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Monday Bulletin: Firehouse Renovation; Summer Solstice; The Comments

June 18, 2023 | 4:32 PM - Updated on June 20, 2023 | 12:04 AM
in COLUMNS, NEWS
59
I passed by the FDNY Engine 74 firehouse on West 83rd Street last week, right after they poured the cement for the new floor, the first since 1889. The general contractor said that means the renovation of the firehouse, which began in August of 2022, can proceed full steam ahead! Photograph by Carol Tannenhauser.

Monday Bulletin
June 19, 2023
Generally clear; high 79 degrees

Notices
There will be a Full Community Board 7 meeting on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Here are the links to participate: Register for the meeting | Sign-Up to speak | Download the Proposed Resolutions

The summer solstice, the astronomical start of summer and the longest day of the year, will occur on Wednesday, June 21, at 10:57 a.m. in the Northern Hemisphere. “The moment when one of the Earth’s hemispheres reaches its maximum tilt toward the Sun is called the summer solstice in that hemisphere,” Starwalk explains. “On this day, it receives the most amount of sunlight, which results in the longest day of the year.”

Check current air quality by zip code here.

Words
By Carol Tannenhauser

“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.” Yeah, right. If you’re the Buddha, maybe. Otherwise, words can cause enormous harm. I know because I read all of the Rag’s comments, not just the ones you see, but the ones that don’t make it to the light of day. It’s like falling on hand grenades. I sometimes wonder how the comments would change if commenters were required to use their real names. Some places have turned to this policy as a way of encouraging people to be more thoughtful before they press send.

Once in a while, a comment stands out. Perhaps it’s from a new reader — or a longtime one who finally reaches a personal boiling point or musters up the motivation to write. Who knows what prompted “Sylvester” to comment this Juneteenth weekend? At first, his words seemed like standard fare from a cyclist lauding cycling and its positive effect on the environment, but then he surprised me by saying, “More of us should bicycle. I do not.” He was advocating for other people’s interests and for the planet. Then, he suggested a brilliant solution to the ice-cream-truck parking problem and I thought Sylvester needed a wider platform. Here is his perspective on some of the stories — and comments — we’ve run recently. (It has been edited slightly for length.)

“Hi Everyone.

“So. I’ve lived on the Upper West Side for decades. I cannot believe some of these comments, especially the entitlement and arrogance and selfishness of people writing in. I bet the same people complaining about the bike lanes pretend to care about the environment and maybe even compost, or bring their own bags to the grocery store. But somehow [they] think cycling is bad? I’m not sure you realize, but it is actually good for a city and the environment. More of us should bicycle. I do not. I feel bad for cyclists because it is a dangerous city to ride in. They need the bike lanes and they need support of people like us. There is no question that there are unsafe cyclists, and I don’t think there are any rational, honest cyclists who would deny that.

“Moving on to the ice cream trucks. They are avoiding the law by not paying for a permit. You may have a fond and innocent view of ice cream, but the reality is, this is a business. And a lucrative one charging ridiculously high prices for very low-quality ice cream. I have kids and they love ice cream. But despite this, I see those ice cream trucks as a nuisance — free riders looking to make a buck off all of you guys who protect them for some unknown reason. They pollute our air, they make a ridiculous amount of noise, and they block the bike lane. Putting aside all of your intricate and detailed arguments, why don’t you just ask a simple question: why are they blocking a lane they know is designated for bikes? It’s rude and unsafe.

“And here’s the best part. Do you know what we can do to stop it? BOYCOTT the ice cream trucks. Yes, you heard me right. You can survive without your ice cream from your ice cream truck and you can even explain to your child that breaking the law is bad and that this is a bike lane that shouldn’t be blocked. And, therefore, you won’t buy ice cream from these places. Instead, you can walk a few blocks in any direction to a store that has actually invested in the Upper West Side by paying rent and providing jobs and being a part of the community. They can probably barely afford the rent and provide higher-quality ice cream than the garbage on those trucks. Seems like a win-win situation. They are not contributing anything to our neighborhood and the sooner you wake up and realize this the better.

