Living Car Free - Did You Forget Bike To Work Day?

Did you forget something on the way out to work yesterday? How about your bike! In my area, my local public transit system implemented a "free fare day" for anyone boarding with a bike. I took my larger folding bike to test it out physically on buses and the light rail train both crowded and empty in attendance to see if it would work out for me. It worked without very little problems that I would not take your time to rehash.

I am suprised that no one on this forum seems to know or even remember this important day in cycling for everyone here in the US.

It wasn't forgotten in Maryland. Rallies were held in Bel Air, Baltimore City, Towson, and Annapolis.

I attended the Towson rally.

I'm here in San Diego and Ride to Work was promoted good. There were about 30 "pit stops" around the county with clif bars, fruit, water, etc. Also had free rides for bus/trolley users if you have your bike. I rode in this morning. It was great.
http://www.ridelink.org/Special_Promotions_and_New_Programs/Bike_to_work_day/index.asp

We have Smart Commute Month and Bike to Work Week.

But yesterday was Carfree Day. And I, as always....went carfree.

I'm glad they're going this way. Bikes are best for me, but a lot of people prefer the bus or train, and the main goal is to get people out of their cars.

I ride a bike for about 90% of my transportation. I walk once in a while. I take a Greyhound bus for monthly trips to see my father and sister. I rarely take the city bus (except to the laundromat, or when I'm injured), but I'm glad it's there.

Our Bike to Work day is in June. But I was also with you yesterday, and the rest of the week, for that matter.

for a change of pace, I took my Gurly Surly single speed rather than the road bike
http://www.one2ride.org/Animation/biking.gif

Did you forget something on the way out to work yesterday? How about your bike! In my area, my local public transit system implemented a "free fare day" for anyone boarding with a bike. I took my larger folding bike to test it out physically on buses and the light rail train both crowded and empty in attendance to see if it would work out for me. It worked without very little problems that I would not take your time to rehash.

I am suprised that no one on this forum seems to know or even remember this important day in cycling for everyone here in the US.

I rode to work all five days (though that means nothing considering my commute is 3 miles each way). Was rainy the first 3 days though. It was heaviliy promoted here, with our building management company even having a free hot breakfast for cyclists yesterday) and a local organization entering cyclists in a lottery to win a commuting bike).

Rode my bike today...much like I do most days...saw a few more unfamiliar bikes out and about here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I also wrote a letter-to-the-editor encouraging others to ride one day this week...and it was published on wednesday.

Yesterday I had ridden 25 miles
before I remembered it was Ride
to Work Day.

So today I took the Metrolink 40
miles to San Bernardino and rode
back on my Bent. Took 3 1/2 hours
but I am not gonna feel bad. There
must have been 20-35 mile an hour
HEADWINDS coming at me the whole
way back. They were FIERCE, I tells ya! :O)

:eek: One the Day of Days I actually had to work 22 miles from home at 6:20 AM. :( I may be a dedicated cyclists but not that far in the cold and dark on a busy rutted highway.

i rode to work each day like every other week...and the week was just like any other week...no fanfare or even recognition of the cause in this town...

I've gone to Bike to Work Day the last four or five years. I just didn't feel motivated to bother with it this year. No one has to convince me to bike to work, and I didn't feel like trying to volunteer to help out this year either. Further, I recently moved only a mile from work, so when I decide to ride instead of walk, it's not really a ride. I turn the cranks a couple times and I'm there. The closest Bike to Work Day rally near me would have been a mile out of the way, so it wouldn't have been any harder to get there. Maybe I'll volunteer or show up for the free t-shirt next year.

I did not see much promotion around town -- I created a couple posters and put in staff break room. Of course, I rode all week. There was "share the road" rally yesterday near where I work and I happened to work this weekend so I rode Saturday as well. Headwinds going home thursday and Friday but only made my commute 10 minutes longer but I was more tired than usual. Thought I had convinced a co-worker to start riding she's always complaining how much $ she spends on gas and she lives just 5 miles from work. However, she took Friday off - the day I had hoped she would ride. I even said I would ride over to her house and ride with her. Out of my way but would be a nice extra 3 miles to my ride. oh well, I will keep trying.

My city got a special grant so they went all out for Smart Commute Month and Bike to Work Week. I can't really participate because I work second shift, and I don't care to get up a couple hours early for free bagels and a T-shirt.

I put up a couple homemade flyers at work. They said that people could call me if they were wondering about bike commuting. Nobody called. :(

Bike to work day wasn't heavily promoted here. Since it was scheduled for my day off and I also work second shift, I wasn't involved.

