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Court
| | Posted on Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 05:10 am: | 
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The NYC Moto board (links above) is a dandy site run by bass player and network guru Steve Manes.
Not a bad idea to subscriber to the daily updates to keep tabs on moto-goings-on about town such as changes in parking rules, conventions and varying levels of enforcement.
I spent the day riding in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens yesterday and can firm what Henrik said....lane splitting on the BQE, Grand Central or the FDR is a fool's pursuit. I found myself at one time within inches of some guy driving a black TLC car.
If I'd offer up one suggestion, it would be situational awareness.
By the way, the CityX is even better than the Ford F-250 for sidewalk work.
You'll catch on quickly.
Court |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 12:49 am: |
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Indeed, Court, Situational Awareness! A most important skill we must live by and constantly practice and hopefully improve and refine.
TLC= Lincoln Town Car? Licensed Taxi Cab? Total Lunatic in Car?
Sidewalk work? As in construction? Curb jumping? Parking? (excuse my ignorance)
Moving in less than 2 days, trying to get it all together now, almost done packing, it's becoming undeniably real, now...
BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE! (almost)
Ray |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 04:52 am: |
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TLC = Taxi & Limosine Commission (you'll see TLC at the bottom of the plate)
New York has several kinds of cars. You are doubtless aware of the Yellow Taxi. High regulated and a clear and present danger to bikes. They are yellow and have a "nedallion" bolted to the hood. That's your one saving hope. The medallion is the license for that car and the TLC can pull them. A NYC Taxi license was going for about $485,000 the last auction.
BLACK CARS are the thousands of Lincoln Town Cars you'll see everywhere. Most companies offer "car service" for employees who worl late and all execs over Junior Underassistant pretty much have this service. You'll them lined up, with names and numbers (EXP: Court - Apple Car Service Car No. 54) in the window.
TLC cars are old beater Lincolns. Look for them in the outer boroughs and sitting in places like the train station in Queens and Astoria. Breifly, you work in Manhattan, live in Queens, take the train to the last stop on the "N" line, walk down the stairs and there are a fleet of old cars. That's how you get to you home 1-1/2 miles away.
CAR SERVICE - in most places you'll see cars that look like they just graduated from a movie chase scene with TLC tags. These are the "bottom feeder" car service. Without exception old police cars bought at aution and painted with house paint. These is how Aunt Matilda gets to the grocery store in Brooklyn.
Unless.....she has a "Brooklyn Cart" (folding 4 wheel cart) or there is a "D'Agostino" near buy (Grocery store that has a fleet of bikes with huge baskets and kids who deliver).
You'll pick it up quickly. System works well and you'll fall in love with the subway. The subway by the way is the cleanest and safest form of public transportation in America making the Disney people mover look like trash in comparison. Forget what they taught you in school, that was 1960's 42nd street. Ask yourself why 80 million tourist a year come here.
Great city. Learn to accept it on it's terms and you'll enjoy it. Try to make it do what you want, it'll make your day long.
Henrik and I are pros if you need help.
Court
P.S. - the "sidewalk" is an art I have mastered, ask Road Thing or Saro. Not reccomended for the feint of heart.
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Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 04:53 am: |
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P.S. - ignore the story about Saro and I "relocating" NYC Detectives cars with a Ford truck. It's urban legend.
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Road_thing
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 09:31 am: |
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Court Canfield, Master of the NYC Sidewalk Pass!
Just don't let him take you to "a little neighborhood dump" to eat...
Ah, yes, the memories are returning...I may even get a refresher course sometime in April!
rt |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - 11:24 pm: |
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Thanks for all the great info Court, and Henrik, and everyone! I just arrived in Brooklyn and am just settling down from my flight. I must say Court, you guys sound like a lot of fun! Relocating cop carz indeeed! (UM, where do I join?) But w/ all the good cheap eats in NY, what you guys doing eating out of dumpsters? The NY bike insurance that steep? Hey, for all the good tips, I'll buy you guys a pizza and beer, (if ya stay outta the dumpster!) Ciao for now,
Ray |
Henrik
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 10:25 am: |
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K&K insurance brokers in Staten Island got me a 30% decrease in rates despite a drastic increase in my coverage. I'll see if I can dig up their info. Yep - here it is:
K & K Brokerage
(718) 987-1515
3195 Richmond Rd
Staten Island, NY Map
I've talked to Kim and Anna there.
Pizza & beer sounds good to me
Henrik |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 01:34 pm: |
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Okay...okay....if you aren't hungry, we can just do drinks.
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Mikeyp
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 03:18 pm: |
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Screw Track days, and knee down stuff. This riding in NY is my thang.
Been doing it for 10 years now.
I've rode in every borough, and wheelied across/ through every bridge and tunel in Manhattan except the "Willy B" bridge. (Williamsburg to you non-NYers.)
Lane splitting is not legal in NY at all. But it, for the most part, you can get away with it.
I've only gotten nailed twice for lane splitting in 10 years of riding.
Once was down the entrance to the Holland Tunnel on the Jersey Side. The Port Authrity Cop say me coming, and i tried to pull in, but it was too late. He just took my license and made me wait 20 minutes to get it back. He sent me on my way without a ticket.
Next time wasn't actually lane splitting, it was riding on the sidewalk.
Yeah,the sidewalk. I was sitting behind a city bus on 9th and 42nd, sucking in tons of fumes, and i rode up the curb,and around the bus. I saw the cop, but i had my tinted visor down, and didn't look in his direction when he started to come my way. the light turned green, and i rode off towards the lincoln tunnel.
I passed another cop, and seen him reaching for his radio. Seems the other cop called ahead. I got nabbed.
I waited 10 minutes for the first cop to arrive, and man was he pissed. He was dropping F bombs all over the place at me.
