*Here are a few pieces that give an overview:*
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/nyregion/with-transportation-snarled-in-br...
Bike Portland http://bikeportland.org/2012/11/01/while-sandy-recovery-continues-signs-of-h...
Bloomberg.com http://go.bloomberg.com/hurricane-sandy/2012/10/31/advice-for-post-sandy-new...
Here are a few resources that are circulating and being shared with new and experienced riders:*
Tips http://sellingsustainablestreets.tumblr.com/post/34707764652/live-in-nyc-wan...
Safe routes / bike trains / resources http://bikeapolis.us/
Organized resource distribution https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recycle-A-Bicycle/62453932286#!/events/261390...
*On a personal note:*
Recycle-A-Bicycle was very, very lucky. We have two storefronts and an education center that are all located in the immediate flood Zone A. Just one block away from each of our shops (in Dumbo, Brooklyn and the Lower East Side of Manhattan), there were cars submerged underwater. Our shops experienced minimal flooding (water touched the tires, not the rims). Despite the fact that we were without electricity, heat, water, or phone lines, both stores were open for business as of Wednesday 10/31. As of 5PM on Friday 11/2, both shops were operating at full capacity.
Our workshop/warehouse in Long Island City, Queens did not fare as well. The warehouse suffered an electrical fire that thankfully never left the breaker room. The storm surge brought 3 feet of sea water that filled the 4,000 sq ft space, making for a gigantic mess and many needed repairs/replacements of all hubs, bottom brackets, cables, and housing. We've had a steady crew of staff and volunteers who've gotten the space cleaned up (with headlamps at times) and are now working to repair the bicycles. All is workable and could have been much worse.
With long bus lines, a still not fully operating subway system, horrendous traffic, and lines into gas stations that can run miles long, the bicycle is clearly the way to go, now more than ever. We've had so many new riders in the shops these last few days, asking for bikes, lights, city riding tips, and recommendations for safe routes. It feels like a mini resource center, more so than usual.
With so many parts of this city --and others near and far-- that are suffering loss of human life, homes, and businesses, it is powerful and humbling to feel the strong sense of teamwork, communication, and camaraderie between bike shops, cycling groups, and bike education/advocacy organizations stepping up to do what needs to be done, in the ways that we can.
Many of you have reached out to us this past week. Thank you for thinking of us and for all the great work you are doing.
Best regards,
Pasqualina Azzarello Recycle-A-Bicycle
On Sun, Nov 4, 2012 at 10:45 AM, Plan B nolabikeproject@gmail.com wrote:
I thought I'd put my 2 cents in. We're in New Orleans and Katrina was definitely a trans-formative storm. With so many cars out of commission in the city and a high level of working class poor, New Orleans' bike use skyrocketed and definitely caused long-term cultural impact. The situation, however, was different. We are a temperate city, climate wise, and did not have the challenge of an oncoming winter. Our bike culture has exploded since 2005 and it's been one of the positive impacts of such a devastating storm.
Another difference here is that our public transit was useless for almost a year after the storm and our population was decimated regionally. New York and the affected areas of Sandy have pockets of devastation surrounded by areas that are relatively intact with high levels of operational infrastructure. Also, New Orleans is much poorer than the NE and the majority of people that lost everything simply could not afford to replace a car or a home and there was a definite housing shortage. Rents skyrocketed.
I'd be interested in seeing metrics about what happens in the NE over the next few years and whether there is a long term impact in independent self-powered transportation.
Of course, our hearts are with all of those impacted by Sandy. A current sentiment here is that perhaps this will finally start a real national dialogue about the long-term impacts of human-affected climate change and all it's implications. In Nola, we felt it early on and we've been feeling it for decades. Katrina and the BP oil spill were the canaries in the coal mine that radicalized so many of us regionally and awoke us to the realities of this difficult new world that we are living in fueled by convenience and apathy. While we take no joy in the pain or discomfort of others, we hope that the lesson is not lost anyone. We will all be impacted by climate change, not just the poor south.
Personally, I think that bikes are an integral part of the long-term solution.
Victor Pizarro Project Organizer Plan B, The New Orleans Community Bike Project
On 11/4/2012 9:12 AM, Brian Stromberg wrote:
Short answer is: yes, people are/were riding bikes more. Not sure how long that's going to last, but for a few days, at least, the bike paths were jammed.
http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/11/01/how-new-yorkers-are-getting-around-aft...
some more pics here from bikesnob: http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2012/11/bsnyc-friday-fun-quiz.html
-- Brian Stromberg Edward J Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey brian.stromberg@rutgers.edu
On Sun, Nov 4, 2012 at 9:48 AM, mfen651@aol.com wrote:
A quick response from an effected (Connecticut) east coaster....most of those that are starting to get back to "normal" including myself have not had the time or opportunity to ride.
Now this is from a person living less than 45 minutes from some of the most devastated areas in Connecticut, which my work has had me in for the last few days.
I myself ride on average 3 to 5 times a week, with an accumulated mileage off season of probably 30 to 75 per week, during the season I ride on average 250 to 300/wk.
Along with the storm recovery efforts, cold weather has arrived...point being that even so called "normal" riders/riding is in transition.
I see "typical" seasonal bike traffic around and about...but no, I'm not as of now seeing anything out of the norm, certainly no increase amongst road riders, or commuters.
I've just returned from the New Haven Connecticut area, and member of my own family who are bike commuters, have not been able to return to riding due to road and path issues. Plus there is just to much debris and repair crews obliterating the safe passage of cyclist, particularly in this now the "off season" where drivers don't even watch for cyclists.
I was in and out of NYC as well these past few days and there as well, things are difficult and not really conducive to seasoned let alone inexperienced cyclist taking to the road or path just yet. The increase in foot traffic along with the decrease in road/path space is an issue.
I think those areas most effected in CT/NY/NJ, folks are so caught up in finding what they can salvage from their homes, bikes and transportation in general is far from their minds.
The focus is food, electricity, and for many, shelter and staying warm. Where things are bad, they are very bad.
Where they are affected, but have power, sadly for those in NY/NJ the focus seems to swing to finding gasoline for their cars. The result is Connecticut is starting to experience gas shortages along with mile long lines to buy gas. This should be alleviated by the reopening of both New York and New Jersey ports this past Friday.
I think it is highly probably in the coming week/weeks you may see an increase in bike use in the more urban areas, as Mass transit is going to be a bit off track with subways still making a come back, and routes for cars, trucks, even bikes altered due to street and path repair and the like.
And if this second nor'easter should hit......
-----Original Message----- From: Rich Points director@communitycycles.org To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Sent: Sun, Nov 4, 2012 9:10 am Subject: [TheThinkTank] What has been the role of bikes after Sandy?
Hey East coasters, Have you guys seen more people riding bikes after the hurricane? What has been the role of the bike after the storm? I hope it's getting people to ride to work for the first time and maybe create some new commuters.
Curious in Boulder.
--
Rich Points http://communitycycles.org Executive Director (c)303-589-0597 (w)720-565-6019
Community Cycles is Boulder's only bike shop dedicated to bike commuting. Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommunityCycles
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