While I think bike to work week/day is a nice idea, I think the people who are out there every day being visible, riding to work or school or wherever, are doing more to promote the bike as transportation.

While I think bike to work week/day is a nice idea, I think the people who are out there every day being visible, riding to work or school or wherever, are doing more to promote the bike as transportation.
Agreed, but I think it also helps to have the mayor and other dignitaries say that bike commuting is good for the community. The publicity in the media also plants the idea in people's minds. And prospective commuters benefit from the practical information on riding and route selection, etc.

Agreed, but I think it also helps to have the mayor and other dignitaries say that bike commuting is good for the community. The publicity in the media also plants the idea in people's minds. And prospective commuters benefit from the practical information on riding and route selection, etc.

after thinking more about it, it is no use to even attempt to change the behaviour of adults, i mean really, is freaking fat Juanita, the purchasing manager, or any other goons at work really going to ride a bike to work much less even ride a bike...any federal or state money needs to be put into a vigorous education program for children and young people, that shows that riding a bike is just as cool as getting your driver's license

after thinking more about it, it is no use to even attempt to change the behaviour of adults, i mean really, is freaking fat Juanita, the purchasing manager, or any other goons at work really going to ride a bike to work much less even ride a bike...any federal or state money needs to be put into a vigorous education program for children and young people, that shows that riding a bike is just as cool as getting your driver's license
I used to be a fat Juanita and now I'm a barely overwieght Roody. Or something. With me it was a health scare that first got me to be more active, and soon led to the epiphany of combining an active life with being carfree. For a couple years I walked everywhere. Then came the second epiphany of getting a bike. This forum helped me get started with that, but it could just as easily have been Bike to Work Week.

I don't disagree with you at all; I'm just saying that adults can change too, but it's harder for us than for kids. We need three things in order to change in a major way. First, we need a big shake-up that makes us want to change. Second, we have to find the faith and hope that we can change. Third, we learn the knowledge and information needed to implement change. Bikeforums and Bike to Work can provide some of the second and a lot of the third, but not much of the first.

Did you forget something on the way out to work yesterday? How about your bike! In my area, my local public transit system implemented a "free fare day" for anyone boarding with a bike. I took my larger folding bike to test it out physically on buses and the light rail train both crowded and empty in attendance to see if it would work out for me. It worked without very little problems that I would not take your time to rehash.

I am suprised that no one on this forum seems to know or even remember this important day in cycling for everyone here in the US.

Forget about these 'Bike to Work' days and just bike to work for life.

Forget about these 'Bike to Work' days and just bike to work for life.

In a perfect world that would be great, however my route to work last week includes about 5 miles on the freeway (which can be a little crazy with cars zooming by at 70+ mph) with a total distance a little over 26 miles. When you count time to change into proper work attire and clean up that is about 2 hours of time to work and maybe a little over 1.5 hrs on the way home. I start at 7:30 AM, so it isn't practical to ride every day to work. I enjoy these days when awareness is raised.

I work at home and telecommute, so I celebrated Bike-to-Work Day by convincing my husband to commute the 9 miles to his workplace on his mountain bike. Naturally, I rode along with him on my folding bike. I then rode home to work.

My husband said he really enjoyed the ride and will consider doing it again, maybe once or twice a week.

I'm here in San Diego and Ride to Work was promoted good. There were about 30 "pit stops" around the county with clif bars, fruit, water, etc. Also had free rides for bus/trolley users if you have your bike. I rode in this morning. It was great.
http://www.ridelink.org/Special_Promotions_and_New_Programs/Bike_to_work_day/index.asp
Hey woody, I live around San Diego too and rode in, just like most days...no pit stops on my commute. Seemed like just another day to me. Didn't even see any extra cyclists. I usually see 2 or sometimes 3 on my ride in. -Jerry

I work at home and telecommute, so I celebrated Bike-to-Work Day by convincing my husband to commute the 9 miles to his workplace on his mountain bike. Naturally, I rode along with him on my folding bike. I then rode home to work.

My husband said he really enjoyed the ride and will consider doing it again, maybe once or twice a week.

palmdale, cool, i live up in Ridgecrest...i tell you though, the freakin winds out here can be brutal...ride on.

I got to ride! Too cool!

I rode with a group of commuters on Friday, May 15, 2006. Bike to Work day. We had newsreporters following us on bike, car and in the air. It was a good feeling.









Gas, the price of a can of beans

Most days are bike to work day for me. Usually 4 out of 5 workdays.

Logged 171 miles during Bike to Work week, with 38 on Bike to Work day. Great tradition. I'm hooked.