Are cars and car drivers really the problem or is it pedestrians?

Dear Mayor de Blasio,

As a New Yorker, a car driver, a motorcycle rider, a bicycle rider and at time a pedestrian I know the proper ways to navigate the streets of NY. I have personally seen all drivers in cars, motorcycle and on bicycle do things that would endanger themselves and any one else who might have to swerve or hit them because they did the wrong thing. Let's not forget those angels we call pedestrian, who the Mayor and all those who hate motorized vehicles think does nothing wrong. They don't jay walk with arrogance, they don't jump off buses and proceed to cross which ever street their on either in front of the bus or via the back of the bus. They don't put themselves in danger because they have the idea that pedestrians have the right of way all the time no matter what. Of course not, they are the innocent victims of lawless motorized vehicles speeding on the streets on New York.

I'm not saying little kids or elderly people getting hit by cars is right or acceptable, nor do I think that car drivers in NY are anywhere near being good at driving. Driving in NY is you practice for a few months, you get lucky and pass the driver's road exam and you get a license. After you get a license you have 50 years of driving to learn and implement all the bad and reckless habits a driver develops over the years. And if you get caught speeding, driving reckless,(whatever that is), or any thing to violate driving laws, which include running people over and killing them, all you have to do is pay someone off, (NYC Traffic Bureau), spend some time not driving and you get your license back.

So our beloved NY mayor and all those against drivers think implementing more strict rules and regulations is somehow an effective means to get people to drive better. I remember when i first started learning to ride a motorcycle, i was given two choices, either buy a motorcycle,( which you can buy with just a driver's license), and practice on the streets of NY with the learner's permit you got. Or get the learners permit and then take a three day motorcycle course and if and only if you pass the three day course you will get a license. During this three day course there were people who was asked to leave because of the lack of progress and there were those who did not pass at all. I did pass myself with a very high grade of 99.

Then over the years as I talk to those who actually obtain their motorcycle drivers endorsement on their license,( you do actually get a motorcycle license), that a vast majority went the opposite route i took. They got a permit, got a motorcycle and we joy riding on the streets of NY without supervision or actual training and then took a motorcycle road test from DMV and seemed to have passed. I always ask what did they test and that answer amounted to nothing much.

Anyway I've gone way off topic into a rant on how getting a license means you showed promise on your ability to drive or ride but then after you obtained one your skills are never enhanced and improved upon.

Back to these angels of the street, the pedestrian . The Angels walk mindlessly into the streets and expect cars to come to a screeching halt as if God have endowed them with the ability to withstand a hit from a car. They stroll across streets with the don't walk sign on, they jump out between cars to jay walk because it's just too hard for them to walk to the safe cross walk, they continuously put themselves in the path of danger and the mayor say to motorist to just slow down. let them continue to act reckless and since we motorist pay for the right to use motorized vehicles and are basically under the thumb of the city and state we are the easiest to control with these one sided laws.

The mayor should put his efforts in teaching the citizen to respect the streets, just like swimmers learn to respect the dangers of the ocean when you go swimming. I grew up with the look both ways before crossing the streets idea, but now a days it don't worry if you run in the streets cars will hit you at a slower speed. So that road rash on your ass won't be so severe. This is totally the wrong approach that should be taken these days. But I'm not the mayor.

My answer to the safe streets is much more severe than fines and tickets, it pure education.
Educate drivers from when their learners to actual driver and beyond. When you become a CPA,( for those who don't know what that is Google it), you are required to take cpe courses to maintain your license. I think the same should be for drivers of motorized vehicles. and include an actual safety driving test not just a dumb and useless 6 hour online course to watch videos is not helping anyone expect the vendors who supply these things. Continually taking courses that lets you to understand braking, driving in curves, weight distribution, suspension, winter driving skills and others with help everyone. And on top of that having real driving test every 5 to 10 years, not to find reason to revoke your license but to help you improve your driving. These are my solutions.
 Forget the fines, people break every single law written for man by man and even the laws of God. So do you think more rules will really help. Train the people to be the best at the task and everyone will be safer for it.

My first weekend ride in 2009!

Finally the weather was good enough for me to ride this year. The funny thing is that on Sunday night to Monday afternoon, the  good Lord blessed us with about eight inches of snow. I wish I took some photos of all of that but by the time I got home from work and class, I was dead tired. 

The weekend yeilded enough for me to get on the bike and ride to class and then take the extended tour home. I go to York college in Jamaica Queens, right off Parson Blvd. and Liberty Avenue. So I decided to take the long back to 212 and Jamaica Ave. I headed west on liberty Ave., heading towards The Van Wyck Expressway. The name of theis road, Liberty, gives it no justice at all. You have no liberty on Liberty. this is one of the worst roads in my part of Queens. The bumps, pot holes and crazy drivers plage this road all the time, I hate it, but it was the shortest route to the Van Wyck Expy. 

After taking about ten mintues to go one block for the left turn on the Vany Wyck, my real journey began. I took it slow, about 70mph, as I entered the on ramp to the highway. The I decided to take it at that pace for the trip on the Belt to the Cross Island. That of course all changed as I saw the road open up like a horny girl in my bed, so I accelerated! Theres a nice little left hand 50 mph turn to go on the Belt leading towards the Cross Island Pkwy, and I think I got my baby up to about 90 mph. Felt good! Kept that pace for about two miles then said, Relax Nick. So I relaxed, until I got to the left hand curved exit for the Cross Island. I was going good until a two ton sleeper slowed me down further than I liked. Soas soon as the left lane was clear, I acclerated once more. A couple of BMW's atempted to keep up with me but by that time I was at triple digits and you know people scared to rally drive a good car.

