Conde Nast offers employees the opportunity to lock up thier bikes in a rack in the truck bays. It's actually super convenient and let's you feel your bike is secure.

I don't know why the parking garages don't set aside space for cyclists. I would definitely pay a small fee to be sure my bike is locked in a safe place like a garage. They could dedicate one wall and probably make a few extra bucks.

This is one of my issues with those advocating for more bicycle riding in the city-- more bicycles means we need to create more places for people to store them.

Unlike walking or using public transportation, bikes DO need to be parked someplace. A parked bike does take up less room than a car, but it needs to be chained up to something (and becomes a nuisance when it is stripped and abandoned).

Granted, of all the problems with bicycles, this is probably the most easy to address is if the public will is there. One possible solution is, as MT suggests, having parking garages set aside some space. Maybe even an occassional parking spot can be set aside for bicycles, with some kind of metering system similar to cars, and ticketing for bicycles that obstruct pedestrians when chained to public signs, etc. Of course, the inability to simply leave a bicycle anyplace starts to cut into the freedom and convenience of using a bicycle to begin with.

Still, my biggest problem with bicycles is safety-- many are a menace to pedestrians, and pose a danger to the bicycle rider themselves, as whenever a bike and a pet/truck/bus/car collide, the rider is going to lose.

Despite my reservations, maybe someone can come up with a creative way to allow peaceful coexistence between pedestrians, bicycles and cars. Maybe create a bicycle-only roadway around the perimeter of the city, or try designating one of the avenues as a bicycle only route (with lights of course, to allow crosstown traffic).

I actually do like riding a bike, but would never encourage a friend to do it in NYC -- even with those little bike paths on the street, it's just too dangerous.

"Bicycles are not permitted inside, for the safety of all our tenants and visitors.”

Uhh...it's a bike, not a bomb.

I like that bike shelter.

What would the city say to another 1,000 racks free of charge? (including installation)

I for one would like to dedicate a bike rack to the city. In return, I would ask for a small plaque on the bike rack for my dedication.

I bet there are other people, in NYC and around the world, who would like to express their love of NYC and bike riding in the same way.

eyekantspel wrote:

Still, my biggest problem with bicycles is safety-- many are a menace to pedestrians, and pose a danger to the bicycle rider themselves, as whenever a bike and a pet/truck/bus/car collide, the rider is going to lose.

Funny, I have been told by cops, "The safest thing to lock your bike to is a parking meter."

The guy at the bike shop told me that parking meters are not safe because the thieves can just LIFT your bike--lock and all--up over the top of it.

I biked to the brooklyn museum this past weekend and was shocked that there was not a single bike rack outside. When then biked to the Prospect Park bandshell to the celebrate Brooklyn concert, and there wasn't any racks there either. What is going on!

new york will never be as bike-friendly a city as, say, amsterdam without a wholesale overhaul of the entire street and sidewalk system. bike lanes are admirable, but busses will always have to cross them to get to stops, cars will cross them to pull into and out of parking spaces, people will double park there or stop while trying to make a turn into a crosswalk crowded by pedestrians.

that hasn't stopped me from biking thousands of miles in NYC without ever hitting a car. the key for bikers is just to learn how to ride safely in NYC. stay aware, scan parked cars for people in the seats who may be opening a door, avoid taxis like the plague, DON'T WEAR HEADPHONES WHILE BIKING, respect traffic signals and pedestrians, don't pedal balls-out constantly, and always err on the side of caution.

i do agree that there should be more public bike racks. why not?they're cheap, they encourage a form of commuting that's even greener than public transit (and better for your waistline), and it's not like the MTA is doing such a bangup job providing fast, safe, clean, and regular service on the trains and busses.

My biggest gripe is that there's no shower at my office where i can clean up before work. biking 10+ miles in the summer heat will leave you pretty stank.

>>msum said: I biked to the brooklyn museum this past weekend and was shocked that there was not a single bike rack outside.

this is very surprising. last summer they had quite a few bike racks outside the BM. it wasn't easy to find an open space on them, but they were there. I can't imagine why they would have taken them away.

"'Bicycles are not permitted inside, for the safety of all our tenants and visitors.'

Uhh...it's a bike, not a bomb."

It's a congestion issue. The Rock Center concourses are crowded (and clueless) enough as it is; the last thing you need is some dingbat thinking it would be neat to ride up to 'Wichcraft.

1) Running red lights and riding on sidewalks is illegal too, but that doesn't stop 'em, does it? False argument. Try again.

2) Post hoc, ergo propter hoc = logical fallacy

3) Who said that? Not I!

4) Bloomberg appointed Sadik-Khan. Nuff said?

Warning: don't get personal, my friend.

Buffalo is putting decorative rings on its disused parking meter poles, but from the look of them, a New York bike thief could take home both a nice bike and an interesting civic souvenir. Here's a thought: If businesses in the 'burbs are often required to supply X number of parking spaces per X amount of square footage, why not require businesses in NY to do likewise with bike racks?

Spirit:
Monday you vamped on Snoopy.
Tuesday you vamped on me.

Clearly, you are a bitter, lonely person in search of friends/enemies. There are quite a few of your ilk on these blogs.

If you want a friend, join a social club.
If you want an enemy, you won't find me playing your pathetic game.

FYI, I needn't Google for that info. The 'post hoc' phrase is something taught in any good college Logic course (in which I received an A, so don't even go there, Socrates.)

As far as being corrected in Latin by you, don't be silly, you sad little person. Although the Romans did not use commas, it is used in contemporary Latin publications.

I had four years of Latin, so I don't need an overweening gusano like yourself to pedantically assert your supercilious opinion.

But your desperate exhortations do bring to mind the opening paragraph of Cicero's speech to the Roman Senate, regarding Cataline, an obnoxious, obstreperous Roman gadfly, not unlike yourself.

Quousque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra?

No need to reply. If you do, it shows your obsessive, lonely aggression.

If you don't, you signal that you do not wish to make yet another enemy in the vacuity of cyberspace. That is wise.

Either way, I shall henceforth ignore any missives you hurl.

Attention is what you desire; attention is what I shall deny you.

Wallow in your lonely misery.