The four-year-old girl in the hospital after being hit by a cyclist in Riverside Park. Photo via Adrienne Rivetti Jensen.
By Lisa Kava
A cyclist slammed into a four-year-old in Riverside Park on Monday, sending the girl to the hospital with a head injury. It’s the latest in what some locals say has been an ongoing safety problem in the park. There may be a solution coming, however, at least in some areas: the city is creating separate pathways for cyclists and pedestrians between 72nd and 83rd Street.
The crash occurred on Monday afternoon. Upper West Side mom Adrienne Rivetti Jensen was walking home from the area by the Boat Basin Café after one of her children’s soccer practices around 5:30 p.m. “I was already on high alert because several cyclists had gone by really fast and they were shouting at people to move,” she said.
Jensen told West Side Rag that she and her children had walked over to the railing to look at the water and take photos but as they walked back across the promenade a speeding cyclist screamed to “look out, look out!” Moments later he crashed into her daughter, who fell to the ground and rolled over. The bicyclist stopped and apologized, Jensen said, before she took her daughter to the emergency room for stitches to her forehead. Jensen said that she met two other parents in the ER who had dealt with a similar injury to their children. The first was a mother whose child had been hit by a cyclist in the same spot last year by the Boat Basin Café.
The other parent then came in to the ER after his child was also hit by a cyclist. “A couple hours later, another man came in with a toddler who had been hit by a cyclist (while in his stroller) at Central Park (wife was also getting x-rays at the same time),” she wrote on Facebook. “The triage nurse says she has seen older people die from these collisions.”
We wrote about one collision where a toddler was hit by a cyclist around 73rd Street last May. Other locals have raised similar concerns about cyclists creating a hazard for pedestrians in the park. Ellen Jacobs recently reached out to West Side Rag to forward an email she sent to Council Member Helen Rosenthal’s office.
“For the past few years Riverside Park, most especially the stretch between 59th Street and 96th Street, has become increasingly dangerous because of the rising numbers seeing bicycles as a means of exercise and of transportation. So bicycles, and now motorized bikes, flying along the path at recklessly high speeds have become the norm. Cyclists often ride two to four abreast. It is intimidating. Try taking a morning walk. A stroll on the West Side Highway is potentially less risky. And yes! The cyclists’ language is another thing. They spew curses at pedestrians who might thoughtlessly be in their way, or God forbid comment on their entitled behavior.”
Jacobs said that she first contacted Rosenthal’s office in 2017 about this issue and that she followed up in both 2018 and 2019 but has only received “robotic responses.”
Rosenthal’s office responded that “we try very hard to respond to everyone who sends messages to our general email. Because of the huge volume of emails, our automatic response message urges people to call one of our offices if there is anything timely or urgent.”
Brad Kurkowski, who lives nearby, said that he simply avoids Riverside Park altogether because it is so dangerous. “North of 71st Street the bikers are going by at 30 mph and will pass you within inches of your body. If I have my small dog next to me the dog will not survive” said Kurkowski.
Sgt. Felicia Montgomery of the 20th Precinct sent the following statistics when we asked about the number of pedestrian/biker collisions in Riverside Park over the past few years. (These statistics have been updated from the initial publication of this article due to a miscommunication with police. The stats we first published were for the entire precinct, not just Riverside Park.)
2019 – none so far
2018 – none reported but child was hit and father declined to make a report
2017 – 2
Jensen, the mom of the injured child, said that she initially did not call the police department after the accident both because she was distracted with taking care of her daughter, and also because she didn’t consider it a crime. However, when she did ultimately call to report the collision she said she was told that unless the crash involves a motor vehicle the police department does not make a report. “The officer I spoke with said the only thing to do is seek medical attention” said Jensen.
Deputy Inspector Timothy Malin, Commanding Officer of the 20th precinct, says that the information that Jensen received is wrong. Police officers should take information on crashes even if they don’t involve a motor vehicle. He says he does think people often don’t report collisions with cyclists to police because they likely believe it’s not a police matter.
Jensen says she is rattled. “We should be able to enjoy the park and not be on high alert every single second and feel high-strung because our kids might get mowed down by a speeding biker. The problem is this idea that you are trying to mix high speed cycling with narrow pedestrian walkways. It’s a ridiculous idea. The bikers who are going at a casual speed are not threatening but the commuters are using it as a freeway. I acknowledge that pedestrians have responsibilities too, but I also think there is no safe way for a cyclist to pass through a crowded pedestrian area at a vehicular speed. That is a recipe for a lot of injuries.”
A less-busy day in the park a few years ago.
Jensen’s wish to separate cyclists and pedestrians may soon come to fruition, at least in one particular area of Riverside Park. A spokesperson for Council Member Helen Rosenthal’s office told West Side Rag that a completely separate path for cyclists between 72nd and 83rd Streets is currently in the works. We wrote about that plan in 2016.
