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Duchock t1_ivv9f1n wrote

I have experienced this for myself. Absolutely love it. These sidewalks are traditionally extremely crowded, especially when the theaters let out combined with construction making choke points, and the perpetual wallflowers.

Fewer cars in midtown is a win. Now we just need things worth walking to on 8th (read: please stop enabling my access to Wing Stop and Popeyes).

203

CactusBoyScout t1_ivw2wwz wrote

Manhattan’s sidewalks used to be wider. They were made narrower to fit more cars. Time to undo that stupid decision.

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DryGumby t1_ivwsz44 wrote

This is much needed in midtown. During rush hour you're just pushed into walking in the street or standing in stop and go pedestrian traffic.

14

CactusBoyScout t1_ivwt4sw wrote

Yeah it’s so ridiculous that sidewalks are completely overflowing while cars have as many lanes as a suburban highway.

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Wowzlul t1_iwaglq4 wrote

If I take a cab I'm always struck by how much more open the avenues feel. Even in midtown traffic there's ample space given for each car (with ~1.5 people per) to have a larger buffer on all sides than any pedestrian can enjoy.

You also get that impressive "canyon" look that's impossible from the sidewalks.

1

JadeandCobalt t1_ivve52w wrote

It’s definitely been a lot better with these changes. I used to avoid 8th Ave at all costs when I bike, but now I’ll cautiously take it (though I still prefer 6th Ave). The posts separating pedestrians from cyclists weren’t there when I last used it; those should hopefully help.

27

Methuga t1_ivwngfp wrote

Now if we could just get the dumbass cyclists who pretend like they have no idea the bike lanes shifted a lane to the right. I've almost been run more times since they made this shift than in the entire year before it.

8

Charlian64 t1_ivwqume wrote

Shout out to my new favorite sandwich spot in the background of this shot, Al Antico Vinao. Incredibly tasty Italian meats and cheeses, if a touch pricy (what isn't around there).

2

halermine t1_ivyzbv9 wrote

For how good they are, they’re not even over priced

2

iliveoffofbagels t1_ivv5qnd wrote

I'm actually surprised to see people walking in the area between the bike lane and the side walk. There is an area east of Penn... probably going down 34th... that has and entirely protected area for pedestrians on the street, but everybody was just crowding on the side walk. I guess more pedestrian street space for me. It was like heaven carrying a roller bag and having to deal with zero people as i was walking through quickly.

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ABrusca1105 t1_ivwevd8 wrote

I don't think people realize it's sidewalk.

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Methuga t1_ivwnmwg wrote

That's definitely what it is. When the change first happened, you'd see everyone still crowded on the regular sidewalk, then one brave soul would confidently step out and walk, then you would see more people slowly file out onto the new lane behind him/her. Not everyone's gotten the hang of it, but at least between 40th and 50th, it's pretty well used now

23

ericje t1_ivwvkmb wrote

They should make it an actual sidewalk. In some places it's very easy for bikes to bike there, which they'll do if pedestrians are blocking the actual bike path. Like in front of the New Yorker hotel, where they designed it such that people get out of cabs right on the bike path 🙄.

2

mapoftasmania t1_ivy1dxy wrote

They can’t. FDNY and other first responders need to be able to pull in there if there is a fire/emergency.

2

huebomont t1_ivylajn wrote

They absolutely can widen sidewalks (in many cases the current sidewalks are far narrower than they used to be.) Plenty of streets way narrower than this. FDNY’s guidance isn’t based on anything but being too lazy to analyze in detail any real potential problems and taking the shortcut of “the status quo needs to stay the same”.

The intent with all painted sidewalk space is that it’s a footprint for future capital projects to build in concrete with a curb. The city just doesn’t have the money to do it because pouring a little concrete costs a billion dollars here thanks to corruption and graft.

3

sammo62 t1_ivxt089 wrote

I walk that street every day and I only just realized from this comment…

2

andyman234 t1_ivwfhu5 wrote

Almost got hit by a jackass on a moped in that area. A lot of bikers, scooters, etc run through that area.

