bike lanes

What street?

I saw them painting the lane on Berkeley Pl near Plaza Street today and was thinking that was new.

I really like the spots where they paint the entire bike lane green--much easier to spot amongst all the white paint on the streets.

OpossumQueen wrote: I saw them painting the lane on Berkeley Pl near Plaza Street today and was thinking that was new.

I really like the spots where they paint the entire bike lane green--much easier to spot amongst all the white paint on the streets.

Green? Is the lane against the curb or is there parking next to the lane?

The green ones, like on Henry St and Adams St. are against the curb. Henry is narrow as well, and they just removed the parking on that side.

I like the green ones too. Cars seem to stay out of them more often.

belzjm wrote: it hasn't been painted green. not sure if that's coming. just one lane was in yesterday and i think the other lane added today. there is parking on either side of the street (per usual) with the bike lane and car lane sharing the middle...

now berkeley isn't super busy, but it's a TIGHT squeeze, it looks to me...

Really? They kept the parking? That will be a tight squeeze. I'm surprised they didn't just mark it as a shared lane (two ^ with a bike under them).

They need to start putting bike lanes smack in the middle of the street between two lanes of traffic. Riding between one lane of traffic that may turn left and a bunch of parked cars that doors can swing open randomly is too dangerous. I've already seen some bike lane symbols in the middle of the street on some two lane streets, so hopefully this will start happening more often. The green lanes aren't too bad as they usually seem to be between a curb and traffic vs parked cars & traffic. -J

Based on your experience, what are the best streets to ride on in this neighborhood? The safest I mean.

People really don't get why we don't want to ride right up flush next to those parked car doors.

belzjm wrote: I'd suggest Prospect Park for the best and safest bike riding...

Yes, but unless you live in there, you do have to get there somehow.

Really, I've never felt I couldn't ride safely on any specific street in Park Slope except 4th Avenue. Dean is popular and has a bike path. 9th has a bike path as well. 5th and 7th Aves can be a little dicey with all the double parked cars and people crossing in the middle of the block. Just be careful of the buses on all of the streets. They always make me nervous.

Haven't came across too many streets that aren't safe in Park Slope, but I'd say stay off atlantic ave, flatbush ave, and prospect park west, just because cagers speed quite a bit on those roads. Most dangerous bike lane i've come across has to be 6th ave. in the Manhattan from around west 4 st all the way up to 57th.

Berkeley was marked out for a bike lane as well as .... now I'm blanking. It was another street running in the opposite direction. Maybe Lincoln? I'm sure I saw two of them when I was out walking yesterday.

caaahyoko wrote: Really, I've never felt I couldn't ride safely on any specific street in Park Slope except 4th Avenue. Dean is popular and has a bike path. 9th has a bike path as well. 5th and 7th Aves can be a little dicey with all the double parked cars and people crossing in the middle of the block. Just be careful of the buses on all of the streets. They always make me nervous.

I second this. A lot of the time, during the day, congestion is your friend, because car traffic can't go that fast anyway. The key is to be patient and not expect to be able to haul ass. On most neighborhood streets I don't bother to shift out of first gear, so I'm going slow enough to watch for parked car door and darting pedestrians, and to react to whatever I need to react to.