# Triboro (RFK) Bridge Fear



## Peter_T

People may make fun of me for this post, and I'll gladly provide the entertainment. But I hope also for some information and advice.

I signed up for the NY Century and I'm looking forward to it -- or I would be looking forward to it except that I'm worried that I can't handle crossing the Queens to Ward's Island section of the Triboro (RFK) Bridge. With certain kinds of exposure I get EXTREME, debilitating attacks of acrophobia (fear of heights).  Since signing up, I've heard things about the pedestrian path on that section of the Triboro that sound like the stuff of nightnmares to me -- exactly the kind of thing I can't handle.:blush2: So I'm looking for more information about this crossing and maybe some advice about alternatives.

First, there are no road closings for this century; so we'll have to cross the Triboro on the walkway. Right? Second, the walkway is narrow with nothing but a very low wall -- lower than a cycling clydesdale's center of gravity -- in the highest places. Right? Third, the view down is a 140+ foot drop-off into the East River on one side and a short drop-off onto the busy roadway on the other. Right? 

I'm determined to do this ride; it will be my first century and after a Summer of cycling, I feel ready to give it a try. But if these things I ask about above are all true, then I need to find an alternative to cycling that section of the bridge. Looks like the possible subway alternatives would take me WAY off course. Maybe there is a car service that can carry a cycle and cyclist from Astoria Park to Ward's Island -- I don't know. If I can do something like that I'll make up the mileage of the Triboro in Central Park before finishing. I do want to do the full 100, as much as possible on the official route. Advice?


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## AlanE

Get over it. Literally & Figuratively. A couple suggestions:

1. Make a visit to the bridge before the event. Get familiar with the walkway. It's probably not as scary as you imagine.

2. You won't be alone during the ride. Having some other folks walk along side you will help to block the view and chatting with them will help to distract you.

3. You say that this will be your first century. That's a significant challenge and accomplishment in itself. Focus on that. Crossing the bridge is only going to be about 1% of achieving that goal.

Good luck.


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## iraform

It's been a year, so my memory is a bit hazy, but here's how I remember the Triboro crossing: It's a bottleneck, so you wait in line behind other cyclists crossing. Lots of walking and carrying bikes up and down stairs, and it takes a while to get across. I don't remember the low wall or that it was particularly scary; not as scary as the GWB, for example. 
But there's no doubt you are high up, and I could see it would be a tough thing for someone who is scared of heights. I think Alan E's suggestion of having someone alongside of you might help. If you decide to do it, just take your time and go as slow as you feel comfortable. A lot of people are intimidated by crossing a bridge like that, and you'll be in good company.


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## Peter_T

*We walk?*

Thanks Alan and iraform. That could help if we walk on the bridge. I know that TBA says to walk; but I read on several posts that people generally ride, anyway, and I'd rather not be the guy who makes the bottleneck worse because he has to walk.

That's good advice about checking it out beforehand, but I'm up by West Point and probably can't get down there before ride day. It's good to know that it's not as bad as the GWB! Whenever I drive on the incoming GWB span I look over at the cyclists on the walkway and think about how I couldn't do that.


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## jsedlak

It wasn't that bad - more just boring because it was slow and the view was fairly pathetic. I get unbalanced at heights and didn't have any of that feeling during the NYCC.


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## tednugent

Don't worry... I can't even drive my car on the Triboro bridge, for same thing, fear of heights -- certain bridges do that to me.

Since you're forced to ride it....just focus ahead and try not to look over. Know that whole "Don't look down" advice??? applies right here


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## Will Be Was

I ride GWB, don't have time to look down just keep your eye on the road.


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## chocy

I just took RFK a few weeks ago, they finished construction so there are no more metal steps that goes over the railing and down and then back up and over (hard to understand but they had temporary steps while working on the real ones) they also put fence pretty much all the way across (it is a shame really) so if you can cross GWB or Queens borough or Manhattan bridge, you will be fine. IT will just be annoying because You have to get off your bike and take some steps in three different places.


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## Peter_T

Thanks, chocy. The fence may be a shame for you but it sounds like a blessing for me. This is the most encouraging thing that I've heard!


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## RkFast

Doing this ride Sunday and Im psyched! 

That said, YES...its a little precarious, Im not gonna lie. 


BUT.....like others said, you will defintiely be walking it. And there will be lots of others walking with you. I got that ole fear of heights thingy, too. As they say, just "dont look down." Focus your eyes on something that doesnt give you that sick feelinging. Might be something in the sky above or in this situation, the back wheel of the rider in front of you. Just look around...youll find SOMETHING to focus your eyes on that wont give you the vertigo.

Good luck on the ride....its gonna be fun!


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## Peter_T

Thanks, RkFast. Your reply helps.

I'm psyched, too. Really looking forward to the experience! I just hope that the forecast afternoon rain holds off until near the finish.


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## RkFast

So Pete...how did you do?


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## Peter_T

In the end I didn't even try to cross the Triboro but I may have done my first century. I kinda wish I knew, but I don't have a cycle computer yet.

After no sleep (literally) I drove down to New York and began at the Central Park starting place. I felt good and rode harder than I should have until about Kissena Park. By the time I got to Astoria Park – around 75 miles according to folks with computers – I was bonking. In that condition I stopped under the Hell's Gate Bridge and stood in the cold, wet wind looking up at the Triboro walkway. I could see that everyone was riding, not walking, up there. As I stood there thinking about that I got chills and decided that there was no way I was going to risk freaking out and stopping the ride up there. Earlier I had a flat on a bridge near LaGuardia and I had to push my bike a long way back down the narrow walkway, against the bike traffic, to fix it. (Yes, I was that guy.) Thus I had pretty much used up my making-a-nuisance-of-oneself-on-bridges credits before I even got to the Triboro. 

At the park I ate and then rode to Astoria Blvd, where I took the N train to Manhattan, determined to do > 25 more miles and thus finish a century of my own devising. Whether I succeeded I'm not sure. It was raining when I got to Manhattan, and it rained for the rest of my ride. I rode on the East and West Side Greenways, and in between I spent much time lost, especially in Harlem. Maybe in the end I managed to complete 100; maybe not. Either way, I returned to Central Park North to collect my T-shirt, water bottle, and Italian ice, and then I rode back to my car.

I think that I would have tried crossing the Triboro under better conditions, and I'm sure that I would have stuck all the way with the official route if not for my fear of riding across that walkway. Excuses, excuses. I know.

It's a great ride for a great cause and I plan to go next year. Between now and then I'll walk and then try to ride the Triboro walkway. That way I'll know one way or the other and be able to focus more on the ride itself.


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## RkFast

OK...next year then!


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## chocy

Peter,

Well I also did NY Century and actually There were some fences "missing" in the middle. Sorry, I thought they put them up last time but, I don't get effected by height all that much. It was a good ride, It seems like there are more bike paths in Brooklyn now. It was a little shorter than last year (105 vs 102) since they took out Flushing Medows Park route I managed to get home before it really started coming down. It is always fun to ride with more people (well with more people with similar pace)


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## hennersnewyork

Quick question - does anyone know if and when the Queensboro/59th St Bridge closes to bikes overnight?


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