tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post5605963364429009929..comments2024-03-18T23:52:31.939-04:00Comments on The Invisible Visible Man: Brooklyn, a bridge, Manhattan - and the voice every morning in my headInvisible Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15942359504874275065noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-27004651106549463872014-05-27T15:55:30.831-04:002014-05-27T15:55:30.831-04:00Kevin,
Thank you. Very good.
Invisible.Kevin,<br /><br />Thank you. Very good.<br /><br />Invisible.Invisible Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15942359504874275065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-40339242432108098992014-05-21T00:07:10.090-04:002014-05-21T00:07:10.090-04:00I just can't resist... Here is my version of...I just can't resist... Here is my version of the inner monologue of an avid car driver. <br /><br />Hi, I am a member of the 1% of the population who are avid car drivers. I live in Groningen, The Netherlands, where car driving is very much a minority behavior. But I don't care because I'm an avid car driver.<br /><br />It is about 5 km to work, and I drive a car. This is how it happened this morning. <br /><br />As I got up and left the building where I live, I said "hello" to two of my co-workers who were taking their bikes out of the building's secure bike room through its direct access door to the street. It will take them about 15 minutes to cycle the 5 km to work. <br /><br />It takes me a lot longer, but I don't care. I'm an avid car driver. <br /><br />It takes me about 10 minutes to walk from where I live to the nearest car parking garage. It costs 65 euros a month for car parking, but I don't care. I'm an avid car driver.<br /><br />This is Groningen, so to drive a car from one sector of the city to another it is first necessary to drive out to the surrounding ring road, drive around to the sector containing my workplace and then drive back in again. Total drive time from the car parking garage near where I live to the car parking garage near where I work is 25 minutes. But I don't care because I'm an avid car driver.<br /><br />Renting a car parking spot near where I work is a bit more expensive than where I live. This one costs me 75 euros a month. But I don't care because I'm an avid car driver. <br /><br />It then takes me another 10 minutes to walk from the car parking garage to work. But I don't care because I'm an avid car driver.<br /><br />I said "hello again" to the same co-workers from my building who cycled to work. It took them 15 minutes to cycle to work vs. 45 minutes for my drive and walk to and from the car parking garages. But I don't care because I'm an avid car driver.<br /><br /> Kevin Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13186428862833389619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-13556991407453615002014-05-06T20:05:14.818-04:002014-05-06T20:05:14.818-04:00My criticism, Anonymous, was for people who I thou...My criticism, Anonymous, was for people who I thought were inconveniencing people, so I guess it can't have been you.<br /><br />The reasons I'm mostly law-abiding about lights are complex. One is that I think there's a fundamental interest in promoting greater adherence to the rules. As cyclists, we need more motorists to follow the rules about speed and so on. I seek to be part of promoting a less chaotic, more law-abiding atmosphere on the roads.<br /><br />The other points are that I think the judgements about when to go through a light are pretty complex. I got knocked off in London by another rider running a light (when I had right of way). He complained that he hadn't seen me. Naturally, if he hadn't run the light he wouldn't have needed to see me. I worry in particular about my own judgement at the end of the Manhattan Bridge. It's very tempting to go fast and let one's momentum carry one down onto the roads at the Manhattan end. But it's hard to see vehicles coming (fast) down the slope and I've seen some close calls.<br /><br />Finally, in New York City, I worry both about the insurance and legal aspects of it if I were hit after running a light. No matter how culpable the speeding, inattentive motorist had been, I fear my having run a light would become the way the driver would get off or I'd end up not getting the insurance payout.<br /><br />But remember: I'm an overcautious dweeb and I'm sure you're not causing any real trouble.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />Invisible.Invisible Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15942359504874275065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-4569606523897999422014-05-06T19:51:54.738-04:002014-05-06T19:51:54.738-04:00I consider myself a jaywalker on a bike. I'll ...I consider myself a jaywalker on a bike. I'll absolutely always slow down to walking pace or slower (or stop) at a red light, let anyone who has the right of way (either car or pedestrian) cross first, and then crawl through when it's clear. I will gladly accept a ticket if I get one for doing that, but I'm certain I'm not endangering/inconveniencing/scaring anyone in doing so, so my conscience is clear!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-88188774416382381862014-05-05T21:45:20.340-04:002014-05-05T21:45:20.340-04:00Anonymous,
The Allen St bike lanes exist for the ...Anonymous,<br /><br />The Allen St bike lanes exist for the City of New York to show that they love us (or that Janette Sadik Khan loved us) in return for the taxes we pay them. The NYPD officers at Jay St/Tillary St exist to show us that the NYPD cares only about traffic flow, rather than traffic safety.<br /><br />As for the red-light running, I'm a realist. I realise that there are sometimes circumstances where cyclists feel the need to run red lights to get away from traffic. I very, very occasionally do it myself, at night, to escape the two-abreast lanes of 50mph cars bearing down on me on Court St. But I think it's a good discipline to get used to using one's brakes to give way to other people (a point I made here: http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-speeding-cyclist-momentum-and-how.html). So I hope you're not causing pedestrians unnecessary stress.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />Invisible.Invisible Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15942359504874275065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-80698303806457795132014-05-05T16:47:42.591-04:002014-05-05T16:47:42.591-04:00Great read, particularly given my daily commute ov...Great read, particularly given my daily commute overlaps the Smith St to Allen St portion of your ride. I love your reference to the NYPD officer at Tillary and Jay, who always seems completely indifferent to all of the danger/lawlessness playing out in front of him/her. And yes, subway train racing is the ultimate form of fitness training.<br /><br />I just hope that I wasn't one of the reckless cyclists at Atlantic, Jay or Chinatown!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-86041879008692686822014-05-05T11:12:16.537-04:002014-05-05T11:12:16.537-04:00BBnet3000,
Thanks for your kind words.
The Allen...BBnet3000,<br /><br />Thanks for your kind words.<br /><br />The Allen and Pike St lanes (and the Manhattan Bridge) are the only places I can really relax too. You're right that 5th Avenue in Park Slope is more stressful than those. One point I didn't mention in the post is that I look out for traffic turning across my path when I'm going through intersections on the Allen St lane. Cars aren't meant to turn across - but occasionally they do. The issue is far more serious on both the Ocean Parkway and Eastern Parkway paths, both of which can be pretty dangerous.<br /><br />As for drivers' anger, maybe I'm projecting. But quite a lot seem pretty upset to me.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />Invisible.Invisible Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15942359504874275065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3002171964909690430.post-16492331383169104622014-05-05T10:13:11.776-04:002014-05-05T10:13:11.776-04:00Awesome post that really shows the actual experien...Awesome post that really shows the actual experience of a cyclist in New York in general, and these streets in particular (the Smith through Allen portion of your commute overlaps with my way to school and work, though im coming from Sunset Park). I dont sense as much anger from drivers, but maybe its because I dont really care how theyre reacting as long as I can slot myself in when I stick my arm out.<br /><br />Actually, I think drivers do tend to be a bit more upset with me on 5th Ave (Brooklyn) than on Smith/Jay, I think because of the speed differential. On Jay, im often going as fast as cars (rather, theyre going as slow as me), on 5th much less often. Plus, theres even more double parked cars on 5th, at least through Park Slope.<br /><br />Allen and Pike are really great, and the only time on my commute that I can actually relax a bit. Ive heard some grumbling about center-running cyclepaths from somebody in the Netherlands (http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/), but I think theyre alright as long as drivers arent allowed to make left turns across them. The turning issue is the biggest problem with the Ocean Parkway path.BBnet3000https://www.blogger.com/profile/06025782630936914958noreply@blogger.com