What's the fastest way to get from Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn to the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side? Bicycle. This morning's annual Commuter Race, featured three Tenement Museum co-workers who live near Grand Army Plaza racing to work. One bicycled. One took a cab. One took the train. The winner: The bicycle (25 minutes). The Silver went to the subway (32 minutes) and the bronze to the taxi (40 minutes). Cost of the bike ride: Free. Cost of the subway trip: $2. Cost of the Cab ride: $13. Cost to the nerves of the racing bicyclist: Incalculable.
Race sponsor Transportation Alternatives (the bike won last year's race, too) points out that the average NYC commute (the longest in the country) is 45 minutes, but that the average NYC bicycle commute is 30 minutes. Relative accident and injury rates are unavailable.
· Bike Month Activities [Transportation Alternatives]
· More Americans Commuting on Two Wheels [AP]
[Bicycling photo courtesy of shield on Flickr]
RELATED: Speaking of commutes, The Prodigal Borough serves up a minute-by-minute pictorial of the 48-minute journey from Staten Island to 14th Street in Manhattan. Almost as much fun as being there!