BIKE: Re: AAS

[Bob Farr]

Wow! This was in the Statesman?
Does this mean I should rethink everything I've been thinking concerning the
Austin daily rag?
Much weirdness throughout the land. GOP doubting on the Bush boy, Condi about to
capitulate. Now the RealeSTATESMAN with a bike article that presumes bike riders
have gainful employment -- instead of the opposite. Everything is suddenly
inverted. I'm feeling dizzy.
It must be the alignment of planets...
-- 
Robbo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeremy Elliott" <moteltan>
To: <forum-bicycleaustin.info>
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 2:04 PM
Subject: BIKE: AAS


> 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.
>
> =====
> _______________________________________________
> 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?
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
> http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
> _______________________________________________
> Get on or off this list here:
http://lists.bicycleaustin.info/listinfo.cgi/forum-bicycleaustin.info