NYC commuters?

I ride in the city about 3-4 times a week. Perry, nice analogy with the white-water canoeing - makes a lot of sense.

Yellow cabs I have figured out - they're just looking for exposed armpits when they're empty, or gaps when they're full. Look for those too, and they're predictable. Rule #1: Never get between an empty cab and the sidewalk.

Bike messengers used to freak me out at first - but I've come to realize that these guys are so unbelievably aware of what's going on around them, and so used to everyone ignoring them, that they count on you not responding to them - at first, when I gave them extra space, etc. they always seemed uncomfortable and second-guessing the situation. Now I just ignore 'em and it's all good.

Pedestrians are insane. Newspapers, iPods, cellphones, etc. One of my favorite sports is to turn jaywalkers into jaysprinters... although the other day some dude looked like a deer in headlights, standing smack in the middle of the cross-walk. In general, though, I'm probably one of the most courteous pedestrians out there when I'm on my two feet, as a result of having to deal with the dronebots.

BTW, the yellow R12GS on 23rd by the FDR is, in fact, Tim's.

Cheers

Hello my fellow hardcore NYC riders.

First, I'd like to point out what a unique (insane) group of people we are for riding where we do, nearly, everyday. To that, I agree with, nearly, everything that's been said thus far. Every morning when I'm leaving the home in Brooklyn I say to myself "well today's as good a day to die as any" and off I go into all the obstacles we all know about. Better than coffee everytime.
I'll meet you at The Ear on some Tuesday.

Parking....this is something that I think few outside of metro NYC understand. Yes, we are at war with other vehicles and the police in a vain attempt to obtain safe and legal parking. At the end of last summer I came upon the carnage that was the triangle at 36th Street and 9th Avenue after it was cleared by police tow trucks in the middle of night. Locks, chains and bodywork strewn upon the concrete with no regard to legality or care. I also started working with an organization I feel you should all know about.
http://www.parkingnow.org/home/
It's a couple of guys and a bynch of Vespa riders, but it's going to take every rider in NYC to force improvement. I'll do my best to post updates when they get more active with the season. Check it out.

Finally, to those KLR riders out there, I'm sensing a security problem with this bike in the city? I recognized it's a favorite of the yo boy gangs of whellie riding terror. I just bought a 2000 KLR 650 a month ago and tricked it for adventure travel, but it's also go to be my commuter bike. I'm gathering suggestions for security such as lock to a post, cover, disk lock. Anyone know of any ignition key protection system? Electrifying the bike? Any others are appreciated. It's such a PIA for a daily commute, but will do if necessary.

Love this thread. See you in the river.

FehdEx

Smart post Fedhex, I've reserched that link, back last yr when they had the parking demonstration around city hall.

I used to say the same thing to myself when I would commute from NYC, to Brooklyn to SI, and back.

If I was you I would double chain that KLR, becoming super popular here the last few yrs.

see ya at the EAR.

Bleeping peds just ignore the horn... if you're honking, it means you see 'em and you won't hit 'em. I've been mashing the rear brake and making the tire shriek instead, that lights a fire under their ass!

Never understimate the power of a loud pipe...

to induce a ped to shit their own pants or skirt...

which adds lubrication...

which aids in a faster crossing of the street.

shit, i keyed the wrong bike....:eek1

when are you ever at the ear?


isnt brooklyn like two states over to you manhattan folk?

i find that pulling the front end up and showing them your ugly under-carriage gets em motivated.


peds are by far and away my worst fear. i was literally knocked off my scoot at a light by a ped!!! he was running against the light and it was just about to turn green. i was letting the clutch out and was between the row of parked cars and idling cars. he tried to cut the turn and hit me like a line backer. down i went. he put his foot on my engine case to keep from falling on me. looked down and apolagized and kept on going.

I went to a ParkingNow rally at City Hall last year. It was kind of disappointing. There were maybe 3 or 4 motorcycles and a dozen or so scooters. We gathered on some steps and some people talked. The mayor didn't show.

The myth about cops not lifting covers is just that. I don't know if it was ever true, but since it's illegal to cover a motorcycle (!) in NYC I doubt it.

Once a month...


And I used to live in Crooklyn..

remembering your roots are you?

possibly.