“You can still complain about other cyclists doing bad things…but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be bike lanes. Protect the bike lanes, the cyclists, the pedestrians, and the drivers. They aren’t mutually exclusive and, shockingly, you can defend and advocate for all of the above at the very same time.”

Happy Juneteenth and summer!

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UWSperson
UWSperson
2 years ago

Thank you, Carol, for all you do for West Side Rag and for all us West Siders.

25
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Eugene Nickerson
Eugene Nickerson
2 years ago

The reality is that as much as saving the environment is important. You can’t put bike infrastructure, make it harder to drive, make transit worse and then have 71% of the UWS remain a historic district. At the end of the day its cheaper for me to rent outside NYC, it’s also cheaper to own something outside NYC. I don’t think most UWS voters want that discussion so we have a trade off, we preserve pre-war architecture and have 71% of the UWS as a historic district, but we have to allow for street parking to meet the needs of workers because MTA can’t do everything for all its riders or potential customers.

7
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72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugene Nickerson

I don’t see how historic districts, the MTA and street parking have much in common. If we had no historic districts and filled every lot to the brim, we wouldn’t change the amount of street parking. Or make a dent in what’s ailing the MTA.

Most people here — workers and residents — don’t have cars. Better transit would make it easier for even fewer people to use cars, but landmarking doesn’t have much to do with why public transit is flailing.

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Eugene Nickerson
Eugene Nickerson
2 years ago
Reply to  72RSD

They have A LOT in common! When you make it harder to drive, when you make it harder to commute outside Manhattan into Manhattan, people are going to get fed up. What happens when people get fed up? They want to move somewhere closer to work, if you work on the UWS and can’t afford to live in the neighborhood you work, where does the blame get put on lack of housing supply? Historic districts. Manhattanites would be smart not to poke that bear. The world doesn’t revolve around Manhattan as much as its Gale Brewer (and others) pet peeve to leave Manhattan for anything.

4
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72RSD
72RSD
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugene Nickerson

I think the point of measures like congestion pricing is to make it more expensive to drive to Manhattan and use that revenue to fund better mass transit. So coming to Manhattan continues to be easy, but not necessarily by car.

The problem that is our broken and bloated MTA won’t use the money effectively. But at least it’ll start forcing some changes in car culture, which really doesn’t improve the experience of Manhattan (both for drivers and non-drivers).

7
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Eugene Nickerson
Eugene Nickerson
2 years ago
Reply to  72RSD

That’s not what’s happening. Congestion pricing is $1 billion in revenue to take out $15 billion in bonds for capital “improvements”. Congestion pricing is one small component in a larger capital plan, which means more and more money will be going towards debt service. MTA cannot legally declare bankruptcy on its bonds and investors prefer MTA bonds because they’re exempt from state, local and federal income tax.

Add MTA spending $11B on a new station with the end result being LIRR service being worse and commutes longer and MTA trying to cut service between Manhattan and the outer boroughs in the bus redesigns AFTER congestion pricing passed, all while the same congestion pricing advocates want subsidies for Citibike, which won’t even be widely used by people in transit deserts, but will be used by Manhattanites who will be avoiding the subway. I see very clearly what’s going on here, it’s about gentrification and displacing “unwanted” people.

The Bloomberg congestion pricing plan in 2007 only charged a fee weekdays 6 AM – 6 PM and there was a package of immediate, tangible service improvements to go along with it. This all took place before Janette Sadik-Khan became NYCDOT commissioner and the bike people gained more power in city government, so congestion pricing seemed like a better faith plan back then, but not now. Now NYC has gentrified enough that there’s people that want to dispose of workers like myself and not want us around anymore.

