noteon 

I'm not sure "enforcement" is the word I'd use.

lukasz

I'm trying to be somewhat objective! Personally I think of this as hilariously selective enforcement/harrasment stemming from the Critical Mass issue a few weeks ago.

noteon 

That's my suspicion as well.

sukram

I'm kind of wondering where TA's reaction is... if they're even going to publish something.

If I was new to commuting by bike the police blockade on the bridge and the signs telling me to dismount would be 2 more reasons to discourage me. OK, it does pale in comparison to where you get dumped out on either side of the bridge, but shouldn't the DOT being paying attention and doing something to ease the issue for the regular commuters?

Anyone at the DOT listening? Should I start to call daily? (they must be better than Time Warner's customer dis-service line...)

This morning's blockade was worse than usual, with 2 sets of those infernal cones. The dismount signs at the bottom just show that there are zero routes to Manhattan that a person on a bike can (legally) use without having to dismount.

I'm trying to be all Zen on this, I've kept my cool (for the most part) on the bridge, but instead of just being a guy commuting on a bike (my shiny new bike too!) trying to get some exercise between work and the wife 'n kid, I think I'm going to have to get all political and stuff. I'm a TA member, a totally inactive member of some local bike clubs, all because I do care about carving out a niche for bikes in this exhaust ridden town.

Now I think I've got to be a pin in the DOT's side.

ronandi

Funny...my thoughts exactly...I only commute a couple of days a week for the same reasons (exercise) from Jackson Heights. I saw the dismount sign the other morning and it made no sense to me. To 'dismount' and walk my bike? To where?...and I never saw a 'remount' your bike sign...figured it was a mistake...I got to the top of the hill where officer 'Lock-stock' was stationed. I asked him "why after 6 years of bridge work do they now decide to police the traffic on the bridge." He definitely had a chip on his shoulder - mentioned some woman wishing he "got shot on his way home" - so his responses to me were somewhat pointed. He sighted a spike in accidents on the bridge in recent months. Talk about bikers speeding - whatever that means - after the roadblock; bikers riding in the pedestrian lane - which apparently is against the law?; and a general overall inconsideration on the part of bikers. He said that they (the police) were educating us about what the rules were. I told him that this was the first I was hearing of a problem and that this (my discussion with him) was the most education I had gotten on the issue. I believe his idea of education is setting up the roadblocks, writing summones, etc. I have yet to hear anything on the news, in fliers, on the TA website, on anything about proper speed, rules of road, pedestrian/bike accidents on the 59th bridge. The discussion was constructive, but was definitely a '*****' session for this guy. I did take offense when we conintuously said "you need to tell your fellow bikers this and you need to tell them that..." Like somehow bikers are evil people. He doesn't get that I and most of my fellow bikers are average joes/janes just wanting to ride their respective bikes for commuting, transportation, etc. Oh...and he said to me..."did you see the dismount sign?" and I said "yes" and he asked, "why didn't you dismount.." you totally disregarded it. "I could give you a summons." Then he told me that those signs were dropped off at the bottom of the bridge and that he just hadn't move them yet. A little game he was playing I guess.

The one constructive thing that came out of his mouth was closing off the South side to use as bikes only. Don't know if that would happen, but that makes sense.

Yesterday (9/5), was another cop with the cones you spoke of. I attempted to greet the officer, to no avail. He remained stone faced. As I walked my bike around the cones, I inadvertantly knocked them over, because of the angle they were placed at...there was a truck there and I guess work going on...I got back on my bike and rode on.

I too am trying to remain calm, but yeah, this 'pissing contest' is started to get me angry. I'm going to write a letter to the surrounding Precincts as well as the Mayor's office. On one hand the city is trying to promote biking and on the other hand, they are getting tough on bikers...there's got to be a middle ground. I especially don't like feeling singled out coming from Queens. I haven't heard of this in the City or on any of the other bridges. I'd be curious to hear what's happening.

Air

Really?? Another lane? That would be awesome but I'm surprised we didn't hear about it.

pgoat

exactly. It's purposely vague. I was imagining leaving a nasty note - "what does this sign mean? Hello??? dismount from where to where? from my house to Lexington Ave.?"

thank you for sharing this. It's really a joke. "EDUCATING?"

you've GOT to be kidding. That's like a school teacher going into classroom, handing students a blank piece of paper and no instructions, and giving them an F if they get it wrong. Not knowing what they're even supposed to be doing. If motorists had their streets policed with this kind of shoddy signage they'd have these cops hung up by their gonads pronto.

If the aim is make people slow down - how about a speed limit sign? And how do you enforce that when 90% of bikes there won't have speedometers?

The ped lane thing is a joke.

Straight out this is :

a. nypd revenge vs. cyclists - which is a joke since I've never gone near Critical Mass and I bet many fellow commuters never have either.

b. a grand deterrent against cycling in NYC - which despite all the recent PR from City Hall to the contrary, is becoming clear.

ronandi

The lane closer was an idea he came up with not a reality...sorry to get your hopes up.

pgoat

Yeah, I wouldn't get too excited about that one....though it WOULD make sense!!

canonizer

The ped lane is a joke, but I'm not sure why anyone from critical mass deserves negative retribution in light of recent videos.

