We Are LCL: Vincent Lubrano III
We are LCL: Vincent Lubano III thinks we’re first!
Vincent Lubano III is retired from a career in hospitality and is one of the most familiar faces to be seen at any LCL event where volunteers are needed, whether it’s staffing an information table, hanging out at Squeaky Wheel, or speaking up at a planning session. Vince has also been heavily involved with all aspects of Ride to Thrive. He has bike toured around France, is a recent arrival in London from Albany, NY, and he especially loves the fitness benefits of cycling.
LCL: What is the best, worst, or most unusual thing that has happened to you on a bike?
VLIII: Well, I did get hit by a car. It was funny. I was already in the intersection, the car entered the intersection, and then of course by the time I saw the car, I couldn't stop, so I ran into it. This was in Albany. It turned out okay, I wasn't hurt, but it did throw me off the bike, onto the pavement, onto a pretty busy street. Fortunately, nobody was coming. It's also the kind of street that lots of people walk down. The first funny thing was all the people, really nicely, are saying “Are you OK? Are you OK?” and still kinda shocked, I’m like, “Well let me push myself up and if I can do that, then I’m probably OK.” And then there was someone there who had medical-type training, and he said “Well, we’d better call and get you checked out.” In Albany, the first responders are the Fire Department. So they came and the funniest thing about that was, of course, they took my vitals. And the one guy says, “His vitals are better than mine, and he's been out riding his bike around.” So I felt pretty good about that. But then the bike was totalled, so I had to get a new one. But that's probably the oddest thing that’s happened to me on a bike.
LCL: When you picture yourself riding a bike, what are the words that come to your mind first?
VLIII: You know, it's just seeing things from a different vantage point. Sometimes you're riding down the TVP, for example, and you see something that you just haven't seen before, or haven’t seen from that angle before. That's what I like about riding my bike, more than any other kind of exercise. The amount you get to see. It gives you a better perspective, or a different perspective for sure.
LCL: Can you finish the sentence, “I support London Cycle Link / Squeaky Wheel because…
VLIII: So, my wife and I had just retired and moved to London in 2019. I knew that the two things I wanted to do in my retirement were to ride my bike, and to volunteer. I was looking for opportunities in cycling advocacy, and London Cycle Link looked like the group I wanted to be part of. You know, I want things to be better here in London for all cyclists. And I think, to me, London Cycle Link is the best vehicle for doing that.