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After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

nytimes.com

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Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#151

Post by u801e »

OutsmartDan wrote: post #62

As an avid cyclist in NYC, this is a huge step forward into cyclist protection. I can't tell you how many times i've almost been hit, or doored, by a car. Sometimes, it's a lot safer to run a red light to get in front of a car versus waiting for the light to turn- but of course that's not legal. Honestly, as huge and condensed NYC is, I am surprised this hasn't happened years ago. It's much, much more efficient to ge…

> I can't tell you how many times i've almost been hit, or doored, by a car.

Do you try to pass right turning vehicles on the right or left turning vehicles on the left? If you're at risk for getting doored, then you need to ride further away from parked vehicles (at least 6 feet away).

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#152

Post by u801e »

Aaronmacaron wrote: post #143
OutsmartDan wrote: post #62

As an avid cyclist in NYC, this is a huge step forward into cyclist protection. I can't tell you how many times i've almost been hit, or doored, by a car. Sometimes, it's a lot safer to run a red light to get in front of a car versus waiting for the light to turn- but of course that's not legal. Honestly, as huge and condensed NYC is, I am surprised this hasn't happened years ago. It's much, much more efficient to ge…

In Europe there are separate traffic lights for bicycles that turn green a few second earlier than the car traffic lights. This adds a lot of safety since the bikes have time to get past the first car in line. I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through this measure.

> I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through [the separate bike signal] measure.

This can also be prevented by not trying to pass right turning vehicles on the right and only pass them on their left.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#153

Post by ianleeclark »

milkytron wrote: post #141
bobbylarrybobby wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cops all drive into the city from Long Island. They don't understand how New Yorkers actually live and get around; to them a bike lane is a curiosity for weirdos who like to get around on a child's vehicle. Getting change in this regard will require either very serious change in how cops are regulated, or a change in cops' mindsets regarding cars and bikes. Not sure which I'd bet on happening first.

Is parking in a bike lane illegal? If so, would it be possible to citizen's arrest a cop for that? Or take them to court? Maybe it's an overreaction to a small crime, but it would set a precedent, no? Edit: I do not recommend trying to citizen's arrest a cop.

> Or take them to court?

Probably not a viable course of action considering they murdered Eric Garner just for selling loosies.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#154

Post by JoeAltmaier »

u801e wrote: post #152
Aaronmacaron wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Europe there are separate traffic lights for bicycles that turn green a few second earlier than the car traffic lights. This adds a lot of safety since the bikes have time to get past the first car in line. I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through this measure.

> I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through [the separate bike signal] measure. This can also be prevented by not trying to pass right turning vehicles on the right and only pass them on their left.

Typically the car passes the bike which is riding to the right. Then the car turns right directly in front of the bike. Forgetting it was there, even though they just swerved around it.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#155

Post by u801e »

crazygringo wrote: post #60
product50 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And I wish they also tell us how many accidents do bikers cause themselves as they are notorious for not following any traffic rules - thereby endangering the live of others.

A better pespective: people are people. They aren't drivers or bikers but just people. And the same person is a driver on one day and a biker on another. Guess what, drivers are also notorious for not following traffic rules -- not using blinkers, not stopping fully at a stop sign, driving above speed limits, running a light after it's already turned red -- thereby endangering the lives of others. It's not about whos…

> And the same person is a driver on one day and a biker on another.

Yes, but cyclists try to act like pedestrians and move at speeds typical of vehicles. Pedestrians typically move between 2 to 6 mph. Cyclists move between 10 to 30 mph.

While a motorist can see a pedestrian approaching a crosswalk and yield to them, it's much harder for them to see a cyclist in time to yield to them because of how much faster they move.

Also, if cyclists switch between pedestrian mode and vehicle mode constantly, it makes it much harder to predict what they will do for both motorists and pedestrians. When people can't predict what will happen, then a collision is much more likely.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#156

Post by TulliusCicero »

objektif wrote: post #128
jacobreg wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not ridiculous to say the urbanest area should try to set an example for other urban areas

Why muct we accomodate the needs of bikers? Why do they hold a special place? Can we instead invest in subway?

How is it a special place to expect decent infrastructure, when NYC of all places has it for driving, walking and public transit?

The cumulative investment in each of those has gotta be 100x as much as for biking, and you're accusing bikes of getting special treatment?

For the cost of a mile of new subway, you could probably coat most of NYC's arterials with protected bike lanes across the whole damn city. Not that I'm opposed to subways, but bike infrastructure is extremely cost-effective, redirecting money away from it is ridiculous.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#157

Post by Aaronmacaron »

u801e wrote: post #152
Aaronmacaron wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Europe there are separate traffic lights for bicycles that turn green a few second earlier than the car traffic lights. This adds a lot of safety since the bikes have time to get past the first car in line. I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through this measure.

> I think a lot of accidents where the car turns right and overlooks a bike in the blind spot can be prevented through [the separate bike signal] measure. This can also be prevented by not trying to pass right turning vehicles on the right and only pass them on their left.

If bikes drove on the left side of the lane it would be impossible for cars to overtake bikes. (Overtaking on the right is illegal.)

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#158

Post by TulliusCicero »

rb808 wrote: post #85
SwellJoe wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It'd be more popular if it were safer/easier. Which is true pretty much everywhere. Some of the places where biking is the most common also have quite harsh winters (e.g. Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, etc.).

Netherlands and much Denmark aren't that cold in winter, many years it wont even snow. Further the summers are cool.

True. Oulu, Finland has a high biking rate despite its extreme northern latitude, though, and being quite cold like eight months of the year.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#159

Post by jeromegv »

datashow wrote: post #57
kansface wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How popular is biking in New York - eg, do people bike in the winter?

"How popular is biking in New York" You can have a sense of it by checking with Google Maps street view on different places in Manhattan. It seems that there are way more cars and pedestrians than bike riders in most places.

Surely someone with a username that says "datashow" would think that this isn't the proper way to measure it.

Re: After Spike in Deaths, New York to Get 250 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

#160

Post by wefarrell »

gameswithgo wrote: post #81
wefarrell wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I commute on my bike in NYC daily and I am far more terrified of pedestrians and other cyclists than I am of cars. Cars for the most part pay attention and obey traffic rules. Cyclists less so and pedestrians ignore rules entirely and frequently aren't even aware of cyclists.

been a cyclist for a long time, know hundreds of cyclists, you are the first person I've heard say this. If you collide with a pedestrian or cyclist the likely result is an injury, with a car death becomes very likely. Statistics certainly back this up as the vast majority of cyclist deaths are due to vehicle collisons not bike-bike or bike-pedestrian collisions. Are you literally "far more terrified" of pedestrians…

Do you cycle in Manhattan?
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