Open Thread Wednesday 4/23/14

By on April 23, 2014 12:38 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Willow St

    Anybody know what all the helicopters are about? The noise started a bit after midnight and is still going. I’m assuming it’s something on Brooklyn Bridge…

  • Teresa

    Have walked over the bridge several times this week, I observed that the “yield to pedestrians” sign for cyclists at the Brooklyn end of the bridge, where pedestrians have to cross over onto their side of the bridge, are routinely disregarded. After nearly being hit by a cyclist, I watched for about 15 minutes, and cyclists speed down that hill, fully expecting that pedestrians will yield to them, despite signs posted to the contrary.

    Not a single one of dozens of cyclists made any attempt to even slow down.

  • miriamcb

    Does anyone have a place they recommend for a regular spa facial for a nice, relaxing experience (microdermabrasion not necessary)? It can be outside of BKHeights. I’m specifically thinking of setting up an appt for my husband.

  • miriamcb

    My guess is that cyclists are fairly annoyed by the ped traffic on the bridge by that point since tourists routinely disregard the bike lane/walking lane distinction.

  • jivika

    can anyone tell me the name of these beautiful blooming trees? i’ve heard neighbors call them cherry trees, magnolias and even dogwood, but nobody seems to know for certain.

  • ClaudeScales

    Awww…the poor dears. The Brooklyn Bridge passageway isn’t wide enough to accommodate both the volume of pedestrian traffic it attracts and cyclists wanting to pretend they’re in the Tour de France.

  • miriamcb

    Ha they do pretend that, for sure!

  • ClaudeScales
  • GHB

    I noticed that the potholes on Clark between Columbia Heights and Willow are going to be filled in today. Block closed off, equipment ready. Does a worker urinating in the street constitute “prepping the area”?

  • Alec

    As a cyclist and citibiker, I wouldn’t be opposed to them closing the BK Bridge to bike traffic on weekends (Sat Sun, 10AM-8PM). It’s just way too crowded with people to even attempt biking it.

  • Eddyde

    Just because a cyclist is traveling faster than you are walking you assume they are pretending to be in the Tour de France?

  • Eddyde

    I disagree, many resident New Yorkers rely on the Brooklyn Bridge for transportation. The conditions during peak tourist times may not be ideal for riding but it has managed to work for the past 131 years. Why should us residents be inconvenienced in the name of tourism? That is, any more than we already are…

  • Alec

    because it’s not safe for the pedestrians or the bikers when its that crowded. The Manhattan Bridge has a dedicated bike lane and it’s literally a stone’s throw away (at least on the BK side :)

  • DIBS

    They are the new self-entitled class

  • Eddyde

    Well nothing is perfectly safe. What are the stats for bike pedestrian accidents, do the numbers show a significant increase of incidents on the BB walkway?

    Yes the Manhattan Bridge bike lanes are much better, except if you are trying to get to or from the West Side or Downtown Manhattan.

  • pinapplecran

    whats on my mind is a headache…I work from home and live near willow, the pierhouse construction pile driving has been shaking my apartment for weeks, I really hope this portion is over soon.

  • ClaudeScales

    No, but some of them are going at what I think are reckless speeds given the congested condition.

  • NYcorgi

    Why are so many concessions in Brooklyn Bridge Park still not open? What a missed opportunity! Even some of the stands that are listed as opened on the BBP website are not actually open when they say they are supposed to, and many are still listed as “closed for the season.”

  • Teresa

    Statistics for accidents are unlikely to reflect near-misses, intimidation, and the cyclists’ utter disregard for pedestrians and the posted rule.

  • Eddyde

    “Near miss” a meaningless phrase
    http://www.economist.com/blogs/johnson/2011/04/meaningless_phrases
    The pedestrians don’t all obey the posted rule either.

  • Shelly

    Any ideas of good spots to house a cat while on vacation? Private home preferred.

  • cat

    Does anyone know of a good chiropractor in the neighborhood? I went to Marc Kaplan for years, but haven’t been able to find a really good replacement since he closed his Brooklyn office.

  • MonroeOrange

    its been like that for decades…as a kid there was nothing more fun than going full speed down the ends of the walkways (both directions) and narrowly avoiding pedestrians…Where most pedestrians get hit, is in the middle of the bridge where people are taking pictures north and south and are crossing into the bike lane (if i was a tourist, i would also probably not be aware of the bike lane, when taking pictures).

    And the bikers have always yelled at the pedestrians when in the way, its a good way to welcome the tourists to NYC!

  • Teresa

    Pointing out that pedestrians don’t obey the rules (which, agreed they don’t) doesn’t absolve cyclists from obeying them. And at this particular spot on the bridge, the burden rests on the cyclists–as indicated in the posted signs–to yield to pedestrians. And they don’t. Period. No excuses, no rationalizations. They should, and they don’t.

  • Teresa

    I don’t know of any, Shelly, but I’ve used a terrific cat-sitting that will come to your house as often as you like. http://onepagerapp.com/amiesbestfriends

  • Rick

    I don’t understand the sarcasm, Claude. Responsible bikers like myself have to contend with people suddenly walking into bike lanes. Even at slow speeds, this is dangerous for both rider and pedestrian.

    These pedestrians wouldn’t just wander onto the car lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge just because they could take a pretty picture from that vantage. (Or at least most wouldn’t!)

    Bicycles are recognized as a legitimate transportation vehicle, and as such have designated lanes, just like pedestrians have sidewalks and cars have roads. The idea that bicycle riders are just “poor dears”, who are illegitimately complaining about people walking into bike lanes, seems odd to me.

  • Moni

    Finally got down to BBP after a long absence. So much construction going on! I guess it’s good if it means work is going forward, but I wonder what shape the park will be in for the summer. Disappointed to find the foot bridge up toBklyn Hgts closed, and disgusted to see the size of the private luxury residential complex that will rise on public property. A disgrace! But typical of Bloomberg style of sucking up to real estate tycoons. glad he’s gone.

  • jivika

    hmm… are any of these trees on the promenade or other parks? if so, maybe this page provides a clue? http://www.nycgovparks.org/greening/bloom-guide/brooklyn

  • ClaudeScales

    It’s not the responsible bikers to whom I’m referring. It’s the ones who think they have a right to plummet down the slope at breakneck speed and, as Teresa noted in her post, refuse to yield to pedestrians where signs direct them to do so.

    When walking on the bridge, I always try to stay out of the bike lane. Nevertheless, there are times when I’m forced into it by people walking three or even four abreast going in the opposite direction or gathered in front of one of the several vendors of trinkets. I look in both directions when doing this; but am often greeted with shouts of “Bike lane!” from riders approaching at high speed.

  • mlcraryville

    How about speed bumps for the bikes?

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