RE: Bike to Work Day, May 12, 2011

833 Market Street, 10th Floor
San Francisco CA 94103
415.431. BIKE
415.431.2468 fax
www.sfbike.org
April 2011
RE: Bike to Work Day, May 12, 2011
Dear San Francisco Employer,
Invigorate your workplace, energize your employees, and promote a healthy, cost-effective transportation option by
celebrating Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 12, 2011. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition wants to help you and
your employees take part in this fun event and make it easy to choose bicycling as a comfortable, reliable way to get to
work on May 12 and everyday!
Promoting Bike to Work Day is a great way to highlight bicycle commuting as a healthy, convenient, and reliable way to
get to work, and is an excellent opportunity to see the positive results of an alert, productive workforce. Support for
Bike to Work Day and bicycle commuting is a smart and sustainable business strategy to reduce absenteeism, increase
productivity, and demonstrate your commitment to a healthy, happy workplace.
Enclosed you'll find Bike to Work Day resources to get you started, including:
• A Bike to Work Day Poster to hang in your office (Download and print more at sfbike.org/btwd)
• The Team Bike Challenge: Register your staff team to challenge hundreds of other Bay Area teams to pedal
during the month of May and win great prizes
• The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s Tube Times newsletter with a pull-out Bike to Work Day guide including a
map of 25 Energizer Stations and a calendar of Bike to Work Day events, workshops and parties
• San Francisco Bike Map to post in your office for a bike route reference
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition offers additional resources to help your business be more bike-friendly and make
sure your employees are safe pedaling on our city streets:
• How to Bike Anywhere brown-bag lunch workshop for your staff
• Urban Bike Safety Education private class
• Bike to Work Day kit for your office
For more information about these great services, contact our Bike to Work Day Community Outreach
Coordinator, Justin Bigelow, via [email protected].
Bike to Work Day, Thursday, May 12th, is the perfect time to promote bicycling to work as a healthy, costeffective way to commute. Encourage your employees to see for themselves how easy and fun it can be to bike to work!
Contact us today to get rolling with these beneficial resources to make your business more bike friendly.
See you on Bike to Work Day!
Justin Bigelow
Community Outreach Coordinator
P.S. On Bike to Work Day—Thursday, May 12th —San Franciscans from every part of the city hop on their bikes and
ride by one of 25 Energizer Stations on their commute where they can enjoy coffee and snacks, chat with other
bicyclists, and get a free reusable tote bag with bike safety information.
Bike to Work Day – May 12, 2011
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition will get your employees rolling!
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is
your local expert on how to help your
employees get riding on and beyond
Bike to Work Day — May 12, 2011
We are here to help you support your
employees by encouraging bicycle
commuting; it’s a smart, simple way to
promote a healthy, happy workplace
Outlined are concrete steps your company can take to promote bicycle commuting. Get your employees
riding on and beyond Bike to Work Day. E-mail Justin Bigelow ([email protected]) to sign up at any level:
Fee-Based Services
How to Bike Anywhere brown-bag lunches: 1-hour informational sessions led by the
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to give your employees an overview of bike
commuting tips and tricks and the confidence to start biking to work
Urban Bike Safety Education private class: 4-hour in-class instruction taught by League
of American Bicyclists-Certified Instructor to get your employees comfortable
biking in an urban environment
Bike to Work Day Kit – Celebrate Bike to Work Day in your business with lasting
and valuable Bike to Work Day give-a-ways including the official Bike to Work Day
T-Shirt, plus information for your employees.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Memberships – The best encouragement is constant
contact with the only group working to provide safe biking conditions and links to
the diverse bike community.
$150 for 25 employees
$350 for 25 employees
$250 for 25 employees
$25 per employee ($10
discount from standard,
individual one-year rate)
Free Support
Online Tips & Tricks: We supply you with messages that you can incorporate into intra-office
communications with tips to get employees prepared and riding safely on May 12 and beyond
Team Bike Challenge, Corporate Team: Compete against other Bay Area teams for the group
that rides the most throughout the month of May – Win fun prizes and regional recognition!
SFBC-hosted Bike Buddy program: One-on-One help to answer any and all questions, plus
individual guidance to get cycling
Commuter Convoys: Experienced rider leading a group to pedal downtown on Bike to Work
Day. Designated meeting spots happening from every district of the city on Bike to Work Day
Mileage Tracker: Create a donation program for employees to track their biking miles and
donate to the SFBC Education Fund for the miles ridden each month/year
Internal Bicyclist User Groups: Establishing an “Ask a Bicyclist” program. Have an employer
ambassador for general biking questions available to your employees
Emergency Ride Home: Offering free and reduced cost transportation home with SF Environment
for bicyclists during personal emergencies—great peace of mind for bike commuters
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is also your consulting expert on bike
infrastructure. We offer fee-based consultations to create secure indoor/outdoor
bike parking, bike share programs for employees, workplace bike maintenance tool
kits, and more—everything your workplace needs to be bike friendly.
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
Free
YOUR RESOURCE
FOR BIKING IN
SAN FRANCISCO
sfbike.org
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
is proud to be a resource for the
record numbers of people who want
to bike. We’ll help you :
- Pedal by an Energizer Station
- Take a free Urban Biking Workshop
- Learn the best bicycle routes
- Meet up with other people riding
- Get bicycling tips
12,000 MeMBerS STrONG PrOMOTING THe BICYCLe fOr eVerYDAY TrANSPOrTATION
SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE COALITION
SPRING 2011 ISSUE 135
ConneCting the City so every day is
bike to
school
&work
day
Page 6
A pROmENAdE
IS COmINg TO
pOWELL ST
page 3
CELEBRATE
BIKE TO WORK
dAY, mAY 12
page 10
HOW TO BIKE
dRESSEd FOR
SuCCESS
page 11
free
Letter from the Executive Director
Editor
Amy Zimmerman
Kids taKing
to sF streets
Let’s ConneCt the City for the next Generation
Distribution
Brandon Fine
Design
Rosanna Yau
The Tube Times is a quarterly publication of the
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, a 12,000-member
nonprofit advocacy organization working to transform
San Francisco’s streets and neighborhoods into more
livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for
everyday transportation. [email protected]
Executive Director
Leah Shahum, x306, [email protected]
Communications Director
Teri Gardiner, x308, [email protected]
Recently I was reminded why I — like so many
of a growing number of us, as SF Bicycle
Coalition members — put so much time and
passion into advocating for a great bicycling city.
Sure, it feels satisfying to build community and
political support to pass new bike improvements.
And it feels even better to actually pedal along
popular, new bike lanes such as 17th Street,
North Point, Laguna Honda Boulevard, and
dozens more; and to park in new on-street bike
parking corrals; and to join friends at Sunday
Streets celebrations; and to sip coffee at new
on-street parklets bringing more business and
green to our commercial corridors.
Of course, this is all significant progress. And it’s
been a long time coming. But, honestly, none of
that is what makes me most proud of the San
Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s work lately.
What makes me most proud — and hopeful —
these days is the story of a 7-year-old.
He is the son of friends who are committed to
raising their two kids in this city they love but
admit that it can be challenging at times. Their
oldest son (then 6 years old) learned to ride a
bike at Sunday Streets last year. And not much
can compare to that look of pride on his smiling
little face as he showed off his skills on his first
two-wheeler along the Great Highway.
Fast-forward, and now this second grader is
proudly bicycling to school most days. His dad
pedals in with him in the morning, and his
mom rides home with him in the afternoon.
He loves it!
And his parents love it because they’re back on
their own two wheels more often now. They say
that it’s thanks to the higher level of safety and
comfort they feel while pedaling as a family that
they now ride their little one to school by bike.
