BIKE: AAS

[Jeremy Elliott]

I recall someone on this list recently blasting the
AAS based on an article (that said basher had yet to
read, btw) that covered a fatality accident where the
driver was using a cell phone while only barely
covering the poor dude who got whacked crossing I-35
on foot. I was amazed to read someone trying to argue
that the AAS is remotely right-wing or pandering to
big-money, big corporate, bad-guy stuff. At the risk
of ending a sentence in a preposition, it made me
realize just how far off the mark some people on this
list really are.

And yesterday, on the front of the Life section, a
large article advocating the very essence of what I'd
assumed this effort was all about--and nobody mentions
it. Guess it's no fun if you can't bitch, huh?

Kudos to those on this list who's efforts help make
this article possible.

____________________
http://www.statesman.com/life/content/auto/epaper/editions/monday/life_entertainment_04667822929350b600fe.html

Fit City: Pamela LeBlanc
The going-to-work workout
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Monday, March 29, 2004

It's good exercise, it's good for the environment, and
it's a good way to save money. What's not to like
about cycling to your job? 

I'm tearing along the Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail,
splashing through creek crossings and pumping the
pedals to get through a bog of gravel -- another risk
of the daily commute. 

But here atop my mountain bike, the traffic isn't bad.
In fact, I've passed maybe a half dozen pedestrians
and cyclists since I left Town Lake behind. I'm a
little muddy, and I still bear the scars from my most
recent mishap (the imprint of the chain ring on my
lower leg), but this is exhilarating. Especially when
the trail pops out of the creekbed and I glance over
at Lamar Boulevard, where cars are stacked up like
pancakes on a breakfast buffet. 

I've been riding my bike to work once a week for about
five months now. It's eight miles from my home in the
Allandale neighborhood near Shoal Creek Boulevard and
RM 2222 to the American-Statesman office here at
Congress Avenue and Town Lake. The ride takes about 45
minutes each way, but besides avoiding road traffic, I
squeeze in some exercise (something different from the
usual swim practice), save a few pennies of gas money
and get out in the real world. 

Besides, it makes me feel virtuous. If one of every
100 people in Austin scrapped their car just one day a
week, think how much less congested our roads would
be. In fact, I checked with the Capital Area
Metropolitan Planning Organization, which estimates
we'd save 6,676 gallons of gas and 140,156 miles
traveled each day in the Williamson-Travis-Hays county
region. 

Pedal promoter 

Rob D'Amico also rides his bike to work. As executive
director of Trans Texas Alliance, a nonprofit agency
that works for effective transportation for all
Texans, with a focus on bicycling and pedestrian
safety, biking is a big part of his job. He's worked
for years to persuade major employers in Austin to
make their businesses bike-commuter friendly. 

It's been a difficult battle. 

"One major employer said they don't promote bike
commuting because it's too dangerous and if we promote
it at the work site, we could be liable," D'Amico
said. "There's that attitude. And employers are like
everyone else -- they're tied into the car culture and
don't understand the need to accommodate and
incentivize employees who want to ride bikes." 

He'd like to see employers offer "guaranteed ride
home" programs to their workers who ride bikes. With
such a program, companies would provide bike commuters
with vouchers for cab or bus fare if they needed a
ride in an emergency. 

D'Amico is also promoting May as bike month. The
alliance has planned a slate of activities, from a
cyclist happy hour to a bike-in movie. On May 21, Bike
to Work Day, some local restaurants will provide free
continental breakfasts to bike commuters. 

Biking, D'Amico says, offers benefits beyond fitness
and saving money. It's a great time to think, and you
notice things on a bike you don't notice in a zooming
car. "That and you're commuting through our city
without destroying it -- you're not spewing harmful
emissions, clogging the streets or causing -- in most
cases -- safety risks for pedestrians." 

Another bike commuter, Colly Kreidler, notes that you
don't have to ride both ways. He sometimes loads his
bike on the rack found on the front of Capitol Metro
buses if it's dark or the weather is bad. He also
encourages bike commuters who encounter rough roads to
call 311 or report the problem to him at 974-7046. 

