Queens TA Party. 10/20. LIC.
Wouldn’t it be great if biking in Queens were as nice as biking in Brooklyn? I mean, have you ever been there? It’s not just about brownstones, trees, cool people, Coney Island, and good pizza.
They got bike lanes that actually go places. In-fucking-credible.
I don’t mind waiting my turn… but ever wonder why?
Because tons more Transportation Alternative geeks live in Brooklyn. Duh.
Maybe being a T.A. member won’t get you laid (Hell, maybe it will. I’ve never been to their parties). But it’s those T.A. geeks who got the Manhattan Bridge good bike access. It’s the fact that we in Astoria aren’t cool enough and don’t work hard enough. The Queensboro Bridge still abso-fucking-lutely guarantees that you WILL violate some traffic law while putting your life on the line. On both ends. Really.
I was thinking… is there any legal way a bike can head into Manhattan and not violate a traffic law. Really. Think about it. You’re either running a red light or turning left from the right lane.
I guess you could go straight. I’ve actually never considered that.
I just want that gate to open again. You know, they way we all used to go. The direct way. The safe way. The one that didn’t bother pedestrians on 1st Ave. I want this, you understand, not just for me, but for all the poor pedestrians who now have to climb over it. Why? For no fucking reason.
And then heading into Queens we all bike the wrong way down a one-way street while this empty safe traffic lane just sits there, mocking us.
I hate this shit.
Anyway, here’s the point: There’s a T.A. party in LIC October 20th. You should go. Really. Or just send them money. Why? Because the “I Bike Queens” Logo is actually kinda cool.
Here’s the Facebook link.
And hey, if you do get laid, leave a comment here!
4 Responses
I could not agree more with you. Getting on and off the Queensboro br is ass backwards. I commute to work (Midtown) from Kew Gardens. I also agree that we absolutely need more bike lanes in Queens, especially on Queens Blvd.
Meh. I bike back and forth between hells kitchen and astoria every day, I don't have a huge problem with the bridge though it certainly could be better.
MNH ->QNS:
down 59th street to first ave, left on 1st, left onto the ramp. No prob and totally legal.
QNS -> MNH:
Down the ramp, left on 1st, left on 61st street. Easy and legal as well.
I wish there were more bike paths in Queens, but I don't honestly see the NYC bike paths as being particularly well thought out … the way they are designed makes riding in them more of a hazard than anything. I feel much safe riding in traffic, unless I am moving very slowly. I'd like to see more driver education, and stronger laws protecting cyclists from reckless drivers.
I know I'm being a bit petty, but that left you make on 1st is actually illegal, in the sense a cop could give you a ticket for it if he or she was so inclined. Either for making a left turn on red or making a left turn from the right lane. You can't actually make a left onto 1st Ave without doing one or the other.
I know you *won't* get a ticket for that, but why not make the bike path a legal place to bike? Is that asking too much? (The "dismount bike" signs on the bike path also piss me off.)
There's also the *right* on 1st Ave option which I take if I'm going downtown. Needless to say that's not legal, but it could be.
Going back into Queens, I have no problem getting on the bridge (though it would be nice to avoid 1st Ave). It's getting off on the Queens side that is wrong, forcing us for no good reason to bike against traffic.
Look, I don't consider any of this a huge problem either. Mostly, biking, I just want to be left alone. But as a design solution, it sucks dick.
And I don't trust driver ed and stronger laws. What I do like are physical barriers between me and the cars (and pedestrians). But until then, I'll be a little happier with more lines of pains.
@pcm – I suppose you are right about the legality of the left onto first (I assume you are talking about entering traffic on first from the bike Path's onramp).
I usually just go if first is flowing, and wait if first is not. I would imagine that when merging in while first is flowing, I am breaking the law – though I would think that in the instance where it isn't and I wait for first to start moving that I am probably ok, provided that I start from the corner on the traffic side of the crosswalk (after all you've gotta get into traffic somehow).
I hadn't thought about exiting the bridge into queens … yeah, that situation totally blows, unless you are planning on heading turning around and heading west into LIC.