Biking and walking rule in a city sans subway

That is awesome! Terrible what has happen, but maybe this gives people a new perspective and they will continue walking/biking after the power/trains come back.

Thanks Jonathan for all the coverage from NYC, both pre- and post-Sandy.

Looks more like walking rules and biking is basically impossible to me.

what I love about this is seeing all modes of transport getting along.

I can’t believe we get this kind of coverage from the eye of the storm. Seriously awesome stories this week and last!

My college friend lives in Brooklyn and posted the following on Facebook:

“Not sure which is more awesome: the bicycle-powered phone-charging stations set up by Times Up in the East Village, or the bicycle-powered pumps they’re using to pump out basements.”

Can anyone in NYC take pictures to verify this?

This is all so great Jonathan! Perhaps its time to bring the DRT to New York.

seems you covered more than any nyc bicycle bloggers on post-Sandy storm. good work…

It would be a shame if the bridges fell down and they all turned into zombies.

Awesome stories Jonathan. I loved having a bike perspective of this situation. One thing that strikes me even more true because of your coverage: when any trouble strikes (weather, earthquake, etc) those of us that have made biking a normal part of our life are at a huge advantage to go about our own lives and lend a hand to those that need help. I know if there was a massive storm in Portland that shut down public transport, flooded sections of town, knocked over trees, power lines, etc. I would still be able to navigate on my longtail and go where I needed to go. Looks like NYC bikers are having that experience. Maybe a few more folks out there will realize it is possible to make a mode shift. Thanks for the great reporting and images.

There was a story about the NYC gridlock on OPB this morning, with an interview with a motorist who was complaining it took him two hours to go 2.5 miles. I couldn’t help but think if he was on a bike, he could have done that 10-15 minutes.

Those photos almost look like the west side trail any sunny afternoon. Basically, on a bike you’re constantly dodging. But still enjoy seeing so many people out and about. At least the storm hit before it got seriously cold out. People look like may they are enjoying their walk.

Why have I not heard the word “bike” on the NPR morning news?
Great job Jonathan, both conference and storm. Journalism at its best.

The good news is walking is not only a viable mode of transportation in NYC, but to a certain extent far more than we’ve seen in the last half century, a viable mode in many cities and towns across the USA.

Italians always are fully functional in chaos.

And very well dressed.

This situation makes me think that we (the bike proselytizing community) have been going about this all wrong.

When disasters occur, and climate science tells us this will happen more frequently and with more intensity, our infrastructure will fail.
Any city is layer upon layer of services; like water, phone, public transit, police; that are dependent upon foundational systems like electricity and liquid fuels.

What we as city dwellers need is an urban disaster preparedness tool that facilitates near equivalent personal mobility without being reliant upon failed infrastructure.

Something high tech like a bicycle.

I know many people see bikes as toys, racing equipment, a mobile exercise machine or at best a mundane form of daily mobility.

I propose that in addition to disaster kits containing sufficient food, water and other critical daily supplies that any real disaster prep kit contain at least on bike for every angle bodied person. Cargo bikes would be a nice addition but in terms of surviving “The Day After” the simple ability to GET OUT and towards help is likely to be the most critical.

Bikes: the lynch pin to personal survival when the fit hits the shan.

I’m a bit surprised that private motorists are allowed to enter Manhattan on the bridges. With tunnels out, and subways flooded as well, the bridges need to be open to allow food and other needed supplies to be brought in and people needing emergency treatment to be brought out. The bridges simply don’t have the carrying capacity to handle private cars along with everything else. The fact that private cars have not been banned from entering Manhattan indicates the severity of the car addiction, even in NYC.

If cars were banned from the bridges bicycles could travel in one of the motorists’ lanes and pedestrians could continue to use the bike lanes. As it is, the peds use the bike lanes and the cyclists–from what I can see–have to walk as well. Not tragic, but it indicates where bikes currently stand in the ped/bike/car triad.

Cuba Survived the Oil embargo by importing 2 million bicycles.

Humans as a species are masters at adapting, with one glaring flaw.
The inability to recognize the difference between easier & better.

Great job. A perspective that I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope you miss your flight again. I want to see more coverage from NYC as things start to recover.

Ditto, Ladyfleur. Jonathan, you are in the center of a great story and you are doing an excellent job reporting it. Consider staying longer to keep us informed. Do we need to chip in to keep the great pics coming?

Al from PA, I think I heard that private automobiles weren’t being allowed into Manhattan unless they had at least 3 occupants. So the private cars on the street either (1) were already in Manhattan, (2) had already dropped off their other occupants, or (3) got in due to lack of enforcement.

EIther way, I sure wouldn’t think of driving in Manhattan on a normal day, let alone this week. Even under normal conditions it’s a staple of movies and TV for people to get out of a cab in NYC and start walking because it’s faster.

Take a good long look Portland, a Cascadia Quake will create many of the same issues.