I played stupid, and whipped out a few NYC Detective Cards, (pays to have family on both sides of the law..) Well, he took the cards, and told me to get Effing lost.
It takes a strange breed to ride in the city, and i guess i'm strange, because i love it.
I've done burnouts for the brothers hanging out on 10th ave, and scare the hookers walking the street with my open header. (Always fun...)
One afternoon i was stopped at a red light on the west side when a guy on a bicycle starts yelling at the top of his lungs... "Yeeeeaaa Bueeell Baaaa-beeee! Badweather bikers!" Seems he was a closet Buell fan.
I have a million NY riding stories...
Now that i'm back, i'll have to share a few of them... |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 03:29 pm: |
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>>>it was riding on the sidewalk.
Wait a damn minute....you rode a motorcycle on the SIDEWALK?
OHMYGOSH
Oh |
Mikeyp
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 03:30 pm: |
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Yeah...during rush hour....
Big difference. |
Road_thing
| | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 04:17 pm: |
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Jeez, Mikey, that's dangerous! You could have run smack into a parked F-250!
rt |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 09:59 am: |
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Hmmm, I might have been on a San Francisco sidewalk once.
Gee Court, that looks like a shot of SF.
Now for sidewalk stories, Santa Rosa,,, A guy I know on a 900 RR was outrunnung the cops, and he used the sidewalk to bypass the roadblock, and he had the copter beat... and ran out of gas!
True story- this poor bastard will never hear the end of it, and is now the proud recipient of a 1gal can w/ 900RR reserve painted on it! We remind him to fill it up everytime he rides... |
Court
| | Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 12:50 pm: |
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Uh...Howard Kelly and I did a little gig in San Fran (Dudley Perkins) once that brought...shall we say...."Imperial trouble". |
Tramp
| | Posted on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 12:00 am: |
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geez- i can't wait to get BACK to NY and NYC riding.
Best way to experience NYC riding is in a pack. a nice big ugly pack. A night hitting all the boroughs at insane speeds, maybe going backstage at a concert out on Jones Beach, then to "Scores" for some R&R (sometimes hanging out watching {as in keeping an eye on} the bikes is half the fun, answering questions from onlookers and peeps waiting to get in and sipping coffee). Then a ballzout pothole run up the major deeganback to the clubhouse. That's NYC riding at it's best, and the best way to see the city. hey Court- Check out "Teany" down in SoHo, The owner's very cool. For amazing greek food (outside of Astoria's Steinway St.) Hit "Eva's" down on w. 8th betw. 5&6. (#100w.8) kickass greek grub and the owner, steve, is a good friend.
Hey Mikey P.: where does your DT. relative work? |
Court
| | Posted on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 05:45 am: |
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Ray:
What kind of carpentry do you do?
Court |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 08:30 pm: |
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Hi again All, I just got the Daily Direct call, and my bike will be in Rye tomorrow! I am about to become NYC biker scum!
Court, I do most types of residential construction, in CA I was doing mainly remodels, small additions, and also some cabinetry. I can do everything from the ground up, I have also built some trick fireplaces and concrete and steel structures, and a pond with a concrete cantilevered dock. Here in Brooklyn I am working with my Brother in his cabinet shop, mostly mid to high end cabs with a lot of veneers and custom finishes, doors, etc. I work in the shop some and do a lot of the on site install work, and will probably be helping him with shop drawings and stuff like that, too. Ocassionally we get to do some movie set or building for commercials, stuff like that, but mostly residential cabs.
I'd like to meet you NYC badwebbers sometime, I think I might owe someone a pizza...
Let's go riding! Ciao, Ray |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Saturday, April 02, 2005 - 08:32 pm: |
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And beer... |
Dhutty
| | Posted on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 02:54 pm: |
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Hey, welcome to Brooklyn!
Best,
David
and i'm a little embarrased to admit - I'm the guy on the bicycle MickeP mentioned. |
Court
| | Posted on Monday, April 04, 2005 - 06:46 pm: |
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David:
Bicycles, in Brooklyn, make more sense than about anything. No need for embariation!
Ride it, enjoy it.
Court |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 05:14 pm: |
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Another question... I am wondering what a fair price for a monthly garage space for a bike is here in Brooklyn, $150 seems to be what I am finding, a friend of mine in Manhattan told me not to pay more than 120, are these guys negotiable, or am I just gonna hafta cough it up if I want her inside? Thanks, Ray |
Dhutty
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 06:09 pm: |
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Ah, man! That is one of the primary reasons I don't have a bike - the garage issue. I don't know, to me that sounds a little steep, but I don't know. What part of Brooklyn are you in? |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 05, 2005 - 11:20 pm: |
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Cobble Hill. |
Dhutty
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 06, 2005 - 07:36 am: |
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I've parked my car for a month or two at a time at the Atlantic Mall. It's been a couple of years since I've done that, but I think it was less than $100 per month. Probably not a great place to keep a Buell though, as you have a lot of transient traffic with all the folks coming and going to shop. I know it's a ways off, but have you looked at DUMBO? Might be some cheap, low-hassle parking there. |
Henrik
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 06, 2005 - 08:30 am: |
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For Cobble Hills it's probably not out of the normal range. You can park for a bit less in say Lone Wolf Garage in Manhattan - but it's an MC only garage. 6-7 years ago I paid $125 on Upper West Side in Manhattan, so $150 may be the norm now.
Henrik
($125 was at the time more than I paid for 1/2 of a 4 bedroom apartment in Copenhagen when I lived there - it's all about perspective ) |
Bigblock
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 06, 2005 - 08:15 pm: |
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That's some good rent, what's it cost to keep a bike in Copenhagen? |
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