Prospect Park is one way for bikes

I actually saw a guy got stopped by the cops this morning.

The cops just told him to turn around, the road is one way for bikes. When he did not and started a sentence with "But, I....", the cops got out of their car.

I don't know if they gave him a ticket or worse, I just kept running.

Maybe they will go after litterbugs too!

That's effing ridiculous... I wonder if they've EVER pulled over a car (M-F) driving at 50 mph through the park. So stupid.

Surprised he wasn't tazed.

Meanwhile what about the people running and walking the "wrong" way? Who actually gets to hug the inside lane? The people going the "right" way or those going the "wrong" way?

over enforce the petty, under enforce the serious.

vidro3 wrote: over enforce the petty, under enforce the serious.

it's not petty if you've been injured by a cyclist going the wrong way. I've seen it happen several times. Clearly it's not the most severe infraction in the park, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be enforced. I'm a cyclist who has logged thousands of miles in the park and I applaud the effort.

Joggers are allowed to go both directions; this is to avoid injury. It's best to alternate; if you always run the same direction, one leg is always landing higher than the other, due to the cant or "camber" of the road. This is why the signs in the park that designate the lanes have directional arrows for cars and bikes, but not for foot traffic.

That being said, when I run clockwise, or against the traffic, I always make a point of getting out of people's way going the other direction.

vidro3 wrote: over enforce the petty, under enforce the serious.

ya gotta start somewhere.

I wonder if this is the same cop who nearly ran us over on the last midnight ride going 50mph the wrong way

Mougar wrote: I wonder if this is the same cop who nearly ran us over on the last midnight ride going 50mph the wrong way

+1

BTW the next midnight ride should be clockwise...

But one can spark up a charcoal grill under a 150-year-old tree, and leave garbage all over the place ... and not get cited. Hmm ...

There's a theme here. Clockwise midnight rides followed by BBQs. See separate thread(s)

agreed

fine the litterbugs, PLEASE.

I agree with the cops. I also agree about the litterbugs and the speedy cars. Fine them too.

...and packs of bikers can blow red lights at 30 mph with impunity, threatening pedestrians, while the majority of cars smash the speed limit threatening both cyclists and pedestrians.

i would so stay out of this, going to turn into

bike vs ped vs runners.

Sounds like the cops gave him the opportunity to turn around and be on his way but he decided to argue the point and lost. Lesson learned here is do what the guy with the gun and badge says.

If the bike was going the wrong way during car permitted hours then OK, but any other time, it's a free for all IMO.

Next up: ticketing everyone who doesn't stop at the red traffic lights in the park, cyclists and pedestrians.

MeredithB wrote: If the bike was going the wrong way during car permitted hours then OK, but any other time, it's a free for all IMO.

That might be your opinion, but it is not the law.

This thread sucks...

You people love complaining.... first you're all down on bums jerking off on 4th Ave... now you're being fucking nazis about an arbitrary direction?

Give me a break.

I think we can all agree that the real troublemakers on the loop are 1) cars, 2) people who don't use the loop on a regular basis and don't know the rules (official and unofficial), and 3) people who take themselves way too seriously, are overprotective of their space, and refuse to give an inch to anyone under any circumstances.

Not that I think any of these things are going to go away any time soon. That's why I just avoid the loop during peak-hours. Especially since, like the person above, I run the "wrong" direction 50% of the time. For me, trying to run clockwise during a peak-time is more aggravation than it's worth.

...and yet [some type of authority figure or two-dimensional neighborhood stereotype] gets away with [petty gripe, petty gripe].

So, I really just want to know the rules. What are they exactly? B/c, if I want to come back to PS from the tennis courts, can I not ride my bike in the loop? Must I always run W to E in the park?

yes, the park drive goes west --> east aka counterclockwise for bikes at all times.

you can jog walk skip or hop in any direction.