bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

Subject: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

Hi, just a quick warning to PH commuters. A few weeks ago, I was riding home from Manhattan and was assaulted. I live in prospect hts, so I took the usual way home for those of us that live on the north side of Flatbush—Sands St. dead-ending into Navy St., take a right and go under the BQE toward Myrtle. Unfortunately, a kid and his pals ran at me and pegged me in the head with a rock as I rode by Navy and Concord. I will spare you the bloody details, but it made me reconsider my route. I guess it always seemed that the bike lanes were pushing me that way and I had never before had a problem riding through the projects there in the 5 years I have been commuting. I am sure this is obvious to most, but I wanted to say that there is an easy and potentially safer way by doubling back on Jay St. and/or Brooklyn Bridge Blvd. with the ability to cut left (north) as early as Myrtle if you are going to Ft. Greene or even easier later to Lafayette or Dean if you are going to PH.

They caught the kid and blah blah, but it would be better if it didn't happen to folks again by either awareness or avoidance.

Sorry to hear about. Glad you are ok now.

What about coming off the bridge riding down Borum Place/Brooklyn Bridge St. going straight to Dean and riding in the bike lane there? I dont usually bike home so not sure if that is shorter/more convenient but I do know it should be safer.

sorry to hear.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

tms wrote: Hi, just a quick warning to PH commuters. A few weeks ago, I was riding home from Manhattan and was assaulted. I live in prospect hts, so I took the usual way home for those of us that live on the north side of Flatbush—Sands St. dead-ending into Navy St., take a right and go under the BQE toward Myrtle. Unfortunately, a kid and his pals ran at me and pegged me in the head with a rock as I rode by Navy and Concord. I will spare you the bloody details, but it made me reconsider my route. I guess it always seemed that the bike lanes were pushing me that way and I had never before had a problem riding through the projects there in the 5 years I have been commuting. I am sure this is obvious to most, but I wanted to say that there is an easy and potentially safer way by doubling back on Jay St. and/or Brooklyn Bridge Blvd. with the ability to cut left (north) as early as Myrtle if you are going to Ft. Greene or even easier later to Lafayette or Dean if you are going to PH.

They caught the kid and blah blah, but it would be better if it didn't happen to folks again by either awareness or avoidance.

that blows. I've ridden through there so many times, at all hours, and never had a problem. It's such a better traffic route than any other way, though, that it seems worth the risk. Hell, I imagine it's possible that rocks could be thrown in Prospect Heights, too--it's not only there, I don't think.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

tms wrote: A few weeks ago, I was riding home from Manhattan and was assaulted. I live in prospect hts, so I took the usual way home for those of us that live on the north side of Flatbush—Sands St. dead-ending into Navy St., take a right and go under the BQE toward Myrtle.

Sorry to hear about this.

You might like to try Gold St, rather than Navy St; that's my usual.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

doctorj wrote: [quote=tms] A few weeks ago, I was riding home from Manhattan and was assaulted. I live in prospect hts, so I took the usual way home for those of us that live on the north side of Flatbush—Sands St. dead-ending into Navy St., take a right and go under the BQE toward Myrtle.

Sorry to hear about this.

You might like to try Gold St, rather than Navy St; that's my usual.

and then onto Myrtle?

stacey wrote: Sorry to hear about. Glad you are ok now.

What about coming off the bridge riding down Borum Place/Brooklyn Bridge St. going straight to Dean and riding in the bike lane there? I dont usually bike home so not sure if that is shorter/more convenient but I do know it should be safer.

I tried getting off at Jay street from the south walkway. The City in it's infinate wisdom gated it off. I believe you have to follow the gate to Sands. I hope I'm wrong about Jay being completely fenced off. Maybe the thing to do is take the Brooklyn Bridge and go down Jay to Schemerhorn which will take you to Lafayette.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

muteflute wrote:
and then onto Myrtle?

I usually cross over and onto Flatbush at Gold and Myrtle for a few blocks of adrenalin, on the shortest distance principle, but depending where you were ending up Myrtle could make sense.

BTW, what's up with the section of fence that does or doesn't allow you to hop over onto Sands from the off-ramp? Sometimes it's open, sometimes it's welded shut. I wish they'd leave it open... better yet, provide a proper route onto and off the bridge from the North/East side.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

doctorj wrote: [quote=muteflute]
and then onto Myrtle?

I usually cross over and onto Flatbush at Gold and Myrtle for a few blocks of adrenalin, on the shortest distance principle, but depending where you were ending up Myrtle could make sense.

