Try commuting on your bicycle
by Deb Hubsmith
Marin IJ Editorial, May 15, 2006
IN RECENT months, the Independent Journal has been filled with articles about the high price of gas, increasing levels of obesity and global warming. These are serious problems that affect Marin residents on personal and global levels.
Fortunately, more and more residents are seeking to become a part of the solution by becoming conscious commuters. Many are gearing up for Bike to Work Day on Thursday. After all, each time you leave the car at home and get on your bike instead, you are doing something good for your pocketbook, for your health and for the environment.
The 2006 edition of AAA's Your Driving Costs study shows the overall average cost of owning and operating a passenger vehicle equals $7,834 per year based on 15,000 miles of driving. With gas prices at more than $3 per gallon and expected to jump even higher, bike commuting can save a lot money, and still provide the individual freedom associated with driving a motorized vehicle.
Personal health can also be improved by bike commuting. Nearly 65 percent of Americans are overweight, many because of a lack of exercise. The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. We're all busy, but bike commuting is multi-tasking, as you transport yourself and get exercise simultaneously.
Global warming is undoubtedly a big concern worldwide and carbon dioxide emissions from personal automobiles are a chief source of climate change. While the United States has not yet signed the Kyoto Protocol, many individuals are taking a stand to curb emissions by driving less. Each time you ride your bike, instead of using your car, you are reducing the amount of air pollutants added to the atmosphere.
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition has been working since 1998 to improve bicycle transportation in Marin. We emphasize that you don't need to be an Olympic athlete to become a bike commuter. For example, all of us make short trips to the grocery store, to the post office and to run errands. By equipping a bicycle with a rack it's easy to carry a small load. With 40 percent of trips in the United States being two miles or less in length, there are many opportunities to leave the car at home and to walk or ride a bike instead.
Even eliminating one car trip each week can make a difference.
On the morning of Bike to Work Day, the bicycle coalition will have volunteers stationed at 12 "Energizer Stations" throughout the county to cheer on bike commuters.
Many people get their start commuting by bike during this event, so we encourage conscious commuters to plan a bike commute route and to get their bikes tuned up (take advantage of our local bike shops' special $10 safety check offer).
The coalition also invites the public to a free North-South Greenway tour and party on May 20. The educational and non-competitive bike ride will highlight plans and progress for building a multiuse pathway that will run parallel to Highway 101, along the railroad right-of-way. The ride begins at noon in San Rafael, at Andersen Drive and A Street, and will stop at 12 locations on the 12-mile route, with elected officials, engineers and advocates highlighting key projects, including the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. The ride will end at 4 p.m. with a party at Wilderness Trail Bikes in Mill Valley at 475 Miller Ave. For details about these events and other bicycle projects, please see www.marinbike.org.
We invite you to become a conscious commuter, and please remember to be safe and follow the rules of the road, whatever form of transportation you choose.
