Hey #bikeNYC, if you want to help out people in need in a real simple way, Transportation Alternatives is giving you a chance to step up and share the wealth.
The group's new #BikeMatch program seeks to connect people with a spare bike to someone in the city who needs a bike to travel safely to essential jobs or for doing errands or aid work (the kind of work done by the city's own bike angels like Vin Barone, as Streetsblog reported last week).
The program was inspired by TransAlt art director J Oberman, who realized he had a bike he "that was gathering dust in a hallway," TransAlt Executive Director Danny Harris said in an email. So, Oberman got creative.
"He reached out to his social network, and advertised the bike as up for grabs. By the end of the day, J was waving goodbye to his old bike (through a closed window, of course) and another New Yorker had access to much-needed transportation," Harris wrote.
And now Transportation Alternatives will do the work for you. To donate or request a bike, fill out the form and be prepared to follow a few simple rules. Only offer up a bike that's ready to ride now, sanitize it thoroughly (especially the parts people touch, like the handlebars, gear shifters and seat) and be prepared to do the dropoff or pickup of the bike in a public place while observing social distancing guidelines.
Also, obvs, but if you're feverish or coughing or you've been around someone with those symptoms, don't offer or ask for a bike.
It's not the only good offer for people who need bikes. First responders, healthcare providers and transit worker can snag free 30-day Citi Bike memberships for all of April.
Happy donating and happy riding!
