by KYW's Mike DeNardo
So what's the fastest way to get to work? The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia staged its annual commuter race on Wednesday morning, with folks commuting by bike, car, and bus to see who can get to work first.
A guy on a bike, a woman driving a car, and a woman riding a Route 48 bus raced from 29th and Poplar Streets in Fairmount to City Hall. And guess who won? The guy on the bike, who was Pat Cunnane:
"Cycling in the city, especially during rush hour, is the fastest way to travel."
Cunnane, perhaps not coincidentally the president of Fuji Bicycles, made the four-mile commute in under 12½ minutes. He shared his strategy for riding in the city:
"You just really have to pay attention. You have to be looking at the people in the cars to see what they might do. A lot of people don't use turn signals. A lot of people don't pay attention."
Beth Resta finished one minute later in her Zipcar:
"I've seen Pat ride before. And I was pretty confident we would.. I was actually surprised it was as close as it was."
Coalition president Alex Doty hopes the event will inspire those who drive to work to try a two-wheel commute:
"Test out your commute. Try it on a Sunday morning. Get used to the route. See how long it takes you, and find out that it's actually a pretty fun way to get in to work. And then pick a casual Friday and give it a try."
Oh, and the woman riding the bus? She was dead last, completing her commute in over 23 minutes. Maria Dziembowska (top photo, jogging toward finish line) admitted it was an uphill fight:
"We tried! We tried very hard -- tried to pay off the bus driver! But she had to get everyone on the bus."
(Photos by KYW's Mike DeNardo)
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