So I've started commuting by bike, in NYC

[sir pball]

I was an avid MTB'er in high school, back in the 90s when it was hip and cool - I hadn't ridden in years, but decided that as I'm getting older and lazier, a bike would be a good tool to supplement my running, or lack thereof. Got a nice inexpensive hardtail, added the commuting gear, and I've been having a ball, but I gotta say...

..as a motorcyclist also, for the last 18 years, every cyclist should spend the money on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse. Only about a third of it is really moto-specific; the rest centers on situational awareness and incident avoidance - "SEE": Search for potential hazards, Evaluate the specific threats, and Execute actions as needed to avoid them. It's something I've noticed cyclists around here definitely don't always do (a small but significant percentage are outright assholes but that's a different story), that would probably seriously reduce cycle-involved incidents.

Yeah, you may have the legal right-of-way to try and squeeze past a right-turning truck but even if you're in their mirrors, they aren't looking for you, and you sure as shit aren't going to win that contest.

[Hoyt]

1. Would love to do that. It's been about 15 years, but I used to ride all over Atlanta,

although not to work (no showers).

I have been looking at the electric bikes recently, but probably won’t spend the money.

Take care. I bet it’s really cool riding in NYC.

[sir pball]

4. It's really fun on the river greenways or in the parks, gets a little hairy on the streets.

I'm still fit enough I can cruise pretty fast; on the segregated ped/bike paths it's quite fun, like riding the Tour de France, or a moto in sparse slow traffic...on the streets it's a whole different ballgame. Thousands of cagers and they're even more ignorant of you, or even more actively trying to kill you. I damn near need a drink after crossing 14th.

The other cyclists laughed at me for having two moto-sized mirrors on my bar-ends, but as I said I cycle the exact same way I moto - 150% 360-degree awareness.

[Me.]

2. Thank You

In my neighborhood it's like the wild west with cyclists. Running lights, criss-crossing intersections, speeding down sidewalks, riding against traffic, weaving in and around traffic....

I have often wished there were rules of the road for cyclists.

Also wish traffic cops would pay attention and...I think there needs to be some consideration to licensing cyclists

[sir pball]

3. There are rules of the road for cyclists

At least here in NYC, we're technically motor vehicles. To be fair I have a bit of a flexible view of the law on both a moto and a cycle (e.g. filtering/lane splitting, squeezing by on the shoulder, MAYBE ignoring a red late at night after a full stop and check, stop-sign style), but "salmoning" (riding against), sidewalk riding, blowing lights, diagonally crossing intersections, no no no.

I'm not sure I'd favor licensing, only insomuch as a lot of very poor folk only have a crappy bike and even a $50 license would be a time and money burden, but knowing the rules and more importantly knowing how to survive are definitely important.

[Me.]

5. Here In NYC

is where I am referring to

[sir pball]

7. I kind of figured, the 10% of asshole cyclists really ruin it.

To be fair and clear, most cyclists here are fine, but the few that are assholes are REAL ASSHOLES. I run quite a bit too, one of my favorite activities when I see a reckless cyclist is to play chicken with them...once or twice I may have just not gotten out of the way fast enough Officer, their handlebar whacked my elbow, so sorry they went facefirst onto the asphalt, accidents happen huh?

I'm lucky enough to live in Manhattan on Riverside, once I cross the street I have ten miles of essentially uninterrupted greenway down to the Battery...I can stretch it to about 14.5 if I go up the East River to 42nd. I really hate and avoid the streets if possible.

[Me.]

11. Riverside Would Allow For That

UWS...

[BigmanPigman]

6. When i was in Amsterdam it was obvious

to me that the bike riders there not only followed rules but so did pedestrians and cars. It is an interesting mix but it works because they all follow the rules. I found out that if you are walking and a bike rider sees you breaking a rule they honk their bike horns loudly at you. This is very serious to them and it works out well for the zillion bike riders that are in the city.

[sir pball]

8. Exactly. Follow the rules.

There's a small, vocal minority of cyclists here in NYC who think the rules are flexible at best and mostly just to be ignored, and they smear ALL of us.

At least they're the ones who usually get literally smeared, but it's in poor taste to point that out..

[stopdiggin]

9. US has a problem

with a growing number of citizens .. that think rules are for "chumps" (I have some thoughts on why and how we got here -- but I'll hold them for the moment) Point is, it doesn't take a lot of thought to see where eventually this becomes a real problem.
(in my own biking I tend to be "fairly" law abiding .. and everyone else has the right of way ..)

[sir pball]

10. "Fairly" law abiding is fine

As long as that means stop-and-go at a quiet red, or filtering (riding between cars to get to the front at a light), or lane-splitting, or many other things - but NOT blowing reds at top speed, riding on the sidewalk, "training" in Central Park at 20+mph nonstop, diagonal crossing intersections, or trying to pass dump trucks turning right because you have "right of way" (more than one cyclist has been squished here doing that, but it's Uncool to point it out).

So be smart about what you can do versus cars, and yes flex the law a little, but don't be an asshole about it.

[littlemissmartypants]

12. Please be careful and have fun. ❤ nt