T.A. Bulletin

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Sunday, Oct. 24

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T.A. In the News

transalt.org/
media

Latest

9/17 The Pen Is Mightier Than the Lock, The New York Times

9/17 Pen mightier than bike lock, Metro

9/16 Bicyclists Beware! Some Kryptonite Locks Aren't Theft-Proof, NY1

9/16 Yo, don't park in da bike lane! We get action on Adams St., Daily News

9/13 How to immunize NY against death by auto, am New York

9/10 Street Safety, Newsday

9/9 Elderly Woman Killed Crossing Queens Boulevard On Tuesday, Queens Chronicle

9/9 City tunnel visions: Exhibit fetes subway centenary, Daily News

9/7 Perilous Ped-Xings: Pinpoint crashes that killed or injured 18,370, Daily News

9/7 Riding in NYC: It is as easy as A, B and C, am New York

9/2 Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske: The right to go from point 'A' to point 'B', Velo News

8/30 NYC Cycling reaches tipping (boiling) point, am New York

8/29 Bearing the transit wait, Newsday

8/29 Sidewalk Smackdown: No, You Can't Walk and Talk at the Same Time, The New York Times

8/28 100 Cyclists Are Arrested as Thousands Ride in Protest, The New York Times

8/28 Let the Races Begin, AlterNet

8/27 Canal St. unsafe but getting safer, group says, Downtown Express

8/23 Pedestrian Deaths Spark Outrage: Park Needs Traffic Upgrades, Say Advocates, Park Slope Courier

8/23 Life in the safe lane: Bike roads benefit all, am New York

8/19 Transportation Alternatives Lists Unsafe Streets In Queens, Queens Chronicle

8/16 Free parking is not as good as it sounds, am New York

More Quotes...

T.A. News

Time on your hands? Eager to make a difference? T.A. needs folks who are retired, work part-time or between jobs to help our top-notch advocacy staff make the city a better place for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders.
Call 212-629-8080 or e-mail info@transalt.org.

Valet Bike Parking Volunteers Needed

Volunteer to provide valet bike parking at events throughout the year. Register online to express your interest in this opportunity.

T.A. still has two open internships:

- Advocacy (work with T.A. program staff)
- Bicycle Advocacy

Please visit transalt.org/intern for more information.

Donations Wish List

Help cycling and walking and get a tax deduction. Donate to T.A. We need:

-Pentium II or better PCs
-Laptop computer (Pentium II or better)
-Digital Camera
-Good chairs for conf. table or desks

Contact Matt: info@transalt.org

Do Your Part for Safer Streets! Report:

Potholes and Hazards:
212-CALLDOT (hit 0 to speak with a human) or report them online at transalt.org/
hazard

Sidewalk obstructions: Mayor’s Quality of Life Hotline at 888-677-LIFE/
5433

Read more about T.A.'s work to reduce street hazards at transalt.org/haz

Report Dangerous Cabs: 212-221-TAXI or report them online.

Read more about T.A.'s work to make cabs safer for pedestrians and cyclists at transalt.org/cabs

The T.A. Bulletin is a bi-weekly publication of Transportation Alternatives. The Bulletin has 29,000 subscribers.

Transportation Alternatives is a 5,000-member NYC-area non-profit citizens group working for better bicycling, walking and public transit, and fewer cars. We work for safer, calmer neighborhood streets and car-free parks. Join T.A. today!

September 23, 2004

Is NYC a bicyclist's paradise or hell on wheels?

Take our quick three question poll at transalt.org/press/askta/040922.html#s

Central Park Drivers Giving Kids Asthma: Rally for a Car-Free Central Park

According to Dr. Vincent Hutchinson, Assistant Director of Pediatrics at Harlem Hospital, simply closing Central Park's Loop Drive would reduce the risk for Harlem kids, a whopping 25% of whom suffer from asthma. "It would have a tremendous impact," says Dr. Hutchinson. "It is well established that car fumes and exhaust do get into the lungs, and we know that asthma attacks are triggered by exposure to car exhaust so I think it would be a tremendous benefit to our children."

Now is the time to close the Loop Drive to drivers. According to a new Environmental Defense report, "The Dangerous Days of Summer", on 22 of the 101 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day NYC air is so bad that NYC's 188,596 asthmatic kids put themselves at serious risk just by venturing outdoors. The report places 80% of the blame on NYC's 'mobile source' (car and truck) emissions.

