NY Times Article about Bike Lanes

In this article, journalist Michael M. Grynbaum discusses the abuse that is prevalent in NYC's bike lanes. No, we're not talking about physical beatings or verbal berating going down in the lanes, but the lack of respect for which the lanes require to properly work. How many times have I been riding my bike in a bike lane and thought to myself, "I didn't know this was the old man pushing a shopping cart full of cans and bottles lane" or passed a delivery guy or a ding bat on her cell phone speeding down the lane in the wrong direction, forcing me to literally pull over to let them pass.

However, for all intents and purposes, the biggest violators of proper bike lane usage, by far, are pedestrians and drivers. As a long-time NYC bicyclist who rides on a daily basis as my main mode of transportation, I can ascertain that I see more people on foot or behind the wheel abusing bike lanes than bicyclists, themselves.

Read the article for yourself, and think about your own personal interaction with the lanes. Are you one of those careless bicyclists who pays no mind to the direction of the lane, or a jay walking pedestrian who cuts in the lane or between cars, causing thoughtless peril to others?

If so, it's really just as easy NOT to be.

I added a comment on the Times story, below, discussing how it is actually bicyclists who are more in danger than pedestrians and drivers in the bike lane abuse scenarios:

People are really anti-bicyclists in these comments, but bicyclists are at much more risk than pedestrians, car drivers and passengers, who are completely oblivious. Bicyclists' heads are on a swivel, they have to be - they have people walking out in front of them against lights or from in between parked cars, car doors coming at them, people turning cars into them while speeding around corners, and vehicles, delivery trucks, even cop cars parked in bike lanes, making bicyclists have to veer into the street in front of fast moving cars. Riding a bike in NYC is like a non-stop obstacle course navigating around people who don't give a crap about anyone but themselves. Bicycling in the city teaches people to be alert, aware and attentive to others, or else a cyclist will suffer physical consequences. That's a message all of society could benefit from.

Do you like boobs? Do you like bikes?

Then why not ride your bike to save some boobs?

The 4th Annual Brooklyn Breast Cancer Ride 2 Live is on Oct. 9, 2010. It sounds like a lot of fun, and we here at the Town Bicycle enjoy when people use their bicycles in an effort to better the world and help their fellow peeps. More details are below. If you've been meaning to go on a nice bike ride, here's your chance, and if you haven't, well just think of it this way -- you like boobs, right? I mean who doesn't? Well, do it for them.

What: 4th Annual Brooklyn Breast Cancer Ride 2 Live Motorcycle and Bicycle Ride

Where: Scenic ride through Brooklyn and ends with a party at MCU Park in Coney Island

When: Oct. 9, 2010, Motorcycles sign in at 9 am at BK Motorcycles, 3449 Hamilton Pkwy

Bicycles sign in at 11 am at Prospect Park 16th St. Safety Zone.

After party starts at 1:30 @ MCU Park at 1904 Surf Ave, Coney Island. Walk ins welcome.

How much: $20 per person or sponsor sheet covers entrance fee (contact to get forms)

For who: Money benefits Brooklyn Breast Cancer program at Maimonides Cancer Center

More info / to sponsor: Call 718-283-7041 or visit www.breastcancerride2live.com

If you attend this event, don't forget to send your photos to the Town Bicycle!

Mayor Takes A Spill, Gets A Clue

In an interesting turn of events, Mr. Mayor Villaraigosa of Los Angeles learned what it's really like to ride a bike on the mean streets of a city landscape. While riding in a bike lane, the mayor was cut off by a taxi cab (sound familiar?) and fell to the ground, breaking his elbow, reports the NY Times.

The Mayor had previously stated on a radio program that he came away from a conference in Copenhagen feeling he "needed to do more" in the arena of promoting bicycling as a form of clean transportation for the city of LA. Hey, better late than never.

Now all he has to do is figure out a way to get taxi drivers to stop driving like maniacs and get cops to ticket people parked in bike lanes, as well as encourage officers themselves, to park elsewhere.

An American Bicyclist in Florence

Dear society, please more playful public art and shame art. Thanks for this great photo from Les Passenger. It's so good.

FUN BIKE EVENT THIS SAT JUNE 19:

Bicycle Film Festival AFTER PARTY
celebrating GIRLS & BIKES (yay!)
Sat, June 19, 9 pm - 4 am
88 Palace
88 East Broadway

To follow the Bicycle Film Festival -- on Sat 12-7 at 2nd and 2nd there will also be a bike block party which will probably be a good place to find good looking peeps who like to ride bikes.

More info HERE

The invite boasts a visit from super tooled out ice cream truck "HEARTS CHALLENGER" -- you gotta see this thing! It's the 2nd best way to travel, besides a bike.

I'm going to ride my "brand new" (to me) yellow vintage Schwinn that my bf bought me for my birthday. What will YOU be riding?

FOR FUN: Here's a story from amNY featuring an interview with Michael Musto, another bike lover, talking about riding his bike around the city.