From Bayside Patch:
The City Council this week mandated that NYPD keep track of bicycle deaths, as Northeast Queens residents have expressed misgivings about bike lanes coming to Bell Blvd.
“After looking at the map of proposed routes, it appears that whoever created these paths has not travelled the routes themselves,” said Roz Sackoff, a resident of Bay Terrace.
If the Department of Transportation moves ahead with their plans, there will be marked bike lanes on parts of Bell Blvd., 212th St., 39th Ave., 32nd Ave. 26th Ave., 35th Ave, and the Clearview Expwy. service road.
A study done by the agency between 1996 and 2005 implicated large vehicles in 32 percent of bike fatalities, though they make up 5-17 percent of vehicles on the road.
Sackoff says she is concerned for the safety of bikers mingling with busses on 212th St., and 32nd Ave., which are bus routes.
“This is a curvy two way street with limited sight in some places,” said Sackoff of 212th St., also pointing out that there are many driveway exits from home garages that would cross paths with cyclists.
The proposed 26th Ave. bike path, which is near the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, would be harsh travelling on two wheels, she believes.
“I can definitely understand that a bus route would be a bad route for a bike lane, because the busses would have to keep coming in and out of the lane,” said Joani Emerson, whose husband, Jerry Emerson, owns Peak Bicycle Pro Shop in Douglaston, where the two met.
For Emerson, Bell Blvd., of all the new routes, would make for the most dangerous biking.
Council Member Dan Halloran, R-Bayside, had separate concerns about bike lanes on Bell.
“The last thing we need is to put up bike lanes — which nobody is going to use— to stifle business and take up parking spots,” said Halloran.
There is a bike path alongside Little Neck Bay which is separate from traffic and a lot more scenic. But I guess the city needed an excuse to use up a pile of money. (Wait 'til I show you where they plan to put bike lanes in Maspeth.)
43 comments:
with cars parked on both sides of these narrow avenues,the d.o.t will squeeze
one driving lane ,one way on the avenue.
it is difficult on these narrow streets to drive as it is now. just observe all of the broken side view mirrors.
sadie khan is really a whacko,whacko,whacko.
i wish bikers GOOD LUCK on the clearview service road at rush hour. they better ride with armor over their bodies.35th ave at c.v.service road is a pedestrian grave yard.
“The last thing we need is to put up bike lanes — which nobody is going to use— to stifle business and take up parking spots,” said Halloran.
Thank You Halloran for not supporting this stupidity. He is right, they will be built and 2 people a day will use them.
A bike lane on Bell?? Oh God I can't stop laughing. Everyone double parks there now as it is because there is no parking. What do these idiots think, that everyone isn't going to double park in the bike lanes? I think the stupidity of the DOT just hit an all time high.
The Clearview is another one, good luck not getting hit by a car speeeding down at 50 mph.
I'm not a resident of Bay Terrace anymore (went to PS 169 many moons ago and lived off of Bell Blvd) so I'll leave specifics to bikers, drivers, and planners more familiar with the area. What I can say with confidence, however, is that very often bike lanes are put in because the DOT is following current use. If Bell Blvd is that much of a hazard and bicyclists are already riding it, then lanes will contribute to safety without causing great issues (I don't get the impression that a bike path or protected bike lane is being installed).
Very often a bike lane keeps drivers more focused (with a narrower lane) and discourages speeding. They also alert drivers to the fact that bicyclists are likely to be present. Without lanes we hear many "he came out of nowhere" stories because the bicyclist was forced to hug the margin dip in and out of park car rows.
We want bike lanes on 5th avenue in Whitestone. As a matter of fact they should make the whole length of 5th avenue a two way bike lane to promote health and wellness in Whitestone.
This way the people on 5th will be happy seeing Kelty and Apelian ride their clown cycle when the come to their summer resort on Boosters Beach.
Problem solved and Kahn will be a hero. Maybe Halloran can bike around in his robe.
KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP UUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
I wouldn't dare risk riding a bike among Asian motorists with their poor peripheral vision that frequent the area!
"Hollerin" Halloran prefers his Jaguar...as long as the repo-man doesn't take it!
Poor man...he still thinks he's a young chick magnet at his age.
In Asia they ride bikes so don't we want to make them feel at home here?
"No likee bikee.
Me buy clean used Cadillac.
Now me show off big American car to family back home in Taiwan".
If it comes down to me hitting a bicyclist or a truck on Bell Boulevard, guess who's going in the stewpot. Bike advocates are getting way out of control
In Asia they ride bikes so don't we want to make them feel at home here?
---------------------------------
In Asia, they are dropping bikes as fast as they can. They've taken to the American way.
*sniff sniff* I'm so proud.
"He [Halloran] is right, they will be built and 2 people a day will use them."
Your quite wrong my friend. Many more people will use them: Mexicans at night coming the wrong way on unlicensed motor scooters with no lights delivering Chinese take-out.
Bike lane on Bell as in North of Northern Blvd, oh yeah where ?
Squeezing a bike lane is a sure death and a huge insurance liability nightmare for drivers.
These people are totally clueless, crazy or high on something from all those "study" trips to Amsterdam.
In Amsterdam commercial vehicles trucks use back service roads and alleys in business districts . Bikes CAN NOT work in NYC.
If anything FIRST require registration plates and insurance for people using bikes on city streets.
When an accident happens involving a bike its usually the bike riders fault. Why should a motorist or pedestrian get sued 2+ million $$ from the family of some Mexican or euroshit on a 2 wheeler ?
Cyclists simply do NOT have the power, acceleration, braking and turning control control to compete with 90+ horsepower motor vehicle traffic.
Bicycles are always gonna hold up traffic or cut corners to avoid stopping.
Bicycles are no good ether way on city streets.
Somebody need to tell the F^#$%# jackass mayor this is not Europe.
Whats next nautical right of way on NYC streets to look after bikes and let them do any dam thing they want like sailboats with no motors ?
To start, I don't think these bike lanes are not well placed, not needed, and not wanted, at least by me. I can see having bike lanes in Manhattan where traffic is so congested that it is prohibitively dangerous to ride a bike, but the outer boroughs are a bit different. That said, I do not understand the argument that adding a bike lane will be so dangerous for bikers because it is on a busy street, or bus route, or curvy street with driveways. These are the same streets bikers currently ride on and share with all the above hazards. And being that this is Bayside, I am not referring to liberal hipsters or messenger bikers, but neighborhood kids, teens, and college kids who ride bikes to get around, and adults like myself who like an occasional recreational ride around the neighborhood without riding back and forth on a boring 2 mile path that runs along the highway.
We don't need bike lanes, what we really need is a tightening of standards of who can drive a car. It is waaay to easy for just about anyone to get a license, and as a result there are many clueless, careless, and reckless people driving 1-2 ton weapons around with little regard for the world around them.
-Joe, Check this out and this.
"When an accident happens involving a bike its usually the bike riders fault."
This is a completely baseless and biased statement.
"Cyclists simply do NOT have the power, acceleration, braking and turning control control to compete with 90+ horsepower motor vehicle traffic. "
Funny, that's the same argument that people pushing for bike lanes have.
"Bikes CAN NOT work in NYC."
Not with that attitude. You act like people haven't ridden bikes in NYC for many decades. When I was a kid too young to drive, and in college and couldn't afford a car, I rode a bike everywhere without a problem. Are you suggesting that NY'ers should not have the right to ride a bicycle if they choose to? Kids should not be able to ride bikes in the neighborhood?
"In Amsterdam commercial vehicles trucks use back service roads and alleys in business districts " Much of our city is not a business district, and trucks are supposed to use the truck route network. The majority of our city streets are not meant to handle heavy truck traffic, there are plenty of streets to bike on that are not death trap thoroughfares.