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huebomont t1_ivyky3o wrote

that’s on 32nd and it’s terribly designed, they sectioned it off with planters so it looks like you’re not supposed to go into it.

5

coaster29 t1_ivwahvq wrote

Maybe if these become more commonplace, people will get used to it and fill up the space?

4

DeathPercept10n t1_ivxzvm4 wrote

This was great for when I go food shopping. Don't gotta worry about maneuvering through a bunch of idiots stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk while I'm carrying like 5 bags of groceries.

3

_allycat t1_iw8r9v9 wrote

Lots of confused tourists. Some areas are definitely more clear also like the spaces with tables and chairs. Doesn't help with confusion or feeling safe when bike's commonly ride through.

3

The_Wee t1_ivy8cx1 wrote

I have seen this behavior even during quieter times at street fairs. I a walking up Lexington in the middle of the empty/barricaded street. People still walking on the sidewalks.

2

P0stNutClarity t1_ivv4e07 wrote

Do third avenue next!

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York_Villain t1_ivw2wvf wrote

That's already been approved and in very very preliminary phases. It'll look just like 1st and 2nd avenues. If I remember correctly though, it'll run from 59th street and up. I guess it's because of the Queensboro lanes that are there.

Manhattan needs better crosstown bike lanes running from east to west. Off the top of my head, I don't know of any that are protected.

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analog_x700 t1_ivv5uvk wrote

Looks nice! Will they extend the sidewalk as well?

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CactusBoyScout t1_ivw33y1 wrote

Yeah all of the recent changes to NY’s streets that take space back from cars have been done in temporary ways (paint, plastic bollards, temp barriers, plastic planters). It’s like they want the next mayor to undo it.

2

brianvan t1_ivwaxd5 wrote

It’s not the reason.

If it becomes the kind of project where they have to relocate physical parts of the street itself (rather than things painted on, bolted on or plopped down) it becomes a giant, unwieldy thing requiring NYC’s capital construction agency to step in, plus the underground utilities to be accounted for (and relocated when needed; if you have to move sewers, you also have to touch phone lines, gas lines, electric lines, steam lines, maybe even subway infra)

Such a project takes years to budget and execute.

I believe “things should be different” but it’s a system that includes century-old pipes and telecom stuff dating back older than any of us, and it’s always been extremely poorly organized, and there’s strong political resistance to fixing it (the utility companies are private-sector corporations that cooperate very poorly with public-sector interests & are governed by Albany) so its never going to be easy or cheap to dig up, regrade and reconfigure a Manhattan roadway.

In light of this, DOT’s approach is reasonable.

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CactusBoyScout t1_ivwcb21 wrote

I understand it’s complicated and costly. But they did it in Times Square and they could at least announce plans or intentions to do it other places.

It’s fine if their current approach is meant to be some temporary test. But once they’re done testing these things and haven’t found any big issues they should move on to planning something more permanent like an actual widening of the sidewalk.

Otherwise we end up with situations like the Willoughby Open Street where some powerful city insider got all the barriers removed one day with no input from anyone and it took a big public outcry to bring them back. Real physical changes are much harder to undo on a whim.

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brianvan t1_ivwczgq wrote

The Times Square thing was not done as a fully permanent installation on the first run. What was done in the end was EXPENSIVE (tens of millions) and still isn’t perfect (bike lane sucks) and is still getting substantially dug up and rebuilt often (subway entrance expansion at 42nd). It’s good that they did it… but it sops up a discouraging amount of money to do things like that. Madison Square/Flatiron, reconfigured years ago, is still mostly paint + plastic + original curbs.

But you’re right; permanent changes should be budgeted now. If they’re not, it’ll take much longer to get to the point that you can do them (the construction itself goes pretty quickly; all the preparation takes forever)

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CactusBoyScout t1_ivwdgai wrote

Yeah it just feels like this massive tease that they gave Times Square such a nice, permanent, pedestrian-focused redesign more than a decade ago and really haven’t done anything like it since in other places. Just plastic bollards and paint for the most part.

