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What it’s really like to be a bike commuter  

No discussion of transportation in New York would be complete without talking about one of the cheapest, easiest and, increasingly, most popular ways of getting around the city — biking.

About 450,000 bike trips are taken every day in the five boroughs, with one in five of those trips being taken by someone who's commuting. There are now more than 1,000 bike lanes in the city, a number that has doubled lately compared to what we had a decade ago.

I was a freelancer and I literally couldn’t afford to take the train in some days I had to come into the office, so it made financial sense to invest in a cheap bike. Once I started riding, I preferred it to the train. It was faster and more fun. The best part of biking for me is the joy of experiencing the natural beauty of this island every day, and the feeling of being in control of your own destiny. I know roughly how long it will take me to get from Point A to Point B without issue. It is better than caffeine in the morning and I look forward to the ride home every day no matter how tired I am. I am energized by the experience and it keeps me in shape. It saves me money. It gets my blood and endorphins flowing.  

Biking is becoming more popular among New Yorkers; 40 % supported the expansion of protected bike paths in the city. This doesn’t mean that everything is completely rosy for bike commuters in New York City. While things are getting better, there’s more the city could do to make its streets safer. 

Pedestrians, without a question, are the biggest challenge you face while riding. Drivers are predictable; they follow the rules of traffic and they don’t want to hit you any more thanyou want to hit them. Pedestrians are chaotic. They cross when they shouldn’t. They’ll walk in bike lanes with their backs facing bike traffic. They’ll step into a bike lane, three feet in front of you in the middle of the block, so you’ll have no reaction time - that is precisely what sent me to hospital with a mild concussion a few years back (I was okay, I managed to get back on my bike and ride). 

Pedestrian education and citations is what we need to make cycling (and walking) safer in New York. Pedestrians, especially tourists, need to know about the existence of bike lanes, and that if they walk into a bike lane, they will get ticketed, hurt, or killed. They should have instructional videos at every major airport. I’m inclined to say folks from non-major U.S cities are less likely to be familiar with bike lanes than tourists from around the world.

I think most people don’t respect cyclists and their safety. I don’t think most pedestrians and motorists understand what cyclists go through on a daily basis. Everyone should be required to cycle, walk, and drive at least one entire day in this city in order to build some mutual respect. Looking before you open your door, before you cross the street, before you make a U-turn, using your turn signal, etc., would make the cycling experience much safer for everyone — including motorists and pedestrians. 

The city should be friendlier to cyclists because we reduce car and train traffic exponentially. Those LED signs that tell you that there will be traffic delays? Maybe they can say to check for cyclists before exiting the car.