And if lack of shower facilities is your excuse for
not riding, consider this: The city's bicycle program
has received roughly $400,000 in grant money from the
Federal Highway Administration to install shower and
locker facilities at some city offices and private
businesses. The city is still working to develop the
criteria for which the money will be distributed. 


Mishaps happen 


It's a joy to ride to work. Remember that feeling you
had as a kid, when you'd take off on your bike and
ramble through the neighborhood? I get that every time
I commute. And I arrive at work with the satisfying
feeling that I've already got some exercise under my
belt. It's tougher in the afternoon, when my ride is
more uphill than downhill. But I'm training myself to
look forward to those hills, because I know they are
what make me stronger. 

"People set aside all this time for recreational
activities and cycling clubs, and on the weekend they
get up and go for a ride. The whole thing about bike
commuting is you don't have to wait for the weekend to
get that feeling," said Tim Cookingham, who runs
Planet Earth Adventures, a travel company specializing
in cycling trips in Ireland. "If you have the time to
do it, why would you ride your car when you could ride
your bike?" 

Indeed. There's cool stuff to see along the way. Once,
we spotted an owl in a treetop. You get to know the
people who use the trail. 

It's true, I've had mishaps. The second time I rode
in, I accidentally locked up my front brakes (rookie
mistake!) and executed a perfect "endo," sailing over
the handlebars and slamming into the pavement wrist
first. Luckily, there weren't any cars nearby, the
bleeding stopped by the time I got to work and the
X-rays were negative. Another time, I tipped over in
slow motion while crossing a creek, and the chain ring
on my bike cut into my lower leg. I've got scars. 

My husband's been commuting by bike once or twice a
week for about five years. I resisted until last fall,
convincing myself I couldn't make it work with my
schedule. Getting to work hot and sweaty? Yuck. Now we
ride most of the way together. Sometimes we're joined
by Tim Cahalan, 40, who has been commuting for about
five years. We meet him at his halfway point. In all,
his commute covers 15 hilly miles. 

"It's my quiet time," Cahalan said. "Some people go
walking, some people do other things -- I like riding
my bike. I get to work, take a shower and I'm wired
for the day." 

We're lucky to have a bike-friendly route. We ride
Shoal Creek to Lamar Boulevard, where we pick up the
Shoal Creek hike-and-bike trail. That takes us all the
way to Town Lake, where I peel off, head east and
cross the First Street bridge to the paper, and they
bear west toward Bee Cave Road. 

The first few times I rode, I stuffed my clothes in a
backpack, arriving at the office with a sweat-soaked
back. Now I have a rear rack and "trunk" (swiped from
my husband's bike), which holds a lock, my cell phone
and a small towel. I keep a change of clothes,
shampoo, makeup and a hair dryer at the office, and
shower in the company locker room. 

Yes, there are risks, and you should take precautions.
Wear bright clothes and use reflectors and headlamps
after dark. While in motion, try to maintain a steady
line. 

"You have to be a confident rider. You need to be
assertive," says Owen Fowler, 33, assistant store
manager at REI, who rides nine miles each way to work,
even if it's raining. "The biggest danger is not being
willing to establish yourself in the flow of traffic.
Don't shy away from taking the lane. It's a lot more
dangerous if you're way over on the edge because it's
harder for cars pulling out to see you, and cars think
they can squeeze by," Fowler said. "And obey all
traffic laws. If I want to get respect from drivers as
a bicyclist, I need to show them equal respect by
obeying traffic laws and being courteous." 

Fowler commutes so regularly that he and his wife gave
up their second car. 

Me? I'm not quite ready to give up my Volkswagen
Passat, but I'm definitely hooked. 

pleblanc; 445-3994 


No more excuses! 

Everyone's got a "reason" for why they can't ride
their bike to work. But we've got a solution to nearly
every excuse. Read on . . . 

* It's too far to ride. 