4

brianvan t1_ivwdo5x wrote

And to think the Times Square changes had lots of opponents! Incredible that opponents making the same hollow, vicious arguments still get projects scaled back or spiked

5

lbrtsn t1_ivweez9 wrote

Wow an actual informative reasonable back and forth discussion about street design on the internet

3

bottom t1_ivv7jgw wrote

awesome !!!

love seeing positive changes.

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stillstriving21 t1_ivv9h05 wrote

can confirm, the normally awful walk from my grand central-area office to port authority is SO much better because of this walkway. usually it's so full of tourists who don't know where they're going.

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orgoworgo t1_ivw7f4n wrote

Woah this is actually improving my life, which one of my elected representatives was responsible for this?

21

eekamuse t1_ivz5iy1 wrote

Good question. We give them hell for the things we hate. We need to give them props for this. And more importantly, vote for them, so they keep doing good things.

I'm in awe. It's just so good.

14th street is great, but no bike lane. Now this. Keep it going NYC

3

TeamMisha t1_ivvek45 wrote

I am still salty they did not do capital improvements and physically widen the sidewalk.......... but it's better now so I gotta take it as a small victory lol. I do LOVE that now the bike lane is not in the gutter too, and though the flexible delineators are garbage hey it's something for now

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TheNormalAlternative t1_ivvfuop wrote

I give it a week until trucks are parked in the "extended sidewalk"

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Mdayofearth t1_ivvv2r4 wrote

No, that's strictly for police parking only.

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ABrusca1105 t1_ivwf4n4 wrote

Police parking is the bike lane. Truck parking is the sidewalk.

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Mdayofearth t1_ivwj06y wrote

No, trucks double park on a one-way, one-lane street, that's tradition.

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simcitymayor t1_ivxzbox wrote

The red zone is for loading and unloading only, there is no parking in the red zone.

1

Mdayofearth t1_ivvuzuz wrote

Now, how do we get bikers to stop biking in the pedestrian space, in the wrong direction; and get pedestrians from standing in the bike lane waiting for the light to change.

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BasedAlliance935 t1_ivw2yw5 wrote

Honestly they should've used some of that extra pedestrian space and made an extra bike lane so that it could be a full 2-way bike lane

4

ABrusca1105 t1_ivwf9oz wrote

I never understand why they must make all the bicycles go the same way as cars. Many bicyclists will just not go over an entire avenue just to go a certain direction. There's plenty of space for two lanes.

1

Mdayofearth t1_ivwiyhe wrote

Talk to the state legislature. Bikes must obey the same traffic laws as cars. Some bike riders just don't give a shit.

2

OverlordXenu t1_ivx1nse wrote

that doesn't mean the bike lanes have to follow car traffic. there are plenty of two-way bike lanes, and even bike lanes that flow against car traffic.

seems like there was enough space here for a two-way bike lane, which means you'd have fewer people salmoning.

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Warpedme t1_ivy2uoe wrote

Bikes and every other form of vehicle should be required to go in the direction of traffic only. So on a one way street, they could only go that one way. By all means, if there's that much bike congestion, add a second lane just make sure it follows the same one ways as every other vehicle is required and also make sure there are traffic cops ready to physically tackle and ticket anyone going the wrong way.

1

NYST8 t1_ivvpmj3 wrote

MoARRRR!

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nyxnars t1_ivv5yk0 wrote

8th Ave is the black hole of midtown lol

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Mdayofearth t1_ivwj3pi wrote

A lot of that has to do with how shitty the PABT building is, the ramps behind it don't help at all.

2

Interesting_Banana25 t1_ivvsfxt wrote

It’s amazing to see old pictures of traffic in Manhattan and see how much better things are now.

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kd10023 t1_ivvh0tm wrote

As a bus driver this change is absolutely terrible

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SolitaryMarmot t1_ivvrwc8 wrote

They should cut it down to one lane for cars and make the other a dedicated bus lane

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Warpedme t1_ivy20wh wrote

And increase tolls for cars everywhere there are tolls in the city, And increase traffic police enforcement of all road laws for both private cars, commercial vehicles, scooters bikes and every other vehicle. Fines should be changed to a percentage of last year's income as reported on their tax return so they punish everyone equally.

