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Insane Cycling Documentary Shows Racers Cheating Death
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 24, 2012
Modified Jun 24, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 24, 2012
Modified Jun 24, 2012
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Lucas Brunelle spent ten years videotaping the "alley-cat races" in 30 different cities all over the world, capturing cyclists who take whatever route necessary to hit all the checkpoints, even if it means hitching a ride on a garbage truck or riding against 5 lanes of traffic. The movie featuring his footage, Line of Sight, will premiere during the New York Bicycle Film Festival later this week. If your idea of "harrowing" is a bike ride over the Brooklyn Bridge on a Saturday, watch this trailer.
While Brunelle claims that cyclists racing in alley-cat races aren't a danger to the public or themselves, one died in 2007 as he was leading a race in Chicago. “He was a fast rider, but an experienced rider thinks, ‘Hey, I’m in the lead,’ and it’s too good to be true,” Brunelle tells the Post. Right.
The film festival begins on Friday but Line of Sight won't screen until Sunday. All the screenings are at the Anthology Film Archives in the East Village, and you can purchase tickets here.
Tagged
alley-cat races
bike lanes
bike races
cycling
documentaries
east village
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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