What are the opinions on the 1st/2nd Ave bikeways in NYC?
07-09-18, 12:33 PM
#26
LET'S ROLL
Question; do you use a mirror?
I work and live in midtown. I use the 1st and 2nd av paths a lot; I don't have any problems.
I'm always scanning, for cars, other cyclists, peds about to cross, pigeons, etc. I don't use
a mirror so I'm used to turning my head in every direction:
I work and live in midtown. I use the 1st and 2nd av paths a lot; I don't have any problems.
I'm always scanning, for cars, other cyclists, peds about to cross, pigeons, etc. I don't use
a mirror so I'm used to turning my head in every direction:
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07-09-18, 01:39 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Nope, no mirror. But that's the problem, the parked cars and trucks block the view of the turning cars. You don't see them coming and they don't see you. It is definitely worse on 1st than 2nd, except for the tunnel entrance of course which is another mess.
I just had an idea though. How about if there was a red left arrow at the smaller intersections and only a flashing red AFTER the light has changed for the cross traffic? This assumes the bikes stop at the red, which we know they don't, but at least I'll know that when I have a green it is truly clear. There really isn't much cross traffic on 1st as there is no further for it to go. This would also keep the timing for cyclists and through traffic the same.
I just had an idea though. How about if there was a red left arrow at the smaller intersections and only a flashing red AFTER the light has changed for the cross traffic? This assumes the bikes stop at the red, which we know they don't, but at least I'll know that when I have a green it is truly clear. There really isn't much cross traffic on 1st as there is no further for it to go. This would also keep the timing for cyclists and through traffic the same.
07-09-18, 02:08 PM
#28
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8th Ave has red arrows up to 20-something street, and they kinda help, but then there are no more north of that, and I don't know why. But it shortens the length of each cycle since there are now three instead of two.
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07-09-18, 04:22 PM
#29
Senior Member
07-09-18, 05:18 PM
#30
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Thread Starter
But maybe if they left it at two cycles with a left on flashing red? This being NYC it would never work.
07-09-18, 07:17 PM
#31
Senior Member
I'm all for adding in the 3-cycle signals like the ones in Chelsea (and in the east side at 14th). Unfortunately, it takes a lot to get the city to put those in though, like being sued for wrongful death, and you are correct that most cyclists ignore them anyway.
07-09-18, 09:31 PM
#33
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Not all of us. There is a sizable fraction that defers to the left-turning vehicles and even crosses behind them and onto their right sides so they can turn left and we can proceed. It's a fairly easy dance that benefits everyone, so it's catching on.
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08-12-18, 06:48 AM
#34
Senior Member
Not 2nd Ave, but related to the bike lane discussion: fatal accident on a bike lane 2 days ago on CPW. Some of you may have read about it. There is a thread on A&S forum.
The crash “is an exemplar for why protected bike lanes are safer,” wrote Nicolas Lawson, who rode by the scene on a bike and sent the photo below of the livery cab. “The current bike lane is a transient zone for cars going to and from the curb and not a safe place for cyclists.”
“On the same ride home I saw a pickup truck force a Citibike commuter into a parked car at 60th and less than a half a mile later I came across this. From there to 93rd st I counted how many times I was forced into the middle traffic lane by cars parking, picking up, or turning. Four times in a mile I made the same decision that cost this person their life.”
“On the same ride home I saw a pickup truck force a Citibike commuter into a parked car at 60th and less than a half a mile later I came across this. From there to 93rd st I counted how many times I was forced into the middle traffic lane by cars parking, picking up, or turning. Four times in a mile I made the same decision that cost this person their life.”
08-14-18, 09:26 AM
#35
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In the local TV news video, a woman said the bike lane was well intended but badly designed. She's right. And it's a point that most people will not comprehend. Sometimes when you want to do something pro-bike, the best action is NOT to build a bike lane. That's counter-intuitive.
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08-18-18, 02:50 PM
#36
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In the local TV news video, a woman said the bike lane was well intended but badly designed. She's right. And it's a point that most people will not comprehend. Sometimes when you want to do something pro-bike, the best action is NOT to build a bike lane. That's counter-intuitive.
08-19-18, 07:25 AM
#37
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@zacster, can we put our heads together and think of some kind of education or signage that signifies to cyclists and motorists that bikes belong while not carving out space especially for cyclists? Sharrows seemed like a good idea, but I'm not convinced.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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08-19-18, 03:48 PM
#38
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Thread Starter
We can only try.
And another bike lane screwup. Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn had sharrows in both directions from Fulton Street to Flushing Avenue. In the last week however, they erased the sharrows and installed a bike lane in one direction only, narrowing the Fulton bound direction. They put a lane on a parallel street going the other way, but this ends without any bike connection with Vanderbilt from Fulton to Prospect Park, the only through street in the area. I can tell you from experience that nobody will use the parallel street, not that it was bad, it just ends in the construction around Atlantic Ave, not a good place to be on a bike. Everybody I know was comfortable on Vanderbilt the way it was, now it's narrower on one side, and no better off for the riders going the other way with a painted lane. I just don't get it.
And another bike lane screwup. Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn had sharrows in both directions from Fulton Street to Flushing Avenue. In the last week however, they erased the sharrows and installed a bike lane in one direction only, narrowing the Fulton bound direction. They put a lane on a parallel street going the other way, but this ends without any bike connection with Vanderbilt from Fulton to Prospect Park, the only through street in the area. I can tell you from experience that nobody will use the parallel street, not that it was bad, it just ends in the construction around Atlantic Ave, not a good place to be on a bike. Everybody I know was comfortable on Vanderbilt the way it was, now it's narrower on one side, and no better off for the riders going the other way with a painted lane. I just don't get it.
10-24-18, 10:04 PM
#39
Senior Member
According tothere is a project to build protected bike lane along 2nd Ave; hopefully it's not just for 59~68 st:
2nd Avenue Protected Bike Lane Update – Analysis of 2017 Project and Proposal for 68th St to 59th StNYC DOT updated Community Board 6 on its efforts to create a continuous protected bike lane along 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, including analysis of the project that was installed last year between 42nd St and 43rd St, and its current proposal for 68th St to 59th St. The proposed design includes a curbside buffered bike lane that is parking protected during off-peak hours and a new crossing for pedestrians and cyclists along the east side of 2nd Avenue at the Queensboro Bridge entrance.
