T.A. Hits the Streets: Bike Week 2000

Thirty events packed the Bike Week 2000 schedule æ everything from a bike tour of the best bakeries with sticky buns, to a movie screening of We are Traffic, a critical mass documentary. The events were packed with cyclists who had a lot to say about tough biking conditions on city streets. Overwhelmingly, they lamented increasing car traffic and the difficulty of finding secure bike parking where they work. These obstacles to everyday cyclists are nothing new; neither are the City's lackluster efforts to overcome them.

This year, seven businesses participated in T.A.'s Commuter Challenge. The Challenge was a competition to see who had the most bike commuters on Friday May 19, National Bike to Work Day. Winners will be treated to a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream office party.

Commuter Challenge Participants:
Everydayoffice.com
FOXSports.com
GORP.com
Henry Street Settlement
New York Life Insurance Company
The Sam Schwartz Company
U.S. EPA

And the winners are...
Class A (1-250 employees)-Gorp.com
Class C (501-1000)-US EPA
Class E (5000 and up)-NY Life Insurance Co.

Big thanks to...
All of the loyal, T.A. volunteers, with special thanks to Volunteer Bike Week Coordinator Ruth Rosenthal. Her ceaseless dedication to cycling in NYC makes Bike Week what it is.

Our sponsors:
EMS, Clif Bar, Pick-a-Bagel on 57th Street, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, New York Greenmarkets, Bluestockings Bookstore, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Paragon Sporting Goods, Brooklyn Brewery Dempsey's Bar and The Gap.

The Elected Officials:
Special thanks to The Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer for not only attending the breakfast, but also leading a ride down the Grand Concourse to the event. Manhattan Borough President Borough President C. Virginia Fields and Ethel Sheffer from her office showed their support, as did Queens Borough President Claire Shulman and Deputy Borough President Peter Magnani. Thanks also to Daniel Jacobs, who represented Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, and also to Chris Boyd of Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden's Office.

Partner organizations:
TIME'S UP!, Five Borough Bike Club, The Weekday Cyclists, Recycle-A-Bicycle, Fast and Fab Cycling Team, and NY Cycling Club

Stephen Balser
Commuter of the Month: Stephen Balser
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Occupation: Owner "Art in Construction," an interior installations company

Visit the Bike Week Web site.