Today we’re featuring Hubway Member and Harvard School of Public Health Doctoral student, Yulin H., as part of our #WomenWhoBike series during Women’s Bike Month. Read more about how Yulin fell in love with Hubway, and her favorite places to ride around metro-Boston below! Photo: Kelly Davidson Photography
Yulin is a Doctoral Student at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health majoring in social and computational epidemiology and is a research fellow within the computational epidemiology group at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her research focuses on using big data to uncover real-world social attitudes and patterns of behavior. Furthermore, she hopes to leverage her findings to inform more equitable practices and policies that will improve the health and well-being of the most marginalized. Before pursuing her doctoral studies, Yulin was a professional actor and has appeared in numerous commercials, movies and a television series (you may have spotted her in some Hubway ads, as well, though as a volunteer). She is a strong advocate for "active transportation" because of its benefits for public health and the environment!
How long have you lived in Boston?
4 years, since starting the Doctoral Program at Harvard.
How often do you ride Hubway?
I commute from my home in Fenway to school in Cambridge to the lab in Longwood and back using Hubway. I end up riding Hubway 2-3 times daily and 3-4 times each week.
What do you like about riding Hubway?
The convenience, convenience, and did I say convenience. Even though I own a professional road bike, I do not use it to commute. Hubway is hassle free and it gets me virtually anywhere I need to go in the city without me having to carry a heavy bike lock, finding a safe place to lock it up, and worrying about bike theft. Since I commute during the heaviest traffic times, Hubway also gets me to my destination much faster than an Uber, the T, or a personal car. Lastly, the newest and most convenient addition to Hubway has been their APP! You login, get your code, and RIDE!
Where are your favorite places to ride in Boston?
Anywhere I can get something to eat. Hubway allows me to stop off at all my favorite spots to eat. I usually go to The Seaport District to the Leather District to the South End and back to Fenway, picking up new treats on each stop ;)
What's the best thing about Hubway?
The community. I get a lot of love on the Hubway! Pedestrians, other cyclists and even cars are always friendlier to me when I ride my Hubway. Seriously, they stop, slow down and even let me pass them (sometimes!).
What advice would you have for girls and women who are new to riding?
Be careful but confident. You need to look at people directly in the eye to make sure they see you but also with a stare that lets them know that you are HERE to stay. The cycling glare is the equivalent to revving up the car engine.
How would you like to see Hubway change?
I used to dislike coming to a station that was empty or full to return a bike. But with the new app that problem no longer a big deal because I plan for the right Hubway station. I think the only thing I would like to see Hubway add is even more stations, especially more stations further from downtown in Dorchester and JP, or outside the Boston area in Brookline, Somerville, and Chestnut Hill. There are so many great places to explore on the bike. If Hubway was in these places I think it would allow more people to explore them. I might even retire my road bike and use Hubway for my weekend trips outside of Boston!
Learn more about Women's Bike Month at thehubway.com/womenwhobike