Photo by Jon Mannion.
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I run along the Hudson on a regular basis. On Riverside Park South, around 68th Street, there’s the big stairs leading up the hill.
I always see people running up and down the stairs. I also see group fitness classes and people doing calisthenics at the base of the stairs.
The city should put in an adult fitness station there with pull-up bars, dipping stations, etc.
I’ve seen similar stations on the beaches in Florida and California. They’re very popular.
Good idea. There is exercise equipment in East River Park and it is always in use.
Those in favor of an exercise station should get together, draw up a plan and submit it for Helen Rosenthal’s participatory budgeting. That’s certainly one of the kinds of things that she’d be looking for.
They do have those on the East River promenade at 35th street, so it’s not without precedent in NYC.
I suspect this would lead to all sorts of insurance issues for the City. By putting in facilities the City would imply that they are safe for use. If anyone was injured, even a total moron who was doing something dangerous, s/he might have a good claim.
The City would have to maintain the space and wouldn’t have any revenue to do that.
Right now there are lots of parks in poorer areas that need some major renovations. This would a poor use of City money.
You’re wrong.
Using your logic the city would have to shut down every single playground in the city because of the possibility a kid could get hurt.
Besides, adult fitness stations already exist in the city. As one reader noted there’s one in Riverside Park way up north. There’s also one near Chinatown on the East River (I’ve run by it).
Furthermore, the city could put up a sign that people working out use the fitness station at their own risk.
I, too, agree. There should be these stations all around the city in the different parks in multiple places. Many other cities have them, not only in the U.S. but abroad. It would promote fitness and would help remove the exercisers from using traffic corridors as gyms.
Sherman: Totally agree. They have something like this up near 96th street (I may be wrong, but it’s on the east side and not easy to access unless you’re driving) I wonder if there’s a petition or something.
I noticed recently that the timing of the lights and the walk/don’t walk signs seems to have been changed at some of the intersections along Broadway in the 80s. For example, if you are walking north on the west side of Broadway at 84th, the walk/don’t walk sign will get to the full don’t walk signal (i.e., the red hand stops flashing and stays on), but the light for the cars on 84th will not change to green for what seems like about 10 seconds. Perhaps this was done so that people who have already started crossing and who move slowly will have plenty of time to finish getting across. But I have seen it lead to a lot of confusion. People stand at the corner, see that the light for the cars is still red and doesn’t seem to be changing, and they start across, only to have the light finally turn green while they are in the middle of crossing. Does anyone know if in fact the timing was changed, and if so, why?
When it comes to the crosswalk signals for crossing one way streets (east/west), I generally regard them as suggestion only. So long as there is no traffic coming and/or my crossing against the light does not impede or slow down anyone else, I can’t be bothered to stand there and wait.
It is this precise exact behavior that astounds me. People complain about the cars flouting rules and almost hitting people, bicyclists flouting the rules and almost hitting people, but pedestrians paying no attention to the rules (lights) is okay becuase you can’t be bothered to wait. What a joke! As a bicyclist, I constantly see pedestrians getting in my right of way because they think it is okay to cross against the light because no car is coming. They figure I can swerve around them. Everyone should follow the rules. Tickets should be given to everyone. This is the only way the streets will become safer for all.
I can only speak for myself, but I do yield to bicyclists when they have the right of way. I wish they would return the favor.
Understood; I do the same. The point is that there are times when the Don’t Walk sign turns red just before you get to the corner, and there is a car waiting for the light to change. What I am seeing is that based on past experience, people are stopping because they assume the light is about to turn green. When it doesn’t, they are confused, and the delay is so long that they end up starting to cross just as the light ends up changing. Frustrating for drivers, potentially dangerous for pedestrians.
Living on West End Ave, and spending time daily in Riverside park with my dog, I run across many NYC visitors who have come to Riverside Park by mistake when they were really looking for Central Park.
A sign outside all 4 subway exits at 72nd Street & Broadway, indicating the direction of Central Park with a big arrow, would keep many tourists from walking in the wrong direction and then having to ask for help.
And one at the 79 St exits pointing toward the Museum of Natural History. Many lost tourists on West End looking for it.
great idea.
Would it be wrong to Taser a bike rider rolling through a red light?
Only if he is going the opposite direction of traffic. If you
don’t have a taser with you, is it OK to extend your arm and
push him(her) in the shoulder to prevent being run into?
That is my question.
john, eva, mark: i was going to write a satirical response, but i can’t.
your posts disgust. it’s that simple. there is no humour in death and injury.
no wonder this city is in the state it is.
Geoff, My response stemmed from an experience that I had
crossing at 77th street and Broadway about 10PM. The
traffic goes from east to west, the bicycle was going from
west to east, down hill at full speed coming an inch or two
from hitting me. He had no light or reflectors and made no
attempt to avoid me. I had the green light, he didn’t,I yelled
“watch out” , he raised his left hand and “gave me the finger”.That’s when I thought I should have just stuck my arm
out . Sometimes the only defense is a little offense.
Re: “no wonder this city is in the state it is.”
So what’s wrong with New York State?
THAT’s the state in which NYC is!
What? You prefer New Joisey ?!!
Oh, you meant something ELSE!!
Well, this ain’t Twitter and you ain’t limited to 140 “characters”…so EXPLAIN yourself, since many of us NEVER realized our city was “in a state” of distress.
oh, john and eva, you sound like lovely people.
your question asks, ‘is it okay to injure someone who i think has disobeyed a law.’ am i wrong?
what about a stick in the spokes? an aggressive shove into following traffic? the all american favourite, a few shots in the leg, the arm, the head?
when you ask questions like that, you sound as if you might be mentally ill.
If it can work both ways, sure!
Pedestrians often ignore bikers who have the right of way and cross right in front of them. If we all had tasers I’m sure everyone would be much more polite! 😀
John, I’m so with you! Too many bike riders don’t obey the traffic laws.
I truly believe that anyone littering in any of the five boroughs must receive a monetary penalty of no less than $150.00.
This includes Smokers.
Our parents raised us better than that.
Just wondering….am puzzled about the extent to which sidewalk cafes seem to be situated, leaving only a few feet on the sidewalk for pedestrians to walk/get by?
This is especially noticeable on Amsterdam Avenue in the 80s – cafes take up much of the sidewalk and thus little space to walk. In addition, curbside space is limited because of trees and chained bicycles. On weekends, people end up “waiting on line” to walk on some blocks.
Why are restaurants permitted so much outdoor space?
Lis,
There must be money in it.
You can probably apply this to most questionable situations, as late.
(Whenever things seem to make no sense to me, I remember: “So this is what it looks like when money is the most important thing. I take comfort in realizing that this money worship will pass.)
I’ve noticed a decent uptick in cart congestion during peak hours at Fairway over the past few months and think Instacart may be the cause. Given the small aisles and generally difficult to navigate layout, it’s never been smooth sailing at the store, but now in addition to regular shoppers there Instacart shoppers are everywhere!
Has anyone else noticed this?
While most people shop with hand-held baskets that they can easily take with them throughout the store, the Instacart shoppers often leave their large carts unattended and in the middle of aisles to pick up other items. This makes the already congested store that much worse to navigate.
Is it possible for the Instacart shoppers to fill their orders during off-peak shopping hours at Fairway?