I’m not a genius, which will become increasingly clear to all of you, but I urge you to not do at least one simple thing: If an app you’re using to navigate New York City on your bike tells you to take the Lincoln Tunnel, try to resist the suggestion. The Lincoln Tunnel is not for bikes, it is for cars, a fact one poor delivery guy learned Tuesday night.
Bicycles and other “velocipedes” are prohibited in the Lincoln Tunnel, according to the Port Authority’s “Green Book” listing regulations for the bridges and tunnels the agency operates.
The man, a 26-year-old Jersey City resident who was delivering food, was intercepted by Port Authority police on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 7:30 p.m. He explained to officers how he came to be in the tunnel and showed them the app, “which supported his claim,” Pentangelo said.
For his troubles, the cyclist was issued a summons for trespassing since an app is no defense against Port Authority regulations.
This man’s gumption and commitment to his job and customers should be admired, it must be said, since admittedly, if I was in his shoes, and my choice was between getting food delivered on time and biking the Lincoln Tunnel during an hour when there are a lot of cars on the road, let’s just say the food wouldn’t be happening.