What's your problem?

The New York Times is soliciting bike questions for Joshua Benson, the bicycle program coordinator for NYC's Department of Transportation.

I already got mine in about my issues with Queensburo Bridge access. I hope he answers it!

12 Dutchmen were on a bike...

...on one bike. Check this out:
This and other great old dutch bike pictures can be found on Andre Koopman's photostream.

So I was letting the air out of a tire of a car stopped at a red light...

I asked a half dozen or so NYPD about my bit of street justice. Get this: not one of them could think of any crime I committed!

A few other items of note:

1) If I were on private property, they could definitely get me for something. But I wasn't.

2) They too mentioned that I may have made the situation more dangerous. I'm not convinced I did, nor that that this makes my actions wrong.

3) A retired cop said he would get me for petty larceny if I took the valve cap. But I didn't. I pointed out I did in fact litter. But next time I could put the valve cap back on. And I could have been cited for not having a bell on my bike, but I didn't tell him this.

4) One officer said he would cite me for harassment. But he admitted this would be a bullshit charge that wouldn't stick. But as this is the only concrete criminal charge that anybody could come up with, I looked it up. I might have been guilty of "harassment in the second degree," a violation. Like littering. A non-arrestable offense if not committed in an officer’s presence. If you "repeat" the behavior (like doing two tires, I suppose), it goes up to "harrassment in the first degree," a misdemeanor. Here's the violation of harassment in the second degree:

A person is guilty... when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person... He or she engages in a course of conduct... which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no legitimate purpose.

I, of course, plead my conduct was legitimate. But a judge might not agree.

A still have a feeling that there's something on the books that I violated. But nothing that anybody can think of.

So while I'm not saying it's legal or good to let the air out of a car tire while the car is stopped at a red light. And I'm not saying it would be worth a night in jail on some B.S. charge. But I still think I did the right thing. And I'm just sayin' it doesn't seem to be illegal. I'm just sayin'...

Bike Balto

Putting the charm back in Charm City, Baltimore is becoming more bike friendly.

Having lived and loved in Baltimore from 1999 to 2001, I can attest that the city is a good biking town that isn't very bike friendly. I lived and commuted by bike and without a car there for the first 6 months. Just 3 miles from Greektown to downtown. Sometimes I took the Number 10 Bus. The bus system is actually not bad. But that Number 10 Bus could pick up quite a motley crew coming from Dundalk (redneck), O'Donnell Heights (ghetto), and the Bayview Methadone clinic (junkie). It was like one big happy grown up Sesame Street, on a good day.

In Baltimore, I noticed and understood why people put "must have car" in personal ads. For the first time, I realized why people think public transportation is for losers. In Baltimore, a lot of losers are riding the bus. And hell, if you're not a loser, why don't you have car? I did end up buying a car, but not because I was afraid of being a loser. But I really did need a car for work (yes... need). It's the only city I've ever lived in and not been car free.

On one hand, Baltimore is a small city without too many big hills. It's fast to bike around. On the other hand, 1) drivers just aren't used to bikes, but that isn't a huge problem; 2) there are these "death grates," horribly designed sewer grates that your tire could fall into; and 3) there's a lot of ghetto in Balto I wouldn't recommend biking through on a regular basis.

Also, there's a not-too-steep but very steady incline in the whole city from South to North. That's one of the reasons I lived in the East.

But I enjoyed biking in Baltimore, as I do everywhere. There's no reason it shouldn't be a great biking city. Here's to Baltimore! And if anyone goes there, bring me back a crab cake.

NYC bike

In a comment, Carlos DJ writes:

Hey Astoria Bike, I'm sure you get emails like this all the time. I just moved to astoria (close to astoria park) and wanted to get back into biking. I haven't biked since the early 90's when i was in high school so I'm quite outdated. Do you have any tips for buying a bike fit for nyc? I plan on doing mostly weekend daytrips to central park, brooklyn, and that sort of exploring fun stuff. ... Great blog, it's been fun reading it.

A lot of email? Maybe you mistake this blog for something people actually read!

I was at a wedding last night, and somebody asked me the same question you did. My first answer always is: not a mountain bike. That usually gets a strange look and a quizzical, "Why?" Because you just know they were eying some high-tech full suspension aluminum frame thing is the bike store. Why? Because we have no mountains!