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Emma Tames
Emma Tames
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugene Nickerson

We should do everything we can though to encourage the MTA to provide better service for everyone. There is a limited amount of parking regardless of bikes and sidewalk sheds. No one is owed a parking space. We need to make sure the city is accessible for everyone and bikes lanes and good public transit is key!

12
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Robert Spire
Robert Spire
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma Tames

No one is owed a parking space is easily said when you live in Manhattan & barely leave Manhattan, except to go to gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhoods and get deliveries and everything at your fingertips. That’s not what’s going on. What’s going on is MTA just spent $11 Billion on a new terminal only to make service worse, what’s going on is MTA is trying to cut bus service in the outer boroughs to Manhattan that the city pays for as part of its bus redesign. All while the professional advocates call transit services outside of Manhattan that isn’t the subway, a “luxury service”. More WSR readers need to step outside of the Manhattan/gentrified NYC bubble. Maybe if you guys did and spoke to people like myself, Democrats might still have the House of Representatives (which has a narrow GOP majority because of NY voters, including many in Queens).

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I drive a car in NYC
I drive a car in NYC
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert Spire

No one is owed a parking space on public property, period, no whataboutisms. Even if everyone had cars, it would be a ridiculous premise. What seems to be lost here is that many Manhattan residents have already consciously traded the luxuries of suburban living (I.e. a car) for the conveniences of urban living. They are not wealthy gentrifiers, they are just ordinary people, they make these trade offs with financial considerations paramount—and somehow they have managed to make the basic lifestyle compromises that you are unwilling to even consider. Maybe you should consult with them on how they managed it before stereotyping thousands of people living in a massive urban neighborhood. Frankly, it doesn’t sound like you know that neighborhood well at all.

Needless to say, suburbanites making silly threats to Manhattan over losing their free subsidized parking privileges are living in a universe that does not exist. If you leave, there are plenty of others in line willing to take your spot—and they probably won’t demand that city taxpayers subsidize free parking.

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Robert Spire
Robert Spire
2 years ago
Reply to  I drive a car in NYC

I’m not making a silly threat because its true. I know people personally who voted for George Santos knowing nothing about him, only knowing that they wanted to vote for whoever had an R next to their name to send a message to our politicians. Some of those people who voted for George Santos live in NYC neighborhoods where the subway doesn’t go. But I guess UWSers don’t care to venture out to Whitestone or to Little Neck or Douglaston.

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Emma Tames
Emma Tames
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert Spire

It is easily said because it is true. People outside of manhattan’s need to put there car somewhere shouldn’t be the reason why Manhattan becomes a parking lot.

1
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Eugene Nickerson
Eugene Nickerson
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma Tames

Its easily said because the UWS gets Amy Schumer and Mark Ruffalo to speak out against more housing on the UWS. People outside the Manhattan and gentrified Brooklyn bubble don’t get that. Right now even a lower end studio can rent for $2400-$2500. A 1 bed with no natural light costs $2800-$2900. Want a discussion about how 71% of the UWS is a historic district? Would you, CB7 or Gale Brewer support a rezoning that would add more units so that people like myself can afford to live here? Would you sacrifice some of the UWS being a historic district so I can afford to live here as an area worker?

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Joan
Joan
2 years ago

Dear Sylvester, I would never be against bike lanes if electric bikes were licensed, insured and had responsible riders who obeyed the rules of the road. Unfortunately the majority do not. I am so thankful when a cyclist lets me cross the street when plowing down the bike lane or going through a red light, and if he or she actually stops to let me by, I thank them profusely. When bike riders and yes, mopeds are barreling down the sidewalk I look on with disbelief. How about safety first and then I will be 100% for bike lanes.

