Volunteer Profile: I Go To Work
The Bike Week Commuter Challenge

On Monday, May 13, three victory-hungry T.A. volunteers--a cyclist, a straphanger and a motorist--traveled from Junior's in Downtown Brooklyn to Columbus Circle to kick off Bike Week 2002. Despite the rain, the cyclist came in first, the train rider second and the motorist last.

T.A. asked them what it was like to give it their all for their chosen means of transportation.

WINNER! Cyclist - 31 Minutes
Nicole Dyer, 29
Editor
Park Slope
Did you think you were going to win? Yes.
Route: Jay Street to the Manhattan Bridge to the Bowery, left onto 13th Street and right onto 8th Avenue to Columbus Circle.
Why race? I'm a regular bike commuter and T.A. supporter and I wanted to use the opportunity put the NYC car commuting world to shame.
Commuting Philosophy: Bike commuting is the secret to a happy urban life.
What would you do as Mayor for the day? 1. Ban cars from Manhattan 2. Create an uninterrupted greenway around Manhattan 3. Enforce bike lane laws 4. Make annual bike tune-ups tax deductible.
Training for next year yet? Yes!

RUNNER UP Straphanger - 34 Minutes
Amanda DeZutter, 23
Analyst for Merrill Lynch
Ft. Greene, Brooklyn
Did you think you were going to win? Yes!
Route: Q from DeKalb to 42nd where I switched to the 1 to 59th.
Why race? I take the (horribly slow and infrequent) C train and then a bus to work everyday, so I know how important quality transit is for New Yorkers. By racing in the train and supporting T.A., I'm doing my part both to promote a better transit system and to increase transit use. Plus, it makes up for having to miss T.A. mailing parties.
Commuting Philosophy: There is nothing pedestrian about being a pedestrian.
Training for next year yet? Oh yes-I have the swiftest swipe in the city!

LAST PLACE Motorist - 45 Minutes
Tom Kamber, 35
Director of the New York Digital Community for One Economy Corporation (a nonprofit that helps low-income people connect to the Internet)
Park Slope
Did you think you were going to win? I thought I had a good chance.
Route: Across the Manhattan bridge and Canal Street, north on Greenwich and up 10th Avenue. I parked on 58th and 8th.
Why Race? I'm a regular volunteer for the T.A. Brooklyn Committee and believe strongly in T.A.'s vision of a more bike-friendly New York City!
Commuting Philosophy: I usually ride the N/R and do a lot of work on my laptop while listening to salsa.
Training for next year yet? I changed my oil already!