Highlighting the link between traffic and asthma, the Environmental Defense report cites the study of Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics, during which parts of the city were off-limits to private cars. The study found that during this period hospitalizations for asthma fell by almost 20%. Making the Central Park Loop Drive off-limits to motor vehicles will help improve the health of people of all ages who bike, run, walk and play there.

Join us for the Rally for a Car-Free Central Park! Visit transalt.org/campaigns/cpark/rsvp.html to RSVP.

DOT's New "Slalom Fencing" Foils Bridge Users

Earlier this week, DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall and Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city will install so-called "slalom fencing" on many city pedestrian bridges. According to a city press release, the slalom fencing "will make crossing pedestrian bridges safer by requiring pedestrians and bikers to slow down before exiting a bridge." The fencing, which in effect creates an ugly three tier zig-zag obstacle course for walkers and bicyclists, is overkill and will discourage walking and bicycling.

The noble goal behind the plan, to save lives, would be much better served by slowing the speeding and deadly traffic on the roads intersecting the bridge paths. This alternative approach would address the true root of the problem and enhance safety by encouraging rather than discouraging bicycling and walking, for recent safety research shows that the more bicyclists and walkers there are, the more motorists learn to watch for them, and the safer it is to bike and walk.

Immunize Your Kids Against Dangerous Traffic

School age children are nine times more likely to be injured by a motor vehicle than a classroom bully and getting hit by a motorist is the number one cause of death and injury for New York City children ages 5 to 9. To reduce the hazard that speeding and reckless drivers pose to NYC kids, Transportation Alternatives is distributing a new back-to-school street safety kit to concerned parents and school administrators. To get yours, email safeschools@transalt.org.

The kit empowers parents and school administrators to compel the city to fix dangerous streets so that they are more forgiving to the errors that drivers and children routinely make. According to the Center for Disease Control, young children often make small errors in judging the speed and distance of traffic. Armed with the Safe Schools Toolkit, streets can be changed so that the penalty for error is not death or serious injury.

The Safe Schools Toolkit includes:

1. Streets for People: Your Guide to Winning Safer and Quieter Streets -- a step-by-step booklet on how concerned parents can work together with their school and the City Department of Transportation’s new Safe Routes to School program to slow down dangerous drivers and save their children.
2. An easy to use map of where pedestrians have been killed or injured by motorists, helping to zero in on the most dangerous intersections around schools.

To get the Safe Schools Toolkit, contact Transportation Alternatives: call 212-629-8080 or e-mail safeschools@transalt.org.

ALERT! Bike Locks at Risk

Many U-locks with cylindrical keys can be picked with a plastic pen barrel, including models for which T.A. has previously issued discounts. This alert applies to all Kryptonite brand (including "New York" model) U-locks made after August 2002, at least some On Guard brand models and some other locks with cylindrical keys. Locks with flat keys cannot be opened with plastic pen casings.

Kryptonite and other companies plan to roll out new, theft-proof locks as soon as possible. See transalt.org/press/releases/
040916lock.html for full details.

Unfortunately, tougher bike locks won’t solve New York City’s bicycle security crisis. According to the NYC Department of City Planning, the number one barrier to potential bicyclists in New York City is the lack of secure bicycle parking. More than half of the 1,400 respondents to City Planning’s 1999 Bicycle Survey Report said that not having a safe place to park their bike is their primary reason for not riding to work. Lack of secure bike parking outranked not having a shower, fear of drivers, poor street conditions and living too far from work.

New York City Council Intro. 155 would greatly reduce the bicycle theft crisis by requiring all buildings to allow tenants to bring their bicycles inside. The City should pass the bill without delay. The bill was introduced by Councilmember David Yassky and is sitting in the Housing and Buildings Committee.

Ask your councilmember to support Intro 155! See www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/
contact_member.cfm for contact info. And ask Council Speaker Gifford Miller (miller@council.nyc.ny.us) to schedule a hearing on Intro 155.

T.A. urges buildings that do not allow tenants to bring their bicycle inside to now do so. T.A. has also asked the police to be on the lookout for increased bicycle thefts and attempted thefts.

To make insurance claims and make your bike recoverable in the event of theft, record your bike’s serial number (it is on the underside of the bottom bracket), take a photo of your bike and register it with your local police precinct.