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Josh
Josh
1 year ago
Reply to  Joan

Psychologists have noted that we tend to remember the bad as more prevalent than the good. While there are definitely bad cyclists out there, and the moped riders are some of the worst drivers out there, the majority of cyclists do not actually endanger pedestrians and look down on those who do. As another commenter had said previously, we should not punish those of us who are responsible for the deeds of those who are irresponsible. Because many drivers speed and run red lights, should we remove roads? Or not allow cars? Studies have shown that cyclists and drivers obey the laws of the road at rouge the same rate, to the point that the difference was not statistically significant. But there should definitely be increased enforcement against unsafe cycling behavior. Unfortunately, when the NYPD does focus on enforcement, they go for the low hanging fruit and typically pull over cyclists who are breaking the law in technicality, but are not doing it in a way that endangers a pedestrian- such as going through an empty intersection. Instead, they should be getting the cyclists who are going through a crowded intersection in an unsafe manner because those are the cyclists whose behavior needs to change for the purposes of pedestrian safety. But those are also the cyclists who are harder to catch.

0
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sean
sean
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh

Nope! E-bikes have more power than a regular bike and certainly remain a big threat to human life. You are incorrect in saying anything good about e-bikes. Cars in manhattan do stop at their lights. If there is a token few that don’t, it does not add up to the amount of E-bikes plowing through red lights. I was horrified to see how many zoomed right through the red lights. If you or anyone want equality with e-bikes— then they have to be licensed and obey the same traffic lights as cars. All vehicles with that amount of power or more need to be under the same guidelines. Or get them off the streets.. They are endangering the lives of pedestrians with the power of their vehicles and their lack of care and obeying traffic lights because there are NO BOUNDARIES —- Boundaries must have CONSEQUENCES .. There are consequences for cars and trucks that possess the power to kill a pedestrian if they run lights etc. THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES for Electrically powered bikes .. . No one makes any sense to compare them as if there is some exception to the power of an e-bike and its ability to kill a pedestrian …

Did Bloomberg have E-BIKES in mind when they decided on bike lanes— i kind of doubt it .

0
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Jen
Jen
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh

Sure. You are more likely to remember a cyclist who handicapped you than the one who stopped. However, you may not remember one who put you in coma.

0
Reply
Anthony
Anthony
1 year ago
Reply to  Joan

As a cyclist I am profoundly grateful whenever a pedestrian isn’t in the bike lane standing with their leashed dog, or when they use it as a walkway, or when they don’t cross against my light.

It’s NYC, neither cyclists nor pedestrians follow the rules 100%. Far from it. As a responsible cyclist i am cautious and use common sense. Never go against traffic (some 40% of deadly accidents have the cyclist going against traffic) , never on sidewalk, stop at lights if there’s anyone crossing.

Most serious accidents w peds involve a delivery guy on an e-bike doing something profoundly dangerous. That said i doubt requiring licensing them will stop anything because their reckless riding is already illegal.

The cops can’t be bothered to stop motorized, gas powered scooters that can go 50MPH in bike lanes, central park and the greenway. Next time u see one of these, see if u can spot a license plate. My bet is u won’t. They’re required fir those types of vehicles. Cops don’t care.

2
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Lola
Lola
2 years ago
Reply to  Joan

It so unfortunate that you have to bc profoundly thankful for them to simply follow the laws and rules of the road!!

17
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Frankie
Frankie
2 years ago
Reply to  Joan

I laughed when I read your comment. I,too, thank so profusely any biker who actually stops and lets me cross . I’m smiling, waving, mouthing “Thank you SO much” .. ready to buy them lunch! Sad that this occurs so rarely that I feel such deep gratitude.

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sean
sean
1 year ago
Reply to  Frankie

Me, too! For real. I give them a thumbs up or with tears in my eyes.. thank them for not running the lights.. Sadly. they barrel down the sidewalks all the time. Just stand around the Ribbon Restaurant or any where on that block and watch them coming right at you 🥲🥲🥲

0
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Eric
Eric
2 years ago
Reply to  Joan

I totally agree and thank you for your post. However, how sad that pedestrians feel the need to THANK a cyclist for simply obeying the law. Obeying the law is not common courtesy.

