4 ms·

I’m all for anything that will get bikers off the sidewalks.

CydeWeys 7y ago
You don't see too much of that in Manhattan, because the sidewalks are so crowded with pedestrians that they're terrible places to be on a bike. But yes, in general, creating safe, protected bike lanes is an excellent way to increase safety for everyone. I've heard people complain about cyclists on the sidewalks in locations that lacked bike lanes and had speeding motor traffic, and the cyclist clearly felt unsafe riding in the road, hence the sidewalk was the least bad option. You can't be too mad at someone in that situation. It's like yelling at a pedestrian for walking on the side of the road on a road that lacks sidewalks (all too common in the suburbs). If you haven't made any accommodation for the cyclist at all (and increasingly, e-scooters, e-bikes, etc.), then don't be mad when they pick the lesser of two wrongs.
- bogomipz 7y ago
  >"You don't see too much of that in Manhattan," Uhm ... except for almost every single food delivery person. This has been an issue for a long time now as well: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-increase-fines-delivery-cyclists-ride-sidewalks-article-1.1086475 https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-increase-fines-del... And more recently with electric bikes as well: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/04/19/confronted-with-facts-de-blasio-still-insists-e-bikes-are-dangerous/ https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/04/19/confronted-with-facts...
  - CydeWeys 7y ago
    Delivery cyclists tend to only use the sidewalk for part of the last block when that's the only way to get to their destination. They're definitely not using the sidewalk for the entire trip; that's way too slow. Especially not on e-bikes!
    - bogomipz 7y ago
      They use it for a block in each direction - coming and going. Now multiply that by the number of delivery drivers and the number of deliveries and its actually quite constant, especially below 14th st. It's most certainly not necessary as they could just easily dismount on the street in front of the building. And yes often it is e-bikes and these are now the preferred delivery bike.
- baud147258 7y ago
  Well, in my commute before I moved closer to work, I had to cross a bridge, with sidewalks on each side of the bridge. One of the sidewalk is a bike lane, so completely separated from the road; I'd walk on the other sidewalk, as many other people do as it's between a subway and a tram stop. But then nearly everyday, there would be cyclist that couldn't be arsed to take their bike lane, preferring to zigzag between pedestrians.

You don't see too much of that in Manhattan, because the sidewalks are so crowded with pedestrians that they're terrible places to be on a bike. But yes, in general, creating safe, protected bike lanes is an excellent way to increase safety for everyone. I've heard people complain about cyclists on the sidewalks in locations that lacked bike lanes and had speeding motor traffic, and the cyclist clearly felt unsafe riding in the road, hence the sidewalk was the least bad option. You can't be too mad at someone in that situation. It's like yelling at a pedestrian for walking on the side of the road on a road that lacks sidewalks (all too common in the suburbs). If you haven't made any accommodation for the cyclist at all (and increasingly, e-scooters, e-bikes, etc.), then don't be mad when they pick the lesser of two wrongs.

bogomipz 7y ago
>"You don't see too much of that in Manhattan," Uhm ... except for almost every single food delivery person. This has been an issue for a long time now as well: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-increase-fines-delivery-cyclists-ride-sidewalks-article-1.1086475 https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-increase-fines-del... And more recently with electric bikes as well: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/04/19/confronted-with-facts-de-blasio-still-insists-e-bikes-are-dangerous/ https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/04/19/confronted-with-facts...
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  Delivery cyclists tend to only use the sidewalk for part of the last block when that's the only way to get to their destination. They're definitely not using the sidewalk for the entire trip; that's way too slow. Especially not on e-bikes!
  - bogomipz 7y ago
    They use it for a block in each direction - coming and going. Now multiply that by the number of delivery drivers and the number of deliveries and its actually quite constant, especially below 14th st. It's most certainly not necessary as they could just easily dismount on the street in front of the building. And yes often it is e-bikes and these are now the preferred delivery bike.
baud147258 7y ago
Well, in my commute before I moved closer to work, I had to cross a bridge, with sidewalks on each side of the bridge. One of the sidewalk is a bike lane, so completely separated from the road; I'd walk on the other sidewalk, as many other people do as it's between a subway and a tram stop. But then nearly everyday, there would be cyclist that couldn't be arsed to take their bike lane, preferring to zigzag between pedestrians.