code0range.net

In light of the recent fatal accidents involving bicycles and cars, the city and state are supposedly convening a task force to consider safety adjustments, protocols for multi-users, etc. [Transportation Alternatives](http://www.transalt.org/) is seeking interviewers, surveyors and photographers to help document usage, vehicular intersections, trouble spots and the like. I know a bunch of us Code 0rangers make use of this path so spread the word and maybe take a pic or two in your travels. Also Chelsea Piers wants to ADD yet another vehicle entrance even though the one they already have contributed to the most recent fatal accident.

Alright, so I am almost a week late...things have been crazy and will continue to be crazy for about another week. But I wanted to report that the Transportation Aleternatives 17th NYC Century Tour was a huge success with over 5,000 riders taking to the streets on last Sunday.

I missed last year's tour so I was extremely excited to ride this year. I did 55 miles last go-round and wanted do the 75-mile loop this time. It weather was flawless, the food was plentiful, and the atmosphere was friendly.

Besides one really horrible flat tire I had in Brooklyn, which I was completely unprepared for, the ride was incredible. It was a bit touch and go there for a bit and I thought I might have to throw in the towel because of the flat...Thankfully, a few good cycling samaritans pitched in to fix my flat and we were able to ride on, albeit with a bit of lost time to make up if I wanted to finish the 75-mile loop.

Rode up the westside above 46th street today for the first time. I took some pictures, and I have to say that Manhattan's shoreline is really beautiful once you get past Midtown.

[image:1856] [image:1857] [image:1858] [image:1859] [image:1860] [image:1861] [image:1862] [image:1863] [image:1864] [image:1865] [image:1866]

After a [devastating day](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/20/sports/othersports/20tour.html?ex=1311...) for American rider [Floyd Landis](http://www.floydlandis.com/) yesterday in which he lost the yellow jersey to Oscar Pereiro, Landis overcame seemingly insurmountable odds by [powering to victory](http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto929013.sht...) in the last mountain stage of the Tour de France.

Now that I have cable and a PVR, I decided to put it to work for me this morning by recording the prologue of the Tour de France, aka the Tour without Lance. Then I picked up the NYTimes on the way to work and noticed that the Tour has already experienced another huge dramatic change.

A massive [sports doping scandal](http://www.velonews.com/tour2006/details/articles/10185.0.html) erupted yesterday in Spain which resulted in the suspension of 13 riders, including those who finished second through fifth last year, the [Tour de France](http://www.letour.fr/) is [finally getting back on track](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/sports/othersports/02tour.html?ex=1309...).

Promethea sent me this article about [Chicago's master plan for getting around by bike](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0606110303jun11,1,513...) that would propel it far ahead of cities like New York:

> Chicago is set to unveil new plans for becoming a bicyclist's haven. And this time, it means business.

>The new Bike 2015 Plan wastes little time on breezy rides in the park. Instead, the city's Department of Transportation is bent on getting people to bike to work, to school, to stores and to mass transit stops, cobbling together a 500-mile network of designated routes.

Here are some pictures I took during the [Tour de Brooklyn](http://tourdebrooklyn.org/):

[image:1790] [image:1791] [image:1792] [image:1793] [image:1794] [image:1795] [image:1796] [image:1797]

It was a bit cold, but we had a nice ride.

Yesterday, I got one bridge closer to completing my ongoing mission to bike across every large span bridge in NYC under my own power. On this occasion, I finished off the East River crossings by biking across the via the [Queensboro Bridge](http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/queensboro/).

As always Transportation Alternatives has the goods on the [bicycle and pedestrian approaches to the Queensboro Bridge](http://www.transalt.org/bridges/queensboro.html). It is worth heeding this information since it allows you to ride there in the safest manner possible.

Like a fool, I missed the [5 Boro Bike Tour](http://www.bikenewyork.org/BNY-TOUR.htm) last week. So I decided I was going to try to make the rest of the tours this year. This coming June 4th is the 2nd Annual [Tour de Brooklyn](http://tourdebrooklyn.org/) sponsored by [Transportation Alternatives](http://www.transalt.org/).

The years ride promises to be an leisurely [18 mile ride](http://tourdebrooklyn.org/ride.html) in my favorite borough.

I missed this last year, but this year I want to do it. I know some of our fellow 0rangiers did it last year, so I figured we might even get enough people together to make Team Code0range.

[Transportation Alternatives](http://transalt.org/) announced in [their e-bulletin](http://transalt.org/e-bulletin/) that the [New York City Department of Transportation](http://www.nyc.gov/dot) has started construction of the new [8th Ave. Bike lane in Manhattan](http://transalt.org/e-bulletin/2006/April/0420.html#8thave).

The much needed bike lane has some nice features, like a fully buffered lane, which means we get "a five-foot bike lane separated from the adjacent motor vehicle lane by a four to five-foot striped buffer zone", from Bleecker to 23rd Street. Beyond that it looks like the lane will be a mix of unbuffered and shared use (cyclist and motorist) lane markings, which is still an improvement over the current situation.

Also, May is [Bike Month](http://www.bikemonthnyc.org/) here in NYC! I, for one, plan to start getting my ride on this week.