If you go bike in mountains, get a mountain bike. That's what they're designed for. If you bike in cities, get a city bike.

But what is a city bike? Here's my answer. Something comfortable, fast, and able to carry.

Ask yourself which of those three things is most important to you and go from there. Fast? Get a nice road bike? Able to carry? Get any bike with eyelets for a rack installation and buy some gigantic saddle bags online from Holland or somewhere. Comfortable? Well, all bikes should be comfortable. But think of the seat and the handlebars you like most. But that's hard to know without riding.

I will say this, the most comfortable position for you hands on a bike is when they're in the hand-shaking position. What you don't want is the flat straight handlebars of a mountain bike. Drop handlebars and old-fashioned shaped (bending back) handlebars are the best. In general, until you know better, get a super high stem for your handlebars so you can sit upright. But keep in mind there's nothing naturally uncomfortable about drop handlebars at about seat height.

And whatever you get, make sure you can carry something, even if it's just a bike bag. And make sure you have fenders. And don't get knobby tires (see my no mountain bike rule) unless you plan to biking off road... which you simply won't do in NYC.

I'm very partial to steel frames because 1) they give a much softer ride, 2) they're safer, and 3) they look better. Aluminum frames are popular because they're easier for machines to weld.

I'm against suspension, but don't want to preach against it, because it can be kind of cool. Maybe it's right for some people. But if people didn't ride aluminum frames and hold on to those dumb flat mountain-bike handlebars, there probably would be no need for suspension on bikes. Ride steel. Don't grip your handlebars tightly. And ride around potholes. Plus, without suspension, you can hop over things.

To answer your question, the ideal bike for a city is a city bike. The best city bikes are out of Holland and France. But you should avoid French bikes because they have non-standard sizes for everything (well, I'm sure they're standard for them). But you'd be hard pressed to run across a French City bike here anyway.

If you ever come across a used Batavus Barcelona, grab it. I also think the Bluebird (featured on this bike), is a pretty damn good city bike.

On money, the more you spend, the less trouble you'll probably have. Newer bikes have fewer parts. That means less to brake. Spend money on tires, because they won't get flats. Think about what you want in a bike, and then start hunting. Astoria, by the way, is not a bad place for finding and buying old bikes. There are some nice Schwinns in these parts.

Even more Vigilantism

There's a not too great article in the Times about cars parking in bike lanes.

But what is great is that a group of vigilantes have started to spay paint no car stencils in bike lanes.

Power to the people.

I wish there were a single bike lane I rode on. Then I could complain it about, too.

Queensplaza proposal

Speaking of DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan [smile], I think I will send her my no-brainer proposal for Queensplaza.

I and other bikers find it dangerous to bike against traffic heading back into Queens off the Bridge. But we do, because we have to. It's stupid because there are already two lanes we could be biking on. One, the perfect one, is simply barriered off. There's no downside to turning this into a one-block bike lane except the cost of one more traffic lights for the Crescent St intersection.

The other lane, now used for illegal parked cars, would require nothing more than a line of paint. The best part (if you have a sense of irony) is that there's enough room for cars to continue to park illegal, right next to the new bike lane. Just slide 'em over 5 feet. That's all.

Come on, Janette, give us some love!

Don't tell my wife...

...but I think I'm in love with DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. You can watch a video of her speaking on Streetsblog. She says all the right things [swoon].

I hate Hillary

I can't believe she's starting to sound like George Bush. The Times reports:

Clinton Presses on Gas Tax Holiday
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s decision to take on members of Congress over her proposal for a federal gas tax holiday this summer -– “are they with us or against us” –- is tempting fate a bit, as she risks antagonizing uncommitted superdelegates who are members of Congress and who oppose the tax holiday.

Why doesn't any politician or tax law reward me for NOT USING ANY GAS in my commute to work!!! Why does the government pay people to drive?! Arrrgg.

My head hurts.

More Vigilante Justice

A friend of mine, well versed in debating the nuances of ethical matters, writes:

Let air out of her tire! You're my hero. I am going to visit you in the hospital every day. And bring cake.

