start small! I built my courage biking around prospect park (one of my fave places on earth) and from there I felt braver to navigate the streets.
also, act like a car when you’re on the road. keep an eye for pedestrians, flick off drivers that get too close, and for the love of god don’t try to bike across the Brooklyn bridge or you WILL run over a toddler ppl do not pay attention nor care.
Sep 25, 2024
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i spent all summer being too afraid to bike but a week ago i was going to be late for an appt unless i biked so i just got a citibike and hit the road. it's scary in theory but it's actually quite nice. i rode along riverside so that if i felt intimidated by the cars i could ride on the sidewalk and if there were too many pedestrians i could switch to the street. i think ny drivers are more accustomed to sharing the street than suburban drivers. if they don't want to be behind you they'll just go around and keep it pushing. if youre worried abt being hit you could buy a helmet and learn the arm turn signals but either way after 5 minutes you'll forget why you were even afraid.
Sep 25, 2024
- Invest in bike lights and reflectors - make yourself KNOWN on the road
- Invest in a HELMET, better safe than sorry!!
- Bike lanes are there for a reason; if you have them, use them! Just like car traffic, the right side is for going, the left side is for coming back
- If you don't have bike lanes, stay to the right side of the cars and try to mitigate weaving between traffic - even if you're a great biker, the CARS are the unpredictable ones, and you can't be lucky 100% of the time
- ALWAYS BE ALERT, ESPECIALLY BEFORE MAKING A TURN
- TO PASS SOMEONE (pedestrian or biker), YELL "ON YOUR *insert side you intend to pass on here*" BEFORE YOU REACH THEM - BE LOUD AND CLEAR, RING A BELL IF YOU'VE GOT ONE, IF THEY DONT HEAR YOU, KEEP YELLING AND GO AROUND WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO
- HAND SIGNALS (as seen on attached image) are KEY for communicating with other bikers and drivers! Learn them and use them to better telegraph your intentions to other people on the road!
- Stay OFF the sidewalk as much as you can! I know it's right there and it's easy, but pedestrians are unpredictable too and it's there for them, not you
- Cars and drivers suck. If they start to ride up on you, play it safe and get out of their way. They can run you over and likely not even be charged with anything. If you get harassed at traffic lights, start recording with your phone and get a pic of the license plate in case they decide to do something dangerous for both of you
3d ago
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since moving to Bushwick, each ride now requires I bike on Broadway. This is the worst place in the universe to bike. The horribly paved street doesn't have enough space for a bike lane and it is entirely lawless.
You have to bike more stupid on Broadway than the city usually requires - which is a lot. The payoff is the yelling and/or car-thumping though. I go for a "whoa whoa whoa" more often than a "HEY!"
I wear a helmet when the fit allows, but rest assured. When I die, it will be biking on Broadway.
god gave you what you can handle!
Nov 3, 2023
Top Recs from @its_just_kate
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at least casually. don’t delete the accounts but don’t have the apps on your phone either.
rediscover your love of reading thru the magic of recognizing titles strangers are holding on the subway. become a subway reader.
don’t use sound as an escape from your thoughts/feelings/surroundings. grocery shopping without headphones is actually kind of beautiful!
pick up a new hobby or two or three. one of them should be something you’re not good at, and at least one should be no- or low-cost.
never. stop. learning. the library, the parks and rec department, and nearby museums offer great materials already but also usually have free lectures or courses.
go outside more. like, a lot more.
(took this much less literally, so apologies if it’s not what you’re looking for lol — as a narcoleptic I have no tips on how to Not Sleep since Sleep is basically my job)
Sep 30, 2024
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destined in the stars
Jan 1, 2025
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keeps it funky, keeps it fresh! a book for outside, a book for downstairs, a book for bed, a book for the subway, a book for the bathtub…..
Nov 30, 2024