This morning, Saturday, June 4, at 11 am, I took up a position upstream of the 10 MPH Speed Limit sign and shot very short clips (about 6 seconds each) of vehicles coming in over the rise at Sheep Meadow, downhill toward the crosswalk speed limit sign, and then up past the sign and into the crosswalk. Between 10:57 am and 1:22 pm, when my phone battery finally died, I shot well over 300 clips of cyclists traveling at 3+ times the speed limit, averaging more than one every 30 seconds for more than two solid hours. And this is actually a big underrepresentation because I only tried to shoot clips of the fastest offenders and even then it was impossible to get all of that limited group. During these 2 1/2 hours, I did not see even one NYPD vehicle.
The great majority of the worst offenders were racing bicycles but there were a few heavier electric vehicles going much faster. Absolutely nobody slows down to 10 MPH. Many of the same cyclists came around the loop several times in the first 2 1/2 hours I shot these clips. They are easily identified by their bright spandex racing outfits, helmets, and reflective wrap-around goggles, often racing in pairs or small groups of 3 to 6 bikes, appearing regularly about every 30 minutes or so as they repeat their race around the Central Park loop.
To make this crosswalk safe, we have to solve two problems. The first is the speed and the second is stopping at the red light until it turns green. The speed reducer and raised crosswalk that our petition demands to be installed really only address the speed problem. The video clips I shot today were intended to document the severity of the speed problem but often when the camera turns from the oncoming traffic to the crosswalk, it is apparent that the light is red and you can see the bikes speeding on thru the crosswalk anyway, dodging pedestrians and baby carriages.
After a break for lunch and recharging the camera, I continued shooting video clips at 2:39 pm, taking a position nearer the crosswalk and behind the speed limit sign. Immediately I filmed four racers charging thru a group of 8 pedestrians in the crosswalk. One bike goes behind the group and three in front of it while most of the other vehicles were stopped. Three were just a few inches from the pedestrians and were moving as fast as they could considering they had to dodge the stopped vehicles. Before the group clears the crosswalk two more bikes charge thru followed by 4 more bicycles, 2 pedicabs, a motorcycle with a passenger, and a horse-drawn carriage. All while the red light is on.
At 2:42 pm, two pedicabs come barreling thru the crosswalk going the wrong way. This is by far the most dangerous situation here because the pedestrians are not expecting traffic from this direction and are not looking this way.
At 2:55 pm, a group of ten pedestrians is moving thru the crosswalk. As they reach the middle, one racer accelerates thru the crosswalk, passing the back of the last pedestrian within just a few inches, while a second pair of racers wearing matching black and white spandex, try to dodge in front of the pedestrians but are forced INTO THE SIDEWALK, where they stop, pick up their bikes, carry them back into the street and continue their race.
At 3:02, a rollerblader came thru, GOING BACKWARD. At least he had the green light.
Today's screengrab is three cyclists charging in front of a group of pedestrians in the crosswalk and one cyclist charging behind them, while the light is red.