If they dedicate the extra income from just those for public transit, we could all ride free on our new mag Lev subways.

2

tonka737 t1_ivz80uv wrote

At that point its barely a public road and the onus should be on public transit to pay for roads via fare hikes.

0

silenc3x t1_ivw00wh wrote

Need bollards or something to prevent cars driving down it, not plastic ones. But it's certainly looking great so far.

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nickthib t1_ivw2qkb wrote

Hopefully those flexposts are stronger than the ones on Queens blvd, because drivers have flattened about half of them where I live.

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aforty t1_ivw9fkm wrote

Oh, it’s beautiful.

4

Grass8989 t1_ivv5aeh wrote

What’s the point of having a micromobilityNYC sub when everything just gets reposted here?

3

Miser OP t1_ivv7nfm wrote

I'll answer this genuinely. In the sub, we have many more posts, and great discussion, on a huge range of topics, and lots of them are little things only people genuinely interested in r/MicromobilityNYC topics would care about. Lots of things only sort of related to NYC, like design practices and news from other global cities on how they are implementing bike lanes and other bike infrastructure, and general urbanist things as well. Lots of these are of interest to the people genuinely fascinated with this stuff and never get reposted here, but then there is some stuff that is uniquely NYC related news and of general interest that an average, non bike or urbanist type person would still want to see. (Which is unarguably true, given how well these posts here in r/nyc too.)

This gives a lot of people what they want. People with a greater interest in how the city is evolving can join micromobilityNYC, people who aren't aware there are communities for this stuff and would be interested can get exposed to it occasionally, and people with only a passing interest can get the highlights of NYC centric stuff here.

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unndunn t1_ivvdlsh wrote

> occasionally

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

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koreamax t1_ivvke7h wrote

You guys are extremely biased and down vote anything that opposes your view even if it's a factual objection

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Miser OP t1_ivvkicz wrote

Such as?

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koreamax t1_ivvkrd7 wrote

Such as what? Anything criticizing bikers is immediately destroyed by down votes

−4

Miser OP t1_ivvlyhw wrote

I mean yeah, there are 1.6 million people that ride micromobility here in the city, over a million that ride it regularly. Would you say something like "every time I attack pedestrians I'm downvoted, it's so unfair."

We already have to put up with enough bs and are not interested in hearing your petty little complaints about how your neighborhood lost 3 parking spots out of thousands to make a bike lane or whatever. I assume that's what your complaint is since you've actually provided no "factual statements."

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koreamax t1_ivvm4iy wrote

Lol here we go..

0

billiam632 t1_ivvpomf wrote

Don't say here we go if you aren't going to even offer up any valid criticism other than "you won't let me criticize you loudly"

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koreamax t1_ivvpypp wrote

So, hey. I don't mean to sound rude but you're making this the epitome of a comment section is micro mobility. A reason I criticized it initially and didn't buy the inclusiveness in the previous comment

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York_Villain t1_ivw3dlz wrote

I mean.....you're entering into a biker's discussion to criticize bikers. What did you expect them to do?

1

Grass8989 t1_ivvfie3 wrote

Maybe a micromobility megathread is due then! Could have all of these discussions in centralized thread instead of all over the place.

−6

GentleShiv t1_ivvipld wrote

Yeah, gotta clear some space for more useless posts about politics and crime

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Grass8989 t1_ivvljtq wrote

Don’t forget the artwork! And crime has had a megathread now for the past few weeks so no need to worry about that!

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mission17 t1_ivw3dwc wrote

God forbid the design of the city gets discussed in a sub about the city. The horror.

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George4Mayor86 t1_ivvzbcp wrote

Because public space is important and effects everyone?

I’ve used scooters precisely zero times in New York but I still like seeinkore options.

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chargeorge t1_ivva2b7 wrote

Even the hashtag the war on cars needs a staging area

−4

unndunn t1_ivve0h5 wrote

Easy karma farming from the self-styled "urbanists" of r/nyc. Despite the fact that Miser is a hypocrite--constantly railing against car owners despite being one themselves.

−4

weezy22 t1_ivvgdbw wrote

I own a car and am also for better bike lanes and ped areas. It's not a black and white issue.