So says my heart. But my head says, no, I don't think we get to disable the cars of people we think are driving dangerously -- even if they are. This kind of vigilante action will end in tears, no? How about taking a quick photo of yacking driver and license plate?

But back to my heart. I've long thought the way to deal with cars in Central Park -- legal or not -- was to calmly ride along side them, pull out a can of orange dayglo spray paint, run a stripe along their side, smile, and glide away: no angry words, no confrontation. They won't even know it happened. But gradually, the word will get out that this is what happens if you drive in a park.

I am of course to chicken to actually to this, but you clearly are the guy to launch it.

I like your spray paint idea! The truth is, it could be done without even actually spray painting a car. We just need to start an urban legend! Everybody reading this needs to work the following into a conversation once a day: "...you know how you just can't drive through the park these days without some roving band of jerks spray painting your car... "

But no, I don't think it is bad to disable cars that are driving dangerously. Any more than than it's bad for the State of New York to ban cars that fail a safety inspection. Why is it different than grounding a plane? Danger is danger, sez I.

Why is giving a flat tire any different than keeping a drunk driver from driving? And while any given drunk driver may not actually be dangerous. I knew this woman was dangerous. Specifically to me.

Since when do people have a right to drive both dangerously and illegally?

And what would a photo do? Besides, call me a Luddite, but I commute to work without a camera.

And I wonder if there is any law against letting the air out of tire. If I were still a cop, I'd be very flummoxed as to what to charge myself with.

p.s. I'll try and get taken to a hospital near you, to make it easier to visit. I like vanilla cake with store-bought canned frosting.

Greater Astoria Historical Society

Turns out the president of the Greater Astoria Historical Society is a doorman in Manhattan who bikes to work. There's a story about him in the Times.

Being a night-owl myself, I like his line that, "You’ve got to embrace the night."

Why do I mention this? Because it's Astoria. And he bikes to work.

Vigilante Justice?

I was biking home tonight, approaching the Queensburo Bridge, and "noticed" an expensive car driving erratically: taking up two lanes, sliding between two lanes, and otherwise making me very nervous.

At a red light, I pulled up to the car and confronted a young woman, not at all surprisingly, gabbing on her cell phone. Not only is this illegal, it's dangerous.

[I would add that since the hand-held cell phone ban, drivers have gotten noticeably less erratic.]

I loudly (her window was up) but not really rudely yelled at her to stop talking on her phone because she was obviously distracted and could kill somebody like me.

She smiled at me and gave me the thumbs up and continued to talk. I insisted she stop talking on her phone. She put her cell phone on her lap and I started to bike away. But I knew she hadn't hung up. So I came back to her window and of course she was still on the phone. I again asked her to stop. She gently waved and even kissy-kissied me, but refused to hang up.

At this point, in a moment I would call inspired genius, I leaned over, took the cap off her front left tire, and proceeded to release the air. To be honest, deep down I've always wanted to do this, but that's not really the point.

I figured if she has too oblivious to notice I was letting the air out of her tires, she really shouldn't be driving. Before all the air was out, the light changed and she gently rolled away. She could still drive on the tire, unfortunately. But it definitely needed air.

While the Indian limo driver behind her gave me a stern nod of disapproval, I believe I did the right thing, like trying to take the keys out of the hands of a drunk driver. Or am I just an asshole?

I am interested in your comments.

Chicago Gets New York’s Congestion Money

Here's the story.

Ouch, Indeed.

Bike sharing program in D.C.

The New York Times reports on this.

Seems useful for a place like NYC, where many people don't bike because they have nowhere to keep a bike.

We'll see if it works. I always feel it's best to let another try these things out first, to work out the kinks.

Pete of Dishwasher Fame

And his lovely wife, Amy.

You may know Pete Jordan as author of Dishwasher (and infamous Dave Letterman no-show). I went up to their bike store in the North of Amsterdam to meet them, drop off a copy of my book, and get an Egyptian bike bell put on my bike.

Peter wasn't in. But the bike store is great. And Amy is a gem. Best of all, she let me work on my own bike while she had to attend to other customers (she made clear that this is not their standard operating procedure). I wish I had had more time so that we could have had a few drinks and chat longer, but I had to get back into town for a 4pm meeting.