There is no excuse for not licensing motorized bicycles. It is a gross failure local government not to advocate more vociferously for change.

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Marilyn
Marilyn
2 years ago

Amen, Sylvester! And thank you, Carol, for posting his thoughts.

8
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Lola
Lola
2 years ago

I have no problem with bike lanes. I simply want EVERYONE on bikes, whether e-bikes or traditional, to obey the laws and rules of the road. I’m exponentially more concerned about getting hit by a bike vs a car. Have to keep your head on swivel at every intersection. I was even yelled at recently by some lady plowing through the crosswalk that alerts riders to yield to pedestrians down by Pier i. Tired of them riding past the barriers and through the “please dismount” areas of the park too. Maddening and often terrifying.

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Juan
Juan
2 years ago

I am not a huge fan of bike lanes. But I am not strongly opposed either. I just get really frustrated that whenever someone challenges bike lanes, the anti-car people come out in full force. Cars have their challenges but they also serve an important role for many people. As much as New Yorkers like to criticize those in “flyover country” for their provincialism, hating cars shows a similar form of provincialism by those who never leave the island of Manhattan. You are no better than they are.

And the bike lane supporters generally refuse to admit that there are a lot of major issues with them – bikers going too fast, bikers not stopping for traffic signals, bikers going the wrong way. These problems are way too frequent. Once someone refuses to admit these challenges, I stop listening to their merits. I think people would be a lot more supportive of bike lanes if their were better rules and enforcement in place. Perhaps if the ardent bike supporters did something to police their own, they would attract a lot more supporters.

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Anthony
Anthony
1 year ago
Reply to  Juan

Also, most cyclists are far more annoyed with bad riders than pedestrians are with them because they’re much more dangerous. Your notion that mist cyclosts don’t admit there’s a reckless cycling problem is totally wrong. . When i talk with other cyclists they is the No1 topic that we get very worked up about.

Being on a bike is precarious. Having yahoos going the wrong way in bike lanes, riding too fast, weaving in and out, riding jands free or while looking at a phone is more dangerous to me than a walker because i am going faster, and am precariously balanced. Far less margin for error.

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Anthony
Anthony
1 year ago
Reply to  Juan

There’s hundreds of thousands riding each day. Of course u don’t notice the ones doing it responsibly.

Why should I be held to “police” my own?? Do you police pedestrians who stand on bike lanes texting? Or ones who cross against the light?. I am tempted to police other cyclidts as everything they do that is unsafe for pedestrians is doubly so to other riders. I don’t for the same reason I (and you, and everyone) don’t argue with bad pedestrians when I am walking.

Also the notion of “bike supporters” is misguided. Everyone that rides a bike is also a pedestrian, is married to one or has kids thst walk a lot. One thing i can say is that riding a bike has made me a far better pedestrian.

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Marge Roukema
Marge Roukema
2 years ago
Reply to  Juan

The bike supporters want Manhattan to be for themselves and no one else. They think of people who disagree with them as beneath them and want people to toe the line. They are more coercive than many of the old style party machines.

The provincialism is a BIG problem in Manhattan. Manhattanites think the world revolves around them and let the fact that they’re the economic center and a culture center get to their heads. When Staten Islanders think the world revolves around them, its seen as bad and ignorant because many Staten Islanders supported Trump; but because Manhattan is more liberal and “enlightened”, Manhattanites get a pass.

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maya
maya
2 years ago

“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.” Yeah, right. If you’re the Buddha, maybe.

– Underrated and wonderfully accurate line.

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Steevie
Steevie
2 years ago

Ice cream trucks have been around for many decades. I don’t remember anyone complaining about them except when they continuously played their jingle (Mr. Softee). The bike lanes are totally different. They take up a lot of space in our already narrow streets and they are dangerous to the pedestrian. Bike lanes were tried once before, during the Koch administration. After a few pedestrians were mowed down they were removed. It was possible to remove them because global warming had not yet become a left/right political issue.
Unfortunately the bike lanes we now have will certainly be permanent.