“Pedestrian safety is an issue that has been of huge concern to Councilmember Rosenthal since she took office-particularly in Riverside Park. We have some good news on this front- the Parks Department is about to complete a separate pathway for cyclists in Riverside Park between 72nd and 83rd Streets. Cyclists will no longer be able to travel on the pedestrian path.”
The spokesperson did not have an exact date for the opening of the new path which she said will be closer to the wooded area of the park, but said that the work should be done “very soon.”
It’s one of several such projects included in the Riverside Park capital plan, which also includes changes in the West 90’s to separate cyclists and pedestrians. A slide from the plan detailing those changes is below.
Click to enlarge.
Daniel Garodnick, the President and CEO of the Riverside Park Conservancy supports the change. “The best solution is to separate cyclists and pedestrians wherever we can and reduce the conflicts that we see out there every day. While the park’s design prevents that from happening in all spots, that is exactly what the Parks Department is doing between 72nd and 83rd Streets and it is happening right now.”
A spokesperson from the Parks Department reported that in the past they have put “posted signage” in areas throughout the park and that they put “traffic calming devices in place along the path to slow riders.”
Correction, 2:50 p.m. Wednesday: The initial stats for collisions in Riverside Park were incorrect, and have been updated.
Signage is totally useless. There is only one sign at 96th Street, barely visible. No more signs till 83rd street. While most cyclists are courteous, the others make walking in the park a disconcerting experience. Separate bike lanes are a necessity.
Much more than that is needed–they can’t put separate bike paths everywhere.
The people creating this problem aren’t ordinary cyclists, aren’t like the people who rent a Citibike, or have an ordinary bicycle they use for transportation or like recreation. It’s not a transportation alternative–look at the way they dress. They spend thousands of dollars on high-tech racing bikes. They dress like Lance Armstrong. Of course they want to go as fast as they can. Wouldn’t you?
These bikes need to be licensed. They can go about as fast as a car can on most NYC streets, so they should be subject to the same degree of regulation. You have a license to operate such a machine, and you have to display it on each and every bike you own. There should perhaps be some way for law enforcement to scan a speeding bike and find out who owns it. And there should be speed traps along the shared paths, just as there are for cars on the streets. Ticketing should be pursued just as seriously. And if you lose your license, you lose your right to ride. If you have a bicycle that isn’t built for high speed, but for utility (like the bikes they use in the Netherlands, designed for shopping and such), the rules can be different.
Otherwise, this will keep happening. The alternative would be to just ban racing bicycles on all paths shared with pedestrians. I can respect the desire to pursue athletic excellence, but not at the expense of people who want to take a quiet stroll, or other cyclists who just want to have a leisurely peddle in a pretty place. Or children. Or dogs.
You just hit upon a perfect way to totally discourage cycling, both recreationally, and as an alternative means of transportation. Putting aside all the impossible, expensive logistics of what you’re suggesting, NOBODY is going to go through the hoops of getting a license to ride a bike, especially just to ride a bike recreationally. What will happen is either people will stop riding bikes if the law is enforced, or the law won’t be enforced. The latter is far more likely. The police have better things to do than to check for bike licenses. The police are typically the first ones to speak out against any bike licensing schemes.
You’re incorrect in your assessment of utility versus racing bikes. There isn’t all that much speed difference. The rider makes the primary difference. Put a very strong rider on a racing bike, maybe they can go maintain 25 mph or so. Put the same person on a utility bike, they can probably still go 19 or 20 mph.
Finally, the speed limit in NYC is at least 25 mph, sometimes more. That includes bike routes. Even the racing cyclists who you claim are “speeding” likely aren’t breaking the speed limit. To put things into perspective, the average speed in the Tour de France is about 25 mph. This is top pro riders, riding in a peleton which gives them a few mph speed advantage. Your average Lance Armstrong wannabee probably can’t do much over 20 mph, even with a great bike and all the gear. That’s not speeding by anyone’s definition.
Separating bikes and pedestrians is ALL that needs to be done here. It should have been done long ago when the crowding starting causing problems. There should be no shared paths anywhere on the Greenway. Even sharing paths with slow utility cyclists is unpleasant for pedestrians. It’s also unpleasant for cyclists of any speed.
Agreed. Signage doesn’t change most behavior—certainly not the behavior of a cyclist looking to get a good workout in. But in that case, the cyclist should be in the park and doing heartbreak hill. Or if commuting, take mass transportation. Or shut that riverside walk to pedestrians. But pedestrians and cyclists do NOT mix well along that stretch.
I gave up taking my walk at Riverside Park. Even if you go the other direction which is toward the 50’s, which is supposed to be only for pedestrians, there are bicyclists who totally disregard the signs. Sometimes there are even gangs riding together. If you say something the bicyclists either ignore you or are rude. Bicyclists also ride up and down the ramp which they are not supposed to do. I never see any of them get a ticket or even warned as there is very little supervision by the Parks department. As a senior taking a walk can be deadly as bicyclists often do not obey the rules.