BTW, what's up with the section of fence that does or doesn't allow you to hop over onto Sands from the off-ramp? Sometimes it's open, sometimes it's welded shut. I wish they'd leave it open... better yet, provide a proper route onto and off the bridge from the North/East side.

yeah, the entrances/exits are terrible. I generally head over to the light and pull a ridiculous U-turn onto Sands, hoping not to get run over by a semi entering the BQE in the process. I avoid Flatbush like the plague--I prefer riding in midtown to that monstrosity.

Subject: Re: bummer cycling home from the M'htn bridge to PH

muteflute wrote:
yeah, the entrances/exits are terrible. I generally head over to the light and pull a ridiculous U-turn onto Sands, hoping not to get run over by a semi entering the BQE in the process. I avoid Flatbush like the plague--I prefer riding in midtown to that monstrosity.

Too right. I wonder who is actually responsible for that design? Do the end users, the cyclists, have no say in the process in this town? Maybe FCR could lobby for a bike path direct to their facility, in exchange for our support -- I'd be in favour of a thousand foot high concrete-and-glass statue of Ratner plus three blocks of parking lot at AY, if we could just have a decent and direct bike path to PH from the bridge. The fact that someone seems to be resorting to guerilla tactics with spanners and welding torches at night to reopen the fence as fast as the city can close it is fair evidence of planning gone very wrong.

I imagine it's possible that rocks could be thrown in Prospect Heights, too--it's not only there, I don't think.

Get real. There are white people rollerblading on the streets of PH night and day. That means it's official. Fruitboots+white folks=no rocks.

sorry to hear about that. last summer my wife who takes that route was sprayed with water from the hydrants by young mischievous teens. she was upset, but no harm no foul.

unfortunate, but i guess there's a whole host of societal/economic statements we could make about this, but i'm sure we're all jaded by this...

take the jay street route...

liftandcut wrote:

I imagine it's possible that rocks could be thrown in Prospect Heights, too--it's not only there, I don't think.

Get real. There are white people rollerblading on the streets of PH night and day. That means it's official. Fruitboots+white folks=no rocks.

what's with the white people thing? cripes. irritating. people can have any color skin and be of any cultural/social background. it's so bizarre, I know. plus, it has nothing to do with this thread.

now its gonna turn into another anti gentrification thread .

armchair_warrior wrote: now its gonna turn into another anti gentrification thread .

not my fault. just callin' the shit like I see it.

That's a very tough area. I definitely recommend going another route. And for the record, that area is tough no matter what you're color--hundreds of minorities are victimized in that neighborhood each year.

escap wrote: That's a very tough area. I definitely recommend going another route. And for the record, that area is tough no matter what you're color--hundreds of minorities are victimized in that neighborhood each year.

which area is this? south of dumbo?

muteflute wrote: [quote=escap]That's a very tough area. I definitely recommend going another route. And for the record, that area is tough no matter what you're color--hundreds of minorities are victimized in that neighborhood each year.

which area is this? south of dumbo?


ghetto-ass bklyn heights!

alafairnadia wrote: [quote=muteflute][quote=escap]That's a very tough area. I definitely recommend going another route. And for the record, that area is tough no matter what you're color--hundreds of minorities are victimized in that neighborhood each year.

which area is this? south of dumbo?


ghetto-ass bklyn heights!

I know, who knew? I mean, there are some projects there (at least, they look like projects), but, um, I've never, um, felt uncomfortable? *shrugs*

where are the gentrifiers when you need them, eh, escap? let's knock all those buildings down and put up some skyscrapers! :twisted: :twisted:

Okay, people, sorry about the white people comment, but seriously, seeing white folks on bikes with the chains around their wastes is one thing, but ROLLERBLADING carefree on a Sunday is racheting it up a whole 'nother level.

liftandcut wrote: Okay, people, sorry about the white people comment, but seriously, seeing white folks on bikes with the chains around their wastes is one thing, but ROLLERBLADING carefree on a Sunday is racheting it up a whole 'nother level.

Who puts a chain around their waste? Are they taking it for a walk, or are they afraid someone's going to steal it? Those crazy white folks... :P

Actaully, I do ride with my bike chain around my waist and harbor deep fears about getting a bike chain tattoo in case of an accident.

Anyway, from what i could discern, the incident had little to do with race.

I appreciate folks' comments of concern and suggestions. For me, Jay St. it is.

muteflute wrote: [quote=alafairnadia][quote=muteflute][quote=escap]That's a very tough area. I definitely recommend going another route. And for the record, that area is tough no matter what you're color--hundreds of minorities are victimized in that neighborhood each year.

which area is this? south of dumbo?


ghetto-ass bklyn heights!