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EricaC
EricaC
1 year ago
Reply to  Steevie

I actually think we need more bike lanes – and more infrastructure generally to let people commute by bike. We are in an awkward, transitional space, where there is not enough infrastructure to make it practical for enough people to ride to make a meaningful dent in traffic (and health issues), but too much to make it comfortable for those who think the city should be designed only for cars. We are a relatively compact, relatively flat city – a lot of people could commute relatively easily using bikes.

We would all be better off if the city somehow found ways to make bicycling a normal way to travel for those who are able – but I think there are things besides bike lanes needed to make it realistic. I wonder whether anyone has studied the cities in the world where bicycling is a dominant way to travel.

0
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Lizzie
Lizzie
2 years ago

Cars regularly flout traffic laws, and they cause far more injuries and deaths than bikes. They also have a massive footprint in our city: miles of asphalt for driving and parking. So why do only bike lanes make people so crazy?

Yes, bike riders need to follow traffic rules. And the e-bike delivery guys, who are the worst offenders, need to be reined in. But it’s not the bike lanes themselves that are the problem.

And I’m with Sylvester about the ice cream trucks. Noisy, scofflaw, polluting, overpriced.

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sean
sean
1 year ago
Reply to  Lizzie

And, the popcorn truck parked on the south east corner of 72 and columbus running its engine and polluting the air— it’s so bad when their exhaust is out in the air for a big chunk of time .. If we are talking clean city— you need to stop them ..

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Jay
Jay
2 years ago
Reply to  Lizzie

Cars by percentage of vehicles on the roads/streets and by miles travelled don’t break traffic laws at anywhere near the rate of e-bike (both types) drivers and riders.

I’m nearly hit 3 times a week by a jerk on a throttle e-bike breaking well established laws.

Can’t remember the last time a car/truck nearly hit me and I regularly walk 5 miles a day in Manhattan.

Yes, I have been hit, though not seriously, by a throttle e-bike driver. It was last year, and his choice to unpredictably break the law by driving up onto the sidewalk was the cause.

Also about. once every 12-18 months I’m nearly hit by a bicyclist peddling at 25MPH, usually he’s breaking the law and running a red.

Last edited 2 years ago by Jay
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EricaC
EricaC
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

I agree that people should definitely not ride bikes on the sidewalk – and yet I find it hard to get as angry as I want to about it when I know that riding in the street can be so deadly. We need to make it possible for people to ride safely in the street. And then give very big tickets to bicyclists on the sidewalks (or who otherwise don’t follow the rules). (And to drivers too – who really do violate the law a lot, but we’re all used to it and we all adjust accordingly.)

0
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sean
sean
1 year ago
Reply to  Jay

yes— all factual

0
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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago
Reply to  Jay

Every 12-18 months? I’m nearly hit by a bicyclist peddling at 25MPH every 12-18 minutes.

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Josh
Josh
1 year ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

‘Pedaling.’ – peddling is selling.

But a cyclist pedaling at 25 mph every 12-18 minutes? I think not. Of you stand in one spot on any bike lane, I doubt a cyclist pedaling will pass once per hour, let alone almost hit someone. Most cyclists are passing at 12-15mph as reaching 25mph on anything but a downhill is not attainable for most of the city’s cyclists. Not even the electric Citibikes have the ability to hit that speed on flat terrain. Throttle e-bikes, yes. Those electric and/or gas powered “scooters” that are unregistered mopeds, yes. But not pedal bicycles. I am one of the rare city cyclists who can reach that speed, but I don’t travel that fast in a bike lane – only in motor vehicle travel lanes when there is no bike lane. When I am riding up the CPW lane at 17-18mph, the only people that ever pass me are on motorized devices. And the speed limit in the bike lane is technically 25mph just like for cars.

