NYCstories.org
23 August 2006

http://www.nycstories.blog-city.com/bicycle_clown_brigade.htm

It was 8 am and the last thing I expected to see on my walk to the office was a clown riding a bike while wearing a traffic cone on her head. Then again, this is New York, and if you are going to see it, you will see it here.

Luckily, I had grabbed my camera on the way out the door and I was ready. I followed the clown, and soon ran into a gang of rogue clowns, wandering the streets of Manhattan. They call themselves the Bicycle Clown Brigade, and they work to clear the bike lane for commuters who chose to ride bikes instead of polluting the city with a car or truck.

When I found the group, they were taking on a large truck that had parked itself right in the middle of the bike lane.

Despite a lot of pushing and shoving, the truck was just too big for them to move without help.

The Bicycle Clown Brigade’s tough job is to remind drivers that it can be dangerous, or even deadly to park their cars or trucks in the bike lane. Divers who refuse to move are issued a “parking ticket” to increase the impact of this effort.

If you would like to read more about this group, check out their website. You can also find video of one of their rides online.

So next time you drive through Manhattan in a car way too large for your needs, remember the noble clowns, and think about the example they set. It’s not easy being green.