New York: Biking the Big Apple

Source: Speak Up
Language Level: Advanced
Standard: American accent

Biking the Big Apple

New York City is well known for its fast pace of life, busy streets and heavy traffic. Of all the places in the world, the Big Apple seems an unlikely starting point for a leisurely bicycle ride. Yet New York was listed in a recent survey as the third-best City in the USA for cycling. This is also the only place in the world where bike riders have 24-hour access to the underground transport system. As the number of cyclists increase, New York’s drivers become more aware of them, which mean fewer accidents. The city is much more bike-friendly than many people realize, says 24-year-old Jesse McDonough, a guide with bicycle tour company Bike the Big Apple.

Jesse McDonough

Standard: American accent:

You know, you can get can anywhere on a bike in certainly less than an hour, usually a lot shorter. The cars are used to having people stepping out in the road, used to having carts and truck and things like that in the way and in most cases they’re not going fast enough to really harm you anyway. So yeah, it’s…as long as you, you know, assert yourself and own the road, it is a very bike-friendly city. And also I think the system of…of bike paths…is improving a lot, as well, there’s a great organization called Transportation Alternatives that really pushes a lot for a bike-friendly city.

OVERCROWDING

There are already an estimated 100.000 cyclists riding through New York each day. By the year 2030 the city’s population will have grown to around nine million and, without a big increase in public transport and bike lanes, the streets will be unable to cope with all the additional traffic.

Manhattan is already increasing the number of bike lanes on its busy streets and currently has around 40 kilometres of bike paths totally free from motorized vehicles. Avoiding the worst traffic and rush hours. Bike the Big Apples takes advantage of the freedom for cyclists to offer visitors a unique, close-up view of the city’s culture and people. Most of the regular tours take four to five hours and begin at one of two different bike shop in Manhattan. Led by an experienced guide, visitors cycle along quiet roads and bike paths, through different neighborhoods and parks, along rivers and over bridges. Fortunately, New York is a fairly flat city with very few hills. And the average speed is only six kilometers an hour, so you don’t need to be particularly fit to enjoy the trip! The average age of riders on Bike the Big Apple tours is around 40 years old, but children as young as 10 and pensioners in their seventies have enjoyed the riders. Most importantly, in seven years of cycle tours, no-one has ever got hurt. Bike the Big Apple proves that finding your way around New York can be easier on two wheels, rather than four – especially with a guide who knows the shortcuts and history of this fascinating city.

Jesse McDonough:

I love it. I mean, you know, I love being on a bicycle and I was a history major in college and New York’s got some really great history and some interesting history. And then its current events…always champing, it’s hard to keep up, reading the metro section of the newspaper every day. And I personally love it. And as I do the tours myself, I see things change and develop each time, you know, I’m at the same location. So I mean it’s great for me, you know, I just learn more each tour myself and then get to pass that on to the riders.

Cycling in the City (No audio)

Bike the Bike Apple is the only company to offer fully-escorted, year-round bicycle tours through all five boroughs of New York City. The most popular tour – Tour A, the Ethnic Apple Tour – travels 15 miles in 7 hours and costs $75. For full information telephone +1- 201-287-1133 or visit www.bikethebigapple.com if you feel confident, why not hire your own bike for the day? Rates from $5,99 an hour up to a maximum of $24,99 per day; www.pedalpusherbikeshop.com Transport Alternatives campaigns for safer cycling and provides up-to-date information about biking in New York City; www.trasalt.org if you are keen on biking and cinema, remember that every May sees the start of New York City’s Bicycle Film Festival: www.bicyclefilmfetiva.com

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