If you live too far from work, consider driving part
of the way and riding the rest. Or you can ride the
bus part way. Bike racks have been installed on all
full-sized Capital Metro buses. 

* It takes too long. 

You'd be surprised. Because of traffic in urban areas,
cycling generally takes less time than driving for
trips of 3 miles or less, and about the same time for
3 to 5 mile trips. For longer trips, consider that
you're saving time by combining your daily exercise
with your commute. 

* I'd have to get up much earlier if I rode my
bicycle. 

If your commute is less than 10 miles round trip, the
difference in commute time will be insignificant. Even
if your commute is longer, 30 minutes of extra sleep
isn't as invigorating as a morning ride. 

* I can't afford a special commuting bicycle. 

You don't need one. Your old beater bike gathering
dust in the garage will suffice if properly adjusted
and maintained, and it's less attractive to
thieves.With the fixed cost of operating an automobile
at around 30 cents per mile, the money you would save
commuting by bicycle on an average 10-mile round trip
would buy you a $400 bicycle in six months time. 

* I have to dress nice for work. 

Some bicycle commuters simply ride in their business
attire -- they seem to command more respect from
motorists. Consider carrying your change of clothes in
a pack or in panniers on the bike, or transport them
back and forth on days when you don't ride. 

* I can't shower at work. 

Depending on the weather, you may not need a shower if
you ride at a leisurely pace. If you do, take a
washcloth, soap, towel and deodorant and clean up at
the restroom sink, or look for a public facility or
health club within walking distance of your workplace
where you can shower. 

* I'd have to ride in the dark. 

There are a variety of bike-mounted lights that can
help you see and be seen. 

* I need my car for work. 

Some transportation tasks could be handled equally
well on a bike. Meet with your employer and see if
your company might not benefit from a more
environmentally friendly image if you conducted your
business by bike. If you absolutely cannot use a bike
at work, then use your bike for personal errands at
work and at home. 

Source: Compiled by Tim Cookingham for Austin City
Connection, the official Web site of the City of
Austin. 


What you need 

Helmet (ANSI and/or Snell approved) 

Lights and reflectors for night riding 

Reflective triangle to strap on your back 

Bike lock 

Flat tire repair kit, tire pump 

Rear rack and "trunk" (or 

backpack) 

Water bottle and cage 

Change for a phone call 


Enjoying the thrills, avoiding the spills 

Sure, you know the safety basics, but here are a few
reminders for your commuter road trip. 

* Never ride with headphones; always wear a helmet. 

* Riding in the middle of the lane is safest when the
lane is too narrow to share safely; when debris or
glass is on the edge; when obstructions force you away
from the edge; or when traveling the same speed as
traffic. 

* Be considerate to right-turning motorists when
stopped at an intersection by leaving them room to
make their turn. 

* Let pedestrians and other cyclists know you are
passing them with an audible warning. If a conflict
arises, pedestrians have the right-of-way. 

* Don't pass on the right. 

* Avoid road hazards. Watch out for parallel-slat
sewer grates, gravel, ice or debris. Cross railroad
tracks at right angles. 

-- From Austin City Connection, the official Web site
of the City of Austin. 

Go to www.trekbikes.com, click on "explore cycling,"
then go to the commuter section. Plug in a few numbers
into an online calculator, and it will tell you how
much money you save and how many calories you burn by
cycling. According to the site, I save almost $4 and
burn about 331 calories every time I commute. 


the Web 

For tips on biking to work, links to other bike
commuter sites and product information, check out
these Web sites: 

www.commutesolutions.com 

www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/ 

www.biketowork.com 

For suggested bike routes in the city of Austin, go to
www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/bikemap.htm. Roads are
rated green for easiest for cyclists to use, blue for
more difficult and red for most difficult. But before
you ride, drive your route, looking at shoulder
construction and street surface.

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_______________________________________________
I wonder how many fine, inspiring ideas in every walk of
life are strangled in the womb of the imagination
because there's no way past the gates of commerce?

__________________________________
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