By Terry Gleason
CRW has invited Terry Gleason to contribute articles to WheelPeople from his perspective on cycling community advocacy. We hope that these articles will serve to educate CRW members on local, regional, and national issues that directly affect their safety and enjoyment of cycling.
Bay State Bike Month
May is an excellent time to get more involved with your local bicycling programs and events. MassBike has a host of aids and examples (links below) to help you and hopefully others you team up with. I will share suggestions and tips from years of working with local volunteers and colleagues on award winning Safe Routes To School and Bike to Work events at Bedford Job Lane School and MIT Lincoln Lab, respectively.
Tip: Any time you are working with first-time bikers to work or school, the number one goal is to make their first experience a pleasant one. Plan for a rain date in case the forecast is iffy. Opt for a drive-to meeting place to avoid too many hills, busy roads, or a too lengthy route for inexperienced riders.
Bike To School Day
Many schools participate in Spring and Fall Bike/Walk to School Day. If you have kids in elementary or middle school, work with other parents to organize a safe ride to school. Ask parents to do bike prep work but be prepared to adjust seats and helmets, pump up tires, and tighten bolts. If a first-time event, test ride the route beforehand with a kid or two. The greater the range of ages of the kids, the more likely you will need more adults to allow splitting into slow and fast groups.
Remember that unlike the walkers (often AM only), the bikers need PM assistance to get home. School principals can help in the afternoon by letting the bikers out first so your group can avoid a busy parking lot.
Tips:
- Weather is a critical factor for turnout so Include a rain date option if the forecast dictates.
- Use CRW ride guidelines and leader skills to ensure the kids stay between the leader and the sweep, and plan regular stop points to keep the group together.
- Sidewalks may often be a necessary link for a 'safe route', but sidewalks, especially when traveling against traffic, have their own special set of concerns. Motorists coming out of driveways, parking lots, and side streets too often are not watching for bicyclists on sidewalks. Having extra adults for those crossings is important.
- Draft your local Police Safety Officer to help (on bike!) on your ride
Bike To Work
May 12-18 - Bike to Work Week
Friday, May 16 - Bike to Work Day
Enlist some of your co-workers in this fun event. Offer to be a 'bike buddy' for someone who would like to bike but is looking for help. Find a comfortable length and route for your group with a convenient drive-to location if necessary.
Use the event to encourage your employer to provide amenities for the bicycle commuters including secure and protected bicycle parking, showers, and lockers.
Collect Data
In May, daylight hours are already long, and the weather is ideal for biking. Do a survey of bike racks at schools, large businesses, and T-Stops to obtain baseline numbers of bike commuters. If you discover bicycles unprotected from the elements or more bicycles than rack space, then raise the issue with the appropriate town officials. Community Preservation Act funds can be used to buy bike shelters for schools. Bylaws and the Planning Board can require that businesses provide secure racks for employees.
Identify likely 'bike friendly' corridors and key intersections and then with with a group of volunteers, do a bicycle count. A camera can help with recording time, directions, and numbers. Share your numbers with MassBike (see below).
TIP: At a busy intersection, a notepad to graphically record with lines and arrows the direction into and out of the intersection is an efficient way to capture the numbers and directions of the bicyclists.
Links to additional aids, tips, and organized events for Bay State Bike Month at MassBike webpages:
Comments, suggestions, and alternate opinions are always welcomed. Click on “Add Comment” below to share your thoughts and get a public conversation going. Feel free to contact Terry directly via email (BedfordBike@gmail.com [include "CRW" in the Subject]) If you are an active bicyclist advocate and/or wish to do more in your community.