If you wish to replace your lock:

1. Contact Kryptonite at 1-800-SAY-LOCK or www.kryptonitelock.com. The company will offer an upgrade of vulnerable locks purchased since 2002. Details of the upgrade program will be posted to their Web site starting September 22nd.
2. Contact your local bike shop to see if it is offering upgrade or replacement programs for the vulnerable locks.
3. If you need an immediate fix and use a chain lock, visit your local hardware store and purchase a sturdy padlock with a flat key (about $30) to replace the mini U-lock that comes with Kryptonite’s chains.

Save the Date for T.A.'s 2005 NYC Century Bike Tour

"This was the first time I've done the NYC Century (100 miles) and it was awesome. I got to see all of New York--the tall buildings, the bridges, the varied architecture, the different neighborhoods, the people and all at a speed where you can soak it in. You could never see this by car. It was fabulous. I can't wait to do it again next year. It was a first class bike tour."
– 2004 NYC Century Bike Tour Rider

Transportation Alternatives’ 15th Annual NYC Century Bike Tour was bigger and better than ever! 5,200 riders (including nearly 2,000 who rode all 100 miles) enjoyed the scenery, the food and the people along the five different routes. T.A. thanks all the City agencies who helped make the ride possible, along with our amazing sponsors and hundreds of hard-working volunteers.

We invite you to join us next year as we celebrate New York City with the 16th Annual NYC Century Bike Tour on Sunday, September 11, 2005. For information on next year’s ride or to receive a brochure in the mail, please visit www.NYCCentury.org.

And keep in mind another great (and free!) ride for this season. Tour de Bronx on Sunday October 24th, featuring 25 and 40 mile routes – free registration online at www.tourdebronx.org.

Bike Friendly Communities

This fall, the City of New York nominated itself for a League of American Bicyclists' "Bicycle Friendly Community" award.

New York is a huge city, and as any cyclist knows you can find some of the best and worst cycling in the country here. What do you think?

If your e-mail program does not support form submissions, please visit www.transalt.org/press/askta/040922.html#s to participate in this poll.

Poll

T.A. Response: Thanks for contacting us.

The speed limit in New York City, unless otherwise posted, is 30 mph. Speeding, however, is rampant throughout the city and is in fact encouraged in many ways.

For one, most NYC streets are actually designed to accommodate vehicle speeds in excess of 35 mph.

Second, many "signal progressions" or the timing of consecutive traffic lights, are calibrated so that motorists obeying the speed limit see many more red lights than motorists who speed.

To encourage motorists to obey the speed limit, the city should first design roads for their posted speed (making lanes more narrow, for example) and second change signal timing so that speeding motorists are not rewarded with more green time.

Finally, in many European cities, speed limits are being lowered because at lower speeds traffic flow is often improved as many intersections, where bottlenecks occur, can actually process more traffic at lower speeds.

A more compelling reason to lower speed limits is to save lives: when a car moving at 20mph impacts a pedestrian, the pedestrian only dies 5% of the time. At 30mph, the chance of death jumps to 45% and at 40mph, 85% of pedestrians struck will die.

Greenways Encouraging Cycling

Speaking with a friend about the popularity of the Hudson River bike path got me thinking about the impact it's had on the city. Are you aware of any studies examining the impact the path has had?
Greg H.

T.A. Response: The completion of the Hudson River Greenway from Battery Park to Dyckman Street has certainly increased bicycling along the west side and surrounding neighborhoods. Generally speaking, T.A. believes that car-free greenway paths are very effective at encouraging bicycling.

See "NYC's Greenways Fuel Surge in Cycling" (T.A. magazine, Spring 2003) transalt.org/press/magazine/032Spring/
10greenways.html for details.

Time Warner Bike Parking

I am a recent joiner of TA because I commend the philosophy of proposing alternatives to automobiles.

I am writing because I have attempted to find a place to lock my bike when I shop at Whole Foods in the new Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle, only to find it is the policy of the building owners that there will be no bike racks allowed. Whole Foods (apparently) went so far as to go to court to change this policy, to no avail.

Is TA aware of or taking a position on this matter? Is there a city agency or political figure that TA would recommend to me in order that I may state my protest.

Regards
Lawrence W.

T.A. Response: Thanks for joining T.A.!

We're a bit disappointed because when the Time Warner Center opened, T.A. wrote to the management, specifically requesting that they install bike racks. Whole Foods has been in support of installing bike racks at their stores--there are two at the store on 7th Avenue and 24th Street.

