Results tagged “cyclists”

A recently-released study [pdf] conducted by Hunter College students posits that—are you sitting down?—"a large number of cyclists routinely disobey many traffic laws." But wait, didn't these Hunter kids already alert the public to the scourge of cyclist scofflaws back in November? Indeed, they did, but according to City Room this new report is "a rigorous and scientific version" of the previous observational study, which monitored 3,000 cyclists chosen at random at 69 locations. The new version used a wider sampling compiled of 5,275 observations of riders at 45 randomly generated intersections across Midtown from First to 10th Avenues and 14th to 59th Streets. According to the study:

Ever wonder how the NYPD treats cyclists on Bizarro world? Instead of locking horns with Critical Mass, or writing ridiculous tickets, or ignoring drivers who turn bike lanes into double-parking lots, or parking in bike lanes themselves, perhaps they'd take a less adversarial approach to pedaling commuters who brave this car-clogged city. Well, as a contrast to last year's infamous cop vs. bike bodyslam video, here's a look at the kind of treatment cyclists get from the police in the Bizarro world that is Denmark: free helmets and hugs. Awww.

Here's a fresh, hip-level view of what it's like to pedal at top speed through New York City traffic with a flagrant disregard for traffic laws, safety and basic common sense. The people behind the video say it's "a teaser for Empire, a film about having fun on your bike in the city." Sure, it's all harmless DIY fun until your fixie's painted white and locked at the corner where you ran your last red light. But be sure to stay tuned for the 2:30 mark, when a couple of these maniacs actually wear helmets! And at 3:14, there's a taste of what it's like to merge with highway traffic on a bike.

Downtown Express takes a look at that half-mile pedestrian walkway at West Street, where, due to construction, cyclists are supposed to dismount and walk their bikes from Chambers Street to Albany Street. Unsurprisingly, pretty much nobody obeys the rules, and last month a cyclist reportedly hit a woman in the leg on purpose after she yelled at him and his buddies to walk their bikes. Now one community board member is talking about requiring licenses for cyclists. But Dennis Graff, a steamfitter at a nearby construction site, insists pedestrians are overreacting: "'What do you want, a four-lane highway? People are crybabies.' Then he hunched over, imitating a little old lady, and called out in a creaking voice to the cyclists on the path: 'You’re going too fast, sonny!'"

The existence of dedicated bike lanes are a sought-after city feature by New York's cyclists; but even when they appear they're often blocked by delivery trucks and drivers who remain oblivious to their existence. While Mayor Bloomberg has attempted to discourage drivers--or cash in on them--in the city with congestion pricing, the mere existence of bike lanes apparently does little to prevent drivers from owning the roads. The Times looks into the conundrum of bike lane non-compliance today.

Although city regulations forbid cars from blocking bike lanes — a violation that carries a $115 fine — those rules are routinely ignored by drivers who use the lanes as parking spots, loading zones and places to pick up passengers. Such maneuvers have enraged cyclists who say they are unlawful, rude and dangerous.

Streetsblog recently featured some video from online magazine Slate, which set out to identify the stupidest bike lanes in America. Slate's conclusion: don't rely on a thin stripe of paint to protect you from idiotic or disrespectful drivers. For those who imagine that Europe is a halcyon haven of bike friendly traffic design, the Slate video has multiple examples to the contrary.