I'll try that, I do believe the horn is next to useless. They’ll only move if they think you will really hit them. But most of the time they are not even looking. It’s scary how many venture off the curb without looking at all, as if they are daring you to hit them. I make every effort to let them cross safely, but most of time you have a cab coming up fast behind you and cannot dally too much waiting for the fucks to get out of the way. How many times has this happened?
you are sitting at a red light waiting next to a car or two that are both going straight through the intersection. The light turns green you need to scoot so you can get in front of the cars to insure a safe crossing through the intersection. But just as the light turns green you get a ped at the far crosswalk, that turns, looks at traffic coming, and then walks out into the crosswalk against the light right into you path.
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It's 10 times worse on a bicycle. They step out into the bicycle "lane" before they even bother to look, often from between parked cars or in front of a van or bus. So you're mixing it up with traffic, hauling 25 or 30 mph pedaling your ass off, a cab or delivery truck just off your left side, and some retard _looking the other direction_ steps out in front of you. Not just off the curb, mind you, but EIGHT FEET into traffic, without looking! One night some guy carrying a big bouquet of flowers out in front of himself did this exact thing to me. I picked my hand up off the handlebar to keep the flowers out of my face... OK, I slapped at them a little... and the bouquet just exploded petals all around me. It smelled nice. Of course he screamed "ASSHOLE!" at me. Yea, it's my fault, I'm the a-hole. :huh

From the sound of it I've been a VERY lucky sonofabitch! I lock the cover on with a little luggage lock on the middle grommet and two cable ties on the front and rear grommets. Like I said originally it was for the homeless dudes and wind, but a cop actually told me that the cops he knows won't lift a cover mostly because they don't want to, and second because their are more than enough cages to ticket. Just one cops opinion. It's funny because I've even parked downtown almost on the steps of the courthouse while I was working down there. As far as KLR being lifted, I'm paranoid about parking my KTM anywhere because Motards, and KTM in particular, are starting to attract ALOT of attention! another reason for covering it. I think I said this before but maybe I'm getting my forums mixed up, if you guys aren't aware LOJACK is now available in NY. I'm not saying it's the answer to all these security problems, but it's definitely another form of protection. I've been to the EAR also and we've all got to get together some night, if for nothing else, to be able to put a face with a bike! I'm of the opinion that all things two wheels are good, so whatever ya ride BMW, KTM, HONDA, YAMAHA, Dare I say HARLEY It's all good to me!

Be safe, and if ya can't at least take pics and post em!

John...

Those little ticket fuck*rs are the reason that I'm hesistant to wake my bike up for the season. Last year was the worst for insane and unreasonable tickets. I got one for having a cover on my bike. That's right, $65 for covering my bike and obstructing the view of my plate. The second one, which still amazes me, was for an apparently absent inspection sticker. I don't know where you guys keep yours, but up on the front fork is where the folks at the shop have placed mine. Anyway, this yahoo couldn't see past his little pad that he carries around with him and wrote me a ticket for not having it. The kicker is that I appealed it TWICE providing photographic proof that I had it and they still denied me. They do have it out for us.
I've kept my white GS up on the 88 and CPW and more recently in mid-town on 10th. I'll keep my eyes open for my fellow riders. I agree, it would be nice to find a place to hook up and put faces with names, preferably early in the season.

morning folks,
can anybody advice me, what is a 'blue zone'? no speculations, please. the zone is supposed to be settled downtown manhattan. i'll tell you later why i'm asking.
kamil

I agree. I think commuting on a bicycle is much worse than on a moto although I think riding a bicycle is good training for city moto riding.

You get NO respect from peds when you're on a bike. Although I do have people crossing in front of me absentmindedly, when I'm coming through an intersection with the PIAAs and hibeam on I blast the horn few short times and stand on the pegs the peds step back onto the curb.

You think deer are bad? Try riding a bicycle on the Brooklyn Bridge with camera-toting tourists and peds wandering into the bike path. Fuggedaboutit.

For twenty years I've ridden a bicycle all over the city but mostly stopped since I bought a motorcycle. Yesterday I had the gas tank off the GS so I took out a bicycle to run an errand and I felt really vulnerable--not only to the peds but also to the potholes.

At least they can't ticket your bicycle....

Oh yes they can, supposedly the cops where pulling over cyclists recently on 6th av and ticketing for not having a bell. Did you know you had to have a bell on your bicycle? I too feel very vulnerable when on my mountain bike, not much protective gear other then helmet and gloves. But you do get to use the ped lanes on the bridges and arrive at work all sweaty
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