, we have bike lanes on most main streets now, and my complaint is about cars turning into bike lanes without warning...)

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#218

Post by tomsthumb »

kazinator wrote: post #196
mohn wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, and judging from the many rolling stops they undertake, so do drivers. When any vehicle has to come to a complete stop for absolutely nothing, they're just putting wear on their brakes and wasting energy. I'm happy to see 4-way stops (which people are terrible at) being replaced by more roundabouts. A roundabout features the desired intersection rules without having to wait for the state to enact Idaho-style…

> As a cyclist, I'm in a very good position to assess how empty an intersection is: no windows isolating me in a sound bubble; low speed Also: your head is closer to the front of your vehicle and thus to the intersection. You can assess the situation long before any part of you or your bicycle enters the intersection.

You can also hear.

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#219

Post by Sir_Cmpwn »

tomsthumb wrote: post #216
Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't be so dramatic. Waiting at red lights isn't going to kill you, in fact it may do the opposite.

Waiting at red lights _can_ be more dangerous than not waiting. Ask motorcyclists how they feel about being the lone vehicle at a redlight.

Are you going to elaborate on that, or should I conjure up a motorcyclist from thin air and ask them how they feel?

Re: When Citi Bikes Are Faster Than Taxis in New York City

#220

Post by lettergram »

kpmariner wrote: post #210
Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't be so dramatic. Waiting at red lights isn't going to kill you, in fact it may do the opposite.

I do stop at red lights or at least slow down and make sure the way it is safe to cross, that isn't the problem. I just have to constantly jump up onto sidewalks. After stopping at the light - especially if there are cars trying to take a right and the way is clear - I will go before it turns green. I rarely stop at stop signs for four way stops. In general, traffic isn't paying attention. They will swerve blindly in…

Just an FYI in many states, cities, etc. It's legal to move to the bike lane for a right lane. That's why it's often a dotted white line.

Not saying that's safe... But it is legally accepted

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