I am usually regarded as the “Hipster Defense Council” and am a self proclaimed bicycle advocate but come on people, when the Pulaski Bridge is packed with stranded G train commuters, don’t be dicks, walk your bikes! The Pulaski Bridge is already too narrow to accommodate as much foot and bicycle traffic it gets on a normal day.
During rush hour last night, it was treacherous to bike. The only option was to slowly weave in and out of rows of people, some elderly, some toting kids and it was not safe.
It doesn’t take very long to just walk the bike over. Do it! We are all in this together.
I won’t even get into how ridiculous the line of cars waiting on the Pulaski Bridge to full up gas tanks was.
Walk your bike when you are in a mob of confused people. We are all trying to get home after miserable commutes post #sandy.
Be safe and smart Greenpoint.
How about never be a dick and always use common sense?
Now you’re asking ALOT! LOL!
Thank you! The reason so many people do not like “Hipsters” is because they act like the are the most important people around. What makes Greenpoint great is that it is a small community in a big city. We need to respect each other and appreciate our differences. That means making a pathway on the sidewalk in front of Five Leaves and walking your bike over the bridge. And while we are at it, stop at lights and stop signs and ride your bikes in the direction of traffic.
this is not an oppty to hipster bash. 🙂
hmm walk my bike and take up twice as much room across a narrow path, or ride slowly with the pedestrians, carefully passing if an opportunity presents itself, otherwise just hanging out and riding in the line of walkers. Maybe for inexperienced bikers walking may be the better option, but I think for anyone with any bit of control my option works quite well.
Or today I was coming back INTO brooklyn at rush hour times, when the car path is not very crowded, so I just used that. All good for everyone.
Though I guess what I am saying is I agree with you, there is just more than one way to not be a dick.
well thanks! people were trying to be very careful… it was just such a mob, like riding on the sidewalk in midtown… not worth it. and bikers were not getting across much faster, either.
taking up more room was safer than weaving in and out of people. not a matter of experience, matter of their isn’t enough room to safely maneuver.
did you ride your bike in the car lane over the pulaski? that’s suicidal! please be careful!
Walking your bike does not take up anymore room than a pedestrian walking with shopping bags. If your skill set is such that you can stand on a dime at the blink of an eye, maybe ride in the car lane across Pulaski. As a cyclist of over 20 years, I cold navigate behind pedestrians and pass when the opportunity exists but the bigger issue is, it’s just not safe right now to do so. Be cool, stay human and do the right thing please. Some chucklehead, probably skilled, went storming down the path last night yelling “single file” as he raced down the path barely missing elderly people with kids. When the little kid in front makes an unexpected move and Mr. skills takes out the little man and who knows what else, then what difference does your ability to navigate make?
i love that you are calling him mr. skills! hilarious!
I don’t know the specifics of what Jen encountered last night, but I walked my bike back to Greenpoint last year after dining with friends who walked to LIC. The three of us walked single file out of respect for those biking who need the extra space. It’s not much to ask for the same courtesy back when the bridge is trafficked by more pedestrians than cyclists while mass-transit options are scarce.
normally i ride by bike and pedestrians are cautious. but the bridge was so packed with people during the commute home, they would have had to wait on a line to get onto the bridge in order to walk single file – just to let bikes through? not happening. plus it seemed like the pedestrians were not “pulaski regulars” so they weren’t as aware of staying to the right. they were just cursing #sandy!
There should absolutely be a bike lane on the Pulaski Bridge roadway. Under normal circumstances (not now), the roadway is NEVER congested. In fact all the extra space seems to encourage motorists to speed.