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Every year Transportation Alternatives holds a commuter race to Manhattan between a cyclist, a subway rider, and a motorist to promote the efficacy of cycling. And every year the cyclist wins. When will the gaming commission investigate T.A.? The only difference today between the outcome of last year's race was that this year the car commuter came in dead last, taking 47 minutes, 11 seconds to get from Sunnyside to Columbus Circle in a taxi. Coming in second was NYC transit rider Dan Hendrick, who crossed the finish line in 35 minutes, 16 seconds.
Bronx librarian Rachael Myers finished her 4.2 mile bicycle commute from Sunnyside in just 20 minutes, 15 seconds, giving her plenty of time to gloat before the losers straggled in: "As soon as I saw all the traffic backed up on the Queensboro Bridge, I knew this wasn't going to be a fair fight. I actually was able to finish a cup of coffee before anyone else made it to the finish line." Willie Thompson, a marketing specialist who took the yellow cab, said, "Anytime I'm in a hurry, I take a cab thinking it'll get me there the fastest. I can't believe I lost by 27 minutes today."
According to 2000 Census figures, New Yorkers have the longest commutes in the country, about 45 minutes. And Transportation Alternatives calculated the carbon footprint of each commute today: The bike produced zero emissions; the transit commute generated about one pound of CO2, and the gluttonous cab rider unleashed 6 lbs of CO2 (and paid a taxi fare of $20).
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That fucking cyclist probably killed 1000 pedestrians to win. This is BS.
If not killed, at least terrorized.
i could pick two locations in new york where the car is fastest every time. like say, an airport to anywhere else.
also, if you do it at 4am, there's less traffic, and the cabbie will win this sunnyside to columbus circle race.
You're missing one little thing. This is the NYC Commuter Race. Not many people commute to the airport or at 4 a.m.
The cheapest flights to and from nyc are at 6am.
The week before last I left the bar in wburg at 4am, hopped in a car and got to newark in, like, 25 minutes.
Granted it cost me 80 bucks...but let's see a bicycle do that!
Ah, so you commute from a bar to Chicago. I see.
I meant 60 bucks.
Impressive how Transportation Alternative's website says riders can sit on the MTA's newest M160B rolling stock.
Unless I'm mistaken, the bicycle Rachael rode appears to be a single-speed (or maybe a fixed-gear). She would have been even faster on a multi-geared biked.
no way man...you dont know man...the FLOW man...when you're on a fixie you FLOW with your environment man...fixies are always faster...its the FLOW man....
Yeah, FLOW right into a parked car or me waiting at a red light like dozens of fixed gear morons I've seen.
I didn't think the brake levers, calipers and cables were that hard to see in either of the two pictures that showed her bike.
according to the press release, it's a single speed — not fixed-gear — bike.
Is the cyclist is monitored or ordered to obey every traffic light, and not roll through it if the coast is clear.
Does the cab driver get the same treatment?
#8,9 - Who's telling you need to ride a bike to work everyday? No, it's not for everyone all the time. I'm a hardcore cyclist, but even I have my limits. I think TA is saying do it when you, or even just try and incorporate into your lives if you can. The race is a simple experiment, not an absolute science.
Did the cabbie pick up his passenger in a bike lane? Did he yield to pedestrians and cyclists, stop outside of crosswalks, and not make any other traffic violations?
While I understand the snark, I think mine is a fair question, and relates directly to the time required to make it to the final destination point.
Yeah it really varies, depending on traffic, whether or not the MTA has pulled their heads out of their asses that day...plus who the hell wants to ride a bike 4 miles in the rain?
Sure, bikes are faster sometimes. But did you ever notice how TA always does this event on the nicest day of the year? They never show their bike rider soaking wet or frostbitten.
And at least the other two people didn't have to worry about where to park their bike when they got there.
hahahaha. Yeah, it's planned thoroughly in advance, and they rig the weather! WTF TA?!?!
oops, intended that to be in response to JenChungsBra. How'd I screw that one up?
But did you ever notice how TA always does this event on the nicest day of the year?
It's always in late-May. And it's not hard to check the weather report. The logistics of something like this means it could easily be re-scheduled with 24 hours notice. The press advisory could be issued day before and what planning does it take to put someone on a subway? Unless Dan Hendrick is booked so far in advance that his appointment secretary won't allow that. (Just kidding Dan, you're cool.)
But hey, good for TA and everyone biking in the spring from Sunnyside to Columbus Circle. This is exactly the type of PR the TA spokes-coyote is good at. When he's not sputtering reactions to bad press he's fine.
