Originally Posted by jnbacon
The only biking I did in NY was as a teen, mostly to the park or friends' apartments on my ten speed. ...
I'd say the main difference is that traffic in NY always seemed so interactive: a look, an engine rev, a lurch in a direction, tons of subtle and not so subtle cues that you need to read and give in order to successfully navigate the cars. In Phx, people seem to be either polite to the point of being scared, or just completely amoral/willfully unaware and lacking any regard for how bicycles fit into the traffic scheme. Those are exagerrated descriptions, but they fit pretty well with my experience.
I've done weekend cycling in NYC between the 60-90th streets on the east side of and into CP. But it was recreational riding on borrowed bikes, not commuting to downtown in rush hour. But I found it quite manageable, even enjoyable fitting in the flow.
I agree that phx-metro drivers are either overly cautious or overly unaware/uncaring. But it is the high speeds I find most difficult, one moment you see a gap, then a second later its gone. The speed makes it hard to tell if a car is slowing or not to let you in a gap.
Al