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unndunn t1_ivvjynu wrote

That isn't their position. Their position is that all car drivers in NYC are stupid, ignorant pricks and everything would be so much better if they ditched their cars and started biking everywhere. But not Miser though; it's okay for them to keep their car because they need it for... reasons. As if the people they routinely criticize don't have reasons of their own.

−2

mission17 t1_ivw3mxe wrote

Very few things are more paranoid than a car owner in a thread about bike lanes on /r/nyc, that’s for sure.

0

unndunn t1_ivw40yb wrote

Sure, and one of those things is a cyclist in r/nyc or r/nycbike.

1

Miser OP t1_ivvjn3y wrote

Yeah that's why we want to improve the city's walking and cycling. For that sweet reddit karma. You got us.

Hey, what does it tell you that these ideas are such a reliable "karma farm?" Why is it I never see you out there making content for reddit about how we should rip up bike lanes and sidewalks for more car lanes? I hear a lot of complaining from you and a handful of others about how we want to improve the city but we literally never hear your vision. What is it, cars from one building's wall to the other?

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BasedAlliance935 t1_ivw4k69 wrote

Quick question, what rule did i break that got me perma-banned off the sub?

−1

unndunn t1_ivvml2c wrote

lol, you don’t propose any ideas either. You just bitch and moan using sanctimonious language to criticize car owners for holding back what you deem as progress. Much like all the other “urbanists” whose only idea is “cars = bad”. And the rest of r/NYC laps it up because it’s easy to criticize a class you don’t belong to.

−4

billiam632 t1_ivvpxbi wrote

I am in the car owning class and I can say micromobility is fantastic. Cities should be designed for pedestrians and suburbs for cars.

Also I see plenty of ideas being proposed in the micromobility sub

10

unndunn t1_ivvw17w wrote

There’s always a half-dozen people who pop up to say “I own a car and I think bikes are great”, as if that somehow refutes anything. Newsflash: I own a car and I want better bike infrastructure as well.

The difference is I don’t look at cars and their owners like they’re some kind of diseased lepers who must be vilified and bled dry, if not exterminated altogether.

4

breadman1010wins t1_ivvyhc0 wrote

Cope

−7

unndunn t1_ivw3ibm wrote

I'm not the one constantly whining about cars on Reddit.

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breadman1010wins t1_ivw4l9s wrote

Yes you are, just in favor of cars lmao is this parody

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unndunn t1_ivw4qkv wrote

Who made this thread? 😂

5

breadman1010wins t1_ivw4tje wrote

You know other people can look and see all your comments right

5

unndunn t1_ivw57ve wrote

And where in there do you see me making thread after thread whining the way you people whine about cars?

5

unndunn t1_ivw60jc wrote

Someone asked about why this sub gets spammed with micromobilitynyc shit all the time. I responded. Of course, you people can’t handle getting called out. 😂

5

breadman1010wins t1_ivwayd5 wrote

This is called coping bro lmao why are you embarrassing yourself like this

6

unndunn t1_ivwc6wk wrote

Ok, you’ve said “coping” like half a dozen times in this thread. Do you actually have anything substantive to say, or should I just block you right now and move on with my life?

5

breadman1010wins t1_ivwci5v wrote

Yeah drivers are coping, that’s not really debatable lmao man you’re dumb huh

5

breadman1010wins t1_ivw5ieg wrote

Why do you cry in every one? It’s just news guy. They changed 8th ave and it’s great, sorry no one cares about your opinion but you’ll have to find a better way to cope

4

billiam632 t1_ivwlmct wrote

I was directly addressing

>because it’s easy to criticize a class you don’t belong to.

1

09-24-11 t1_ivvnbdy wrote

I own a car and also support a more pedestrian and bike friendly city. I even support making it more difficult to own a car and support a tax on car owners even if it harms my own self interest.

It’s almost like you have have multiple views at once.

6

arsbar t1_ivvwpom wrote

A tax on cars might not even hurt your own self-interest if you’re willing to pay a bit for less traffic (classic example of a pigouvian tax).