You mean in the area by the water between 59th & 72nd Street? I very, _very_ rarely see cyclists there, using the alignment under the highway is way nicer for everyone.
Maybe you’re just thinking about the situation now, where there’s construction work going on on the highway, so there’s a shared detour cyclists are using until 69th Street? Or about similar work that happened around 12-18 months ago? That’s legit, those are sanctioned detours.
I regularly walk and ride along the river from 96th to tha Battery.
It is 100% true that most of the problem is riders who think it’s ok to use the path as a substitute for a velodrome. They are a hazard to both pedestrians and other riders. Speed signage is needed as are speed bumps and enforcement.
Nobody should ride at a speed that’s too fast to stop for a stray child or pet.
However I can state with absolute confidence that where the paths separate for bikes and pedestrians there are far more instances of walkers in the bike paths than bikers in the pedestrian path. Moreover, I can’t remember the last time I rode in a bike lane on a street for more than a few minutes where pedestrians didn’t step in front of me, usually without looking. And I always go in the right direction.
I’ve lived on Riverside Drive for 30 years. Lovely as the path along the Hudson is, I walked it once (from 96th down to 72nd) and wouldn’t dream of going back. It’s a death trap for pedestrians. What is the city waiting for?
CHARGE THE CYCLISTS WHO SPEED WITH RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT. A COUPLE OF THOSE ARRESTS WILL CHANGE THINGS A LOT
NYPD is totally useless on this front.
Lets also charge the pedestrians who don’t look where they walk
And the pedestrians who walk in the dedicated bike lanes.
Here here!
ah yes the bicycle speed limit of course. enforce that more is the solution, not have a separate bike and pedestrian path or anything
Even at relatively relaxed speeds a bike can easily do 8-12 mph. A pedestrian 2-4. I used to enjoy an evening walk along the waterfront but my wife and I end up walking single file because of the proximity of relatively fast moving bikes. It’s a wonder there aren’t significantly more collisions with pedestrians.
That’s not really a wonder, it’s because cyclists don’t like to hit pedestrians because they hurt themselves more. So the great majority of cyclists rides very cautiously, even though a pedestrian might think their speed is too high.
Sounds like the kid might have run in front of the cyclists. Kids do that. Not necessarily the cyclist’s fault. But it points to there being a need for separate paths. Only let’s make sure both paths are safe – the previous design I saw had cyclists crossing traffic exiting the west side highway.
I’ve witnessed many bicycle/pedestrian collisions. Most involve bicyclists who believe they are in the Tour de France and ride as fast as they please. A separate bike lane would be great but even as a casual, low-key biker I would be afraid to ride there. Speed limits, bike cops and fines might help.
The reality is that the *walking* path along the river is just to narrow to accommodate walkers, runners, bikers, strollers, roller bladers, citi-bikers, dog walkers..etc. These accidents will continue..
Note that the cyclist involved here was not operating an e-bike. The most dangerous maniacs on that pathway are the manual cyclists in their spandex treating a mixed-use path like a velodrome. I cycle a lot and I refuse to even share a path with these people, I’ll take my chances with the cars.
It’s about time the police got involved. Bikes are now part of the city’s transportation system. There ought to be cops flagging speeders and issuing tickets with escalating fines, making arrests when necessary. That little girl is lucky to be alive.
I too have witnessed many accidents in front of the 79 Street boat basin. I stopped walking my dog down there seven years ago after almost getting hit by two bicyclists they gave me the finger passing by me. That whole strip has always been a nightmare even with their speed limits they used to put up. Now maybe something will be done? It’s always too late though…when something has to be done in the city.
Clearly the city is at fault !!!!
I would love to be a witness of the past going back to the late 90s.
When I do take my walks down by the Hudson River Park I usually stick to the high paths in the back of the park and avoid that whole bike strip.
Someone needs to address the fact that there are cyclists who take themselves so seriously they think this is a Tour de France bike route. There are runners, walkers, strollers, children and dogs who have the right to be on these paths as well. Ever try crossing the pathway around 72/71 St. by the water where the real pedestrian walkway starts? The area near the kayaking pier. Accident waiting to happen as the cyclists go speeding by. It’s terrifying.
The bike riders in Riverside Park are crazy. They go by SO quickly–I stopped playing tennis at the 95th street courts because it’s dangerous to walk there. They need a separate lane.
And yes, I think cyclists who hit pedestrians should be charged with a crime. If you’re going so fast you have to scream WATCH OUT WATCH OUT, you’re going too fast.
This is a very serious problem that keeps me out of the park in good weather. I signed the petition to make a bicycle path around Manhattan and I deeply regret it. I have spoken to the people in the Riverside Park Dept. many times and they know how dangerous it is. Signs are meaningless as are the bricks placed in the pavement by the Boat Basin. I have seen an accident and watched while Park Department members have tried to stop people from going too fast or where they are not allowed, they are usually ignored. If bikers go fast enough they can be too dangerous for anyone to try to manage, and many of them go that fast and use their speed to intimidate people and escape.
