Bike to Work Week!

For those of you who don't know--it's Bike to Work Week this week!

The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week 2010 from May 17-21 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21.


Yes, this that means you haven't missed it--if it's a possibility, please bike to work this Friday! In the Boston area, the weather is supposed to be nice on that day (high of 70 F and clear). So far, I am batting 1.000 this week, including a grey, drizzly day (details below).

I had some bad information, and thought that it was bike to work day last week. On that day, I had to go to a client site in Concord, MA. Grr! Waitasec... got my coworker to put the testing equipment in her car. Then I did home -> Belmont Station via bike...


To Commuter Rail to Concord... (go Dahon folding bike!)


And then to the jobsite in Concord! And I caught a ride back to the office with my coworker; the folder fit in her back seat no problem.

Any post about bike commuting would be remiss if it didn't point people at MassBike--they are a great advocacy group, and I donate to them regularly. That link shows their advocacy history--they were pretty instrumental in getting the Minuteman Trail built.

Also, they have this great awareness campaign going on:


Same Roads, Same Rules is aimed at both bicyclists and motorists. It is about coexisting in a shared space, respecting each other as human beings, using common sense, and keeping yourself and others safe by following a common set of rules. As the number of cyclists has skyrocketed in recent years, the need for more information has become urgent, with many on the road, bicyclists and motorists alike, unsure how to safely interact with each other.

Everybody who drives a car should take a look at the motorist tips section; I was considering printing out those sections on index cards, and giving them to people who nearly squeeze me off the road, honk at me, or come close to dooring me (hey, check it out: $100 fine for hitting a cyclist with a car door--MGL chapter 90, section 14). Also, there are tips for cyclists as well--pedestrians go first, stop at red lights, dammit.

Oh yeah... in regards to that grey drizzly day... I took a photo when I got home, and my flash came on. It was useful to show just how much ScotchBrite I am wearing:


I recommend the ScotchBrite triangle--I saw somebody with one pinned on their backpack, and thought, "Wow... that's a great idea; 90% of my night biking is with this pack." Also, my tires apparently have that compound on the rim. Finally, my Novara Conversion Bike Jacket has reflective piping... good stuff. Of course, though, if you are riding at night, you still need lights, front and rear!

What's funny is that people sometimes have the reaction, "Wow... you're hard core at this stuff..." No, not really... my former coworker, who biked ~40 miles each way, every day, rain or shine--he was hard core. Me... I'm just a fat guy riding on fat tires (Schwalbe Big Apples, FTW!), who keeps on pedaling until he gets there. Sadly, my bike commute is probably the only significant exercise that I get. But hey... the fact that it makes it non-zero is a plus.