They credit the wider bike lanes on Valencia
Street and the new, physically separated, green
bikeways on Market Street, and the record
numbers of people bicycling —and the visibility
it brings them as they ride.
tube times 135
Neal Patel, x312, [email protected]
Development Director
Jodie Medeiros, x305, [email protected]
Great Streets Project Director
Kit Hodge, x313, [email protected]
Membership & Volunteer Coordinator
Tessa Buckley, x301 [email protected]
Membership & Volunteer Director
Kate McCarthy, x303, [email protected]
Operations Director
Frank Chan, x304, [email protected]
Program Director
Andy Thornley, x307, [email protected]
Program Manager
Marc Caswell, x302, [email protected]
Safe Routes to School Manager
They’re not alone. I am hearing from parents
who bike more often with their children thanks
to the new 17th Street bike lanes. And Townsend
Street bike lanes. And Division Street. Most
mornings in the bike lane, I encounter a little
one strapped into a child seat or spot a dangling
miniature helmet.
Not only are we introducing this next generation
to the joys of bicycling, but we’re also welcoming
their parents back onto their own two wheels.
Now imagine what our city will look like when
the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s Connecting
the City vision for 100 miles of crosstown
bikeways is realized. Imagine the sight of even
more kids proudly biking to school, to parks, to
friends’ houses on safe, inviting bikeways that
connect our neighborhoods. Imagine the
freedom this will allow their parents, who will
appreciate, invest in, and stay in our more
family-friendly San Francisco.
It is possible. Look around: We are pedaling
toward it right now.
1
Community Planner
Jason Serafino-Agar, x314, [email protected]
Board of Directors
David Baker, James Bullard, Ben Caldwell (Secretary),
Maureen Devlin (Treasurer), Brooke DuBose, Jenn Fox
(President), Justin Fraser, David Gartner, Amandeep
Jawa, Ann Lyons, Lenore McDonald, Holly Minch,
Lainie Motamedi, Dan Nguyen-Tan, Zack Stender
833 Market Street, 10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
tel: 415-431-BIKE
fax: 415-431-2468
[email protected]
Have you been missing out on our weekly Biker
Bulletin email? did you update your mailing address
when you moved?
Update your contact info at
sfbike.org/services.
facebook.com/sfbike
twitter.com/sfbc
flickr.com/sfbike
LeAH SHAHuM
executive Director
Act Now // You can help by checking out connectingthecity.org and sharing our video with
your own community. Help us connect the city today.
ConneCting the City
from the Bay to the Beach
Record numbers of people are biking in San
Francisco with more people wanting to bike
more, and we all know how to make that
possible: Connecting our city with separated
bikeways that let more people just like
you get anywhere in the city and beyond.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has set ambitious goals to
work with the City to get 100 miles of crosstown bikeway on the
ground by 2020. We’re already hard at work on our first goal of
getting three continuous miles of bikeway along the Bay to Beach
Bikeway on the ground this year. Imagine how great it will feel to
bike in a designated bikeway all the way from JFK Drive in Golden
Gate Park onto Oak and Fell streets and through the lower Haight
connecting to the bike lanes on Market Street. This is already a
hugely popular biking route and this bikeway will help more families
safely bike in Golden Gate Park and more nurses, bankers, waiters
and other people bike to work downtown. This three-mile stretch
of bikeway will be designed so that everyone from an 8-year-old
child to your 80-year-old neighbor feels safe, comfortable and
confident biking.
We need your help today to reach our goal of three miles of
bikeway by the end of this year. please take a minute right
now to mail in the enclosed postcard, to show your support
for connecting San Francisco with:
A SEpARATEd BIKEWAY ON JFK dRIvE to help make
family biking safer and help even more people
explore golden gate park’s many attractions by bike.
A CONTINuOuS BIKEWAY ALONg mARKET STREET
from Octavia Boulevard all the way to the Ferry
building, starting with filling in the gaps in
the separated bike lane between Octavia and
Eighth Street.
Get the latest news on Connecting the City and more ways that
you can get involved at connectingthecity.org.
The vision for a separated bikeway on Fell and Oak streets.
SPRING 2011
1
2
3
A pROTECTEd gREEN BIKEWAY ALONg FELL and Oak
streets all the way from Scott Street to Stanyan to
provide a safer commute route for people who live in
the western neighborhoods.
2
QUICK ReLeaSeS continued
On-street bike parking corrals are helping the City catch up with the tremendous demand for bike parking and are a great way for businesses to encourage people to stop and shop.
tube times 135
New Promenade for
Powell Street
3
Powell Street near Union Square is
about to get a lot more pleasant! In
December 2010 the Mayor’s office
announced that the City is partnering
with the Union Square Business
Improvement District, the design
firm RHAA and a corporate funder
to build a mega parklet on both
sides of Powell Street between Ellis
and Geary streets. The project will
trial expanding the sidewalks on
both sides of these two blocks with
nearly continuous promenades that
feature seating and greenery. The
SF Bicycle Coalition’s Great Streets
Project teamed up with the Union
Square Business Improvement
District and Fehr & Peers
Transportation Consultancy to study
pedestrian conditions in Union
Square last winter and found that
Powell Street has some of the
highest pedestrian volumes in the
country, rivaling parts of Broadway
in New York City’s Times Square and
Oxford Street in London. Over 85%
of traffic at Powell and Ellis streets
is people on foot.
The project is expected to be
built in May. The Powell Promenade
builds on an experiment on one
rainy weekend in December 2009 to
expand pedestrian space in this
area, which helped develop local
enthusiasm for a more sophisticated
project.
Approximately 30 new parklets
have been approved since January,
from the Tenderloin to Valencia
Street to Columbus Street to the
Sunset. See a map of the new
parklets at sfgreatstreets.org/parklets.
Safe Routes to School
Triples in Size
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
is proud to be a partner in San
Francisco’s Safe Routes to School
program, which tripled in size
to 15 schools this year and has
secured funding until 2013 through
the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission’s Climate Action
Initiative. This means the SF Bicycle
Coalition, in collaboration with the
YBIKE program, has also tripled our
educational efforts, providing handson bicycle and pedestrian safety
classes to more than 1,800 second
and fourth graders. The San
Francisco Bicycle Coalition also
partners with the YMCA’s YBIKE
program to offer family bicycle and
pedestrian safety training, “learn to
ride” clinics, bicycle swaps, repair
services, and family road rides as part
of the Community Hubs program.
Learn more at sfbike.org/kids.
More Miles of Bike Lanes
Link the City
Spring has sprung and miles of new
bike lanes are linking you to where
you want to go. After a wet winter,
portions of new bike lanes on 17th
Street have gone in under sunny
skies connecting the Castro to the
Mission, Potrero Hill to Mission Bay,
and filling the gap on Potrero
Avenue. This long-awaited project
will ultimately span two miles and
be an essential connection across
the city. New bike lanes on Portola
Drive and Alemany Boulevard are
providing critical and safer links to
the western and southern
neighborhoods as well. Bike lanes
on Potrero, Cesar Chavez East, and
more are on their way, too — stay
tuned to sfbike.org/link to find out
which bike lanes are coming next.
Catching Up with the
Demand for Bike Parking
We’re thrilled that the City continues
to install more on-street bike parking
locations, from Clement Street in
the Richmond to Hayes Valley and
South Park. With outreach and
planning from the SF Bicycle
Coalition, the City plans to keep
rolling out these installations all year
long. On-street bike parking corrals
are a smart way for the City to catch
up with the tremendous demand
for bike parking and a great way for
businesses to encourage more
people to stop and shop. Do you
know a business that would benefit
from an on-street bike corral?
Download a flyer and application at
sfbike.org/corrals.
Required Right Turns on
Market Street Made
Permanent
Thanks to the work of the SF Bicycle
Coalition and support of our
members, the required right turns for
private vehicles on Market Street at
Sixth and Tenth streets were made
permanent by the SFMTA Board of
Directors in March. This historic pilot
project, along with the green
separated bike lanes on Market
Street, are helping more people feel
safer and more comfortable biking on
this major corridor. There has also
been an increase in the number of
people walking on Market Street and
Muni buses are moving faster.
