Why Drive in NYC?

I don't. I never have, and never will. But in extreme situations, such as moving, it becomes necessary to get in a car. M Beds, dressers, tables, etc. aren't ideal for subway transport. Friday April 30, with the help of a friend's mother in a small SUV and one of the mother's friends with a small truck, I moved from East Harlem to Sunset Park. Sitting in traffic left me with plenty of time to think about why noone should drive in the city.

From experience, I knew that I could from the Manhattan Bridge to my old apartment in about 30 minutes on a bike. It took over an hour in a car. Google Maps estimates 50 minutes by bike, and up to 45 in traffic by car. The bike estimate is based on a speed of about 10 mph, which is slower than I ride, and the car estimate seems faster than is realistic. This shows the average speed of a car in the city is around 10 mph, and can be less. As we sat in traffic, waiting to get on the Manhattan Bridge, watching the cyclists whiz by in their wide-open bike-lane was painful. But I had to move furniture. The other drivers, they are the ones that I do not understand.

So, biking isn't for everyone. New York City has the best and most used public transportation system in the United States. You walk down the stairs, swipe a card and get on a train that takes you wherever you want to go—generally faster than a car would, and far less stressful manner. For me, the idea of sitting next to smelly hobo on a train sounds better than sitting next to a friend's mom's friend who I don't really know who is shouting at the traffic and for some reason preferring the awkward silence to turning on the damn radio.

Riding a bike or taking the subway win for comfort and speed, but they also beat cars monetarily. AAA estimated that it cost 41.4 cents a mile to operate a small sedan in 2006 if driven a total of 15,000 miles, and that does not include the purchase price of the vehicle. Compare that with a bike: a nice bike costs around $500. With a lock and helmet, you're up to about $600, but after the initial investment, bikes don't generally cost more than $100 a year in maintenance. A 30-day Metrocard costs $89, or about $1083 a year.

Driving a car wastes time and money. And hurts the environment. Next time, instead of giving the cursing man in the BMW the finger while on my bike, I'll just feel sorry for him, give him an encouraging wave as I leave him behind.