Piloting From Behind

Can a tandem "stoker" be a "back seat driver"?

Postponed--We Hope

I am happy I can still ride my bike.  In some places, COVID epidemic-related restrictions are so severe that people can leave their homes only to buy groceries or medicine, if they can leave at all.

Still, here in New York and other places where cycling is still allowed, mass rides and other bike-related events have been cancelled or postponed.  Among them is the annual Five Boro Bike Tour, originally scheduled for tomorrow.  Its organizers say they are discussing "new potential dates with our New York City agency partners."  Given that nobody really knows when the epidemic will stabilize, let alone end, it's hard not to think that the 5BBT, and other events, may not be held this year.

Among the canceled events are some races, including most of the early-season "classics" in Europe.  Then there are various rallies, swap meets and sales, including one in Traverse City, Michigan.  As part of the swap, which has been held in each of the past ten years, people sell their bikes and the event's sponsor, the local Recycle-A-Bicycle, receives 25 percent.  The proceeds help RAB recycle and refurbish used bikes.  The organization is "not in dire straits," according to a spokesperson, but "it's nice to know" they can have the swap, not only to raise money,   but so that bikes that are in garages will go to people who will ride them, rather than to landfills.

RAB hopes to have a smaller sale some time this summer.  I think a lot of event organizers have similar hopes.

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Citibike Expands To Essential Neighborhoods

I have never ridden bikes from share programs. But I am glad such programs exist.

Blue Citibikes have been rolling along the street of my hometown, New York, for seven years.  That makes it one of the older share programs.  When it began, its organizers had the benefit of the experience of other cities' experience with programs.  While Citibike provides a useful and reasonably-priced service, it is not without its flaws.

Perhaps the most legitimate criticism of Citibike is that, even with its relative low cost and its offer of free or reduced-price memberships for people on various government assistance programs, the service is still out of reach for many of this city's residence.  Even if they can afford to use a Citibike, it's not available where they live.

It just so happens that they live in communities such  as Washington Heights, Mott Haven, East New York, Melrose and South Jamaica.  What they have in common is that they are, shall we say, not hipster havens.  In other words, they are--you guessed it--darker (in residents' skin tones) and poorer than places like Greenwich Village, Williamsburg and Astoria-Long Island City, where Citibike ports are plentiful.

It also happens that the neighborhoods that haven't had access to Citibike are home to many workers that have been deemed essential.  They are doing the jobs that can't be done in their rooms or apartments:  they have to get to the stores, nursing homes, hospitals, transit yards and other workplaces when subways and buses are on greatly reduced schedules.

Now, Citibike has announced that, starting on Monday the 4th, it will begin to install new docking stations in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.  Included will be new stations in Harlem Hospital, located in its namesake neighborhood, and Lincoln Hospital, in the middle of "Asthma Alley" and the heart of the poorest Congressional district in the United States.  

There is little doubt that the nurses' aides, orderlies, maintenance workers and others who work at Lincoln and Harlem and other hospitals need those bikes for transportation.  One can also hope that some of the area's residents might use the Citibikes for recreation or other kinds of riding:  One reason why the neighborhood surrounding Lincoln has the highest rates of asthma, diabetes and other health problems is the lack of outdoor recreational opportunities.

So, the timing of Citibike's latest expansion is good.  Let's hope that the benefits continue after the virus is gone.