It’s clear that the required right
turns on Market Street have had
meaningful and positive results to
biking, walking and taking the bus in
San Francisco. The SF Bicycle
Coalition applauds the work of the
QUICK ReLeaSeS continued
SFMTA in making these changes
permanent. The SF Bicycle Coalition
is now working with the City to
improve the design of the
intersections at Sixth and Tenth
streets to better enforce the required
right turns for private vehicles, and
continue the green, separated
bikeway on Market Street from
Octavia to the Embarcadero. More at
sfbike.org/market.
J U N E 1 5, 2 0 1 1
CONNECTING THE CITY
our vision for vibrant crosstown bikeways
wine, beer and hors d ’ouevres
complimentary valet bicycle parking
$ 75 PER PERSON
A Hearty Welcome to our
New Board of Directors
Thanks to all the SF Bicycle Coalition
members who voted in our December
Board of Directors election. We’d like
to welcome back returning board
members David Baker, Ben Caldwell,
Maureen Devlin, Brooke DuBose,
Jenn Fox, Jean Fraser, Justin Fraser,
David Gartner, Amandeep Jawa,
Holly Minch, Lainie Motamedi, Dan
Nguyen-Tan and Zack Stender.
We welcome two new board
members: James Bullard is the
Director of IT and Administration for
Fair Trade USA, and has a strong
background in database and project
management, and over 20 years of
nonprofit experience; and Lenore
McDonald is Director of Annual
Giving at Golden Gate University and
has 20 years’ experience as a
volunteer community leader and
fundraiser. A heartfelt thank you to
departing board members, Ann Lyons
who served on our board for seven
years, and Susan Sun for her two
years of service. Learn about our
Board of Directors at sfbike.org/board.
Shape our Strategic Plan
This year will be an important one for
the SF Bicycle Coalition as we
embark on an update of our Strategic
Plan, which will set our organization’s
top goals and priorities for the next
five years. Our strategic planning
process will benefit from members’
ideas and engagement. We want to
know what you consider our top
priorities to help San Francisco
become a truly great biking city. What
will it take to double, triple, quadruple
the number of people who feel safe
and comfortable bicycling?
The SF Bicycle Coalition’s Board
of Directors, who are leading the
strategic planning process, will look
to members’ direct input this
summer/fall on these and many more
critical questions. Stay tuned for
announcements of meeting dates in
upcoming Biker Bulletin emails.
Corrections from the
Winter Issue
A hearty thank you to Citizen Chain,
a Winterfest 2010 Sprinter Sponsor
that we regretfully left off our list of
generous sponsors.
6-9 PM
T H E
G R E E N
R O O M
THE WAR MEMORIAL BLDG
401 VAN NESS AVENUE
S A N
F R A N C I S C O ,
C A
T H E 1 9 T H A N N U A L G O L D E N W H E E L AWA R D S
Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition at our 2011 Golden Wheel
Awards to celebrate our vision for a connected city where anyone
from an 8-year-old child to her 80-year old grandmother will feel safe,
confident and comfortable biking through San Francisco’s unique
neighborhoods and commercial districts.
t h e 1 9 t h a n n ua l g o l d e n w h e e l awa r d s w i l l h o n o r
i n d i v i d u a l s w h o a r e a l r e a d y l e a d i n g t h e wa y t o
c o n n e c t o u r n e i g h b o r h o o d s a n d o u r c i t y.
We hope you will join us at this year’s event to watch the premier
of our latest Connecting the City video and hear the latest from SF
Bicycle Coalition Executive Director, Leah Shahum on our bold vision
for crosstown bikeways that will make San Francisco streets more
welcoming for people of all ages to bike.
RSVP by June 10 at sfbike.org/goldenwheel. If you are unable to attend,
please support our organization by making a special contribution today.
award winners will be announced in late april at sfbike.org / goldenwheel
4
A Single Smooth Block Can
Make All the Difference
The SF Bicycle Coalition’s Good Roads campaign continues to expand our
efforts to reach our goal of smoother and safer streets for biking. In
addition to making sure reported hazardous potholes are fixed in less
than a week, the campaign has been instrumental in winning total
repaving of key corridors like JFK Drive, 17th Street, 15th Avenue, and
Parnassus Street, to name a few.
In 2011, we are asking SF Bicycle Coalition members to help spot short
sections of crumbling pavement across the city. While we continue to
work toward repaving long corridors that carry a lot of bike traffic, the
City continually repaves one- or two-block segments of roadway that
need it. This addresses pavement needs in neighborhoods across the
city while avoiding the higher cost associated with bigger projects.
Have a few blocks in mind that need total repaving to be made safe? We
need to know where the worst blocks are. Visit sfbike.org/goodroads for
more background information and request that the city make your
commute safer today.
The Good Roads campaign will verify if your requests are already
scheduled for repaving and make sure the City adds it to the list. From
individual potholes to single blocks to full-length corridors, the SF Bicycle
Coalition’s Good Roads campaign and the Department of Public Works
are working together to fix your streets for a safer and smoother ride.
Visit sfbike.org/goodroads for more information.
tube times 135
2nd Annual Climate Ride
5
Ride from the Redwoods
to San Francisco
October 2-6, 2011 climateride.org
Designate the SF Bicycle Coalition
as your beneficiary
Market Street will move more people who work and want
to shop in the heart of our city with a separated bikeway,
smooth reliable Muni service and wide, inviting sidewalks.
ConneCting the City so every day is
bike to school
& work day
San Francisco loves bicycling and two of our favorite
celebrations — Bike to School Day (Thursday, Apr. 7)
and Bike to Work Day (Thursday, May 12) are just
around the corner. We’re anticipating a record
turnout for each of these one-day events.
The SF Bicycle Coalition is hard at work to help our city keep with
this tremendous demand by getting our vision of crosstown
bikeways on the ground, starting with three continuous miles of
bikeway along the Bay to Beach route. We’re proud that our city’s
main thoroughfare, Market Street, is already a great example of
how a small change is making a big difference with scores of
people now feeling safer in the green, separated bike lane. Imagine
what it will feel like when more streets offer this level of comfort.
We’re thrilled that our city’s bike lanes are already filled with record
numbers of people of all ages! And when crosstown bikeways
make our streets safer and connect our city, even more kids and
parents and people just like you will be able to experience the joy
of biking to school, work and anywhere you want to go. We sat
down with two San Francisco families to learn about how biking to
school and work makes their lives simpler and more fun.
SPRING 2011
San Francisco is already experiencing a boom in bicycling, with 7 in
10 San Franciscans riding a bike. On a morning commute you’ll see
kids and their parents biking to school in the new bike lanes that
are linking our city. And watch bankers, nurses and architects and
many others on their way to work in Market Street’s separated
bike lane. Even tourists from the Midwest are hopping on their
bikes to explore our unique city. San Francisco’s economy is being
powered by people who bike, and many more people who want to
be able to bike.
6
Biking to School
starring declan, Úna and cameron
Writer: Regina Sinsky
PHoTo BY: ADRIENNE JoHNSoN
When elephants sense danger, the older members of the troop will protectively surround the
youngest pachyderms. Every member of the
group contributes to the babies’ safety.
Declan Chan Johnson is his family’s baby elephant. At the age of 5,
he’s learning the rules of the road, surrounded by his family force field.
They circle Declan on their bikes as he tests his pedaling skills on San
Francisco’s bumpy streets.
You just might see him practicing these skills on his way to and from
Sunnyside Elementary, where he is in Kindergarten. Declan, like his
16-year-old brother Cameron and 11-year-old sister Úna, commutes to
school by bike.
tube times 135
“It isn’t easy to find roads he can ride on,” says his mom, Adrienne
Johnson, “but when we find them, we let him go. There’s lots of vocal
commands going on — ‘stop at the red stop sign, look both ways’ —
but he really gets it.”
7
Adrienne is energetic with a passion for biking. (Her blog is called
“Change Your Life: Ride A Bike.”) Her husband is also an enthusiastic
bike rider. With all that experience comes a reasoned assessment of
traffic safety, and a cautious thumbs-up to their kids commuting to
school by bike.
While Adrienne escorts Declan on his bike route, the other two siblings
are on their own.