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Steevie
Steevie
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh

That is a good point, that pedal bicyclists are perceived as going way faster than they actually are. When Central Park was open to cars I would sometimes take a cab. Even going downhill with the bicyclist pedaling furiously, a car with a speedometer saying 25-30 mph would pass him easily.

1
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D M
D M
2 years ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

Yes, definitely more accurate

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Big Earl
Big Earl
2 years ago

I think most people living here boycott the ice cream trucks, even those with kids as they probably learned the hard way. (Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me) However, the ice cream trucks always park where the greatest concentration of tourists are. That’s their market. Gouging tourists for every dollar they can. Apparently, a profitable business model.

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MLT
MLT
2 years ago

I guess I feel differently.
I did not find Sylvester’s comment to be especially nuanced or conciliatory. (It seemed like another criticism, in this case of people who are concerned about bicyclists.)

Surprised also that there was no mention of traditional transportation – walking, bus, subway.

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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago
Reply to  MLT

I mentioned it. Better than bikes any day, especially in the rain.

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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago

Bike lanes are being hijacked by electric bikes, which are not particularly good for the immediate environment. Bad bike riding is no more a benefit than bad perpetrators who are also on foot. Just because someone is walking doesn’t mean that person isn’t threatening people. Same thing goes for bikes. Everyone needs to be reined in and fast. But I will add this: no one gave up their car for a bike. But plenty of people give up on mass transit for a bike. That isn’t good. We have too many cars, too many bikes, and not enough adherence to the laws that benefit pedestrians. There is NOTHING more environmentally friendly than walking. Exploding lithium batteries are not environmentally friendly, either.

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EricaC
EricaC
1 year ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

I don’t know why you say no one gave up their car for a bike. I would give up taxis for a bike (I don’t drive my car most of the time) if I thought it was safe.

0
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Josh
Josh
1 year ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

I use my bike instead of my car whenever possible. But trading mass transit for a bike IS better for the environment. Mass transit uses fossil fuel based energy but pedal bicycles do not. And even for a standard E-bike, the watt per person mile is still lower than mass transit. So it is an environmental benefit. The ideal would be for people to give up their cars for mass transit and for people to give up mass transit for walking/biking. Citibike, however, is a different ball of wax completely, because it is ideally a ‘first/last mile’ form of transit. This means you take Citibike from home to the subway, subway to wherever, and Citibike from the subway to your final destination.

0
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Alta
Alta
2 years ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

Sam,
Yes essential point!
In NYC bicyclists are former mass transit users; bicycles siphon from mass transit usage.

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Robert Spire
Robert Spire
1 year ago
Reply to  Alta

When bicyclists, especially in Manhattan or gentrifying neighborhoods siphon from mass transit, this enables MTA to provide worse service for those who don’t have the privilege of spending in rent what would be a mortgage on a home in NYC suburbs to live within in demand or gentrifying NYC neighborhoods like the UWS.

Citibike isn’t a first/last mile transit form for Manhattanites who have an annual membership and get 45 minutes free. It is THE form of transit and it is one the bike lobbyists want public subsidies for while MTA is trying to eliminate bus service between the outer boros and Manhattan in the outer boro bus redesigns AND while transit advocacy groups like Riders Alliance publicly call the LIRR a luxury service (all while telling people to take the train and don’t drive, damned if you do, damned if you don’t basically). When you tell people in the outer boros and suburbs to take the train and driving to work or to do business on the UWS is bad, while having the privilege to use Citibike for most daily needs, all this fighting about bike lanes etc. isn’t about the environment, safety etc., its about gentrification and about wanting to disappear people who aren’t young urban professionals that see their UWS apartment as their “place” and not home.

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Ethan
Ethan
2 years ago

I’m curious as to why the author found Sylvester’s comment in any way remarkable. I find it rather run-of-the-mill. I don’t disagree with the positions taken, I just think it’s not particularly insightful or articulate compared to the average WSR comment.

9
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Peggy
Peggy
2 years ago

Thank you for posting these comments. I love that the commenter was very logical. I do not ride a bike but understand the need for bikes and lanes.

