NYPD: Cyclists must walk!

A brief note on how I like to make my own contribution to the human language. In promoting some rides, I have started to refer to Friday as fRideay, which is basically pronounced the same but implies that it is a day to ride (massively if possible), in addition to being a day of the week. Just wanted to let you all know. Now that this has been posted on the internet I presume it is official.

Now while last month's Critical Mass Walk seemed to bother some of the NYPD officers assigned to "safely escort" the "ride," this fRideay night, instead of encouraging cyclists to ride, they are actively discouraging it. In yet another attempt to ride smoothly through the new "pedestrian paradise" on Broadway, where the night is lit like day around Times Square, I was strongly encouraged (ordered?) to dismount my bicycle through the red painted pedestrian area. Now, I support pedestrian only areas. But can someone please explain to me how a cyclist may safely remain on her bicycle and perhaps not have to stop in this area? Up to this point you've enjoyed a better designed and marked physically separated bike lane, and then you are suddenly dumped into a red pavement zone only marked by a small yellow sign that is posted a bit too high to really notice.

I've ridden down this street too many times to have not figured it out, but if someone can clue me in to how all the lane changes and stuff are supposed to work for bikes around Bloomburg's Broadway, I'd appreciate it.

Oh yes, and thank you to the NYPD for respectfully directing my attention to the sign in a courteous and professional way.

Above you'll see a video still from the area prior to the renovation. NYPD did not have little signs to point to back in March of 2009.

Yes indeed. If I had not had such a glorious !st fR!deay! already that evening I might have been upset. Stay tuned for that report soon.

ride safe and seen on the scene.