New York City Combats Rash Of Cyclist/truck Clashes

City of New York spokespeople, fed up with an increase in cyclist fatalities involving large trucks, are calling for the New York Police Department to target oversize trucks, and especially trucks driving outside of designated routes.

New York City combats rash of cyclist/truck clashes

From the article - it doesn't sound like TT's, but single unit panel (non-CDL) trucks.

NYC is a zoo - and I haven't been there in a long time - but if the bicycle riders are anything like the last time I was there, they (for the most part) ride like they own the road without consideration to any traffic around them. So it's no surprise to me they get themselves "eaten" by trucks. Bikes are one step down from cabbies in their complete disregard to others around them.

The comments on the bottom are funny as hell though.

Haven't been back to NYC since Jerry Garcia died. Even though I have family there - nothing could get me to even visit.

Rick

From the article - it doesn't sound like TT's, but single unit panel (non-CDL) trucks.

NYC is a zoo - and I haven't been there in a long time - but if the bicycle riders are anything like the last time I was there, they (for the most part) ride like they own the road without consideration to any traffic around them. So it's no surprise to me they get themselves "eaten" by trucks. Bikes are one step down from cabbies in their complete disregard to others around them.

The comments on the bottom are funny as hell though.

Haven't been back to NYC since Jerry Garcia died. Even though I have family there - nothing could get me to even visit.

Rick

It's gotten a lot worse since then with bike rental services and bike lanes taking over.

The bike lanes usually serve as a spot to double park and bikes go around, into the traffic lane, without looking.

The other bike lanes are curbside where cars used to park and cars park about 3 or 4 feet into traffic. The problem here is that the bike tends to be out of sight until it emerges into traffic.

The major problem, is what Rick said. They take the quickest most convenient path. It can be in traffic, bike lanes or sidewalks. The latter being most rare because that law is actually enforced with zero tolerance.

I'm not going to reply to this article here because it would definitely see me on a political tangent.

I say NO to NYC and DC loads, so no worries here.

"Let's also not ignore the fact that truck driving is a job which tends to attract the, how should I put it, "coarse minded" people. Aggressive, irresponsible, no concern for human life, violently dismissive of anyone's objections to the way they drive, willing to risk children's lives to squeeze through a red, that sort of thing..."

The above is a quote from the article.

You could say the same thing about some of the soccer moms out there on the road. The scariest driver I've ever been in a vehicle with was my friend's mom who drove us to soccer practice. Passing on the shoulder, flying around tight turns, accelerating towards red lights and then slamming the breaks...she was aggressive and dangerous!

I havent driven in the city but had a haul to Long Island a couple weeks ago. I was paid and extra $300 for the trip but I earned it. I have never seen so many aggressive 4 wheelers ever before I couldnt imagine cyclists thrown into that mix.

Rick S. wrote:

but if the bicycle riders are anything like the last time I was there, they (for the most part) ride like they own the road without consideration to any traffic around them. So it's no surprise to me they get themselves "eaten" by trucks. Bikes are one step down from cabbies in their complete disregard to others around them.

As a cyclist and one-time commuter, I can't agree more with Rick.
On any cycle (I currently ride a recumbent trike and just sold off my motorcycles) I keep my head on a swivel and in the mirrors. Bicycle riders are getting more and more "brave" and don't pay any attention to where they are in a lane or what is around them.
And motorists here in Nashville aren't making it any better, either. I rarely ride on the streets around here due to the quite likely chance some SUV will veer over the right line and BOOM. One of the main reasons I stopped commuting on the bicycle years back.
Thank goodness we have some decent bike trails/paths near my home.

RealDiehl...you hit that one right up the middle. Stopped at a red light on the motorcycle one day...SWOOSH!!!!...Escalade with a soccer ball on the back window just about took my left elbow off as they ran the light in the left turn lane the wind blast actually rocked me a bit.