The bike share program has had quite an impact on New York in 2013, what with everyone not dying while riding them and people discovering them as a perfect apocalypse-friendly vehicle, even if you look like a bit of a goofball on one. So to celebrate how popular New York’s big blue bikes are, the Times Square Alliance is inviting people to come on down and pedal some stationary Citi Bikes over the next few days, to provide the electric power for the ball drop on New Year’s this year.
According to a press release sent out by the TSA, there will be a Citi Bike Pedal Power Station on Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street, with six stationary Citi Bikes hooked up to 12-volt deep cycle batteries, that people can pedal to provide power for the ball drop. The station will be open Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 10pm, and on Monday from 10am to 8pm. Hopefully they get all the power they need in those 34 hours, so that the ball doesn’t stop at 6. That would be weird.
Are you going to Times Square for New Year’s? No, of course not, because you have a head full of brains and not rocks. But you’ll probably want to see the ball drop on TV, so if you’re around Times Square for some reason, it couldn’t hurt to go over and pedal for a little while. Plus, you get a free day pass for providing your energy to the wacky project. This could also be a great place to drop your family off for a little while if they still haven’t left town, and you can duck into Jimmy’s Corner for a drink while they’re experiencing what you promise them is a thing every New Yorker does.