I know, who knew? I mean, there are some projects there (at least, they look like projects), but, um, I've never, um, felt uncomfortable? *shrugs*

where are the gentrifiers when you need them, eh, escap? let's knock all those buildings down and put up some skyscrapers! :twisted: :twisted:

Perhaps I misunderstood the location then. I thought TMS was referring to the area down by the Navy Yard, which is not the Heights, it's the Walt Whitman Houses. I know a police detective (black) who was assaulted and mugged there, so I was just saying it's a tough area. If it was Bklyn Heights, then I misunderstood.

it's the walt whitman houses. not brooklyn hts.

walt whitman houses, might as well call it vinegar hill..

in the summer, the kids also sprayed my wife w/ those caps they put on the fire hydrant...

that'll teach her to wear her $400 martin margiela top while biking to work!

tms wrote: it's the walt whitman houses. not brooklyn hts.

Then I stand by my original post. 8)

Although on second thought I believe those are the Farragut houses. The WW's are up closer to Myrtle, if I'm not mistaken.

wait, that's a dodgy area? I've walked through there several times due to my obsession with those totally overgrown houses in the navy yard wall - I take the bus on Vandy to Park and then walk along the wall snapping pix. in any case, I then cut through those projects and go get some hot chocolate in dumbo. then the 2/3 home. um. so yeah. should I not be doing that? the biggest dangers I've encountered there have 4 wheels and are trying to get on the bklyn bridge.

alafairnadia wrote: wait, that's a dodgy area? I've walked through there several times due to my obsession with those totally overgrown houses in the navy yard wall - I take the bus on Vandy to Park and then walk along the wall snapping pix. in any case, I then cut through those projects and go get some hot chocolate in dumbo. then the 2/3 home. um. so yeah. should I not be doing that? the biggest dangers I've encountered there have 4 wheels and are trying to get on the bklyn bridge.

Are you guaranteed or even likely to have a negative encounter? Of course not, especially during daylight hours. However, I think it's reasonable to describe it as "dodgy". There's a middle ground between paranoia and naivety.

escap wrote: [quote=alafairnadia]wait, that's a dodgy area? I've walked through there several times due to my obsession with those totally overgrown houses in the navy yard wall - I take the bus on Vandy to Park and then walk along the wall snapping pix. in any case, I then cut through those projects and go get some hot chocolate in dumbo. then the 2/3 home. um. so yeah. should I not be doing that? the biggest dangers I've encountered there have 4 wheels and are trying to get on the bklyn bridge.

Are you guaranteed or even likely to have a negative encounter? Of course not, especially during daylight hours. However, I think it's reasonable to describe it as "dodgy". There's a middle ground between paranoia and naivety.

well, it's possibly dodgy in the same way that say ... bushwick is dodgy. there are great chunks of that area that are industrial and/or uninhabited by renters/owners of legal housing. there's TONS of traffic, though, and that's one of the things that I count (positively) in terms of personal safety, though, as I've noted, a lot of this traffic is driving at a breakneck speed to get on the bklyn bridge a wee bit faster. then, the projects you basically have to cut through to get from the navy yards/vinegar hill area to the dumbo area are not the most unfriendly projects I've ever been through. then again, there are a lot of older folks hanging out outside of these projects, sitting on benches and chatting, etc. so there's a feeling of community around them. because I walk through them, rather than ride a bike or drive a car, I guess I notice this because, as someone on foot, I evaluate my personal safety based on the people around me. these folks (and I've been through this area multiple times in spring, summer and fall - never winter) are all pretty friendly and nice. the dodgiest area, in my opinion, is the part where you've left the projects behind and have not yet reached "central" dumbo. that is totally desolate and lacks in traffic. until I hit jay street, I usually feel really edgy.
again, this is from a pedestrian perspective.

so, because of the above, I've never considered the navy yard/vinegar hill/PJ area at all dodgy. my question, though sarcastically stated, was actually somewhat genuine.

Fair enough, I give you credit for not being cowed by stereotypes. I grew up in FG and found myself on the wrong end of street crime too often, so perhaps I am guilty of paranoia myself. I still say better safe than sorry, but people obviously need to judge for themselves. A lot of feeling safe is just based on being in a place that's familiar.

escap wrote: Fair enough, I give you credit for not being cowed by stereotypes. I grew up in FG and found myself on the wrong end of street crime too often, so perhaps I am guilty of paranoia myself. I still say better safe than sorry, but people obviously need to judge for themselves. A lot of feeling safe is just based on being in a place that's familiar.

sorry, escap, I was just giving you crap. :P

I heard-tell that they roast whole pigs at the projects in that area. maybe just a tall-tale, but, wow, that'd be awesome. i want a back yard.