We’ve bought a shitload of issues right here in New York Metropolis, and method, method, method down on the backside of the pile is the smallest drawback of all of them–horses within the bike lanes:
I haven’t even seen Streetsblog complaining about this, so I can solely assume the Put up is protecting it for 2 causes. The primary purpose after all is the horse puns:
I’ve neigh drawback with that.
And the second purpose is that it’s a chance for the Put up to make cyclists appear like whiners and “woosies:”
The terribly distant probability you may get kicked within the head by a horse in New York Metropolis is but another excuse you must at all times put on that helment, identical to I do if somebody’s paying me and says I’ve to:
Although the step-through is all me:
In New York Metropolis you’re in all probability extra more likely to get kicked within the head by a fixie rider doing that leg-over-the-handlebar observe bike mounting factor than by a horse, so I’m doing my half by reducing the bar, each actually and metaphorically.
As for the horse carriage drivers, they too have clearly realized that when accused of something you must at all times level the finger at ebikes:
In fact horses do often go rogue:
Rattling brakeless horses.
Extra just lately, one even ran onto the West Aspect Freeway:
So far as I do know a horse has not managed to take out a pedestrian in current reminiscence, however I think about there are so few horse-on-pedestrian accidents within the metropolis for the easy purpose that there are so few horses. Issues have been rather a lot totally different again within the outdated days:
[From here–and that’s a good horse pun.]
Regardless, that is clearly a non-problem, however that’s not stopping no less than one politician from attempting to leverage the non-existent outrage:
Erik Bottcher is after all the identical councilmember behind the daring “Sluggish Your Roll, Respect The Stroll” PSA:
I’m trying ahead to his new “Cease The Trot, For A Bike You Are Not” marketing campaign.
As for the town’s bicyclists, they’re too upset about The Puddle to fret about horses. Sure, I’ve lengthy mocked their obsession with a moist patch on the Brooklyn Bridge:
However now their worst nightmare has come true, and it has solidified right into a lethal ice patch:
Bear in mind, should you encounter a small patch of ice within the lifeless of winter whereas using your bicycle in New York Metropolis, instantly dismount, then lie all the way down to evenly distribute your physique weight and slowly crawl throughout it. As for the bike, you’ll have to simply depart that behind, since going again for it’s clearly far too treacherous.
Or, you could possibly journey a bicycle with a really lengthy wheelbase when it’s icy out, which is what I do:
Due to Rivendell’s lengthy chainstays, until you encounter a glacier, the possibilities that each your wheels will ever be on ice on the identical time are about the identical as your possibilities of getting kicked within the head by a horse.