Even though I drive almost exclusively, I realize that the entire world does not revolve around me, the motorist, exclusively. City buses slow down traffic tremendously, should we not have those either?
You talk as if everyone should drive a car, but the reality is there are way too many people for that.
RE:"it is usually the bike riders fault."
last weeks n.y.post headline" motorbicyclist weaving ,zigzaging in and around buses in the Lincoln Tunnel.
53 bus passengers injured and bloodied, and taken to Roosevelt Hospital ."
if the shoe fits,etc,etc,........
Your example is laughable. First of all, we are discussing bicycles, and you use an example of a motorcycle traveling at close to highway speed on a road that is completely off limits to bicycles.
That's ok, let's examine your example. If we were talking about just the motorcyclist getting hit by a bus, then it could be the motorcyclists fault, however this was an accident where a bus not only hit the motorcycle, but then smashed the bus in front of it, and was then smashed from behind from the following bus. If you think that two buses rear ending each other is simply the fault of a weaving motorcycle then you have a poor understanding of the responsibilities of a motor vehicle operator, particularly one carrying passengers.
Perhaps if you tried thinking for yourself instead of buying into the spin of a newspaper headline you would realize that. Even funnier was the daily news article headline: "motorcycle slams into 3 buses" A factually inaccurate statement, no matter who's fault you might think it is.
sorry, I mixed up the facts, here is a quote from the post article that might clarify
"When a NJ Transit bus right behind the motorcyclist stopped for traffic, a second NJ Transit bus hit it from behind — pushing the first bus into the motorcyclist, witnesses said."
However, this is different from the daily news account which states "The motorcyclist was riding between two of the buses, the NYPD source said. When the first bus stopped for traffic, the second bus slammed the motorcyclist from behind, pinning him against the first bus, the source said."
Whichever version you choose, I don't see how you can blame the motorcyclist for one bus rear ending another. The drivers were obviously following each other too closely.
No, but he can be blamed for whitelining.
bike lanes blow
I am for some additional bike lanes but agree that all places mentioned here are bad ideas.
and "Whats next nautical right of way on NYC streets to look after bikes and let them do any dam thing they want like sailboats with no motors ?"
Sailboats have to follow rules as well its the morons in motorboats and jetski's that cause most of the accidents.
that's awesome how you turn talk on another stupid sadik khan plan into an attack on asians. u r the best.
Quick clarifications:
This statement was made in a comment with the write spirit but was factually wrong: "I can see having bike lanes in Manhattan where traffic is so congested that it is prohibitively dangerous to ride a bike, but the outer boroughs are a bit different."
There are greater dangers in wide-open areas because drivers reach higher speeds than they would in gridlock. Also, drivers are less likely to expect riders in such settings because all forms of traffic are lighter. Bike lanes help drivers be mindful that a there's a good chance riders will be on the road.
Another writer commented: "Whats next nautical right of way on NYC streets to look after bikes and let them do any dam thing they want like sailboats with no motors ?"
I started a kayak group and come from a family of commercial mariners (blue collar tug and barge men) so I'm very familiar with this. Yes, there are right-of-way protections for small craft, but everyone operates by the "law of greater tonnage." In other words, the big ships are less maneuverable and can't brake, so stay out of their way.
The parallel doesn't hold because:
1) All waterways are open to all seaworthy vessels (and security zones apple equally to all) -- there are no kayak lanes and the Coast Guard is very tough on local authorities who attempt to implement biased access codes.
2) Cars can safely stop in a shorter distance than bicycles, which is the opposite of watercraft. Remember, bikes stopping short can send riders flying. Personally, I try to stay at a 12 mph cruising speed. That's how the Netherlands designs its traffic lights for all vehicles in dense areas. I support a 20 mph side street speed limit (that is, excepting highways and other large arteries already off limits to bikes and pedestrians) and already ride with a self-imposed 17 mph speed limit (intuitively felt until I get a new gizmo). Why that speed? Because that's how fast a human can typically sprint in prime years, so we were designed to live through that tripping and falling impact. It seemed wise to me to establish that line, for my own safety and that of pedestrians who might dart out.