Speed bikers do not belong in the parks. They should be on the highways with cars.
As a fit Senior Citizen, I have found cyclists indifferent to pedestrian safety. The park is not a race track; with rights comes responsibility. Bikers should have to observe speeding laws, carry insurance and identification so that they can be held responsible for any injuries that they cause. Speeding bikes can cause damage and death, whether intended or not.
Pedestrians are not the only ones who are intimidated by high speed cyclists. Some of us more careful cyclists are fearful as well. I was badly injured a couple of years ago by a cyclist who smashed into me while I was riding on the bike path. I am still recovering.
Bicyclists are hazardous all over the city. They often don’t stop for stop lights and are especially obnoxious in Central Park. I wish they would either shape up or start to receive hefty tickets, maybe that will give them the perspective they need.
Just substitute drivers in 2 ton death machines for “bicyclists” and for all over NYC for “Central Park” for and your statement becomes true. When a bicyclist is mowed over by a car, and the offending driver gets off scot free, the NYPD tickets bicyclists. Why is that?
Following the same logic applied by NYPD, the pedestrians should be getting tickets..
The parks enforcement officers spend all their time harassing dog owners. Maybe they could spend some of that time slowing down bikes and enforcing walk bike areas.
Haha! That would be too much to ask, there so at of condition they rather just sit in their little car and spy on their dog owners.
It’s time to ticket those that run red lights, go the wrong way and ignore bike lanes. And the speeders. Cars have speed limits why not bikes.
Cars have a speed limit of 25 mph on the city roads, which is rarely reached by cyclists.
You are SO RIGHT. It’s not just the parks. I fear for my life just crossing the street, as cyclists constantly ignore traffic lights and bike in the wrong direction. I do not understand why these riders aren’t ticketed. It is a huge threat to public safety. A friend of mine was killed by a cyclist who ran a red light at lightning speed. It’s a CRIME. And should be punishable by law.
Wow!!! they had a plan since 2016?? and only now getting implemented? I remember that plan, and the funds were earmarked for it, why was it not done at that time? Why aren’t these “leaders” held accountable when serious injury occurs? Cyclist must have a dedicated path…hold the leaders that make stupid decisions accountable…
A women was knocked unconscious by a cyclist on Riverside Drive at 108th st approx 6pm . An ambulance was called and she was taken away . Can they gather statistics about all of riverside park and the drive . This issue is not limited to just the park or the stretch between 72 and 83rd street
My wife and I went for a walk on the river with our two toddlers one day last year. I immediately saw how dangerous it was for the little ones and I freaked out, I was freaking out, I told my wife it might be the most deadly place in the city for small kids. I insisted we carry them until we got below the split at 72nd St. The undivided parts of the path are simply far too dangerous for little kids, and always will be so long as bikes are allowed.
Cyclists are not permitted on sidewalks unless they are with children 12 or under. This should also apply to the upper sidewalk on the park side along Riverside Drive.
Don’t blame the cyclist, blame Rosenthal…they had a plan to fix the problem in 2016 and postponed it. Postponing is not inaction, it’s a negative action. Postponing is not neutral, it is working in the wrong direction.It just makes things worse. It’s time for new leadership.
So sad to see the injured child. I really hope pedestrians get their own path. I am 66 and have always walked for exercise on Riverside Park. No more; I stopped last summer because so many cyclists ride with no consideration for others and I am fearful.
This is a big problem further north, as well…getting to the tennis courts from above is extremely dangerous with bikes careening around both underpasses and the walkway being so crowded.
I’m an avid cyclist but bicyclists and pedestrians really can’t coexist safely. We need bike lanes on both sides of Riverside Drive. If you are worried about losing all those parking spaces then stop letting non-NYC residents park on NYC streets for free. That will free up loads of spaces near Riverside Park
You’re right: cyclists and pedestrians can’t co-exist safely, especially if “cyclists” are defined as the spandexed racer wannabees who yell at children and old ladies like me to get out of their privileged way. But where’s the logic in your recommendation to increase the chaos by ceding more street space to the rubberized rude boys (and a few rude girls)? Rather than that non-solution, how about installing speed bumps on existing bike paths so that cyclists would be forced to ride at a non-lethal speed and the those of us who prefer using their feet could enjoy the river views at a stroll?
Speed bumps on any bike path would represent a huge liability issue for the city. If a rider doesn’t see them at night, and falls, they can rightly sue the city for purposely installing what amounts to a pavement defect. Rumble strips, which remind cyclists to slow down, but can’t cause them to fall, are a better answer until separate paths can be provided.
Carnival, your suggestion is the most asinine thing I’ve read in a while. If you have ever ridden a bike, you should know that for a “speed bump” to slow it down, it would have to be steep (shallow speed bumps like we have for cars would do nothing). And steep bumps would make for a miserable walking experience too given the tripping hazards they would create. Horrible idea for a shared cycling/walking path.
