Bicycle in NYC without being killed using Ride the City
Figure out the safest way to get to your destination on bicycle with Ride the City.
My CNET colleague in New York, Caroline McCarthy, insists there's not a single safe street for bicyclists in New York City. Don't tell that to Ride the City, a mashup for bikers who don't want to end up road kill in the streets of one of the busiest cities in the world.
Like Google Maps, you just plug in your start point and destination and it does the rest. But instead of simply giving you the fastest way there it will map out a route that takes advantage of streets with dedicated bike lanes, and completely avoids structures like freeways, toll bridges, and tunnels. If your route does require going through a "trouble zone," it will be highlighted.
Other little perks include map icons highlighting bike shops close to your route, which might help you get back to business if you get a flat or break your chain. There's also an option to reverse the route, which may change if you took any one-way streets or bike paths on the way there.
The service is currently limited to the greater NYC area, although as its FAQ suggests, you can get similar services across the country in Portland, Ore., with byCycle.org. If you're a resident of Berlin, there's also BBBike.