Wathca bitchen about?
If its ok with Vernon which is narrower and heavier traffic, its ok for Bell.
Might as well get used to it cause Vallone and the 23th Ave crowd will soon be on a block near you!
wouldn't dare risk riding a bike among Asian motorists with their poor peripheral vision that frequent the area!
--
Called the 'O' Factor.
Motorists pay for the **privilage** these State parkways, tunnels, bridges or County and State roads like Bell Blvd with New York's HUGE registration fees and insurance premiums.
If bicyclists are going have dedicated lanes to share them they need to pay for it, be insured and **loose the privilege** for behaving badly. -Just like motorists.
If these people are going to act like spoiled brat baby's treat, penalize them as so.
Let the insurance company's surcharge the sh*t out them for moving violation a such.
I have lost track of how many times Ive had to avoid an accident getting on to the LIE with these morons on the service road.
Sometimes packs of them all dressed like fag comic book superheros blowing lights and riding the wrong way.
One line riding broke window with a bike tool. I had to chase uphill on foot and grab him him ending up in an all out brawl in the middle of Community drive in Manhasset. (some of these bike riders a pretty fit and can fight) both of us 45 minutes in the 6th pct pokie shackled to a bench next to some heroin addict projectile throwing up all over.
I did get released + my money for the window thanks to a couple witnesses and had to walk all the way back.
-to many aO's just like drivers, bike lanes bring more.
Streets are public and belong to everyone, not just drivers. Even more so in a place a dense as NYC.
To those who threaten bikers with get out of the way--or else, there is little to say besides asking you to remember you could maim or kill someone's father or sister or child, and while we are all busy and important, being delayed a few moments isn't really worth hurting another person.
This is basic decency folks. I ride my bike (following all laws) around Glendale and Forest Hills with my kid, and my skin is crawling reading some of these comments, as if bikers are targeted by some folks. Scary.
There wouldn't be a need for bike lanes if there weren't over aggressive drivers going to fast and not paying attention.
Of all races and sexual orientations and nationalities.
"Motorists pay for the **privilage** these State parkways, tunnels, bridges or County and State roads like Bell Blvd with New York's HUGE registration fees and insurance premiums."
Those DMV fees barely cover the cost of the bureaucracy that runs it, they don't pay for the roads in a ny significant way.
And those huge insurance costs? They have nothing to do with the cost of using roads, they have everything to do with paying for the (inflated by scammers) claims of the physical damage caused by motor vehicles everyday. People driving cars worth tens of thousands of dollars getting into accidents with each other every day (if you take the LIE then you see this all the time), often with injuries ranging from minor to critical, occasionally fatal. We pay high insurance rates to cover for those the aggressive and impatient savages who constantly get into incidents with other vehicles because of their carelessness and disregard for safety. If bike riders on the service road on the LIE so frequently cause you to "avoid an accident" it sounds like you probably fall in this category. We already knew that though. You're tone and temperament already give you away in your petulant rant against "those spoiled brat baby's".
You're lucky to still be on the road; as assault stemming from a motor vehicle incident is punishable by suspension or revocation of ones license (I believe up to one year).
Either way, you sound more dangerous than any cyclist I have come across in my extensive driving in this city.
We want this, we want that. We should get this and they should do this FOR US and we need this and damn, we HAVE to get that!
People, GO FUCK YOURSELVES WITH YOUR PORK SPENDING.
This country better wake the fuck up. People can't find work. There is record homelessness. Our jobs are gone to China. Never to return. HALF THIS CITY FLOODS NOW WITH AN INCH OF RAINFALL.
And you want WHAT with my tax money?