What? You’d rather have a shared pedestrian cyclist path with speed bumps than getting bikes out of your path altogether? That’s like saying you don’t want sidewalks, it’s a better idea to share the street with cars but make sure they have to go super slow.
I have lived near Riverside Park for 50 years and enjoyed it for most of that time–as a mom with kids, as a runner, and more recently as a walker. I’ve given up on actually walking IN the park any more because of the bicycles. My husband is disabled and cannot go sit in the park because of the bicyclists. To walk, I have retreated to the sidewalk BESIDE the park but that is no longer safe, either. The bicyclists have hijacked it.
I know of a cyclist who received a ticket with court appearance in Brooklyn for going for just a few feet, slowly, on a sidewalk at an intersection where there were no pedestrians. Why are no tickets issued for the bicyclists on OUR sidewalk? They are terrifying. Why are they more important than me?
Why can Central Park keep the interior walkways clear but Riverside Park cannot? And you don’t see bicyclists roaring along the sidewalk on the road side of Central Park, either. I know they have the interior roadway, but our lack of such space does not make it okay for bicyclists to dominate the entire park, inside and out.
Why, why, why is this hijacking of our space okay?
I feel sickened to hear that this poor little girl is the newest victim of a bicycle collision. Last year I witness a speeding big guy hit a toddler at full speed. You could see the tire marks on the two-year old’s face!
First of all I don’t understand the mentality of bicyclists who are racing when sharing a path with pedestrians. Secondly I’d like to point out a contradiction: why was the 4-year old’s mother told “that unless the crash involves a motor vehicle the police department does not make a report” by the police officer and at the same time you were able to list the incidents involving pedestrians being hit by bikes by the 20th precinct?? Once again, I hope the child will heal physically and mentally. This is a trauma she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
I love both bike riding and taking a walk with my 9-year old in Riverside Park. Both are difficult. If you can find parts of the park where both bike riders and pedestrians have enough space, most of it is not safe.
Also I’m amazed at the fact that riding at a very high speed is allowed in places where are a lot of people. It should be allowed only in designated areas. But I don’t think he City will do that and enforce the speed limit. As we know even the car drivers who hit and kill pedestrians are not charged with much and are back behind the wheel next day.
Whenever I pass them, which is often, the existing dedicated bike lanes on Columbus and Amsterdam seem to be almost totally empty as far as eye can see north/south except for the odd delivery guy. Maybe the Tour de France types on Riverside could use these existing dedicated bike lanes instead? Otherwise what was the point of building these lanes? Maybe am missing some pieces, which is possible. In any event, very best wishes for full recovery for the child.
I think the issue is partly that they really aren’t safe either because cars and pedestrians keep going into them. I have pondered commuting to work on those paths, but I don’t think I could given the number of taxis and oblivious drivers who block them, people who walk in them, etc.
We need to find a way to let bikers ride safely In the city (not at racing speed, but at commuting speed), but I’m not sure these paths will work as they are now.
You mean you don’t know the “purpose” of the Amst. & Col. bike lanes? How CAN you have missed their singular success at further congesting traffic on those two avenues?!!!
How is this not considered an assault? I understand it’s not a motor vehicle, but in a separate story, some woman is wanted for assault by pulling a woman to the ground by her hair. How is this intentional disregard for public safety not considered an assault?
I am a cyclist who occasionally travels along the Riverside Park bike path. It is abundantly clear that I am SHARING the route with pedestrians, many of which are children, and THEY have the right of way. Common sense tells most of us to travel slow (and if that doesn’t kick in, the signage also does.) These road warriors who think it is their right to speed through the park are obnoxious and should be ticketed (as they are on the street above when they blow through lights.) For what it’s worth, when I tell them that they’re making it bad for other cyclists, I get an earful of hateful language.
I have lived within 2 blocks of Riverside Park since 1965 and use my bicycle every day for transportation and enjoyment. I have always been a courteous rider and give pedestrians the right of way even if they are jaywalking because I am a danger to them even at very slow speeds. The lack of courtesy and common sense seems to be more pervasive throughout the society and it makes me sad and angry. My three children grew up in Riverside Park which I love dearly. To show my love, I am the author of “The ABCs of Riverside Park” and the sculptor who made the sand pit in River Run Park at 83rd St. Although I don’t know the solution to the immediate problems, I think we need to stop and fine the speeders and give them (anonymous) photos of injured children and elderly folks to help them understand the need to be courteous and respectful. If the authorities can’t or won’t do something, the friends and families of injured parties should stop the speeders and hand them photos of the victims of their thoughtless and reckless behavior. We need our parks to be places of quiet and peaceful contemplation as they were intended. Bicycles, scooters, rollerblades and other vehicles have a place in our parks, but speed does not. Olmsted and Vaux are spinning in their graves.
This is a very unfortunate incident, but the inflammatory reporting language isn’t objective or helpful. A cyclist hit a girl, that is a fact. “Slammed” strongly implies reckless speed, when we don’t know that for a fact. Screaming “look out!” could mean the biker was going too fast; it could also mean the child darted unexpectedly across the path. Doesn’t mean it’s the child’s “fault”. Doesn’t mean it’s the biker’s “fault”.
