A resident of New York City offers multimedia impressions of the city, its modes of transport, and environmental history.
"In addition to being fun, riding a bicycle is an alternative to the notoriously stress-filled environment of New York's public transit system. Buses and subways can be downright traumatic during rush hours, and I have found the bicycle to be at least as fast for all but the longest trips."
"But this is not to say that bicycle travel is without its own kind of stress. Having dodged my share of taxis and wide-turning trucks, and after being nearly "doored" countless times, I began to wonder how much of the thrill (that's what you call it on good days) of riding in Manhattan has to do with actual risk and how much is the product of a fast paced and highly charged psychological environment. In other words, is it really as dangerous as it seems when it's happening?
"To try to answer this question I attached a video camera to my handlebars."
Article also includes observations about confusing street names, a statistical mini-study of pedestrian portable electronic device use, recordings of subway conductor announcements, and a detailed account of the Greenpint oil spill.
Read the full story: Exploring New York City
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