I find the bicycle crowd to be persnickety and self righteous. They do idiotic things around cars, like pass on the left, and then give you the finger when you beep your horn. Another thing.....it's beyond ridiculous that a bike lane is possibly going down 32nd Ave. If a car and a bus are going in opposite directions down 32nd, how can a bicycle possibly get by on either direction? Downright stupid!!!
And Crapper keeps falling for this stuff.
I find the bicycle crowd to be persnickety and self righteous.
--------------------
If they were not tools for more development they would be ignored like the rest of us.
Instead of stupid ass stuff like pushing to take bikes to work and have showers etc they should be working with people for community stabilization.
But then again, most of these trust fund babies look down on Archie Bunker, no?
For once Halloran's thinking clearly.
This will screw up business and create even more traffic problems.
Hey...why don't we all ride bikes like they do in China (laughing 'til I crap)?
RE: your example is laughable...sorry i mixed up the facts.
the T/A has the entire incident on tape.
you obviously do not drive across the queensboro bridge ,where the two-wheeled motor bicyclists are always zig-zagging and crossing the line around slower moving auto traffic. this very dangerous to motorists as well as the two wheeled biker.
i challenge you to drive the streets and avenues of manhattan and report that no bicyclist has zig-zagged around and between slower cars and the ones stopped at red lights ?
you are a liar on this point.
"i challenge you to drive the streets and avenues of manhattan and report that no bicyclist has zig-zagged around and between slower cars and the ones stopped at red lights ?"
Right, because zig zagging around stopped or slow cars is sooooo dangerous for the stopped or slow motorist.
Lets see. Motorists get pissed when cyclists take a lane because they slow down traffic, yet they are pissed if they get passed by a cyclist when they are stopped or in traffic. You sound like a bunch of crybabies.
A skilled cyclist (and we are talking about BICYCLES here people) is much more agile than any motor vehicle, almost as agile as pedestrians. Why shouldn't they use that advantage? Because it pisses off people who are impossible to please?
Sure there are some reckless cyclists and they should be addressed. But to moan about how dangerous bicyclists are when cars and trucks cause tremendous amounts of damage to property and people every day is ridiculous. I'll take a reckless bicycle over a reckless driver in a two ton car any day, and I see waaaay many more reckless drivers daily. Keep in mind I am a driver everyday and seldom a cyclist.
"the T/A has the entire incident on tape."
I assume you mean the PA, and if you have a link to it, I would love to see it. IF not, a tape we can't see is not evidence of anything.
I'm sure the motorcyclist was being reckless and is therefore responsible for his own involvement in the accident, it doesnt make him responsible for a chain reaction rear ending. It could have been a disabled vehicle, another bus whose brakes locked, a piece of debris on the road ,or just a traffic backup. Any number of things could cause a vehicle to stop, none of which are responsible for the fact that subsequent vehicles are following too closely to stop if needed.
And one more thing. The reason your example is laughable is because you cite a motorcycle accident in a discussion about bicycles.
Many times, they exhibit the same type of behavior.
Yes crappy, careless, reckless, impatient, and self important. No different many drivers and pedestrians.
when the buses,autos and trucks stop for a red light,suddenly a two wheeled bicyclist comes speeding through between the vehicles .he may knock the pedestrian to the pavement or cause cross street bound motorists to swerve and injure a walker.the biker could be killed by running the red light.
and he is to blame for the incident. it is happening weekly in manhattan. the new d.o.t. data gathering will prove it. unless sadie kahn fakes it.
"it is happening weekly in manhattan. the new d.o.t. data gathering will prove it. "
How about some evidence of this. Maybe some links to articles. Or are you magically around to see this happening every week. I have spent years driving on the streets of Manhattan and have not seen events unfold as you describe them. Sure I see plenty of assholes flying through crosswalks and coming much closer to pedestrians and cars than is reasonable, but have yet to see any of these bike accidents you claim are a weekly occurrence. I also see cars and trucks do the same thing on a daily basis. I have seen the aftermath of a pedestrian hit by a car or truck. It is not pretty.
Post a Comment