Mixed used paths are inherently risky and the one in front of the Boat Basin is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed because it is too narrow for the amount of people. Nonetheless, bikers don’t have a monopoly on disregard for others. I have seen plenty of bikers who blast through way too fast, and I have also seen pedestrians walking four abreast and adults rather careless with their children and pets. I personally broke my collarbone several years ago when a dog walker took his dog off leash and it darted across the Central Park road; I was going uphill and certainly wasn’t “speeding”, there was even car traffic in those days.
Monday was a day of warmer than recent weather and so there were probably more bikers and more pedestrians out than usual. What is most needed is consciousness consideration of others, at all times, on the part of all. It’s the fix we can all apply to every situation, and it’s the one that seems in woefully short supply these days.
Hi, I’m the mom. This man was going about 30 mph and I can assure you that “slammed” is the proper term for what he did to my daughter. That’s why she has a 1.5cm gash and stitches on her forehead. She didn’t bolt out in front of him. Plenty of other cyclists were riding at reasonable and safe speeds. But plenty were not. If you have to weave in and out of people and shout at them to move, you are going too fast. Period. This is a super crowded area of the path, especially at 5:30 in the evening, with sports practices, commuters, kids out of school, etc. It is completely unreasonable (not to mention selfish) to race at such speeds through a crowded space and expect all the rest of us to accommodate your recklessness.
So sorry to hear of your daughter’s injuries. As others have pointed out, 30mph is doubtful. I understand it may have felt that way, but FYI, the top speeds reached by riders in the actual Tour de France on flat portions of the course are only around 35mph.
Some cyclists on the path are absolutely irresponsible, as are some pedestrians. Hyperbole isn’t helpful to the argument on either side.
Adrienne,
So horrible for your daughter. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Sadly, there are too many irresponsible cyclists in NYC.
I am also sorry to hear this. It does sound like this cyclist was being very irresponsible; absolutely, some do behave that way. I do also agree with Matt, extremely unlikely the cyclist was going 30 mph. But I empathize with your disappointment and anger. I hope your daughter heals quickly! Best regards.
Sorry to hear this. It sounds like the cyclist was going far too fast for conditions and your family paid a price for it. That sucks.
It’s still dubious that the rider was going 30 mph — I mean, unless you had a radar gun or something, casual observers aren’t good at understanding this accurately — but even if it was (as is more likely) somewhere in the 20-23 mph range, it’s a distinction without difference.
Thank you for your comment! Even as a cyclist who rides at a reasonable speed, it can be frightening to have to swerve to avoid children and off-leash dogs. Pedestrians need to be aware of cyclists too. Both on paths and in cycling lanes in the street (where pedestrians often cross without looking).
Bravo. So rare to see a balanced, thoughtful comment on this topic.
hear hear!
vigilance on both sides when crowded, please.
my pet peeve? groups of people and people with strollers walking abreast, even on Columbus, oblivious to those behind them, and those approaching.
when i raised my children i used a maclaren ‘umbrella stroller’—good for sidewalks, good for taking on the bus/subway.
what changed? anyone?
Totally agree, and this is now compounded by people walking around with their heads buried in their phones. It is awful in parks, on sidewalks, on subway platforms, on stairways, etc. Phones should be put away while walking – if you need to look at your phone, stop and step to the side.
Totally agree!
Yes, this, 100%
Many miles of dedicated bicycle lanes have been given to cyclists at the expense of drivers, causing more traffic and making our streets visually cluttered and confusing to navigate. Cyclists should respect all the efforts made in their behalf and should stay on the streets and be banned from the parks entirely.
The arrogant bike lobby demands, bike lanes, bike stands, and bike worship while ignoring civil use of their fast moving weapons. They are a major source of air pollution and global warming by bike lanes causing congestion necessitated by trucks making deliveries. Now they are running over children and the elderly. Violators should at least be forced to do community service.
The fault is allowing a mix of cyclists and pedestrians. You can’t walk down the middle of a street and cars can’t be driven down a sidewalk. But the idea of arresting cyclists for speeding is misguided – why should cyclists be treated more harshly than drivers, who are not arrested for speeding. Recklessness is another matter.
The Councilmember needs to make sure legislation is passed to protect pedestrians from the the growing threat from these reckless cyclists!
I use Citibikes all the time and use the mixed use path extremely carefully when I am there. If I see a child or a pet coming up I slow significantly since common sense tells me they can move unpredictably. Like driving with the four seconds rule, no one should be biking at a speed where they can’t come safely to a stand still in plenty of time. And hint: if you are shouting “look out look out” you are not following your own advice, or you are privileging your existence over every other person on the planet!
Exactly.
