By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
LOWER EAST SIDE — Cyclists were cheered for using pedal power on National Bike to Work Day, exiting the Manhattan Bridge Friday morning to a warm reception from cycling advocates.
Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit that promotes biking over motor-vehicle use, set up at the foot of the bridge to laud cyclists as well as recruit new members.
"It's just a day to celebrate something we all really enjoy," said group spokesperson Michael Murphy, who pedaled over from his home in Astoria. "There's a reason people live here and not L.A. We have a vibrant street life."
Volunteers handed out free coffee, apples and energy bars, encouraging cyclists to contribute to the cause by joining Transportation Alternatives.
The group is active regarding cycling isues citywide, recently completing a comprehensive study of biking on Manhattan's East Side and pressing for more safety measure at crash hotspots.
"I think they've been very instrumental in trying to improve bike behavior," said new member Margot Seigle, 24, of Brooklyn, who works with neighborhood group Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES).
She said cyclists should be thoughtful of their impact on different communities, given the often polarizing debates over bike lanes.
"It's important to remember that we're not special just because we ride bikes," she said. "How do we do that in a respectful manner that doesn't create a division between bikers and the communities we're going through?"
Others were enthused by the city's ongoing commitment to promoting cycling.
"I just moved here from Baltimore, and there's not a lot of bike lanes there," said Barry Childress, 56, of Brooklyn, who said New York has become much more bike friendly since the last time he lived here.
"All of a sudden it becomes, what's a pleasant way to get to work — not the fastest."
