a ride down ocean parkway

Came across this cool video on YouTube. Our rider seems to have used one of those video camera on the helmet devices which gives us a great view of his/her ride down Ocean Parkway.  The start of the video is just south of Avenue P and continues just north of Avenue S.  There is a subsequent video that I will post that takes us further down the parkway.

What this short video shows is the danger bike riders face in trying to cross the avenue intersections even though they have the right of way.

At Kings Highway two vehicles block the bike lane so fully there is little room to swing around.  The safe choice is to swing around behind the cars.  I don't recommend this rider's choice of passing the cars from the front. Too dangerous to be that close to the main road but our rider maneuvers deftly around without losing a beat.  A slight movement of the cars however could send  the rider into the parkway traffic.  Please pass from behind or just wait.  But this clip is a great illustration of the hazards that bikers still face on a fairly enjoyable ride down the path.

Oh....the rider did cross against the red signal on Quentin Road after checking our the cross traffic.Not recommended.

The riding path pictured the video is still yet to be repaved and the mall renovated.
My thanks to the creator of these videos.

Getting screwed

Thanks to the workers who come everyday to replace hazardous boardwalk timber.  Looks like there is only one  two-man crew to keep up with miles and miles of broken and rotting wood.  It may take as long as  30 minutes to replace each board.  Do the math.  There seems to be only enough manpower to deal with the most hazardous areas.

Miles of boards to repair

Area where a woman's leg broke through the rotting wood

Look back on the posts of September 2011 to see my first photo essay on the conditions of our favorite pathway by the sea.  It was meant to be light-hearted but there are serious safety issues that must be addressed now.

More hazards on bike path

Large cement stones pose hazard to cyclistss

As if the recreational cyclist didn't have enough obstacles to a safe and smooth ride along Ocean Parkway, large pieces of broken curbstones have appeared on the west mall bike path.  It seems that these stones that appear mostly between Avenue U and Avenue R have been placed into the bike lane for whatever purpose. Even though we have moved many of them to a safer space the stones reappear back in the path.  Hopefully a recent phone call to the Parks Dept will expedite their complete removal.  In the meanwhile if you come across one that poses an immediate hazard please push it into the grass if you can. Sudden contact with these objects can cause serious injury to the rider or damage to the bike.

Farmer’s Market Returns to Ocean Parkway

Farmers Market On Ocean Parkway Mall and Avenue Z

Farmer’s Market Arrives In Sheepshead Bay | Sheepshead Bay News Blog
(article from 2010)

Particular Pigeons

Pigeons on Ocean Parkway won't eat regular Cheerios...waiting for Honey Nut??

New York Expanding 20 M.P.H. ‘Slow Zones’ in Neighborhoods

New York Expanding 20 M.P.H. ‘Slow Zones’ in Neighborhoods - NYTimes.com

For now only a small area of  Brooklyn is included with the expansion of "slow zones" but it is only a matter of time.

Now what?

t

Bike path ends at Seabreeze Avenue.  No signage to help
riders continue. However...

The bicycle path ends at the Boardwalk. Now what? Boardwalk restricts bike riding after 10am. Bike walking on the boardwalk is the only option as crowds swarm the amusement area. There is an option for a bike lane to continue on Surf Avenue along Asser Levy Park.  Or if you don't mind sand on your tires...

the Ocean Parkway bike path actually ends here...

or here....

or here...

or here...

or here.