I recommend writing to Time Warner and requesting racks and contacting your City Councilmember as well. Write to:

Paul Harnett
Manager, Time Warner Center
10 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10019

You can look up your City Councilmember at CMAP (www.cmap.nypirg.org).

We'll follow-up with Time Warner as well.

New Bike Lanes

I have read the articles about the bike lanes in Brooklyn and around the Manhattan Bridge in the last issue of the magazine.

I must say that the celebration appears to me - a daily user of those bike lanes - somewhat euphoric. I am not saying there is not a sense of progress and success BUT New York City remains an extremely dangerous and hostile place for bike riders BECAUSE almost all its motorists have no tolerance and no consideration for pedestrians and bike riders. I can tell you from daily use of those bike lanes that there existence is at this time of no practical significance. There is parking in those lanes, they are used for turning, they are just plainly USED - with complete disregard for its intended users. I would even go so far as to say that they endanger the naive bike rider who might think he or she has some sort of right on those lanes and allows herself or himself a second of decreased attention.

Yes, it is a step in the right direction but the abuse of bike riders in this city continues unabated.

Your continuing supporter
M.L.

T.A. Response: Your points are all very well taken, and we agree that biking conditions around the Manhattan Bridge and the rest of the city could be much safer.

In our work to convince the City to make bicycling safer, it is nice to be able to point out City agencies' good work. In this case, the significant improvement isn't necessarily the bike lanes, which rely not only on planning, but police enforcement and driver education to work, but the fact that for the first time, the City actually planned and marked bike lanes that connect to a bridge path before the path opened. This is a sign that the City is thinking more holistically about creating a well connected network of bike lanes and paths.

T.A. will continue to push for safer traffic conditions and more convenient access around the Manhattan and other NYC bridges.

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Take Action

T.A. has many volunteer opportunities. Please visit our site to learn more about how you can help. Come to the Volunteer Mailing Party on Wednesday, September 29th at 6 pm at the T.A. Office (115 West 30th, #1207)! Free beer, soda, snacks and scintillating conversation.

transalt.org/volunteer

Advocacy Committees
Want to do more? Step into the front lines of T.A.’s campaigns for better cycling, walking, transit and car-free parks. Join a T.A. volunteer advocacy committee. Read more at: www.transalt.org/volunteer/advocacy

Bronx@transalt.org

Brooklyn@transalt.org
transalt.org/campaigns/brooklyn

Centralpark@transalt.org
transalt.org/campaigns/cpark

Gowanus@transalt.org
transalt.org/campaigns/sensible/gowanus.html

Citywide:
Info@transalt.org
www.transalt.org

Dear Reader,

We've put up with cars in Central Park long enough: Please join us for an historic rally for a car-free Central Park loop drive on the evening of Tuesday, October 26th. Your presence is crucial to helping us send the message to the City that New Yorkers want an end to driving in Central Park now. Driving in Central Park affects New Yorkers of all ages, so please bring your family and friends. We will be providing free child care and valet stroller and bicycle parking.

Let us know that we can count on you to be a part of this historic rally.

RSVP now--and tell your friends!

Sincerely,
Paul S. White
Executive Director

Come to the Volunteer Magazine Mailing Party, Wednesday, September 29th at 6 pm at the T.A. Office (115 West 30th, #1207)! Free beer, soda, snacks and scintillating conversation.

Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from Europe

Prof. John Pucher, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
Tuesday, September 28
6-8 pm
104 Washington Street, conference room (just north of Rector Street, NYPD Downtown Center)

Sponsored by Auto-Free New York and Transportation Alternatives

Presenting detailed information and illustrations of truly state-of-the-art walking and cycling facilities in the Netherlands and Germany, Pucher demonstrates what COULD and should be done, even here in New York, to vastly improve conditions for walking and cycling.

Join T.A. today to start receiving Transportation Alternatives Magazine, our members-only in-depth quarterly magazine—
just one of the many personal benefits of T.A. membership!

Request a sample copyy!

Selected articles

Opportunity Knocks for Brooklyn Bridge Connector

Improvements Coming to the Hudson River Greenway

DOT Pondering 8th Avenue Bike Lane

DOT Launches Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes Must Use Street Design to Encourage Walking

$5 Million to Jump Start NYC Bus Rapid Transit

Support for Car-Free Central Park Swells

S.T.O.P. (Standing Together Organizing Parents)

THE T.A.
E-BULLETIN

• Sign up for
T.A.'s free bi-monthly e-bulletin (fresh news for area cyclists and pedestrians) and win a $1000 folding bike!

