Village Voice entertainment columnist Michael Musto has been riding a bike in New York City for over 25 years, long before it was fashionable or there were bike lanes and cycletracks.
Musto, who has never had a driver's license, says the bicycle is an advantage in his profession. And although he has had many bikes stolen over that time period (he recommends newbies buy a used, cheap bike to get about) he has nothing but positivity and praise for the velocipede:
"I go everywhere on my bicycle. I go to work. I'll go to my screenings, my Broadway shows, my nightclubs - and I'll ride it for recreation too, to Central Park....there's no downside that I can think of."
Incidentally, this is my second interview with Musto. The first came in 1999, when I was a volunteer at Transportation Alternatives. Musto was TA magazine's Cyclist of the Month, a feature I got to write! I guess that means sometime in 2021 we'll be shooting something in 3D or whatever....
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<cite class="speaker_1" >Michael:</cite>
[0:01] Musto: I'm Michael Musto. I write La Dolce Musto, the entertainment column in the "Daily Voice." I've done it for 25 years. I've also ridden my bike for at least 25 years. I live in Murray Hill. I go everywhere on my bike; I'm lost without this thing. I'm going to take it to work right now. And it's going to take only about 10 minutes. It's going to give me great exercise. When I get there, I'm just going to be glowing.
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<cite class="speaker_1" >Michael:</cite>
[0:29] My bicycle enables my lifestyle. For me, it's the only way to get around. I cannot stand waiting for a cab, finally getting one, and then having to pay all that money. And it takes so much longer in a cab than on a bike. I get so frustrated.
[0:41] The bike has actually helped my job because, first of all, it's relaxing. Whenever I'm too tense, I ride on the bike. You automatically, physically feel better. It releases endorphins in your system or something. I don't know. Look it up.</p><p>[0:53] But also, I get to see the changes in the city. If you're in a cab or a subway, you don't necessarily look around and see, "Oh, this neighborhood is evolving, " or "There's a new restaurant, " "There's a new nightclub." And then I check them out later at night for my column.</p><p>[1:07] I really recommend that everyone who rides a bike gets one that looks really, really bad, like this one. This is a shoddy, old, Earl's bike, used. It cost $75. No one's going to touch it. No one wants to steal it. Nobody wants it. I want it.</p><p>[1:21] I make a big faux pas by putting a rubber band around my pants, [laughs] to make sure that they don't get caught in the chain. They actually make straps, which I have at home, but I like to do things the hard way.</p><p>[1:32] There used to be maybe five days out of the whole year that I would not go out on my bike because of the weather. This year there was not a single day, including the biggest blizzards. I was riding through mountains of snow.</p><p>[1:42] I've never had a driver's license. I've never gone to driving school. I never had any desire to do that. And besides that, a bicycle is equivalent to driving.</p><p>I do get noticed a lot, and it's become part of my persona: [1:50] "Oh, there's Musto on the bike again." That's fine. I see people on their bikes--Bill Cunningham from "The New York Times, " Alan Cumming, Liev Schreiber--all riding around New York, very un-self-consciously.</p><p>[music]
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<cite class="speaker_1" >Michael:</cite>
[2:12] Nobody used to ride a bike in New York. It was just me. First of all, the economy went down, and people aren't willing to spend a lot of money on transportation, and they realize a bike is really a cheap way to get around. Also, the environment became an issue. I don't care about that, but I'm glad somebody does.
[2:27] And you started seeing the city becoming more bike-friendly. There are bike lanes all over the place. That's nice.</p><p>[2:33] It's becoming a little too banal for me now. It's a little too mainstream. People are always saying, "Oh, it's so dangerous. I'm so scared." It isn't, really. And you know what? Most accidents happen in the home. So get out of your house, get yourself a cheap bike, and take it slowly. Ride carefully, stop at the red lights, even if other people don't, and you're going to find that it's an enjoyable, invigorating, and educational experience. It's going to save you a lot of money, it's going to get you a lot of exercise, and you're going to be OK.</p><p>[music] </p><p>[3:02]
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