PHoTo BY: ADRIENNE JoHNSoN
But then, Cameron is not lonely on his commute. It turns out riding
bikes is not only convenient and safer for teenagers (biking makes
texting or playing Angry Birds while moving a bit more difficult than it is
in the car), but it’s also pretty cool.
“If it’s not rainy, the bike parking fills up,” explains Cameron of Balboa
High School, where he is a junior. “Security guards are there whenever
school is in session, watching over the bikes.” The guards are also
watching over the kids as the arrive and leave the school grounds.
When most teenagers rely on a bus schedule or their parents’ demands
to “get in the car or we are going to be late,” Cameron is on his own
to get to and from class. It’s a small amount of responsibility that goes
a long way. Talking with him, you get a sense of his maturity, but his
action of biking to and from school on time speaks louder than words.
Bike commuting iS
eaSy with kiko,
iSaBel, naomi & ted
Writer: Regina Sinsky
Úna, in sixth grade at Aptos Middle School, is also in charge of getting
herself to and from school. “The bus is a little faster on the way to
school, because of a hill, but on hot days I like my bike because I get to
go downhill to get home.” Úna started riding by herself in fourth grade.
Those pesky hills, along with busy roads, few bike lanes, and lack of
bike lane connectivity, are the family’s biggest commute challenges.
“When you get started commuting by bike, you first try to ride on the
same streets you drive your car,” says Adrienne. “That can be
terrifying. For example, riding a bike down Fell Street is nuts. It takes
patience to find alternate routes, but it’s worth it.” (The Johnson Chan
family could challenge your GPS for alternate routes. Their sense of
direction and knowledge of San Francisco streets is amazing.)
“Road-warrior dads were the first ones out there transporting kids to
school on bikes, but that’s changing,” says Adrienne.
“I’m seeing more and more women with kids on their bikes. Multiple
kids, even.”
The family says biking to school and after-school activities (unless it’s
too dark outside) could be safer and much more comfortable with
separated bikeways. Adrienne feels that riding side by side with her
husband and kids should be an option.
There are some small things the family’s schools are doing to make a
big difference in helping kids bike more.
PHoTo BY: RoSE MILLER
Declan’s school, Sunnyside Elementary, is one of 15 schools that host
San Francisco’s Safe Routes to School Program to make biking and
walking to school safer through incentives (such as Bike to School
Day), education (like in-class and experiential lessons on pedestrian
safety to second graders and bicycle safety instruction to fourth
graders taught by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and YMCA) and
safer streets. And Aptos Middle School, where Úna goes, also has an
after-school program by the YMCA that teaches bike safety.
“Every week is the same, but every day is different.”
The rest of the safety is going to come from the San Francisco Bicycle
Coalition’s Connecting the City vision (connectingthecity.org), which
proposes 100 miles of continuous, crosstown bikeways that are safe
for everyone, including 5-year-olds like Declan. Safer bikeways will take
community support. After all, it takes an entire herd to protect the
smallest member.
“We do a whole hodgepodge of commuting. Carpooling with neighbors
a couple of days, Muni with the grandparents, and biking a couple of
days with the kids on the back of our bikes,” explains Ted. “We’ve
basically arranged our schedules so we drive the kids to school as little
as possible.”
This is how Ted Tilles sums up his family’s school and work commute
plan. Ted, a financial advisor, his wife Naomi Mahoney, a director of
eBusiness, and their two girls, Isabel (7) and Kiko (4), live in the Mission
near Dolores Park and commute to the girls’ schools near Japantown
and their offices in Berkeley and San Francisco’s Financial District. It’s
an elaborate schedule.
Ted and Naomi commute to work by a combination of public
transportation and bike. Both say their workplaces encourage bicycling,
especially Naomi’s company, Charles Schwab.
“Schwab has a newly organized biking community,” explains Naomi.
“The employees who live in Marin get together for weekend rides, and
on the weekdays newbies are paired up with experienced riders who
SPRING 2011
“The teachers, some of whom ride to school on bikes, are trying really
hard. Úna has teachers that offer to help change flats or broken chains,
or temporarily keep her bike inside while its raining,” says Adrienne.
8
show them routes. We recently had a show-and-tell to share tips on
commuting safety.”
“It’s also nice to get both of the girls home quickly,” explains Naomi,
who never waits in carpool lines or has to look for parking.
The facilities at Charles Schwab are also bike friendly.
It’s especially helpful that both girls can currently fit on one bike. The
family’s custom three-person bicycle was built by Ted and a family
friend. It’s called the SUB, short for Sports Utility Bike.
“One of the firm’s two buildings has gated garage parking with lockers
and a shower facility,” says Naomi. “The building I’m in has bike
parking outside but there’s room for improvement. But Schwab is open
to working with bike commuters.”
When Naomi commutes, she typically takes her “much-loved” Howard
Street bike lanes over to Valencia Street. “I can’t think of a nicer way to
end the work day,” she smiles.
“We’ve had every configuration imaginable,” he says. “Front seat with
a tag along, back seat with front seat — this current setup was
designed for this stage of our lives, and it works great.”
“Riding with our kids is so interactive,” Naomi adds.
“I tried to put music on the bike, to make it more like a car,” Ted
offers. “But it cut down on the interaction. We talk about the things we
see while we ride.”
She says the Market Street separated bike lanes have helped
“tremendously,” especially on the days she goes from her office to
pick up Kiko in Japantown.
Kiko is a bit of a celebrity in the Mission neighborhood. She treats the
SUB like a parade float, waving at the people they pass on Valencia
Street.
This idea of bike commuting can seem daunting, but listening to the
Tilles family, you certainly get an idea of the perks.
PHoTo BY: RoSE MILLER
“It’s just as fast as driving,” Ted. “We’ll start out in the morning on our
bikes and see friends who are driving to school. We’ll lose track of
them along the way, then get to school before them.”
”We hear people shout, ‘hey, look! It’s Kiko!’ as we ride,” says Naomi,
with a huge smile. The family loves riding the SUB, and the
neighborhood seems to love seeing it in action. The family mostly
sticks to streets with bike lanes on the commute to school.
One street Naomi takes without a bike lane is Octavia Boulevard. It’s
also quite steep considering the added weight of kids.
“Kiko chants, ‘Go mommy go! Go mommy go!’ as I climb the hill. I
feel her little hands pounding my back,” laughs Naomi. It’s another
perk to riding bikes.
Isabel is a bit less vocal than her sister, but her enthusiasm for bikes is
loud and clear. She’s the first into their garage to show off the threeperson bike, and the first to put on a helmet (no one asks her to do
this) and hop on her pink two-wheel bike to show off her skills.
“My friends think it’s cool,” Isabel says of commuting to school by bike.
“Actually, they have a bit of envy,” Ted adds. “One of her friends tags
along with us occasionally. They love riding together on the SUB.”
On Fridays, Isabel rides her own bike down Valencia Street to get to
the Mission Library. Naomi rides along behind her.
“The first couple of times I was nervous but then I got used to it,”
Naomi says.
This concept of “getting used to it” seems to be a recurring theme for
parents that commute with their kids. While parents are doing what
they can to educate their children about bike safety, the Tilles say their
daughters’ schools don’t have the bandwidth to encourage kids to ride.
tube times 135
“Schools have enough to worry about,” Ted says. “It’s up to parents to
make bike commuting work for their families and the community.”
9
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is your resource for
family biking. From family bike safety training to Urban
Bicycling Workshops to our Freedom from Training
Wheels programs, we’ll help your whole family feel
comfortable biking. See Chain of Events, p. 13.
