I Love Riding in the City

NAME: Teresa Torchiano
LOCATION: Brooklyn, NY
OCCUPATION: Assistant Film Editor

Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I’ve been living somewhere between the suburbs of Long Island and Brooklyn, NY for the last two years. I do a lot of commuting between the two places, so it’s created an interesting dichotomy for me. Unfortunately, bringing a bike on the Long Island Railroad train is not permitted during peak hours. For the most part, Long Island is not designed for cyclists and is one of the most discouraging places to ride. Sprawling suburbs create a really tough situation for those who want to be out on their bikes but are intimidated by the design of the highway system. The south shore beaches (between Jones Beach and Robert Moses) are beautiful but not accessible by bike—so getting to the beach can ONLY happen by car/bus. On the other hand, I love riding throughout NYC because I can ride anywhere I need to. Brooklyn is completely accessible by bicycle alone. Although in NYC we have a long way to go to make the city more “bike friendly,” at least it is possible to get almost anywhere via bike.