April 2004, #19


Prepare….for bike to work day

Bike to Work Day 2004 is just around the corner on May 20! Two percent of Alameda County residents already commute to work by bicycle as part of their typical daily commute and 23% of those who don’t, say that their commute would be possible to do by bicycle.

If you belong to the 98% of commuters who don’t commute by bike, May 20 is your chance to try it out, and this is the time to start thinking about it. Now before we are accused of getting on our moral high-horse, let’s look at reasons for making this choice that might speak to you personally (and not one of them is because it’s the “right” thing to do!).

First, financial! According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), car ownership and maintenance is the second biggest expense a household has (nearly 20% of household expenditures - almost more than food and healthcare combined). Bike commuting can help a household trim one vehicle from their list of possessions. According to the BLS, a car costs the average owner over $600 a month (Bay Bridge tolls are $735 a year for a daily commuter). Biking to work (and selling one car) can buy you, and your family of four, a two week vacation in Australia each year!

Second, personal health! The California Dept. of Health Services lists inactivity/sedentary lifestyles as the #2 cause of death among adults (right behind tobacco!). The US Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s #1 strategy for reducing inactivity-related diseases is helping people shift auto-trips to walking and biking trips. According to Bicycling Magazine, new bike commuters can expect to lose 13 pounds their first year of commuting. Bicycle commuting can save your life!

Third, environmental! For those concerned with air quality and the world’s diminishing oil supply, bike commuting reduces the negative impacts on both.

Isn’t it more dangerous? No. According to Johns Hopkins, cyclists who ride sober, ride with the flow of traffic and use lights at night are 99.99% likely to survive their rides!
Isn’t bike commuting much slower? Depending on your commute, this may or may not be true, but most commuters find that because of traffic, stop lights, and the time it takes to park, travel time is not that much different than driving.

Alamedans are incredibly lucky to live in an area that is so geographically friendly to bike riders and with so many options for easy bike commuting. Biking by BART is a breeze. Currently, bike commuters can park their bikes at the Embarcadero valet-bike station for free from 7am-7pm. The Fruitvale BART station will soon have its own valet Bike station for Alamedans who want to commute by bike but are worried about theft.

On May 20, both Alameda ferry services will offer free rides for the day to commuters with bikes.
It’s not too soon to pull your bike out of storage, get it to a bike shop (there are three great ones in Alameda) for a tune up, and pick a route that works for you. As always, a helmet is a must.
BikeAlameda runs a discussion list for cyclists. You can join by sending an email to: discuss-subscribe@bikealameda.org. It’s free to anyone for commuting tips, low-volume discussions about cycling, and just plain old fashion community with other cyclists.

Jeff Swatman is the Alameda Police Department Traffic Sergeant. If you have questions regarding pedestrian/bicycle safety, please call him at 748-4508 extension 3342. John Knox White and Audrey Lord-Hausman work with Pedestrian Friendly Alameda (www.pedfriendly.org) and BikeAlameda (www.bikealameda.org).

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