Comments on: The Prospect Park West Family Bike Ride

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 18:03:00 +0000

The arguments about the safety, traffic, and configuration of the bike lane just go around and around indefinitely. None of these things are what the lane opponents are really concerned about. By any objective measure or logical reasoning, the lane is a net benefit to the community, and is supported accordingly. This has almost nothing to do with transportation, or bikes.

The real issue is an existential fear of change: young families moving to the neighborhood from outside, loss of long standing cultural identities, economic uncertainty, demographic and political shifts, and a passing of political clout from the patrician old guard to a new generation. None of these things can be resisted or stopped, but the bike lane is a tangible symbol of the future that can be opposed in attempt to freeze time and cling to the "good old days." The city has been changing since the Dutch got here, and it will continue to change. If it can happen in a way that makes it more enjoyable, cleaner, and sustainable, then so much the better.

By: Markchapman

Markchapman — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:29:00 +0000

I think it is a Kidztandem from http://www.browncycles.com/

By: Mostaza2002

Mostaza2002 — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:02:00 +0000

Can anyone tell me what the name brand of the tandem bicycle at 1:54 is. I would love to know because I already have a Bike Friday, but my wife cannot see past me sitting at the rear, and she does not feel comfortable riding a bike of her own.

By: MO

MO — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:17:00 +0000

I use my bike to commute. Shifting the bike lane into the park isn't the answer. I definitely would NOT feel safe riding through Prospect Park at 9:00 pm in the dark to get home for a variety of reasons! As a regular user of the PPW bike lane I've witnessed the traffic calming effects and am in complete favor of it. But if I am really missing something, I'd like to be aware of it. Senna, what is your source for the information that the PPW bike lane is increasing accidents and injuries?

But also, now that you mention it, maybe utilizing the sidewalk space would be a good idea. That sidewalk is so wide that there is ample room to have a regular sized sidewalk hugging the park, then carve out the 2-way bike lane from the rest of the sidewalk.

By: johanna

johanna — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:26:00 +0000

it seems like the only sure way to get in the Times is to make sure the NY1 is there. They have email and tip lines -- did anyone reach out to them?

By: johanna

johanna — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Did you see Chris Owens and his son? He was present and enthusiastic to boot.

By: dporpentine

dporpentine — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Gah! Where's the Times article on this? I gave them extra day and everything . . . but, no, they ignored it since, I mean, let's face it, in New York you can get 750 people show up to demonstrate in favor of something every . . . ten years or so.

By: HamTech87

HamTech87 — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Allowing an 8 year old to ride on a Class Two bike lane would likely lead to a child protection worker visit to the family.

By: Eric McClure

Eric McClure — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:33:00 +0000

By the way, Brad Lander is a Livable Streets hero. Where were all the other electeds?

By: Chicken Underwear

Chicken Underwear — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:35:00 +0000

The opposition does not have kids.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:54:00 +0000

I want to interview the opposition. and we'll give them a choice..

Their kids can ride in a class 1 lane on PPW, or a painted line on Eighth avenue.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:52:00 +0000

>the bike lobby

LOL

By: Karen Moorhead

Karen Moorhead — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Love it from Ann Arbor, MI. Where can you get the t shirts?

By: Driver

Driver — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:29:00 +0000

The pot parade to Washington SQ?

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:07:00 +0000

@Car Free Nation,

Double-parking is not Senna's problem. He share's a PPW driveway with Lois Carswell. He appears to have been had by the sue-the-safety, sue-your-neighbor, sue-the-kids lobby. Either that, or he's part of it.

By: Chicken Underwear

Chicken Underwear — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:56:00 +0000

What a terrible way to report the news

http://www.news12.com/articleDetail.jsp?articleId=278744&position=1&news_type=news

What is a bike run?

By: Mr Bad Example

Mr Bad Example — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Clarence--
The real kicker was that Brooklyn Cable 12's headline was 'dozens of bikers take to the streets'. I watched in horror as they kept repeating this and showing one or two cyclists at a time on the path.

By: Ty

Ty — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:43:00 +0000

I'd love to see this data... because it doesn't exist.

By: car free nation

car free nation — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Senna,

When I see comments like yours, I wonder "Why does this nice person want to kill me and my daughter?" It's as if you feel that an extra parking space, and the right to double park, is more important than the safety of my family.

I think if you look deep in your heart, you'll realize that the heart of your complaint is not safety, but your convenience. Or if it is safety, it's safety for a narrowly defined set of people.

In any case, please, so you can live with a good conscious, give up the fight. Because if this bike lane goes away, and someone else like my friend John, who was killed by a car on 8th avenue while riding in an unprotected lane (before the ppw lane), dies, it's going to be on your head.

By: Clarence Eckerson Jr.

Clarence Eckerson Jr. — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Folks. There are nearly 400 Streetfilms. Almost 5 years of doing this. 3.5 million plays of our videos in that time. And today at 11 AM was the most-visited hour in Streetfilms history!!! But not to be outdone, looks like it will be topped during the noon hour. This might continue all day, it is gonna be a record day, the press really missed a story here (as usual.)

Note: Vimeo takes quite a while to transfer the numbers over. We are well over 1,000 plays already.