In the past two weeks I’ve replaced the rolling hills of Yorkshire for the potholes and frenetic pace of New York. It’s hard to write about cycling in New York without becoming a constant stream of criticism, depression and disillusionment, so I mostly packed away my bicycle and kept my thoughts to myself.
(see: The only cyclist on the street – previous post on cycling in Queens, New York)
As I’ve probably mentioned every time I come back from New York – if I lived there full-time, I just wouldn’t be a cyclist. The odds are just too much stacked against cycling, which is why no one really does it. If I lived in Queens, New York, I’d take up another hobby, preferably one involving being protected by an armoured layer of steel, which most drivers seem to have.
It’s a bizarre place New York. Only in New York, would a cyclist be fined $1,250 for cycling through a red light. Yet, every moment, you have cars doing 50mph on urban roads, passing scarcely 10 cm from any unwitting cyclist or pedestrian. Over 235 people a year are killed on New York roads, I’m only surprised it’s not more, but for such a death toll, there is seemingly little concern or desire to change.
There are cycle lanes in New York, though none of practical value in the suburb of Queens where I stay. Only in New York, would you have a fight over the existence of cycle lanes on the grounds that cyclists may be wearing insufficient clothes. (Clash of the bearded ones - NY Mag) New York has many good qualities, and I really enjoy going there three times a year, cycling just isn’t one of them.
Anyway, I’m back in England, it’s all cycling heaven from now on…
I feel that the UK still has a lot of work to do in this regard. The government seems to be saying all the right things in terms of supporting cycling, but doesn’t seem to have the guts to take on the road lobby.
Don’t US Postal deliver the mail in Queens then?