Complete Bike to Work Day GuiDe
bike to
work day
may 12, 2011
Bike to Work day is the day
that many people discover
how easy and fun it is to
bike in san Francisco. here
are four easy things you can
do to celebrate Bike to Work
day with the san Francisco
Bicycle Coalition:
1
2
3
4
SpREAd THE WORd! Tell all your friends and coworkers about
the best biking day of the year. Hang up this special Bike to
Work Day insert at your office or favorite cafe. Print Bike to
Work Day posters and find out about more Bike to Work events
at sfbike.org/btwd.
vOLuNTEER! Hundreds of SF Bicycle Coalition member-volunteers staff 25 Energizer Stations on Bike to Work Day to hand
out free goodies. Sign up at sfbike.org/btwd.
pEdAL ANd WIN! 511.org and the SF Bicycle Coalition challenge you to the Team Bike Challenge: Recruit a team of
coworkers and friends to take to the streets for Bike to Work
Day and the whole month of May. Every time your team pedals,
you gain points and the chance to win cool prizes! Sign up for
the Team Bike Challenge at 511.org.
BE A BIKE BuddY! Wouldn’t it be awesome if more people
you knew biked to work? You know it’s safe and easy — why
don’t they? The Bike Buddy Program can help anyone get
started on a two-wheeled commute. Help lead Bike Buddy Route
Rides or a Commuter Convoy, or just help answer newbies’
questions from the comfort of your own computer. Email
[email protected] to volunteer.
SPRING 2011
THE SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE COALITION THANKS THE FOLLOWINg LOCAL SpONSORS
10
dressed for
success
VOLUNTEER LIKE KATI
Think you can’t ride to work and still satisfy
your company’s dress code? Worried about
showing up a wrinkled, sweaty mess? With
some smart planning and the right tools, you
can bike to work and arrive looking dapper.
We spoke to Gwen Lutz of Nooworks at 395
Valencia St. for tips.
1. CHOOSE NATuRAL FABRICS
Wool, cotton jersey, and cotton poplin resist
wrinkles, but fabrics such as silk and rayon
are easily creased and are more likely to
show sweat stains. “I find that wool is one
of the best fabrics for biking and has a wide
variety of feels and textures,” Gwen says.
2. gO FOR THE guSSET
This is a diamond-shaped panel of fabric in
the crotch of pants, tights and leggings.
Gwen finds this useful because it avoids
putting pressure on a center seam, which is
uncomfortable and shortens the life of the
clothing. As an added benefit, a gusset can
increase your range of motion when
swinging your leg over your bike.
3. OuTFIT YOuR BIKE
Use a set of panniers or a basket instead of a
bag to prevent sweat and wrinkles from
forming on your back.
4. STYLE YOuR FEET
Go for shoes with rubber soles to prevent
slipping, and avoid easily scratched finishes
such as patent leather as pedals tend to have
jagged edges. Another option is to bring
shoes in your basket or pannier and swap
them out after your ride. “I tend to wear
boots while riding,” says Gwen.
tube times 135
5. LAYER IT ON
“I mentally plan for my ride to work knowing
that when I walk out the door of my Inner
Richmond apartment I will be freezing,” says
Gwen. “I have my jacket with a wool base
layer hoodie underneath and wool arm
warmers with a sleeveless dress beneath it
all. By the time I hit the park it’s time for the
jacket to go, end of Panhandle, it’s time for
the hoodie to go, and at that point the
combo of a sleeveless item with the arm
warmers is enough to keep me warm but
nice and aired out by the time I get to work.”
11
Join the Bicycle Coalition in our dress-up
challenge for Bike to Work Day, and look
your sharpest on the biggest biking day of
the year! And don’t forget to stop by our
Bike from Work Party and Fashion Show on
May 12 (6-9pm, DNA Lounge, 375 11th St.)
and check out the latest in bicycle fashion.
More at sfbike.org/btwd.
Kati and her boyfriend Chris volunteering at last year’s Bike to Work Day.
meet Kati Jackson. She’s been a Bike to Work day
volunteer for three years. Bike to Work Day is the
biggest biking day of the year and this great event
only happens because of the hard work of more than
250 SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers like Kati.
How did you get involved in Bike to Work day? I had been going to
Volunteer Nights for a while, and the opportunity came up to spend my
unemployed days helping out the SF Bicycle Coalition — I couldn’t resist.
I was asked to come back the following year as a captain at my own
station … it’s rewarding to be able to talk to people biking, invite them for
coffee and tell them about all the benefits of being a San Francisco Bicycle
Coalition member.
Why do you look forward to Bike to Work day as an SF Bicycle
Coalition volunteer? It means I get to put on a costume, get up early,
and pass out coffee and bagels to perfect strangers, and tell them all the
reasons the SF Bicycle Coalition makes biking in this city safer and easier.
Have you had your friends volunteer with you on Bike to Work day?
I am so lucky to have two great friends who’ve been superstar volunteers with
me for the last two years, and this past year had my boyfriend join me as a
banana! Volunteering is just a fun way to get out, talk to people, and party after
work, all while recruiting members and sharing the SF Bicycle Coalition love!
What’s your favorite Bike to Work day volunteer moment? The biggest
reward was to spend that evening at the Bike from Work Party with all my
fellow volunteers and friends, celebrating such an amazing day.
Sign up to be a Bike to Work day volunteer at sfbike.org/btwd.
T
ECK S
HALL
ST
ARC
CH ES TN UT
RO
BATT ER Y
WA SH IN GT
ADE
T
ST EIN ER ST
NS
EMB
COL
KE AR NY ST
LIN
ON ST
ST
CA LIF OR NI
HS
ION
ST
ST
RD
T
T
ISO
NS
WA
LS
FO
GS
ST
OW
EN
SS
T
16TH ST
17TH ST
3RD ST
FLOR IDA ST
PORTO
LA DR
FOLS OM ST
24TH ST
HARR ISON ST
ST
VALE NCIA ST
ET
CAST RO ST
RK
MISS ION ST
7TH AVE
2ND AVE
19TH ST
MA
23RD AVE
NORIE GA ST
KIN
T
T
13TH/DI VISION ST
IRVING ST
HS
RR
7TH
T
12 T H S
DUB OCE
BIKE WAY
T
4T
HA
AVE
11T
FE LL ST
HS
HO
8T
HAYE S ST
OM
ST
SS
ET
RK
MA
MI
ST. JOS EPH ’S
MA SO NI C ST
CL AY TO N ST
4TH AVE
CABR ILLO ST
Bike to
Work Day
Happenings
ST
PO LK ST
GE AR Y BL VD
ARGUE LLO BLVD
CLEM ENT ST
A ST
CESAR CHAVE Z ST
CESAR CHAVEZ ST
Join a Commuter Convoy, pedal by an
Energizer Station for free goodies and
basic bike maintenance at select stations.
In the evening pedal over to our Bike From
Work Party and Fashion Show.
MAP LEGEND
TER
30TH ST
ES
Commuter Convoy
I TA
BL
VD
3RD S
T
Morning Energizer Stations
Evening Energizer Stations
MAS
Basic bike maintenance (free)
provided by local bike shops
ST
AV E
PLE
E VA
DNA
LOUNGE
NA
GEN
SA
VE
MIS
SIO
NS
T
THO
Bike To Work Day
CoMMUTER CoNVoYS 7:45am
MoRNING STATIoNS 7:30-9:30am
Bike From Work Party & Fashion
Show @ DNA Lounge (6-9pm)
EVENING STATIoNS 5-7pm
LOUNGE
BIKE FRoM WoRK PARTY+FASHIoN SHoW
BIKE DoCToRS
6-9pm, dNA Lounge, 375 11th St.: Check out
the latest in bicycle fashion and party down
after work at the SF Bicycle Coalition’s big Bike
to Work Day celebration and fashion show, with
DJs, fabulous raffle prizes and complimentary
bicycle valet. $5 for Bicycle Coalition members,
$10 for non-members. Ages 21+. For more
details see sfbike.org/btwd.
Local bike shop mechanics get you rolling on Bike
to Work Day with free basic maintenance like lubing chains, adjusting seats and fixing flat tires. For
locations check the map or go to sfbike.org/btwd.
SPRING 2011
Bernal/mission: Cesar Chavez
Castro: Duboce Bikeway @ Market St.
