Countless will call it reckless, yet there is no doubt that riding fast, almost racing, in New York City traffic is quite the adrenaline rush. It is one thing to go against another bicyclist – and they are out there, too – but quite another to go against cars and trucks and buses and motorcycles.

Obviously, one does not really go against motorized vehicles. You’ll find no racing strategies for that. It isn’t even a contest. But part from the thrill of riding in heavy traffic comes from the illusion of passing them by. For in heavy traffic, cars cannot go too fast, relatively speaking – relative not just to their true potential but also, more importantly, to their true customary practice.

And so the bold cyclist (for it still requires quite a set of nerves) will be able to keep up with them, oftentimes, and taking advantage of lights to bypass car after car after car when cross-traffic allows it. It is not real racing, but it sure feels like it to the cyclist! It is about the only time any person will ever be able to pass car after car after car….

You’ll even be able to weave in and out of traffic, too, if your handling expertise are good. Situational awareness is also a must. And since it’s rush hour, drivers are arguably much more attentive: so many cars, so many witnesses….

Of course, the streets of Manhattan are fun without cars, too, such as early on a Sunday morning or, even, late at night when even the revelers have gone home to bed. New York being New York, there will still be motorized traffic on the streets, however at such times, while you can’t exactly “race” cars, there’s still just the sheer joy in having the streets seemingly all to yourself, relatively speaking.