Thursday, December 22, 2005
Keep Biking
It's Over, What Now?
Check it out:
5 Ways for NYC to Continue Reaping Benefits of Bicycling
The City’s contingency planned attempted to redress the main obstacles to everyday bicycling—unsafe streets and lack of secure bicycle parking.
The City should learn from its plan and implement measures that will encourage New Yorkers who began biking this week to continue riding:
1) Mandate bike access to buildings. During the strike, many bicyclists took advantage of special bike access rules recommended by the City’s contingency plan. Many private buildings followed suit, allowing tenants to lock bicycles in makeshift bike rooms (often in building basements), or allowing tenants to bring their bikes into their offices where employers let people park their bicycles next to their desks. Many more did not, however. Transportation Alternatives has received many complaints from bicyclists who arrived at their office buildings on bikes and were denied access. Post strike, the City Council should pass pending legislation (Int. 155) that would require buildings to simply let their tenants bring their bicycles inside.
2) Create more and better protected bike lanes. Throughout the strike, the City coned-off Midtown bike lanes and banned parking next to them. These safe, wide bike lanes are a big reason why daily cycling during the strike increased 500%. They will continue to invite New Yorkers to bike as long as they are in place. Once the bike lanes are gone, people will be discouraged from biking. The 21 bicyclists killed in 2005 and bicycling firefighter, Matthew Long, who was critically injured this morning, underscore the need for safer bike routes.
3) Better enforcement to keep bike lanes clear and safe. During the strike, many heavily-used Manhattan bike lanes were protected with orange cones to prevent vehicle encroachment. While this helped make bicycling safe—particularly for the masses of newly-minted bike commuters—many bike lanes and the adjacent parking lanes (from which the City’s Contingency Plan banned parking) were nevertheless clogged with cars, which forced bicyclists into dangerous competition for street space, squeezing them into the path of passing car and truck traffic.
4) Create safe routes to and from greenway paths and the East River bridge biking and walking paths. Traffic free cycling on greenways and across the East River bridges is enjoyed by New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds. Most people, however, must ride on hectic, harrowing streets to access these safe paths. During the first two days of the strike, steady streams of bicyclists enjoyed safe passage up and down Fifth and Madison Avenues, which were closed to non-emergency traffic and, thus, essentially traffic-free. On the third day of the strike, the City reopened these avenues to automobiles. This effectively eliminated their use as safe bicycle routes and, in effect, transformed Fifth Ave and Madison Ave into parking lots. The dangerous traffic and lack of safe space discouraged cyclists from riding on the two avenues.
5) Erect more Bicycle Racks. During the strike, there was only one bicycle rack for every 175 bicyclists. While the ebbing number of bicyclists after the strike will free up some room, there will still be a major dearth of outdoor bicycle parking. In a situation where limited sidewalk space precludes the installation of bike racks, then vehicular parking space should be usurped to erect bike racks. 20 bicycles can be parked in the space required to park one vehicle.
Bike the Strike Poem
Hi,
I am a long time NYC biker and a Transportation Alternative advocate.
I am also a professional poet and performer.
Below is a poem I want to share with you.
I use biking down Broadway as a metaphor for persistence.
Enjoy!
Best,
Corie
PS - I am biking the strike and loving it!
Persistence
By Corie Feiner
She persists like a woman biking down Broadway.
She has forgotten her lights and knows that when
the sun goes down she will have to make
rapid noises with her tongue so that the taxi cabs
and suburban vans do not open their door into her lungs.
She wears boots instead of sneakers
and tucks her work pants inside their leather rim,
she wears a heavy bag that presses sharply into
her lower back with each bump and crater,
she stands when she rides over pot holes and turns quickly
around police blockades and construction zones.
The bike lane whose white lines are fading
as if they were drawn in sand suddenly stops
at 45th Street, as if all bikes should evaporate like
the steam from the Ramen Noodle soup ad hovering
over Times Square.
She turns into traffic as if the cabs could not hurt her,
could not suddenly turn left and crush her peddling legs,
could not pull her into their hot grid, she breathes in
and pushes out her belly, she breathes out and tightens her skin,
she breathes in thick exhaust, engine fumes, impatient honks,
she breathes out movement, muscles, and gears.
She will get to where she is going,
and it will be her own strength that got her there.