Join a neighborhood commuter convoy to head
@ Harrison St. *Spanish*
downtown with fellow riders on Bike to
Chinatown: Kearny @ Washington *Chinese*
Work Day! You can also depart for the South
Civic
Center:
City
Hall,
Polk
Street
steps
Embarcadero: Ferry Building
Locate your nearest Energizer Station, Commuter Convoy and Bike Maintenance location
Bay with a convoy, no rider left behind!
downtown: Market St. @ Battery St.
mission: Valencia @ 19th St. (Mission Playground)
COMMUTER CONVOY
(5-7pm)
MORNING
STATIONS
For locations,
see(7:30-9:30am)
the map on this page or go EVENING STATIONS
(7:30am-2pm)
Nob Hill: Polk @ California St.
Meet at 7:45 am and bike downtown
Castro: Duboce Bikeway @ Market
Bernal/Mission:
Cesar Chavez St @ Harrison St*
to sfbike.org/commuterconvoy.
Embarcadero: Ferry Building
Outer
mission: California Pacific St. Luke’s Campus
with
a
group
of people.
Chinatown: Kearney St at Washington St**
Civic Center: City Hall, Polk Street steps
Inner Richmond: Cabrillo St. @
at 3rd
Cesar
Chavez
and
Bayview:
5191
St
@
Thomas
St Valencia *Spanish*
Embarcadero: Ferry Building
Downtown:
Market
St @Third
Battery
Bayview:
5191
St.St@ Thomas St.
Arguello Blvd. *Chinese*
panhandle:
Panhandle
(Fell & Masonic)
Castro:
17th
St
@
Castro
Plaza
(7:30am-2pm)
Mission: Valencia St @ 19th St
Castro: 17th St. @ Castro Plaza
Inner Sunset: Irving St. @ Seventh Ave. Excelsior: Naples
St
@
Geneva
Plaza
Rainbow
grocery
Co-op:
Division/13th @ Folsom St.
Embarcadero: Ferry Building
Outer Mission: California Pacific Medical
Excelsior: Naples St. @ Geneva Plaza
mid-market:
Market St. @ 12th St.
Marina: 2156SOmA:
ChestnutCaltrain,
St @ Steiner
St St. @ Townsend
Center at St.
Luke's Hospital,
Fourth
Inner Richmond: Cabrillo St @ Arguello Blvd**
marina: 2156 Chestnut St. @ Steiner St.
Cesar Chavez
St @ Valencia
St*St. @ 17th St.
mission:
Valencia
Nob Hill: 1800
Polk StHoward
@ Washington
Inner Sunset: Irving St @ 7th Ave
SOmA:
@ Eighth St.
Nob Hill: 1800 Polk St. @ Washington
Rainbow
Grocery
Co-Op:
Division/13th
St St. & Lincoln
presidio:
Main
Post,
Halleck
St. 2095 Hayes St @ Clayton St
NOPA:
Mid-Market: Market St @ 12th St
@ Folsom St
NOpA: 2095 Hayes St. @ Clayton St.
(6:30-9:30am)
Mission: 2871
24th StEnglish/Spanish
@ Florida St Bilingual Station
Mission: Valencia St @ 17th St
*Spanish*
Nob Hill: Polk St @ California St
mission: 2871 24th St. @ Florida St.
Mariposa
St @ Florida St
SOmA: Caltrain, Fourth St. @ Townsend Potrero: 1890*Chinese*
Presidio: Main Post, Halleck St & Lincoln St
English/Chinese Bilingual Station
SOMA: Caltrain (4th St & King)
potrero: 1890 Mariposa St. @ Florida St.
(6:30-9:30am)
Portola Heights: 673 Portola Dr
SOmA: Folsom St. @ Seventh St.
A local bike shop will be providing free basic bike maintenance.
SOMA: Howard St @ 8th St
@ Teresita Blvd
portola
Dr. @ Teresita Blvd.
SOMA:
CaltrainHeights:
(4th St &673
KingPortola
St)
uCSF: Medical Center, Irving St. @ Second Ave.
Panhandle:
Fell
St
&
Masonic
St
Richmond: 306 Clement St @ 4th Ave
SOMA:
Folsom St @306
7thClement
St
Richmond:
St. @ 4th Ave.
uCSF: Mission Bay, 16th St. @ Owens St.
Sunset: 1618 Noriega St @ 23rd Ave
UCSF:
Medical
Center,
St Mission
@ 2nd Ave
South
Bay:
24thIrving
St. @
St.
3rd St: Cesar Chavez St. @ Third St.
UCSF: (Departs
Mission Bay,
16th Stfor
@ the
Owens
St Bay)
6:20am
South
Western Addition: Kaiser Hospital, Geary @ St.
3rd St:
Cesar Chavez
St @ 3rd St
Sunset:
1618 Noriega
St. @ 23rd Ave.
* English/Spanish Bilingual Station
Joseph’s Ave.
** English/Chinese Bilingual Station
Western Addition: Kaiser Hospital,
Geary
@ St. Joseph’s Ave
DNA
12
C H A I N OF E V E N TS
A PR | MAY | JUNE
The San Francisco Bicycle
Coalition’s cultural history tours
and recreational rides are free
for members unless otherwise
noted. (A $5 donation from
non-members is appreciated.)
Unless otherwise noted, call
415-431-2453 (BIKE) or email
[email protected] for more
information. Rain cancels rides.
Events
vALET BICYCLE pARKINg AT THE
FERRY BuILdINg SATuRdAY
FARmERS mARKET
EvERY SATuRdAY | 8am-2pm |
Harry Bridges Plaza
Pedal to the Ferry Building to fill up
your panniers with local bounty and
park your bike with the San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition. All 52 weeks a year,
the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
will be providing complimentary valet
bike parking in Harry Bridges Plaza.
(Look for the orange tent.)
FREEdOm FROm TRAININg WHEELS
ApR. 2 | Sat. 12 - 2pm | Healthy
Saturdays Kick-off Picnic: 14th Ave e
Picnic Area, Golden Gate Park
ApR. 10 | Sun. 11am - 4pm | Sunday
Streets: Great Highway, location TBD
mAY 8 | Sun. 11am - 4pm | Sunday
Streets: Mission neighborhood,
location TBD
JuNE 12 | Sun. 11am - 4pm | Sunday
Streets: Bayview, location TBD
See sfbike.org/freedom for more
information
Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
for our popular Freedom From Training
Wheels workshops. Our group effort
with instructors on hand to help get
kids riding without training wheels.
Bring bike, helmet and a snack to share.
We’ll take care of the rest. Questions?
Call Neal at 415-431-BIKE x312.
tube times 135
HEALTHY SATuRdAYS
KICK-OFF pICNIC
13
ApR. 2 | Sat. 12pm-2pm | Golden
Gate Park, 14th Ave e Picnic Area
(just west of the rose Garden)
Come enjoy a casual picnic and kidfriendly event in Golden Gate Park
with the SF Bicycle Coalition to kick off
six months of Healthy Saturdays.
We’ll be celebrating recreational street
space with Freedom from Training
Wheels for the kids and good ol’
lounging and chatting with SF Bicycle
Coalition members. Bring a Frisbee,
blanket and snacks or drinks to share
at this potluck picnic.
3Rd ANNuAL BIKE TO SCHOOL dAY
ApR. 7 | Thursday All Day |
At participating San francisco
schools
Join friends and families across San
Francisco as they pedal together for
the 3rd Annual San Francisco Bike to
School Day celebration. Thousands of
students of all ages are expected to
participate. To find out which schools
are riding, or to volunteer go to
sfbiketoschoolday.org.
uRBAN BICYCLINg WORKSHOp
IN-CLASS: INTRO TO SAFE BIKINg
(dAY 1)
ApR. 7 | Thu. 5:30-9:30pm |
Downtown
ApR. 30 | Sat. 10am-2pm | TBD
mAY 7 | Sat. 10am-2pm | TBD
mAY 22 | Sun. 1-5pm | upper Haight
mAY 28 | Sat. 1-5pm | Mission
JuN. 9 | Thu. 5:30-9:30pm |
Downtown
JuN. 19 | Sun. 1-5pm | Laurel Heights
Additional class locations and dates
online at sfbike.org/edu
This four-hour, in-classroom introductory
course is perfect for anyone who wants
to feel more comfortable riding on city
streets. This class will cover the basics
for how to choose the right bike and
properly fit a helmet. Learn tips for the
safest ways to ride in traffic, techniques
to avoid or deal with road hazards and
emergency maneuvers along with other
useful gems of knowledge, like the
best way to lock up your bike and how
to use a bike in combination with
public transit, and biking rights and
responsibilities. Class is open to adults
and anyone over 14 years of age;
preregistration is required — sign up at
sfbike.org/edu.