And that was just Saturday!

Now Sunday was bit more passive, I did not reach 100 mph this day. I reallytook it easy going about 65 most of my trip. Hoped on the Norther State pkwy headed toward the meadowbrook pkwy. Long Island drivers are a bit more passive and no one seemd threatned by my presence on the road. From the Northern State, went south on the Meadowbrook, took that to the southern State, going about 65 to 70 most of the way. Was wearing my new riding boots to get a feel of it. Felt good, also all my winter workouts paid off. My back and core seemd very strong, there was no tendency of me leaning on my handle bars to remain upright, felt real good! Nice day for a ride, very little sun, cool temps.  and pretty light traffic, until I goto the turn for the cross island. Once there I got caught behind a two ton sleeper again, so that instantly pissed me off, checked the left lane, clear, the acelerated right past hime, got up to 90 and then relaxed to slow down for my Hempstead ave exit, right by Belmont Racetrack. one of the very worst off ramps in Queens, and it's basically a large arched u-turn. The turn sucks, with holes, gravel and busses parked along the sidem DAMN! Well got on Hempstad headed home with no further probalems.

Good weekend for the ride, I enjoyed it.

Did you??

Just another ride..........

I made it through another day… barely. Basically I couldn’t sleep on Tuesday, and my bike needed some gas, so I went to get some at a Hess a few miles away. I bypassed a few other gas stations and other Hess stations, but this one was the cheapest. After getting there my bike was whispering in my ear, “Let’s ride!” So I rode. For those of you who know the Queens area, here is the route I took. I was sitting on Linden Blvd and Hook Creek. Jumped on the cross Island Parkway going south, it was around 3:45am so no one was on the road. I usually ride fastest at night, I don’t know why maybe it’s because there are no cars on the road. Last time I went for my top speed challenge, I think I hit 125 MPH. This time I think I just touched 120. I went south on the Cross Island, then westward on the Belt parkway, that’s right to those who are directionally challenged. Rode that until the Van Wyck, I think I toped off around 110 on the Belt. I took it much slower on the Van Wyck, I don’t trust that stretch oh road at all, I think I took it at a steady 90. Took that straight up to the bridge, to the top of the Cross Island and took that south again, to make my trip a full circle. Turned off on Jamaica Ave. and went home. My top speed was obtained on the Cross Island, not my best but was up there and the Cross Island is not lit very well.

I made it through a high-speed night, to almost get hit by a car at 5 MPH. As usual car drivers don’t use their own vehicle to the fullest. I always have on my mind someone will bump me again so I’m fully aware of the dangerous possibilities. So I swerved and lived to ride another day.

Riding in the rain………..

The begining......

Well I’ve been riding for almost a solid year now. I’ve had some very scary experiences and some very enjoyable ones. Well let’s start at the beginning when I got my new `06 Kawasaki Ninja 650 R. I really wasn’t looking to buy that one but the dealer actually convinced me, and since the bike I wanted was not in stock I took it. It did look nice and seemed like a very good buy at a very good price, and I was right! I got home that day after agreeing to purchase the bike and went straight online to research, research, research. Nothing but good to great reviews were done on this bike, great for beginners good for experienced riders looking for a second bike or a bike to ride around town with. I was over joyed with my choice, I guess the motorcycle Gods were looking out for me.

This was technically my second bike, the first one was a `85 Yamaha FZR 600 Genesis. This was the first real super sport bike of its time. Apart from the color, which was purple and black tiger stripes I enjoyed it very much. I think with that bike I spent more time working on it that actually riding it. First day I got it, I dropped it unloading it from the rental truck, cracked fairings and all. I did not have a license so riding it was confined to the back streets, where I dropped it a second time at a stop sign. I never rode a motorcycle before and the sheer weight of it totally surprised me. These this weighed at minimum three hundred pounds and up. I was a bit weak back then in 2004 but I learned quickly. I learned all the wrong things. I think I had that bike for about six months until I sold it to go on another adventure involving a female, but that’s another story for another time.

So with the first bike I learned to basic of keeping it up without dropping it or falling, and how to do some minor repairs. This new bike I wanted so I could avoid doing repairs, and that lasted about two months. While riding in a rush to work, I tried to pass a SUV at a green light because it seemed as if they were preoccupied with whatever and I was bumped. Not hit, bumped by this three ton vehicle and I crashed. I got up with very minor scratches and cuts and the SUV drove off like nothing happened, no help no nothing. I quickly, picked up the pieces of my crashed bike, rode home with a smashed left side, bent handlebars, and oil leaking like crazy. I’m glad I could make it home! I said to myself, “Damn, something I was trying to avoid, REPAIRS!” Now I had to spend time off the bike not gaining valuable experiences, spend money and time to fix what I had done. I was very upset, but very humbled. I got the fear of the first crash out the way and now I can really concentrate on every thing taught to me at my three-day rider course.

Today’s adventure started with me, not wanting to go to church on this beautiful Sunday.