Corie Feiner
Poet, Performer, Educator
Bicycling Firefighter Injured
Firefighter Critically Injured While Biking In this Morning
The firefighter, whose name was not immediately released, was struck at 5:58 a.m. on 52nd Street and Third Avenue in midtown Manhattan, said Fire Department spokesman Ken Bohan.
He was transferred to New York Weill-Cornell Medical Center where he was in critical condition, said Bohan. The off-duty firefighter suffered multiple fractutres and internal injuries.
The bus involved in the accident is owned by Allen AME Transportation and is affiliated with the Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica, Queens, which is run by the Rev. Floyd Flake, an influential clergyman and former Democratic congressman.
"I really can't discuss it,' said a woman who answered the phone at the company. "I don't know anything."
No charges were filed; the accident remained under investigation.
Bike Sales Booming
Manhattan, “Business is up 400%. It’s more crowded than a warm day in May.” We met this man on the Manhattan Bridge last night, he had just bought a new Fuji to help him bike the strike.
Candy, Bike Maps!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Village Voice on the Strike
Democracy, Love
Five-Fold Increase in NYC Cycling On 1st Day of Strike
Thank you Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Monday, November 07, 2005
Its Over!
As a bonus check out this video that shows you how to bring your bike on the bus.
Bike on Bus Video
Friday, November 04, 2005
Home Grocery Delivery in Philadelphia
For Genuardi's The minimum order is $50, and delivery costs $9.95 with a two-hour window for delivery, or $7.95 with a four-hour delivery window. Orders over $150 have a delivery charge is $4.95.
Acme charges $9.95 for delivery they emphasize that there is no tipping of the drivers.
Commuter Route Maps Online
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Bike Expo on Friday
The Bicycle Coalition will be hosting a bicycle commuter expo from 12 - 1:30 PM featuring bicycles designed with commuters in mind, including bikes that can be folded up in thirty seconds and carried on a train, bikes with built-in fenders and lights for all weather riding as well as trailers for carrying small children to day care or school.
The Bicycle Coalition will be giving away Bike the Strike blinky lights and demonstrating techniques for safe night riding.
Two local companies will be displaying their bikes. Fuji Bicycles moved its world headquarters to
The bicycle expo will be a human-powered, congestion-free event. No automobiles will be used to carry supplies to the event.
Valet Bike Parking at Breakaway Bikes
The Morning Drive In
1:02
12.9 Miles
12.5 MPH
Monday, October 31, 2005
Using The Bike Buddy Rideboard
You can contact matching riders via email. If you do find a match please send an email to the Bicycle Coalition
Bike Station Day 1
Lights Lights Lights!
The Bicycle Coalition will be giving away a limited number of tail lights and reflective stickers at the MSB Bike Station today.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Locking Your Bike
2. Use a cable lock to secure the front wheel.
3. Alternatively you can use a U-Lock with a cable loop.
4. Two different types of locks require different tools to defeat and therefore make it a smaller target.
Bike Station Details
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Staying Safe Out There
"Wear Your Helmet" has become as ubiquitous as "Buckle Your Seatbelt" and with good reason, If everyone wore a helmet we could reduce head trauma injuries cyclist deaths by 75%. Refer to the PENNDOT Bicycle Safety page to learn how to properly fit a helmet.
And don't forget Eastern Standard Time means early darkness, make sure you have lights.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Planning Your Route and Checking Your Bike
There are several resources to plan your route and tips on making sure that you and your bicycle can safely make the trip on the strike page of the Bicycle Coalition website.
Its not too early to plan your route you should consult the Philadelphia Regional Bicycle Map. If you are web savvy your route runs along state roads you can view videologs (movies) of the roadway on the PENNDOT website (Use Internet Explorer to view the videologs).
Sunday, October 02, 2005
TWU Sets Oct 31 Strike Deadline
Monday, September 19, 2005
Here we go again
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Contract Extension looks likely
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - As a third contract deadline looms for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's largest union, both sides say they may consider an extension.
"It is something we are willing to discuss," Bob Bedard, a spokesman for the Transport Workers Union Local 234, said Monday. SEPTA also was willing to discuss an extension, spokesman Jim Whitaker said.
SEPTA's contract with the union had been extended for 30 days, from March 15 to April 15, and again for 60 days, until midnight Tuesday. A work stoppage would halt buses, subways and trolleys, while regional rail trains between the city and suburbs would continue to run.
Issues remaining unsettled Monday included how much the transit operators, mechanics and cashiers would contribute to their monthly health care premiums, union President Jeff Brooks said. Whitaker said talks would continue Tuesday.