Moving to NYC; Do I want a Bicycle, Moped, Motorcycle, or None?

Cognisseur

I'm going to be moving to Washington Heights with my girlfriend, and going to grad school in the Bronx, roughly 5-6 miles from where I want to get an apartment.

What method of transportation do you recommend in my situation?

Bicycle: Provides good exercise, and I can stash it in my apartment. However, it takes longer to get places, and won't be useful to go anywhere further than a few miles.

Motorcycle: I had one until recently, when someone hit it pretty hard while it was parked and messed it up pretty bad. Motorcycles are fun. They take me places around NYC, and outside of NYC too. However, I don't know if it's likely to be stolen, and I don't know whether a motorcycle in NYC is more dangerous than a bike, and whether it's a significant danger or not worth the risk.

Moped: Like a motorcycle, but cheaper, which is good because I'm not the best for money. Goes slower, so depending on the model it could be like a bike without pedalling, good for NYC slow traffic only, or I could get a more powerful one and use it like a motorcycle, capable of going on highways. However, I don't know how safe these are either, if they're as maneuverable/seeable by cars as motorcycles.

None: I can just take subway/bus to grad school and anywhere else I need to go.

What do you guys think? Do you use a bicycle often enough to spend money buying one? Do many people ride mopeds/motorcycles in NYC without ending up dead? Are there significant differences between the two regarding NYC riding? Or would I use none of thse often enough to warrant paying anything, and I should just stick to subway?

Thanks!

Reckless

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrocard

That's my opinion, at least. Subway + Bus + Your feet is the best way to get around. A bike is nice sometimes, though, but it can be a scary ride sometimes.

Hardleft_335

The bicycle is the cheapest option and will also be great exercise. Im not sure its going to be slower than any other type of transportation either. In Boston, between my bike, motorcycle, and the subway, the bike almost always wins. I dont know about mopeds though.

EggyToast

Everything seems to move at about the same speed in NYC. Busses, subways, bicycles, etc. I've only visited a couple times but it seemed like the only method that is actually "slow" is walking. People say that cars aren't worth owning in the city because they're so expensive to park somewhere, but it's also true that cars don't get you anywhere faster either.

supabeast

I do just fine walking and taking the subway, but I also live in Manhattan. New York is definitely not somewhere I would ride a bike because there are just too many drivers not paying attention to a damned thing. Early today I saw a biker almost get smashed between two cars because someone was talking on the phone and rummaging in her purse while merging into traffic. If her windows had been closed she wouldn’t have heard the screaming bicyclist and would have crushed her.

illig

map out your commute and see if it's going to be convenient via mass transit... use hopstop.com

99% of the time, subway/bus/walking will be much faster and cheaper than any other method... but sometimes, a motor vehicle will be better (especially since you can sometimes actually find free parking in Washington Heights and the Bronx).... keep in mind that you'll be spending serious money just living in this city, and consider whether you want to pay one of the highest auto/motorcycle insurance rates in the country (plus the inevitable tow/parking ticket)

Numero

If you're living/working/commuting in Manhattan, I would not recommend a bike; as stated before, too many people in too many cars not paying enough attention. Biking is a most dangerous game.

That being said, if you're living in Brooklyn/the Bronx/Queens, biking is generally a bit more safe. Honestly, I've been living here for almost 2 years and have gotten around solely by public transit and my feet. On the few occasions that I've been in a car, I've found that travel, accounting for traffic, is not much faster than the subway or just plain walking. Cheaper too.

Shazkar Shadowstorm

i'd ride a bike if i was in brooklyn

but not in manhattan

except in central park

Cognisseur

hm, is washington heights area, like 150th or something, just as bad for biking as the rest of manhattan or is it closer to like bronx? i dont mind having no motor vehicle but walking is so damn stupidly slow. i wish those wheelies were acceptable on adults, haha. do you guys have any other non motor vehicle options? i imagine all the others will also require i go in the street so theyll be as unafe if not more but walking is just so lame and caveman like. we invented the wheel, help me use it!

Reckless

Where are you moving from? Like others have said, walking + public transit isn't really going to wind up being much slower than personal motored/wheeled transport. It may feel slow, but time traveled won't be much different most of the time.

Shazkar Shadowstorm

Cognisseur wrote: »

hm, is washington heights area, like 150th or something, just as bad for biking as the rest of manhattan or is it closer to like bronx? i dont mind having no motor vehicle but walking is so damn stupidly slow. i wish those wheelies were acceptable on adults, haha. do you guys have any other non motor vehicle options? i imagine all the others will also require i go in the street so theyll be as unafe if not more but walking is just so lame and caveman like. we invented the wheel, help me use it!

Yeah, really, public transport is the way to go
You can get a bike for fun around your area or whatever, but like, commuting, public transport

Like, for example, I pay 81 a month for unlimited public transport (though will be 89)

I'm up near 110th and columbus
Takes me 25-35 minutes to get to work this summer on 25th and 6th
Have to walk a few blocks here and there but barely anything