I am sad and outraged to read about another avoidable incident on the Riverside Park Esplanade. I have not only sent numerous letters to Council Member Rosenthal and spoken several times by phone with her staff, but also twice gone to her field office for an in-person discussion. I was told that the money for a separate bike path had been allocated but with each contact a different completion date was given. Every promise made has been broken. Either Rosenthal (or her staff) truly don’t care or are not competent to push for a solution. I hope the Council member reads this comment; no response ever has been received to my emails and her staff has given false assurances on several occasions. I do not believe she deserves our community’s support at the ballot box or otherwise.
It is a horrendous situation. We are always walking with our dog in the park. Few cyclists actually dismount down the ramp at 67th st or anywhere when Dismount sign is posted. If you say something to them, they give you a look and continue on their way. They do speed all the time, zigzagging around people and other cyclists. It is a totally unpleasant and dangerous experience to just take a walk.
the park doesn’t belong to only pedestrians.Cyclists have no less of a right to use the NY greenway than pedestrians. many of us use it to get to work, and 95% are responsible.
if pedestrians on the street actually stayed out of bike paths, cyclists would use them more instead of having to resort to the greenway which isthe only place we won’t get killed by cars.
I know plenty of people that think dogs shouldn’t be allowed there either. they stink up the place and many are afraid of dogs.
Why should cyclists have to leave so you can feel comfortable walking your dog? maybe we should outlaw dogs or pedestrians.
I am all for safe cycling, and i hate reckless cyclists more than amny pedestrian because they are much more of a danger to other cyclists.
I find many cyclists use this path as a raceway. They are arrogant and feel that they own the path. This is not a race path and they should have to abide by a speed limit. They have been out of control for a while.
Believe me, cyclists don’t want to hit you just as much as pedestrians don’t want to be hit by them. Strong chance of serious injury all around.
For now, for better or for worse, the path along the river esplanade is a shared facility. During peak times you have to treat crossing the center like you’re crossing a road. I wouldn’t be down there with my 4-year-old unless she was firmly holding my hand the whole way. There’s blame to put on the cycling here too, of course, you gotta slow down to a crawl if you see an unrestrained little kid at your 11 o’clock.
Same with being able to walk the whole path at the peakiest of peak times, but only single file? Again, shared facility, needs of different users have to be met at some sort of compromise.
The path separation plan from 72nd to 83rd is a whole nother thing. I don’t think compliance will be good, and it will end up causing more problems than it solves, more conflict points than there were, more speed gathered by people coming down the hills instead of riding on flat. With Freedom Place south open now, I’m likely just to nope out of this and use that & Riverside Boulevard to connect from 59th to RSD at 72nd.
Also, anyone who immediately jumps to saying “these people ride like they’re in the Tour de France” is immediately announcing themselves as an anti-veloist. It’s more benign than racism, but carries the same hallmarks of weak and inflexible thinking, of putting people in large category boxes and then asserting that they’re all the same, not individuals. Don’t do this, folks, it’s a hell of an old fogey take.
— “anyone who immediately jumps to saying “these people ride like they’re in the Tour de France” is immediately announcing themselves as an anti-veloist.”
Hoo hah!
Let’s remember, folks, the next time you complain about being run over by some speeding cretin Lance Armstrong-wannabee while you’re trying to walk in the Park you — you! — are being “anti-veloist”.
Shame on you!
Also, I guarantee that nobody’s riding the flat parts of the path at 30 mph. 25 at the absolute most, and that’d be an 0.5% of users sort of thing.
Please tell the bicyclists to go to Central Park or, better yet, the suburbs. NYC is just way too overcrowded with everything now. Why are electric bikes allowed in parks when cars aren’t? And what about electric skateboards now. There is absolutely no place in the city where one can go to relax anymore. Scream at anyone about their bike etc. and you’re met with “Chill”!!!! Impossible.
The loop in Central Park only goes as far as 59th Street, then dumps you on the busiest roads in the city. People actually going to or from work (to, you know, earn money and pay taxes to provide city services for everyone, including the retirees crutching their pearls elsewhere in this thread) need to go where their jobs are. Bikes aren’t just for recreation ya know.
Complacent UWS residents who keep voting the same do-nothing liberal politicians in the office. I bet those injured in these accidents will change their vote and will think twice before electing their officials who are supposed to protect them.
Unless said liberal politicians allow NYPD to actually take measures, their hands will be tied.
Wake up UWS!
seriously? you think liberal politicians are in favor of reckless cyclists running over children?
Actually yes, by doing nothing about it they tacitly consent for this to continue to happen.
A great time to run/walk on the path along the Hudson River is right after it rains (or even drizzles). NO BICYCLISTS! It’s glorious.
My thoughts are with the family of the child hit by the cyclist. I hope she gets well soon.
I’m not surprised Linda Rosenthal never responded to this woman’s complaints as Rosenthal only takes action on a problem when there’s a photo-op involved.
That said, I run along the Hudson on a regular basis. I love this run and most cyclists and runners/walkers coexist peacefully.
Unfortunately, there are a minority of cyclists who are reckless and think they’re Lance Armstrong and pose a danger.