Frankly, if the cop was ON a bicycle (or heaven forbid, walking), he might be in slightly better shape and offer a more sympathetic character to rest of us. There was just no reason for the dismount area to be 50-75 yards this morning. 15, maybe, but it's not like we need a football field to stop or slow down.

Air

All of you should write up a rational letter and send it to streetsblog and Gothamist. Press can be very powerful to change of the more ridiculous things that happen.

sukram

Rational? Who do you think we are!?!

I directed my comments to the DOT, no response back yet. Perhaps going to the press is a better option... I can see the headlines now:

"Commuting Cyclists Told To Take A Hike"
(images of "dismount signs" to go with this)

ronandi

Trying to narrow down who to send a letter to, I called around to see what precinct is responsible for the Bridge. I found out that the 108th in Woodside has half of the bridge and the 19th in Manhattan (67th Street) has the other half. I found it odd that this truly only affected 1/2 of the bridge, the Queens half (as far as I could tell). If this is an issue of safety, why aren't we seeing enforcement on both sides. Due to weather/schedule, I haven't ridden in since last week. Any change in the enforcement?

I do plan on writing a letter and I'll cc the Gothamist and Streetsblog (great idea).

Ron from JH.

pgoat

I didn't ride this week yet either.

we should coordinate our letters.

zacster

Maybe the should reassign the police to ticket the pedestrians on the new Broadway/Times Square bike lane. It is totally useless as a bikeway with so many pedestrians on it. I see more bikes on the road than in the path. Their response will more likely be to erect signs saying "Dismount bike" to use the bike lane.

noteon 

If this is just the Queens precinct, I'd like to take my paranoia about retribution for the CM fiasco down to Defcon 2.

Not the Slowest

The Police Officer Morton's car says TMFC, so I don't know if its an assigned precint car.

Next, the two signs in the Buckets have been moved up on to the pathway. They have set up the cones crating a 100-200 ft WALKWAY around the construction with a sign at each end. Officer Morton is at one end and is making sure you walk
in this area. The police car is there also.

Okay, at least we now can understand what they are trying to achieve.

FYI, I spoke with Wiley of TA this am who was at the bridge and he says this is going on at the Willy B bridge now. TA is working on it, but time will tell.

canonizer

So, I hadn't actually thought much of it before, but with temps cooling a bit there might be more cyclists on the bridge. Unfortunately, this seems to cause a backlog at the entrance/exit for the dismount area and creates a starting line scenario in the mounting side. Can no one else see the idiocy of this?

There's a lot of tentative pedaling through ~9.15 when I normally commute, as I haven't seen a cop the last few times. I go slow. The construction works don't seem to mind. Yesterday there were a few guys sweeping in the manhattan bound descent and I thanked them for moving out of way while I passed at a slow speed. Courtesy seems to be the most important key here

sukram

I must have totally missed the TA peeps this morning, I was running a bit late so I only hit the bridge @ 8:45. Oh well.

The "walkway" this morning was silly, there was plenty of room to ride on through. It does seem to be more permanent with those stupid sign cans. At least I've been lucky enough to have been going home late enough in the evenings to avoid the "walkway". There was an officer at the foot on the Queens side last night but that was it.

If I can drive from Astoria to work in Manhattan without having to get out of my car and push, why can't I ride my bike without having to dismount and push?

I'm hoping they lay off come cooler weather when fewer bikes are out. I used to get excited seeing more bikes on the path with the change of the seasons, now I may just associate it with having to walk my bike.

pgoat

I rode today and was surprised by the new walkway (didn't ride m-w)

I was gonna go home over the WBB - thanks for the head's up.....might as well go the short route if either one is gonna blow.

pgoat

I assume you mean we are doing this for the benefit of the industrious bridge workers? The guys whose salaries we pay, and who largely stand around smoking cigarettes, leaning on push brooms, eating and blocking our way for no good reason?

I have the simplest solution - have them work on one side while the opposite lane is open for peds and bikes. Switch sides and repeat. why am I not the freaking Mayor already?

sjauch

That dismount area was there yesterday and today. I walked the whole length yesterday, but today I mounted back up after walking a short distance. I was just kind of pissed. I've ridden over a bunch of times when the construction workers were out and never was there a problem. They would always give me room and I'd do the same for them.

Air

https://www.streetsblog.org/2008/09/1...idge-cyclists/

noteon 

I think that thing with the uranium-235 and the Bolivian hookers.

Not the Slowest

Pgoat, I haven't had anyone confirm the Willy B, but the TA PR person said it to me this am.

Regarding my comments Okay, at least we now can understand what they are trying to achieve.. What I meant was the cones and officer Morton. They are to piss us off and walk, but to protect the bridge workers.

Listen if Donald Trump was in charge like the Wollman Rink he took over the job would be done AND under budget.