NYC - Riverside Park - dismount zones?
08-17-18, 07:05 AM
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
NYC - Riverside Park - dismount zones?
I commute to work everyday from North Brooklyn to the UWS. I take the Hudson Greenway up to about 100th (right after the tennis courts) and ride the smaller paths up to Riverside Dr at about 108. I do this every morning. This morning I got yelled at by a guy in a big group of folks and their dogs blocking the path. He told me bikes weren't allowed on the path. I do this ride every single day, and to my knowledge I've never seen any dismount signs. Ironically, he yelled at me about this while him and all his friends' dogs were running around off-leash on the path. I found one of the park rules signs and there's no mention of not being able to bike anywhere. I went on the website and also couldn't find any info. Plenty of posts about dogs not being off leash except in the dog park but nothing about bikes. The only thing I could find was a random discussion thread from 2010 about a dismount zone sign being newly posted at 72nd St.
I love dogs, I have 3 of them and it's great people are active with them. But I think it's rude and irresponsible to have them off leash on the paths. Anyone know anything about some hidden rules about not riding on the smaller paths that go from the Greenway up to Riverside Dr?
I love dogs, I have 3 of them and it's great people are active with them. But I think it's rude and irresponsible to have them off leash on the paths. Anyone know anything about some hidden rules about not riding on the smaller paths that go from the Greenway up to Riverside Dr?
08-17-18, 07:56 AM
#2
Senior Member
That's total bull. I have had people do that to me in parts of the Greenway, too.
For now, it's only places with signage that prohibit riding, like that section from around 60th to 72nd and the park by Chelsea piers.
The Parks Department was tossing around the idea of diverting bike traffic to the path higher up in that segment above 72nd st. but have no real plans. They did a test one day and had a ranger trying to direct cyclists up that way. Most ignored him and he wasn't that upset by it.
I did follow his direction because I was curious. The upper path has potholes, bumps, etc. It's got a lot of tree shadows so you can't see them very well until you are right on top of them. The path is also narrower than by the water, and they didn't divert pedestrians off of it that day so the were joggers and dog walkers. It was actually much more dangerous for everyone than by the water. I rode back to the ranger and told him all this so he could report it back. I never saw them try it out after that day.
If that happens again, you can politely say it's not true and it is part of NYC's most used bike path, and that you always yield to pedestrians in mixed modal areas. Then you can be a little snide and point out that there are leash laws and THEY are the ones committing a violation. Throw in something about endangering the children, too.
I just hate when people make up things about bike restrictions. It's fine to quote the law at someone breaking it, but get it right. I'm often the guy yelling "Please, don't walk in the bake lane." on the Greenway where there are defined ped and bike areas.
For now, it's only places with signage that prohibit riding, like that section from around 60th to 72nd and the park by Chelsea piers.
The Parks Department was tossing around the idea of diverting bike traffic to the path higher up in that segment above 72nd st. but have no real plans. They did a test one day and had a ranger trying to direct cyclists up that way. Most ignored him and he wasn't that upset by it.
I did follow his direction because I was curious. The upper path has potholes, bumps, etc. It's got a lot of tree shadows so you can't see them very well until you are right on top of them. The path is also narrower than by the water, and they didn't divert pedestrians off of it that day so the were joggers and dog walkers. It was actually much more dangerous for everyone than by the water. I rode back to the ranger and told him all this so he could report it back. I never saw them try it out after that day.
If that happens again, you can politely say it's not true and it is part of NYC's most used bike path, and that you always yield to pedestrians in mixed modal areas. Then you can be a little snide and point out that there are leash laws and THEY are the ones committing a violation. Throw in something about endangering the children, too.
I just hate when people make up things about bike restrictions. It's fine to quote the law at someone breaking it, but get it right. I'm often the guy yelling "Please, don't walk in the bake lane." on the Greenway where there are defined ped and bike areas.
Last edited by punkinevil; 08-17-18 at 08:00 AM.
08-17-18, 09:11 AM
#3
Junior Member
@punkinevil: Correct. Adding a bit / elaborating: in early 2016, NYC Councilmember Helen Rosenthal (whose district includes this area), responding to some of her constituents, floated the proposal to bar people riding bikes from the esplanade between W73 & W83 Streets, redirecting / restricting people on bikes to the mid-level path. Dept of Parks & Recreation was enthusiastically behind this. Working toward this goal, some of the mid-level paths were to be repaired and improved. Even if this were done, the conflict zone would merely be moved to the mid-level path which pedestrians cross on their way to and from the esplanade. It seems the entire package -- redirecting people on bikes to repaired improved paths -- has been quietly shelved. But "shelved" doesn't mean it's dead.
@partyanimal: One restriction remains active -- NYC parks close overnight. Sometimes / rarely, NYPD enforces this.
Also keep an eye on: part of the completion of phase 5 of the development between W59 & W72 St notionally includes a path connecting to Riverside Blvd (sic) to which there'd be 24hr access. Adding to this: "The Surprise in This Box? A Highway, Some Assembly Required" https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/nyregion/23box.html This "box" is very much there. From time to time, when there's a gap in the fencing, it's possible to see the portal at the south end. The notional plan is to relocate the highway to the tunnel and demolish the elevated structure resulting in parkland from Riverside Blvd to the river's edge. And: all park users recognize the path west and south of the softball field at W72 St is a dangerous chokepoint. There's been discussion about an alternative for bikes east of the softball field.
@partyanimal: One restriction remains active -- NYC parks close overnight. Sometimes / rarely, NYPD enforces this.
Also keep an eye on: part of the completion of phase 5 of the development between W59 & W72 St notionally includes a path connecting to Riverside Blvd (sic) to which there'd be 24hr access. Adding to this: "The Surprise in This Box? A Highway, Some Assembly Required" https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/nyregion/23box.html This "box" is very much there. From time to time, when there's a gap in the fencing, it's possible to see the portal at the south end. The notional plan is to relocate the highway to the tunnel and demolish the elevated structure resulting in parkland from Riverside Blvd to the river's edge. And: all park users recognize the path west and south of the softball field at W72 St is a dangerous chokepoint. There's been discussion about an alternative for bikes east of the softball field.