Why can’t the city put in speed bumps at semi-regular intervals with signs warning speed bumps ahead? This will likely slow down the dangerous cyclists.
Think you meant to say Helen Rosenthal. She’s the one mentioned in the post.
The Cherry Walk is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s counterintuitive to have the pedestrian zone on the left along the river when you are going north, so most runners and walkers mistakenly go into the bike lane. And there is virtually no signage or markings. I’ve given up trying to explain this to other runners.
The Westside Greenway is a vital part of our transportation infrastructure. As a (careful) cyclist one problem I see is that until things like this happen, the Parks Department fails to see this strip as more than a path in the park. At a community board meeting last year I couldn’t believe that there was no one from DOT even asked when it came to a proposed detour. The Westside Greenway is the most heavily utilized greenway in the ENTIRE COUNTRY. Strongly advocate segregating pedestrians and cyclists. You wouldn’t have your kids playing on a highway or in the middle of the street. Why not take the same precautions on a bike path? BTW, not saying that cyclists shouldn’t be more careful.
No kidding. Ever go to Belgium or the Netherlands? Over there they can design streetscapes and parkscapes to support usage levels like we see on the WSG, with similar space constraints, without people constantly crashing into each other.
No international cycle-route design experts were consulted on any of this. Very little serious capital has been invested in this part of the path in ages, and what investment we have made has been inefficiently applied due to lack of this precise expertise. On *the busiest* path in the nation.
Matt:
Repeating below comment.
Amsterdam is a completely different city and not at all comparable to NYC.
Amsterdam is far smaller, fewer people and there are virtually no buildings taller than 6 stories. The handful of “high-rise” buildings are on the perimeter (and I believe the tallest is 22 stories.)
But also worth noting that pedestrians have to be really careful in Amsterdam…
Can be difficult to cross some streets as there are non-stop streams of cyclists whizzing by.
Even on quiet streets, necessary to be always vigilant as bicycles are ever present and come up behind in silence.
Amstrerdam is not great for pedestrians – cyclists rule there.
In Belgium/the Netherlands, the thoroughfares in the bike infrastructure are always separated from pedestrian spaces, even when the run through a park. So I think Andrea is spot on with her analysis.
I wish this kind of alarmist writing was dedicated to the hundreds of people killed by cars every year in NYC, not to mention the dozens killed just on the UWS in the past few years.
While this is an unfortunate accident, the last time a cyclist killed someone in the city was in 2014. Over 20 people have been killed by cars in NYC in 2019 alone.
I support Bikes as a great way to improve your health and to reduce carbon emissions. The Citii Bikes, bike lanes and the West Side Greenway all have made NYC much more livable. It is great that you can now ride your bike from the GWB to Lower Manhattan without dealing with cars and enjoy a great view of the river.
BUT, even in Europe, where there are more bikers, they don’t all think that they are on the Tour de France!.
The big problem in NYC is that you have a population of bikers who buy the high end TRI bikes, put on the spandex and imagine themselves on the Tour! They go too fast and have no respect for anyone around them.
Many are training for worthy charities such as Team In Training, but they still need to keep the high speeds to places like Central Park, not the West Side Bike path.
Some parts of the bike path, near the Boat Basin have speed bumps to slow down bikes. The DOT needs to install them at regular intervals to slow down the bikes and make riders more aware of their speed.
I think the comments about Lance Armstrong types riding recklessly are fair. Even in the Netherlands there are quite a number of places where bike lanes get so busy that friction occurs between these road racers and other users of the roads. However, the main difference is that in the Netherlands there are plenty alternatives available for people who want to ride their bike as exercise, opposed to the situation in Manhattan. Here you are limited to either Central Park or the WSG, two places that are also very crowded, but with no (safe) alternatives available.
Arjan:
Amsterdam is a completely different city and not at all comparable to NYC.
Amsterdam is far smaller, fewer people and there are virtually no buildings taller than 6 stories. The handful of “high-rise” buildings are on the perimeter (and I believe the tallest is 22 stories.)
But also worth noting that pedestrians have to be really careful in Amsterdam. Can be difficult to cross some streets as there are non-stop streams of cyclists whizzing by. Even on quiet streets, necessary to be vigilant as bicycles come up behind in silence.
JS: that’s what I pointed out as well, there is a difference between the Netherlands and the situation here. So thank you for confirming that Amsterdam (just a small part of the Netherlands) is different indeed.
What I wanted point out: cyclists will go to places where there are no (or limited) traffic lights. So when that is combined with pedestrians you’ll get guaranteed problems. So offer them a proper alternative (Riverside Drive) and they will take it I think.
About cyclists ruling in Amsterdam, the crowd is indeed getting kind of out of control. However, as long as you walk on the sidewalk, you don’t have to cautious for cyclists sneaking up on you. Problems occur when people see an empty road and they think that because there are no cars driving, they can walk there in the middle of the roads. Just stick to the side walks and you don’t have to worry.