−3

freeradicalx t1_ivvwcmo wrote

Holy crap. I regret moving away before this happened. This was always in like my top three highest priority bike infra improvements for the whole city. Congratulations, it's been a long time coming!

Though I would give it about two weeks before 50% of those outside bollards are gone.

3

ardvarkforce t1_ivw4b5e wrote

Looks like a solid improvement, although I would have preferred additional sidewalk as well. Driving a bus would probably suck though, they need way more dedicated space than they're currently allotted.

3

GoddamntCharlie t1_ivwdqdm wrote

So if there was enough traffic to fill 5 lanes, where is it going to go with only 2 lanes?

3

FarFromSane_ t1_ivxu2so wrote

Oh man what about all the cars that use Broadway! What about all the cars that used to use the (now bike lane) lane on the Brooklyn Bridge! What about all the cars that use all the lanes on 1st Ave, 2nd Ave, 3rd Ave, 5th Ave, 6th Ave, Lexington, Madison! We can’t possibly add bike lanes, bus lanes, and more pedestrian space in exchange for some car lanes! What about all the cars that use the elevated West Side Highway! What about all the cars that drive through Central Park! Obviously once space has been surrendered to cars it can never ever be taken back, that’s unthinkable. (everything mentioned here was not for cars, then given to cars, then taken back)

5

tonka737 t1_ivz8ac7 wrote

As long as they don't try to slap more fees onto cars idc what they do with that space. The people using it should be the ones funding it.

1

Warpedme t1_ivy30i5 wrote

Hopefully to park and take public transit or ride a bike. Manhattan should have been closed to private vehicles decades ago

2

weewcy t1_ivwmkgk wrote

I ride a bike on the 8th almost every day and while it’s still not perfect, the bike lane helps a lot.

3

TwilitSky t1_ivv4vhq wrote

The bikes and scooters seem riskier than the cars at this point.

2

[deleted] t1_ivv9b2a wrote

[deleted]

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TwilitSky t1_ivv9p8b wrote

Is it? People aren't following traffic laws going the wrong way and cutting off pedestrians with walk signals, riding in designated zones (gtfo the sidewalk!) and seem to have zero regard for pedestrians not even slowing at intersections. All of this often on motorized devices that can do plenty of damage in their own right.

−2

beagle_bathouse t1_ivvb0ec wrote

> Is it? People aren't following traffic laws going the wrong way and cutting off pedestrians with walk signals, riding in designated zones

Bro have you seen driving in NY?

9

[deleted] t1_ivva79s wrote

[deleted]

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billiam632 t1_ivvq4di wrote

I don't really see the point in this. Can't someone say that bikers are notorious for refusing to follow even the most basic of traffic laws all around nyc without someone pointing to cars as well? Yes we all know cars are terrible for the city but bikers need to follow the rules and stop putting themselves at risk.

2

[deleted] t1_ivvqb4l wrote

[deleted]

3

billiam632 t1_ivwlpo7 wrote

But it is bad when people do that. Why would you just handwave criticism like that?

1

[deleted] t1_ivwnung wrote

[deleted]

1

billiam632 t1_ivwonrv wrote

Except I cannot understand someone who takes additional effort to actually dismiss someone who is getting upset about it. That is the mind of someone who I cannot understand whatsoever.

Like okay you think I am being dramatic. What does that make you?

1

[deleted] t1_ivwp3p1 wrote

[deleted]

3

billiam632 t1_ivwpnzr wrote

Doesn't take additional effort for me to state that people on bikes should follow the rules of the road to prevent accidents. Sooo controversial I know.

1

TwilitSky t1_ivvb78r wrote

Alright, fair.

We do need to get both under control, though.

I personally know way too many people with injuries from bikes and scooters.

1

SuckMyBike t1_ivvdwmd wrote

As a Belgian, that is heavily involved in alternative mobility advocacy, I can tell you, everyone everywhere complains about the behavior of road users in their city.

NYC, LA, Houston, Toronto, London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, ... Heck, even in my small Belgian city with a 100k population people think we have the worst road users.

Cars complain about cyclists. Cyclists complain about cars. Everywhere.