HOW TO BIKE ANYWHERE
WORKSHOpS
ApR. 18 | Mon. 6:30-7:30pm |
Sf Bicycle Coalition, 833 Market St.,
10th floor
mAY 5 | Thu. 6:30-7:30pm | Sports
Basement; 1590 Bryant St (at 16th) in
the Grotto
Just in time for Bike to Work Day, the
SF Bicycle Coalition’s Bike Buddies will
show you the best way to get around
town quickly and safely by bike and
how to fix a flat tire — the best bike
maintenance skill to have.
COmmuNITY HuBS: FAmILY BIKE
SAFETY TRAININg
ApR. 9 | Sat. 10am-3pm | Webster
elementary School
Join the SF Bicycle Coalition and the
YMCA’s YBIKE program for family
bicycle and pedestrian safety training as
part of the Community Hubs program.
Learn to ride for young and old, helmet
fitting, safety skills, and safe street
crossing. As part of the event, 50
bicycle helmets will be given away. For
more info or to volunteer go to
ybike.org or email [email protected].
SuNdAY STREETS
ApR. 10 | 11am - 4pm |
Sunday Streets: Great Highway
mAY 8 | 11am - 4pm |
Sunday Streets: Mission
JuNE 12 | 11am - 4pm |
Sunday Streets: Bayview
Come play in the streets! Sunday
Streets provides recreational street
space for everyone on second Sundays.
Get involved and sign up to volunteer
for Sunday Streets. The SF Bicycle
Coalition is proud to partner with
Livable City by recruiting and training
more than 200 volunteers for each
event. For route maps and to volunteer
go to sundaystreetssf.com/volunteer.
TREEHOuSE TALK: TAmINg THE
BIKE COmmuTER BEAST
ApR. 14 | Thu. 6-8pm | Sf Bicycle
Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th floor
Taming the Bike Commuter Beast, a
presentation by Timbuk2 CEO and
Marin to SF commuter Mike Wallenfels.
Riding to work can be a daunting
endeavor for newbies, but Timbuk2
CEO Mike Wallenfels has learned how
to make it work. Learn about his
38-mile commute from Novato to San
Francisco’s Mission District. Mike will
share his secrets to bike commuting
success that will get you off the fence
and on your bike.
SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE
COALITION BOARd mEETINg
mAY 24 | Tue. 6:30pm | Sf Bicycle
Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th floor
Everyone’s invited! Contact Leah at
415-431-BIKE x306 or [email protected]
for agenda and details.
NEW mEmBER mEET & gREET
JuNE 14 | Tue. 6:30-7:15pm | Sf
Bicycle Coalition, 833 Market St.,
10th floor
Been an SF Bicycle Coalition member
less than a year? New members are
invited to join us to learn about our
advocacy, education and community
programs that will make SF a model
bicycling city, and how you can get
involved. This is a great opportunity to
learn more about your friendly SF bike
advocacy organization. Bring your bike
up with you! RSVP to [email protected]
or 415-431-BIKE x301.
2011 gOLdEN WHEEL AWARdS
JuNE 15 | Wed. 6-9pm | Green room
at the War Memorial Building, 401
Van Ness Ave.
Join the Bicycle Coalition for this special
evening to watch the premier of
our latest Connecting the City video
and honor individuals who are already
working to connect San Francisco.
Full event details are on page 4 and at
sfbike.org/goldenwheel
INFO WALK: pANHANdLE BIKE pATH
ApR. 24 | Sun. 12:30pm | McKinley
Monument at fell and Baker
Have you ever found yourself
wondering how the Panhandle came to
be the great bike path it is today? Have
you ever wondered what Oak and Fell
used to look like 30, 50 or 100 years
ago? Find out the history of the
Panhandle area and how it relates to
biking, walking, and driving and learn
what the SF Bicycle Coalition and
neighbors have in store to make it even
better! Join us for a walk and talk. No
bicycle needed — this is a walking tour.
BIKE TO WORK dAY
mAY 12 | Thursday All Day | Citywide
Grab a bike to pedal to work and visit
one of 25 SF Bicycle Coalition Energizer
Stations all over town. For all the Bike
to Work Day details, see pages 10-12 or
visit sfbike.org/btwd.
BIKE FROm WORK pARTY +
FASHION SHOW
mAY 12 | Thu. 6-9pm | DNA Lounge,
375 11th St.
Check out the latest in bicycle fashion
and party down after work at the
SF Bicycle Coalition’s big Bike to Work
Day celebration and fashion show,
with DJs, fabulous raffle prizes and
complimentary bicycle valet. $5 for SF
Bicycle Coalition members, $10 for
non-members or join at the door and
get in free. Ages 21+. For more details
see sfbike.org/btwd.
Volunteer
pHONE BANKINg
ApR. 5 & 19, mAY 3 & 17, JuNE 2
& 16 | Tue. 5-8pm | Sf Bicycle
Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th floor
Got the gift of gab? Are you a current or
former member? Volunteer to phone
bank with the SF Bicycle Coalition! No
cold calling, just simple reminders
to friendly lapsed SF Bicycle Coalition
members that their membership has
expired. Come share in the fun.
The more the merrier! We provide
dinner and good company. Contact
[email protected].
OuTREACH TRAININg
ApR. 12, 28, mAY 3 | 6:30-7:30pm |
Sf Bicycle Coalition, 833 Market St.,
10th floor
mAY 7 | Sat. 1-2pm | Sports
Basement; 1590 Bryant St (at 16th) in
the Grotto
JuNE 14 | Tue. 7:30-8:30pm | Sf
Bicycle Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th
floor
Interested in volunteering to be a
bicycle ambassador at events all over
town, like Bike to Work Day, festivals,
races and SF Bicycle Coalition Service
Stations? Then this training is a must!
Learn ways to engage people, how
to sign up new members and more!
RSVP to [email protected].
vOLuNTEER NIgHT
mARIN HEAdLANdS ART RIdE
ApR. 13 & 27, mAY 25,
JuNE 8 | Wed. 5-8pm | Sf Bicycle
Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th floor
This twice-monthly tradition has been
happening for as long as we can
remember, but newcomers are always
welcome. So stop by, snack on tasty
treats, chat with fellow members, and
help us keep our organization rolling.
Dinner is provided. Bring a friend — the
more the merrier! Don’t forget to
bring your bike up to the 10th floor!
Questions? Email [email protected]
or just show up.
ApR. 17 | Sun. 12pm | McLaren
Lodge in Golden Gate Park at
Stanyan St. and JfK Drive
Take a merry ride over the bridge to the
Headlands Center for the Arts and drop
in on their spring Open House. Meet
Artists in Residence and Affiliate Artists
in their studios, see and discuss current
works-in-progress, and check out this
very groovy scene nesting in the former
Fort Barry site. The Open House is
free, but bring snack money and an
appetite for aesthetic intrigue.
Email [email protected] for more info.
BIKE TO WORK dAY
BAg-STuFFINg pARTY
REC RIdE: CHEESE, BEER & BIKES
mAY 4 | Wed. 5-8pm | Sports
Basement; 1590 Bryant St. (at 16th) in
the Grotto
Be a part of the magic behind Bike to
Work Day and the San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition’s biggest Volunteer
Night of the year at our annual Bike to
Work Day Bag Stuffing Party! We will
stuff 6,000 reusable canvas bags full of
goodies. Enjoy good company, snacks
and dinner on us. Please note that this
event is not at the SF Bicycle Coalition
office. Indoor bike parking provided
(take the elevator down to the Grotto).