TAKE THE TOUR!
NYC Century Bike Tour

POTHOLES, STREET HAZARDS GOT YOU IN A RUT?

Call DOT at 212-225-5368 and hit 0 to skip the message and speak with a human. You can also report them online at transalt.org/
hazardd.

STAY SMART & INFORMED

Savvy transit riders get their lowdown on the subways here:

straphangers
.org
The ultimate source for bus and subway service changes, rider comments and complaints that produce action. Help yourself and T.A.’s favorite transit advocates. Check it out.

Sensible Transport Junkies:

Subscribe to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s e-weekly, Mobilizing the Region. tstc.org

Insiders Breakfast on Fresh Baked NYC Politics & Policy

The daily Gotham Gazette: gothamgazette
.org
NYC News summaries and savvy commentary.

Bikes in Bogota? Car-Free Cartagena? Tel-Aviv by Train?

Go global at itdp.org!

Give on-line at transalt.org/join

Quick! What's your city council
member's name? Don't know? See: nypirg.org

GET THERE!

Check our maps page for links to NYC-area bicycle and transit maps.

RIDES AND WALKS

Thursday, September 23, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

Friday, September 24, 7 pm. Critical Mass. Union Square North. Time's Up!

Saturday, September 25, 1:30 pm. Ferry To Weehawken. New York Waterways 38th Street pier. Shorewalkers.

Saturday, September 25, 9:30 am. Long Beach Traffic Haters’ Ride. Cunningham Park. 5BBC.

Saturday, September 25, 10:30 am. Governor’s Island. South Street Seaport Museum. Shorewalkers.

Saturday, September 25, 10 pm. Riverside Ride. Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park. Time's Up!

Sunday, September 26. Golden Apple Ride. Westchester Cycle Club.

Sunday, September 26, 9 am. Nyack Beach. Boathouse in Central Park. Fast & Fabulous.

Sunday, September 26, 9 am. Westchester Bike/Hike: Bronx River Parkway and Cranberry Lake. Woodlawn, Jerome and Bainbridge Aves, Bronx. 5BBC.

Sunday, September 26, Time TBA. Blue Apple Hudson River Bike Cruise. West 23rd Street and Hudson River Greenway. Time's Up!

Sunday, September 26, 9 am. A Longer Ride to a Shorter Pier. Plaza Hotel. 5BBC.

Sunday, September 26, 9 am. Rockland Lake Circular Hike. Port Authority Bus Terminal South Wing, Coach USA ticket window. Shorewalkers.

Sunday, September 26, 10 am. Liberty Park Hike. Grove Street Path Station, top of escalator. Shorewalkers.

Sunday, September 26. Pumpkin Patch Pedal. Staten Island Bicycling Association.

Tuesday, September 28, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

Thursday, September 30, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

Friday, October 1, 10 pm. Central Park Moonlight Ride. Columbus Circle, SW corner of park. Time's Up!

Saturday, October 2. New York to the Hamptons Challenge/South Street Seaport to Southampton College. bikechallenge
.com.

Saturday, October 2, time TBA. Schunemonk. Route 32 and Angola/Pleasant Hill Road, Mountainville. Shorewalkers.

Saturday, October 2, 8:30 am. Palisades Bike Hike: Millionaire’s Row Pt I Closter Landing Loop. GW Bridge Bus Terminal. 5BBC.

Saturday, October 2, 9 am. Strange Science. Plaza Hotel. 5BBC.

Saturday, October 2, 10:05 am. Massapequa Creek. Massapequa railroad station. Shorewalkers.

Saturday, October 2, 10:30 am. Down Under Ride. Plaza Hotel. 5BBC.

Sunday, October 3, 8:30 am sharp. The Great Swamp. World Trade Center. 5BBC.

Sunday, October 3, 9:30 am. East Island. Cunningham Park. 5BBC.

Sunday, October 3, 10 am. Rockaway Park to Marine Park. 116th St.-Rockaway Park subway station. Shorewalkers.

Sunday, October 3, 11 am. Coney Island and the Aquarium. Stillwell Avenue subway station. Shorewalkers.

Sunday, October 3, 12:45 pm. Jersey City Artist Tour. Grove Street PATH station, top of escalators. Shorewalkers.

Tuesday, October 5, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.