Studies (both in the EU and the US) that look at how often both drivers and cyclists break the law consistently find that they break the law at the same rate. Being a driver or a cyclist doesn't make one more prone to breaking the law. It's all just confirmation bias.

Turns out, it's just assholes being assholes. Someone who breaks the law while driving isn't going to magically behave when on a bicycle. And vice versa.

The Dutch realized this many decades ago already. So they decided to apply the logic "if people are going to break the law anyway, it's best if they're on a bicycle, not in a car".

After all, a cyclist breaking the law and hitting a pedestrian is bad. But the pedestrian likely lives to rant about it.
But a car driver breaking the law and hitting a pedestrian? High likelihood that pedestrian doesn't live to tell the tale.

16

freeradicalx t1_ivvy1cd wrote

The solution is to formalize accommodations for motorized micro-mobility. Scooters and ebikes and mopeds exist, and they are very well-adapted for city travel, so we need to give them designated street space if mixing them with other traffic is dangerous.

1

beagle_bathouse t1_ivvax65 wrote

Whats the body count on bikes/scooter vs cars?

spoilers, cars have it by magnitudes. Even when adjusted per vehicle capita.

10

TeamMisha t1_ivvec68 wrote

Would you prefer to be hit by a multi-ton vehicle or a 120 lb girl on a scooter, the risk of each mode of operation becomes clear quite quickly :)

6

TwilitSky t1_ivvf29k wrote

Sure but it doesn't mean we shouldn't control both to prevent accidents. We can do two things at once.

4

Miser OP t1_ivvgz36 wrote

Building bike lanes to get all the bikes and other micromobility into the same place on the street is literally a form of controlling them and making things safer for everyone.

The point is if you replace something very dangerous and harmful with something that is only a tiny bit harmful it's a huge net win safety wise.

12

George4Mayor86 t1_ivvzgtt wrote

Getting bumped by a 140 pound guy on a scooter is much, much preferable to getting killed by an idiot texting and speeding in a multi-ton car.

Yes we should enforce good street use on smaller vehicles, but in terms of potential for injury it’s apples and oranges.

1

Warpedme t1_ivy1bax wrote

While I completely agree with your point I'm laughing at "140lb guy". That's like a preteen weight. Adult men are going to be 150 minimum for a super skinny dude and a fit or chubby guy will be ~200lbs.

1

zeno t1_ivvwef9 wrote

That was the dreaded Port Authority pedestrian commuting artery. The sheer volume of people walking south made cycling uptown almost impossible at rush hour. Good job DOT

2

Palaiologos77 t1_ivwfevm wrote

The changes on Lexington have been nice too.

2

BasedAlliance935 t1_ivvhr3a wrote

They couldn't have used some of that extra walk space to ceeate a 2 way bike path?

1

York_Villain t1_ivw3oad wrote

I don't know. Unless it's really well spaced out like it is along the west side highway, I hate two way bike lanes. They're cramped as fuck and kind of scary.

Plus....a lot of people aren't 'trained' to look both ways at a one-way intersection.

3

ericje t1_ivwwi2b wrote

They could have a bike path going north on the east side of 8th ave and a bike path going south on the west side of 8th ave.

1

York_Villain t1_ivw2pwd wrote

/u/Miser

Is there chatter about how to regulate batteries? I don't want a manual bike. Currently the #1 thing holding me back from buying an ebike is the worry that my building will up and disallow them. Traveling on an ebike in protected or semi-protected bike lanes is so damn nice.

1

Miser OP t1_ivw5obb wrote

Unfortunately the battery issue might be a little beyond my area of expertise. I attended an event a little while back with a Council Member that talked a bit about how the City Council was very aware of it, and also most members weren't in favor of any legislation to prohibit personal electric vehicles, or for allowing city agencies to do that. (Especially since so many industry/delivery and working class people and jobs depend on it now.) But they also didn't really have any answers.

