Skip to content

Why Jamal Rides

Here's the second portrait in Streetsblog's weekly "Why I Ride" series.

Here’s the second portrait in Streetsblog’s weekly “Why I Ride” series.

Jamal is a writer and painter working under the name Livingroom Johnston. He has been riding in New York city for years. Formerly a professional skateboarder and bike messenger, Jamal now prefers the softer, more relaxed ride of this Iron Horse beach cruiser. To the question “Why bike?” he replies “I ride because I don’t like the underground. It’s dirty, crowded, and costly.” I photographed him on Cumberland Ave at the edge of Fort Greene Park. He was on his way to a bookstore to get coffee and do some writing.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

Hit-and-Run School Bus Driver Kills 9-Year-Old Boy in South Williamsburg

May 1, 2026

MTA Prepares to Fund IBX Light Rail Without Feds After Trump Meddling

May 1, 2026

Opinion: Mamdani’s New Era For Bus Riders Starts With A Bold ‘Streets Plan’

May 1, 2026

Friday Video: How Robert Moses Cut Through Brooklyn And Queens

May 1, 2026

Friday’s Headlines: Super Speeders in the Times Edition

May 1, 2026
See all posts