3
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Liz G
Liz G
2 years ago

Yes, thank you Carol! In my previous life I moderated the comments for a Diet/ lifestyle blog my company was running and even that was ROUGH going, it’s thankless work indeed, but appreciated!

6
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West Side Rag
Author
West Side Rag
2 years ago
Reply to  Liz G

Thank you!

0
Reply
Jenn
Jenn
2 years ago

I’m pretty sure ice cream trucks have to pay for a permit. Otherwise anyone could just park a van anywhere and sell ice cream out the back. As this isn’t occurring , I assume one needs a permit or license.

0
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Josh
Josh
1 year ago
Reply to  Jenn

There are two different types of permits. The first gives the truck the ability to peddle its goods in the city, but limits where the vehicle is allowed to plant itself. For example, they cannot occupy parking meters, No Standing zones or parks property. The second permit is from the Parks Department and allows the vehicle to peddle its goods on NYC Parks property, with specific limitations therein. These ice cream trucks only have the citywide permit and not the parks permit, but are trying to sell to parks goers. Theoretically, the street alongside the park is parks property, so the NYPD and/or Parks Enforcement Patrol could issue them fines for selling on park’s property without a permit.

And note: the bike lane is a NO STOPPING zone, which means there is no legal reason for anything other than an emergency vehicle being there at all.

1
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Bob
Bob
2 years ago

I’m a daily bike commuter, and so obviously encourage cycling. But we also need enforcement. Today, for example, I saw a wannabe Tour rider go through a crowd of children crossing the street in Central Park. The children had the light and they were — I cannot emphasize this enough — CHILDREN. But his Strava lap times were more important than the safety of those kids, and more important than the simple common courtesy to take turns. The children can do that, but this guy couldn’t. And unfortunately he’s not the only one — not even close.

But that’s just human nature. It’s why the police exist; why society has rules and enforcement of those rules. Without enforcement, a percentage of the population will be terrible to each other — whether they’re riding bikes or driving cars or doing anything else. I can’t use the word that describes these people, at least not here, but if a donkey started digging… They have always been a part of society, and always will be. So the only solution is enforcement — we’ve got to ticket bad cyclists, and ticket them hard, until they start following the rules of the road.

We can do that AND still encourage cycling.

8
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lin
lin
1 year ago

I’d like to add support for MTA bus and subway.
For all its deficits, the bus and subway systems are pretty amazing – and completely essential.
Bus and subway used to be the one thing that pulled New Yorkers together.

With bikes/stand-up scooters/mopeds to the mix plus Uber, NYC is more stratified than ever.

As a pedestrian, feel completely menaced by bicycles, particularly Citibike and people on racing bikes.

Would like to return to the NYC that existed prior to 2008 when walking was terrific, most took the bus and subway, there were only a handful of bicyclists, no bike lanes and no Uber.

5
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sean
sean
1 year ago
Reply to  lin

yes, i remember those days. Bikes were going with traffic in traffic lanes and pedestrians were safe to hail a cab or stand on a corner before crossing at the light. Pedestrians now have bike lanes to cross and car lanes .. And, we are without vehicular power and nothing is protecting our bodies. It’s true — we used subways and busses .. no Cities bikes .. no lanes for mopeds, e bikes, e scooters are other power toys .. You make great points ..

0
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lin
lin
1 year ago

And more tragedy involving e-bikes.
There has been another fatal fire.
Four people have died and two people are in critical condition following a fire that erupted around midnight on the first floor of an e-bike store in Chinatown.

5
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Steevie
Steevie
1 year ago
Reply to  lin

One of these days an e-bike is going to go off on a subway car. I just hope when it happens it is not on a car that is locked on the ends.

4
Reply
Matthew Guinan
Matthew Guinan
1 year ago
Reply to  Steevie

Then I would avoid the A, B, C, D, N, Q, W trains.

3
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