Questions? Email [email protected].
TuBE TImES FOLdINg pARTY
JuNE 22 | Wed. 5-8pm | Sf Bicycle
Coalition, 833 Market St., 10th floor
It’s time to get the summer issue of the
Tube Times out on the street! The SF
Bicycle Coalition office will be hopping
with friendly folks — chatting, snacking,
and folding away until the folding
is done. Can you come out and help
spread the news about biking in the
city? Dinner is provided. Bring your
bike up to the 10th floor. Questions?
Email [email protected] or just show
up to volunteer.
Rides
ApR 23 | Sat. 12:30pm | McKinley
Monument in the Panhandle at fell
and Baker
Do you eat cheese? Drink beer? Ride
a bike? Yes, yes and yes! Come out
for a tour of the city’s finest fromageries
and an introductory lesson on pairing
cheese and beer. Ride is about two hours
and will finish at a small neighborhood
beer bar to sample and share our
selections. Bring cash to buy cheese
and beer. Ride size limited to 40, ages
21+; RSVP to [email protected].
BICYCLES ANd THE HumAN
mACHINE RIdE
mAY 7 | Sat. 10:30am-1:30pm |
Starting point and details emailed
upon registration
As you prepare for your two-wheeled
Bike to Work Day commute, get to
know how your body powers the
pedals on a pleasant ride through the
Presidio. Investigate yourself as a
human machine, take a closer look at
the muscles in a leg, and trace the path
of a blood cell through the heart. Join
Exploratorium educator Ken Finn and
Discovery Street Tours leader Robin
Marks on this moderately hilly eightmile bike ride. Riders must be members
of either the Exploratorium or the SF
Bicycle Coalition, and are welcome to
join either organization on the day of
the event. This ride requires a bicycle,
a helmet, and the ability to ride eight
miles in a group. Preregistration
required, $20, limited to 30 attendees.
To register, go to exploratorium.edu/
membership/programs and click
on Excursions.
CITY BIKE TOuR OF LITERARY
HISTORY
mAY 28 | Sat. 11:15am | Meet at
Mechanic’s Institute Library, Post at
Montgomery
Ride through the literary history of San
Francisco. Tour neighborhoods as varied
as North Beach and the Mission while
learning facts, tidbits, and heresy about
the city’s writerly past. Be prepared to
meet some authors along the way.
Expect a two-hour, fairly easygoing ride
(minimal hills!). Eat beforehand, but
time permitting (and desired) we will
stop in a coffeehouse for refueling.
SF BICYCLE COALITION RIdES
pRIdE pARAdE
JuNE 26 | Sun. | Details available
upon registration
There’s a lot of byke pride in the ranks
of the SF Bicycle Coalition, and we let it
shine big and bright for San Francisco’s
annual LGBT Pride parade. Join other
fun and festive SF Bicycle Coalition
members for one of the most thrilling
rides you’ll ever experience pedaling
down Market Street before an audience
of over half a million. This event is open
to all current members. To register,
email [email protected].
gOOd ROAdS RIdE
the SF Bicycle Coalition Presents:
Bike From Work
PARTY &
FASHION
SHOW
Thursday, May 12, 2011 6-9pm
DNA Lounge (375 11th St.)
Come by and bring a friend! See the latest
in bicycling style during the fashion show.
DJs, fabulous raffle prizes and complimentary
bicycle valet. $5 for SF Bicycle Coalition
members, $10 for non-members or join at
the door and get in free. Ages 21+
Fashion Show styled
by Gwendolyn Lee Productions
With thanks to sponsor
SPRING 2011
ApR. 2 | Sat. 10am-12pm
JuNE 4 | Sat. 10am-12pm
See sfbike.org/goodroads for meeting
locations
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s
Good Roads crew will make our usual
sweeps through new neighborhoods to
make your rides smoother and safer.
Our goal is to mark every pothole, crack
and trench with spray paint and report it
to 311 for rapid repair. We usually
average 50 potholes in just two hours.
Following our street action, we’ll
celebrate with drinks and lunch. Firsttimers always welcome; we’re a
friendly group! Visit sfbike.org/goodroads
for more information and starting
locations. Email [email protected] to be
kept on the email list, or if your
neighborhood’s streets are in need of a
pothole sweep!
14
SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE COALITION
833 Market St., 10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
NoNPRoFIT
oRGANIZATIoN
US PoSTAGE
PAID
SAN FRANCISCo, CA
PERMIT # 3819
AddRESS SERvICE REQuESTEd
SEE YoUR NAME HERE!
Get the TUBE TIMES delivered to your door
by becoming an SF Bicycle Coalition member.
(MEMBERSHIP FoRM BELoW)
Become a San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition
member and get
discounts all over town!
ApRIL 7TH
is San Francisco’s
Annual Bike to School
day celebration
American Cyclery, Arizmendi Bakery*, Avenue Cyclery,
Bay City Bike Rentals, Bespoke Cyclery, Big Swingin’ Cycles,
Bike Friday, Bike Hut, Bike Kitchen, Bike Nook, Blazing
Saddles Bike Rental, Box Dog Bikes, Canyon Market, Chrome
Bags,Citizen Chain, City Carshare, City Cycle, City Kayak,
Crumpler, DD Cycles, Department Seventeen, Dolores Park
Cafe, Duboce Park Cafe, Farley’s, Freewheel, Fresh Air
Bicycles, Golden State Health, Good Hotel, Green Apple
Books, Greens on the Go, Heavy Metal Bike Shop, Helmet
Lock, High Trails Cyclery, Hole In The Wall Saloon, Kasa
Indian, Lombardi Sports, Mike’s Bikes, Missing Link, Mission
Bicycles, Mission Workshop, Mojo Bicycle Cafe, Momentum
Magazine, Noe Valley Cyclery, Nomad Cyclery, Ocean Cyclery,
ODC Dance Studio, Other Avenues Co-op*, Pacific Bikes,
Pedal Express, Pedal Revolution, PUBLIC Bikes, Pushbike,
Rainbow Grocery*, Refried Cycles, Rickshaw Bagworks,
Roaring Mouse Cycles, Sacred Grounds, San Francisco
Cyclery, See Jane Run, Sports Basement, Timbuk2, True
Massage + Wellness, Valencia Cyclery, Velo Rouge Cafe,
Warm Planet Bikes, Zipcar, Zoic
and we’re expecting
thousands of kids
of all ages to ride in.
Learn more at
sfbiketoschoolday.org
*Must arrive by bike to receive discount. See sfbike.org/discounts for details.
Rainbow Grocery Discount is confirmed through December 2011.
PHoTo BY: M. CREHAN
JOIN THE SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE COALITION!
Become a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and help us connect the city and make it a better place to bicycle,
plus get a Tube Times subscription, discounts, free bike trailer and air travel bike box rentals and more. See sfbike.org/membership for all the benefits.
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mAKE CHECKS pAYABLE TO: SFBC, 833 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Barter memberships are available in exchange for volunteer time. If you’re interested in a
charitable deduction for your contribution, contact Jodie at 415-431-BIKE x305.
Check with your employer about matching your donation.
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r Do not share my name, even with cool organizations the SF Bicycle Coalition likes.
r $35 oNE YEAR MEMBERSHIP
r $250 TWo-WHEELED WoNDER*
r Volunteer Night (every other Weds.)
r attending public meetings
(families: add $10 each additional member)
r $500 VELoRUTIoNARY*
r staffing an information table
r newsletter writing
r $52 A BuCK A WEEK
r $1,000 HIGH WHEELER*
r daytime office assistance
r newsletter mailing/distribution
r phonebanking
r other: �������������������������������
ADDRESS � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �
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r VISA r MASTERCARD
EXPIRATIoN DATE
I WANT TO VOLUNTEER!
r $120 CRUISER’S CLUB*
r valet bike parking at events
*includes FREE SF Bicycle Coalition T-Shirt: Standard Size���� oR Form-Fit Size�����
2011-SPRING
Printed with soy ink on recycled paper, 30% post-consumer waste content