Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Actually bicycles are better for the city. Cycling is far better for the environment, it improves the health of the riders, less wear and tear on the streets and infrastructure, and is less expensive to own, maintain, and operate than vehicles. I agree that cyclists should not ride with traffic. The bike lanes should be used by cyclists and respected by motorists.
There is no reason that NYC can't improve the enforcement of road rules for cyclists and for vehicles. Other cities have done so. When I'm in Denver, there are all types of people out on bikes and it's still civilized. In Boston, biking appears to be far safer. I've actually rode a bike in Boston a couple of years ago. There were a group of us. We had so much fun and I never felt that my life was in dangerous due to erratic, crazy drivers. I would never ever dare do that in NYC. The boroughs - yes. The city - heck no!
Enough of the tree-hugging nonsense. Emissions coming from the tailpipes of cars and trucks alike for more than 20 years are less and less. Back in the mid-90's buildings all over Manhattan were covered in black soot emitting from the tailpipes of trucks and buses. That all ended by 1998 with the introduction of electronic fuel control and HEUI pumps. These emissions have fallen years over year since then and continue to break records for lows year after year. One forest fire wipes out all of these gains. Man-made climate change is a myth.
This happened last night. Cycling on the far left lane on 6th Ave going past the IFC, moderate traffic, i'm moving and keeping to the left as much as i can (closer than i usually would normally, to avoid being doored, but a huge Escalade just blew past me so i'm hugging the cars on the left, almost no additional room between me and the parked cars).
Guy in a SUV clips my right arm with his left wing mirror fast enough so it bends (the mirror). I shout "hey!" and his window is down so he shouts something back, which i can't discern - he knew he hit me, because he popped his f**king mirror back out instantly. He drives by me and pulls up to the curb at the lights a few feet ahead, i figure it's to make sure i'm good, what a joke that turned out to be. So I roll up to his window and he and his friend both look at me.
I said "you know you just hit me with your mirror" and he goes "no i didn't". I say, "uh yeah you did, i'm not looking for anything but an apology wouldn't go amiss" he goes "I didn't hit you, you cycled into ME, you hit my car, now get out of here". I go "are you serious?!" he's like "yup, get out of here". He and his friend both looking at me like they want to kill me, i'm not kidding. Both of them were the sorts you wouldn't want to bump into an alley on a dark night so i'm like f**k this guy as i see the cops at the light, one car over.
I go over and say to them "that guy just hit me, the one parked right there". Cop says "you need an ambulance? You ok?". I'm like yeah i'm fine i don't need an ambulance, but he literally hit me and told me i cycled into HIM and they said - get this - "we could go over there, but you know, unless you're injured it's just going to incite them and make a whole scene". I was like "wait, so i need to be dead or seriously injured before you'll do anything to the guy who just hit me? I don't want him arrested i just think the arrogant prick needs to be talked to" and he said "yeah, sorry, i know it sucks" or something to that effect. I couldn't believe it.
Between a c**t driver and a worthless NYPD approach meaning they won't do anything unless you're crumpled in a heap or worse, it's kind of lawless out there. I cycled off - and not before cutting the wrong way down a one way (which in never usually do) because i suddenly thought the guy would for sure have seen me chat to the cops, point in his direction and could easily just tail me down W4th so i got out of there.
Suddenly i understood what must have driven Bernie Goetz to do what he did back in the day. Be careful out there people, it's the wild west.
That's too bad. Did you support the defund the police movement in any way, or participate in any of last summer's protests? I'm just curious.
Simple solution - riding a bike in an area with no bike lanes? Don't ride there. Dismount and walk your bike to a bike lane. This is for your own and others' safety.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
