Originally Posted by harryhood
i quite honestly don't see what the problem is with the bumps. i commuted brakeless over the Williamsburg bridge for almost a year, and never even came close to any kind of incident. granted they're a nuisance, but that's about it IMHO.
just another thought - if the bumps were removed, i could see how one could easily be flying at 45 mph entering Delancy Street. which probably is not good.
the only 'trauma' i've personally experienced from the joints/bumps on the bridge is losing some blinkies - they've jarred loose after jumping some of the stupid things. yeah, not a whole lot to cry over, for me at least. though i do feel like one day, sooner or later, my front wheel isn't gonna land the way i intend...
the bigger issues are that less skilled and older cyclists have trouble with them, and the bumps truly discourage riders who are less committed than you and i are. the DOT and the city should be encouraging cyclists, not scaring them. they cause a lot of accidents, and there have been problems with pedestrians and the disabled. all this for an unnecessary design.
and i don't recommed 45 mph anywhere on delancey...
edit - this from TA:
Over the summer and fall of 2004, T.A. surveyed 254 people walking and biking over the Williamsburg Bridge. The survey reveals that the two-inch high bumps caused:
* 23% of bridge users to crash their bicycles or trip and fall
* 64% of bridge users to lose control of their bicycles or trip
* 74% of bridge users to suffer damages to their bikes and other property
* 32% of bridge users to avoid crossing the Williamsburg Bridge