Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

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

Photo copyright Dmitry Gudkov

Don't let the business casual wear fool you - Wilson rides fast, even when commuting home from the office. It took me a minute or two to catch up to him on the East River Esplanade but once I did, he was more than happy to stop for a portrait.

Wilson works with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. He cycles to and from work nearly year-round, stopping only for snow in the dead of winter. His regular ride is between his home in the East Village and his office in the Financial District; a good route, he says, because it's fast and keeps him out of car traffic for most of the journey.

I ask him why he prefers the bike and he readily lists his reasons -- health, speed, convenience, environment... Since he started riding in New York about two years ago, he hasn't had so much as a cold, a fact he attributes to regular exercise.

When I finish shooting, I let him be on his way and thank him for giving me a few minutes of his time. "Oh, no problem." He pauses for a moment and then adds, "I love my bike."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

DOT Boss Defends Adams’s ‘Vision Zero’ Record As Agency Fights A Bike Lane in Court

Traffic fatalities are down and the DOT is taking a victory lap — even as it argues against a protected bike lane in court.

July 2, 2025

Cyclist Arrested After Crash with Electric ‘One-wheel’-Style Unicycle

Carolyn Backus is charged with fleeing the scene of a crash causing serious injury, but the details are murky.

Wednesday’s Headlines: Return of Summer Streets Edition

Summer Streets is back and bigger than ever. Plus more news.

July 2, 2025

How Will Mamdani Govern? His Earlier MTA Advocacy Gives Some Hints

Mamdani spent his initial years as a state assemblyman cultivating relationships in and around the MTA while crafting his vision for "fast and free buses."

July 2, 2025

Brooklyn Judge Once Again Declines to Rip Up Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane… For Now

Well-connected lawyer Frank Seddio argued against the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane in court on Tuesday.

Money for Something: Funding OK’d, But Details Missing For ‘Dept. Of Sustainable Delivery’

The mayor got the Council to sign off on $6.1 million for the long-awaited “Department of Sustainable Delivery." But what's it mean? No one is talking.

July 1, 2025
See all posts