Streetfilms: Get a Load of How Abnormal New York is Right Now
Our Orson Welles of the street, Clarence Eckerson Jr., takes you on a journey through a livable city (albeit one we only get because of coronavirus).
12:01 AM EDT on March 23, 2020
I hadn’t been on my bicycle in over a week, choosing to walk and run for exercise during the coronavirus (and observing recommended precautions), but I was curious what my normal commute looked like. So on Friday, I bicycled from Jackson Heights into Manhattan.
Comparing my new footage to my many reels of archive footage provides a reminder of how much we’ve lost — but also allows us to imagine what kind of city we could have when we emerge from this pandemic.
It could be great (if we don’t mess it up).
Clarence Eckerson Jr. is the Director of Video Production for NYCSR's StreetFilms and producer of bikeTV. He loves the color purple, chocolate chip cookies, and enjoys walking, biking, and taking transit. He has never owned a driver's license.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Some of NYC’s Worst Super Speeders Are City Marshals (You Know, The Guys With Badges)
They get justice for private citizens — yet they endanger them at the same time.
November 6, 2026
Mamdani Administration Battling Yet Another Suit By Delivery Apps Fighting Worker Protections
Uber, Instacart and Amazon are suing the city over a law that would force them to be more transparent when they remove workers from their platforms.
November 6, 2026
OPINION: New York City’s Trash Revolution Should Be an Accessibility Revolution, Too
The city has a rare chance to solve two major problems at once.
November 6, 2026
Friday’s Headlines: MTA Tin Cup Edition
The MTA hopes a Democratic Congress means more money for New York City straphangers. Plus more news.
November 6, 2026
Sunset Park Blaze Kills 6 As Lithium-ion Battery Fire Crisis Rages On
The city is experiencing a huge increase in fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries that power the delivery boom. A Thursday fire may be linked.
November 5, 2026