t’s been two years since Nancy Gruskin’s husband died after being hit by a delivery cyclist. “I’ve been asked, ‘Am I angry?’” she says. “Very quickly that was all out of my mind and I had to move on.”

Despite every reason to, Gruskin doesn’t resent delivery cyclists. But in New York City’s debate over bike lanes and public safety, many do. And while delivery workers are ubiquitous, they are not part of that debate. Efforts from officials and advocates like Gruskin could crack down on how deliverymen ride, or shift the burden of responsibility to the restaurants that employ them.

At Tina’s Cafe Pizzeria, a small restaurant on Columbus Avenue, delivery workers rely on tips and finding the fastest routes to the customer, all while managing life at the bottom of the restaurant industry. This is the story of their lives and the distant city politics that affects them.

Continue reading