MyBikeLane

So you finally get them to stop parking in the bike lane but still complain. Where would you like this guy to park?

I don't see how they are parked in the bike lane. I do see an SUV sitting in the bike lane further back.

In this situation, I generally avoid riding in the bike lane anyway, since truck drivers usually open doors into the bike lane without looking, or treat it as a staging area for freight.

If the idea of a bike lane is that it's safe to stay in it, then this vehicle is defeating the purpose of using the bike lane and creating a dangerous situation. This stationary vehicle creates a 'tunnel of danger', that, if travelled through, is more dangerous coming out of then simply going around a vehicle parked fully in the bike lane.

See the lovely fellow with the bags? He was crossing against the light, and if a cyclist traveling at a reasonable speed where not to see him because of the truck? Exactly. I would argue that a vehicle parked fully into the bike lane is less dangerous, in general, then a vehicle parked in the manor shown here.

And it seems the law seems to take the same stand on the issue - on numerous occasions I've seen officers issuing summonses to vehicles parked like this truck. So if this is acceptable, imagine what 8th avenue would be like if all trucks parked like this?? Would that be okay? Imagine all the people walking back and forth between the trucks and parked cars because it appeared to be safer? Cmon' lawandorder, you should know better!

Parade, I'd like this guy to park somewhere SAFE. This is not SAFE, and I forgive you for not fully understanding this because I doubt you commute the thousands of miles a year by bicycle that I do.

It's not the Fresh Direct drivers fault that somebody chooses to cross against the light. It is a violation of the NYC Traffic Rules to cross against the light just as it is against the law to park in the bike lane.

There is a need for trucks to make deliveries in this city. It is vital to commerce that both people and business can recieve shipments in an expedient manner. Parking near the delivery location also reduces crime. There are "people" in this city that make a living (and pay for crack)by stealing things from others. If this truck had merchandise stolen from it the crime would be a burglary just as if they broke into your home.

1. I would smash into that guy crossing the street and be happy to do it.

2. I would let Fresh Direct open the door and smash into it and be happy to do it. I'm sure they have a lot of money to give me.

Parade, it is definitetly not fresh directs fault that this guy is crossing against the light, but that doesn't mean they can ignore the fact that it will happen.

Your second paragraph is a discussion that has been brought up so many times here, and that I think all of us acknowledge.

The point is, the Fresh Direct truck is creating a safety hazard - making deliveries on time is never more important than the safety of others.

Crimson, I won't even dignify that with a response.

This truck is obeying the law - I thought the point of this site was to shame drivers who were flouting the law. If you don't think that trucks should be able to park this way when making deliveries, feel free to get the law changed, but in the meantime, I think we should lay off.

While I can see that by creating a blind spot the truck is making the bike lane more dangerous than it would be otherwise, but I don't think that the situation is excessively dangerous. What would I do if I were riding in that bike lane? I would SLOW DOWN, something that too many cyclists in NYC feel is beneath their dignity. A car boxed in like this next to a truck on a highway would have to use some caution. Doesn't make the existence of the truck dangerous. If we want to exercise the same rights as motor vehicles on the street, we have to accept the same responsibilities.

Surprisingly, no one pointed out that the truck has a parking ticket on its windshield. I wonder what that's about....

I decided not to mention it since it's impossible to know why it was issued.

As I said before, I've seen many parking agents issue tickets to vehicles parked in this manner, which brings into question the legality of this manner of parking.

You see parking agents ticket these vehicles because they have a quota to meet. They have to write over 20 tags PER DAY and don't care how they do it.

That doesn't hold any water here. Maybe if we had been able to ask each security agent I saw issuing those summonses that question, then we would have a real answer.

Again, the point is that this vehicle is creating a dangerous situation, and it is fully debatable that it is parked illegally - but only debatable with facts - not assumptions about incidents that I witnessed.

As much as I find Fresh Direct and their trucks idling all over the city to be ridiculous (lazy people can't walk to their local grocery??), and as much as can be argued that this is unsafe, this guy does seem to not be parked in the bike lane. Not sure if he is legal or not, but he is not in the bike lane.

I will likely take this post down since can't really sync up w/ the site's purpose, but will leave it up for now since their is some conversation and I don't want to kill it.

How dare you post a picture of me with my new set of matching luggage without my permission!

Fair enough Greg, but this is still dangerous, anything that threatens safety should be exposed, but I suppose this isn't the right place for this image.

basically, until bush is thrown out of office and we revert to a commie society the biker in NYC will be unhappy