So the government probably isn't our problem, and it's also probably not individual buildings or landlords we have to worry about but actually insurance companies that may force them to act. Frankly I have no idea how this is going to play out, but I have a feeling there will be pretty stringent certifications coming for batteries, which would be good. We just need to get a few years down the road and let the industry mature and fix the issue like they did for other Lithium ion products that used to have this problem and keep any bans to a minimum, and also remind people that fires with personal electric vehicles even now are very rare, and when they do happen its not really happening to high end ebikes or scooters, it's happening to the really cheap mopeds and ebikes whose manufacturers cut corners.

2

Patrick_Sazey t1_ivxyy7t wrote

Now bikes have a superhighway sidewalk to ride on.

1

DaBrooklynGirl t1_ivzqyxi wrote

Anyone know why individual mopeds don’t seem to need license plates? I was almost run last night on Vessey by a delivery guy who paused across the cross walk and the took off cussin me for being in a pedestrian lane that clearly instructs bicycles and rollerbladers to”Yield to Pedestrians”. When I turned to try and catch his plates his moped had none.

1

WTC-NWK t1_ivzzrii wrote

Still ugly as fuck, like most areas of midtown

0

turndownfortheclap t1_ivwmwcb wrote

Shall we give Eric Adams some props yet? Or is he still our least favorite black nyc mayor

−3

cdavidg4 t1_ivxyq8h wrote

Phase 1 and 2 of this project were started under DeBlasio. Phase 3 under Adams was a continuation. Neither really had any input or "made" it happen. It's all done by DOT staff.

3

turndownfortheclap t1_iw0xus5 wrote

Just the double standard that if this wasn’t done, someone would say “Adams is useless. There’s still no bike lane”

1

Kongressman t1_ivwyiqw wrote

Great, now there’s only two lanes of traffic for first responders like firefighters and ambulances…

Honestly, r/micromobilitynyc is so toxic. Let’s see all those cycling advocates praising bike lanes when it’s 10F with snow. How are you going to solve that problem when the snow trucks can’t even get in to clear it???

−3

surpdawg t1_ivvupfg wrote

This is stupid. We need to eliminate sidewalks and raise the speeding limit to 55.

−9

BasedAlliance935 t1_ivw34ja wrote

At that point (assuming the whole thing wasn't just converted to a parkway or highway), i think it would be more of a danger to drivers then pedestrians or cyclists

0

MantisAnt14 t1_ivv5a6r wrote

Cyclists in NYC have death wishes.

−15

bradbikes t1_ivvma88 wrote

"you're crazy for wanting to ride a bike in NYC" "OK let's improve bike infrastructure so that it's less crazy" "how dare you."

13

MantisAnt14 t1_ivvmezn wrote

You do realize you’re writing out a dialogue that never happened, right?

−5

bradbikes t1_ivvn078 wrote

Eh it's a daily conversation on this subreddit... or really any us-centric bicycling subreddit.

5

sanjsrik t1_ivv3wwy wrote

So, a place only tourists and rich folks will use?

−31

Miser OP t1_ivv4k8a wrote

You are aware us normal new yorkers use sidewalks right? Especially the one just outside penn station, the port authority, and the garden. Right?

24

[deleted] t1_ivv9g7r wrote

[deleted]

21

Miser OP t1_ivvaeb0 wrote

I can't wait until I can scrape together enough beggin' change to buy me some walking credits

6

beagle_bathouse t1_ivvb9ay wrote

I can't wait until I'm poor enough to be able to afford a $20,000 car plus gas plus insurance plus maintenance plus parking. Until then I guess my rich ass is walking/biking/taking the subway.

/s

10

Red__dead t1_ivvj6t7 wrote

>So, a place only tourists and rich folks will use?

Lol, between "only the rich can walk" and "you're just jealous you're to poor to own a car", between "we need fewer bike lanes to reduce traffic" and "my elderly one-legged nan needs to drive to midtown on a weekly basis to move her furniture" - these carbrains are really starting to lose the plot over these positive changes.

Get some fresh air away from sitting in traffic huffing exhaust fumes 3 hours a day, it might do you guys some good.

7

York_Villain t1_ivw3xkj wrote

lmao. New Yorkers walk, homie. Go to your home in /r/Nebraska

6

sanjsrik t1_ivw5snx wrote

You mean where you don't have to see any homeless people and can be in Disney?

0