There is a huge cycling community in NYC; leisure, commuter, courier and sports. The cycle network on the roads expands with more and more cycle lanes and green routes throughout the city.
Then they struck at Critical Mass during the Republican convention, diverting the route, holding participants in cells and confiscating bikes.
Critical Mass is this Friday night and they have told all that without a permit to parade Critical Mass is an illegal gathering and the police will act to uphold the law for the safety of all road users. More arrests and confiscations.
On Monday the Police put barriers across the road in Central Park and stopped all cyclists, warning them that as off now they will be clamping down on any misdemeanors by cyclists in the park. This includes going through red lights (the road is closed to traffic most hours and it is known that cyclists go through the red if it's clear and Pedestrians always have the right of way), cyclists must stay in the bikelanes and also not having an audible warning device fitted (a bell!!, lol!!!). They are not giving the same warnings to joggers, rollerbladers etc.
On Tuesday they operated a sting campaign on 2nd Avenue. Any cyclist passing through a particular red light was chased down by two motorcycle cops secreted behind a delivery van and immediately fined $180.
On Wednesday they waited on the West Side Bike Path (!) and fined any cyclist again passing through a pedestrian crossing.
I know that some of this sounds only fair, indeed in London I was dropped many a time from a group ride as I insisted on waiting for lights. But here the culture is different and many times the roads are one way, sure some idiots speed though lights without looking and play dodge the cab but many slow, pause, check it's safe and slide across the junction, its a way of life. I am pretty much a convert. You try riding in the city and stopping at lights EVERY 200metres or so, its a killer.
Basically right now there is some sort of clampdown vendetta on all things two wheeled and pedal powered in NYC. God Help Us All.
Other than that I'm lovin it.
Cheers
Steve