I'll be honest.. this may work sometimes, but what about when its like 90+ and humid in the summer... do you want to arrive to work drenched in sweat?
What about when it rains, snows, when its freezing?
Anyone with common sense knows when to take a cab vs. public transport to get certain places faster unless you aren't from here...
Personally, I do prefer cycling but it's not always possible based on where you live...
when it's 90+ and humid in the summer it's much cooler on a bike cause you generate your own wind. every biker knows that. It feels like its 75 when you are going at least 15 mph on bare skin through a t-shirt. I wouldn't bike in a suit but a smart person would just change when they get to work. In the winter, if you bundle up with nylon and thermals, you feel warmer cuase your inner core is heating up from the cardio. When it snows? that happns 4 times a year at most. When it rains? do some other mode of transport. Easy. The answer is just bike when you can, not all the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFVbh5WvITM
Man in white dress held up traffic.
Why don't they include scooters or motorcycles? I have a feeling they might win!
Bikes are awesome, but they always rig this race route to be disadvantageous to train riders... Who would win Sunnyside to Grand Central I wonder? or Jackson Heights to Penn Station?
wow. wow. and wow. Hate much?
it is true that "Bronx librarian Rachael Myers" is wearing her favorite "i'm out to kill a thousand pedestrians on the way to work today" skirt. you can see it, but she's sewn on to the inner lining the pinky toe of each ped she's taken out during rush hours (off peak murders are too easy).
I know this because she told me this while hanging out in the Secret Villains Lair run by transportation alternatives deep underground (below the subway tracks) where we drink reckless amounts of beer and hang our trophies from the days ride, swapping stories about the SUVs and Minivans we've inconvenienced by forcing them to not-double-park illegally.
Good times.
(it was a joke)
sorry RBB, hard to tell really considering the recent coverage (like the recent Times bit) and the vitriolic comments directed at bikes.
How many people from Sunnyside drive to Manhattan on a daily basis ? Not much I assume, given its close proximity to Manhattan. Why don't TA try eastern Queens where people would need to bike on the LIE.
22 minutes? i would have smoked through that thing in 12 minutes on my single speed. I used to ride fixie but realized you can't fixate on girls butts if you do. I had too many accidents so I flip flopped that shit.
my question is...does bronx librarian, rachael myers, commute to the bronx everyday? where from?
not to be snarky - just curious.
Good question. Also she looks like an extremely boring person. No offense.
And how can you tell that from those pictures? Because she's a librarian? I'm really curious.
Maybe she's a rockin' librarian. Who knows.
i see that girl on the greenway in manhattan all the time! no way. i didn't know she commuted to the bronx. um, she's wicked hot.
she kinda looks like marcia gay harden.
Back on topic. Can rickshaws be included in this even next year? What about pogo sticking to work. I think that would make this even more objective.
What kind of momo takes 47 minutes to get from Sunnyside to Columbus Circle.
"The bike produced zero emissions;" Obviously, because the bike is inert. However unless the rider held her breath for the period of time it took to complete the trip, there was CO2 produced at a greater rate than the other two individuals involved in this experiment simply because her rate of breathing was probably higher.
While the guy pictured above may have come in third, he certainly arrived gay!
That is really an assumption that I find totally accurate based on how he exits the cab.
But he also is a bike messenger that got bitch slapped and had his bike stolen so now he takes cabs. He loses money on every trip but he makes it up in volume.
Yeah, like I really want to commute ANYWHERE by bicycle and arrive all hot and sweaty. Oh yeah, and I really want to do that during the Winter too. Fuck off.
GOOD! We bikers don't want you! Can you understand this simple fact?: NO ONE IS MAKING YOU TAKE A BIKE. This is only a demonstration of the viability of bikes as one more option. For those who want to bike to work or anywhere else, it's great. For those who don't, take whatever transport works for you.
The biggest problem with this race is that if a lot more people started riding bikes, the streets would become congested with bike traffic and there would be a lot more bicycle accidents.
The reason bikes are reasonably fast now is because there aren't that many on the road. If the cycling advocates were actually successful, it would just make traffic that much more of a nightmare -- can you imagine even 10 bicycles with riders of varying age/ability trying to navigate on the same block? It would be hazardous to everyone involved.
"This is only a demonstration of the viability of bikes as one more option."
Do they include the time it takes to get the bike from wherever it's stored, putting on a helmet, etc. at the beginning of the commute and locking/storing it at the end? A pedestrian/subway rider doesn't have those issues to contend with.