CHECKLIST for Cycling to Work

I. Determine your route to work.
The route you drive to work may not be the same one to bike to work. First, choose roads that have wide outside lanes or paved shoulders. Collector streets (those that are at the half mile mark between major streets) are often a good choice. Second, drive the route during your normal commuting time to determine potential traffic problems. Third, bicycle the route on a weekend to examine the road surface for potential problem intersections and the approximate time it will take you.

II. Talk to your employer.
Inform your supervisor that you will be commuting by bicycle. Ask where the bicycle can be parked during working hours, and what, if any, advance arrangements need to be made.

III. Check out your bike.
Make sure your bicycle is in proper working order. Not only should all the mechanical parts be in good repair (e.g. brakes, tire, gears) but the bicycle should be adjusted properly for seat height, handlebars, etc. If you do not have a helmet, borrow one or buy one. If you will be riding at night, you need and must have a light.

I. Dress for the Occasion.
Wear a helmet. It's also a good idea to bike in comfortable cycling clothes; either pack a bag with your work clothes, or bring your attire the day before you cycle (so they won't get wrinkled). Also make sure you have a place to change and freshen up, and keep a "kit" of toilet articles and a towel at work.

II. Pump Up.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated. If they are low, it will make riding more difficult.

I. Don't cycle on an empty stomach
You will need energy for your ride, so eat a good breakfast and take along something to eat along your way.

II. Get an early start.
The first time you bike to work, allow yourself a little more time than you think you will need. If you tested the route on the weekend as suggested you will know the approximate time it takes. BUT remember, rush hour traffic may slow you down.

Commuter Dude says:

No more sweaty back.  When it's 95 degrees, you don't want a messenger bag on your back.  Try quick-release saddlebags that attach easily.

Tape your frame for visibility.  Apply easy-to-remove electrical tape to your frame, then stick reflector tape to the electrical tape.

Use your ears. You can often tell if a car driver sees you by the pitch of the tires and engine.

Avoid burnout.  Don't feel guilty. Take a day off from bike commuting once in a while.

Join clubs.  You never know what a bike club might be doing that will benefit your riding, even if you don't bike commute.

Benefits to the Individual

Employees realize the benefits of bicycling and having a healthy lifestyle:

• Research shows that regular cycling can cut the chances of heart disease in half.

• It is often faster to bicycle to work than to drive if your commute is through streets clogged with traffic congestion.

• It is usually easier to park a bike than it is a car, and it is certainly less expensive.

• Cycling may save money by reducing the wear on your automobile.

Characteristics of the Bicycle Commuter

•  Usually commutes five miles; ten miles is possible.

•  Requires no schedule coordination.

•  Owns a bike.  Knows how to ride.

•  Money or health-conscious.

•  Evenly divided between male and female.

•  Many management level, state employees and blue collar worker are open to the idea.

Bicyclists Concerns  -- Solutions

Showers in building or joint use agreement with a building that has showers
Alcohol

        Wrinkled clothes

Locker with clothes for a week
Garment bag over the back of the office door
Garment bag panniers on the bike

    Personal safety

Buddy Bicyclist program
Safe route planning.  Talk to other cyclists.  Go a block or a mile around a bad area.

    Traffic

Bicycle to a carpool or park & ride lot.
Use the bike trail
CHP has a pamphlet on safe riding
Take a safe cycling course

Tips for Hosting a Bicycle Pit Stop

• Greet cyclists as they arrive with a big sign, banner and if possible, cheering co-workers.

• Provide beverages such as water, electrolyte drinks, juice, coffee and snacks such as energy bars, bagels or fruit.

• Create a festive atmosphere with music or give-away prizes.

• Ask a local bike shop to do on-site tune-ups and safety checks.

Benefits to the Employer when Employees Cycle to Work

Employers are now recognizing the benefits of encouraging their employees to be healthy and bicycling is part of a healthy lifestyle.  There are other benefits to the employer:

• People that cycle to work regularly are more productive and take less time off for sickness.    When they don't have to fight traffic jams, cyclists arrive at work less frustrated and the morning exercise makes them more alert.

• With less staff driving cars to work, less parking space is required.

• Organizations that encourage bicycling are perceived as environmentally aware and concerned employers.

Census data show that 1.8 percent of commute trips in the four county Sacramento area are made by bicycle.  This is the highest in the nation (followed by the Phoenix area at 1.4 percent).  A bicycle friendly worksite can increase this to three or even five percent.

The Sacramento TMA encourages employers to make their buildings bicycle friendly.  There are a number of ways to do this, from major facility improvements such as showers, lockers and secured bicycle lockers, to simple changes such as adjusting access gates into the parking garage so cyclists can enter without encountering obstacles that may cause them to fall.

One of the best ways to encourage bicycle commuting and improve the facilities for bicyclists at your worksite is to meet with your cyclists as a group.   One or two enthusiastic cyclists can be the foundation for a Bicycle Users Group (BUG).   With minor coordination, the group can meet monthly for brown bag lunch training sessions or interesting speakers.  Several TMA members have very active Bicycle User Groups and are happy to share their ideas with other TMA members.   Contact the TMA via e-mail at the bottom of this page.

A Step by Step Guide to Starting a Bicycle Users Group

A Bicycle Users Group may meet for lunch once a month to exchange information on equipment, safety, and safe commute routes.  The meetings may have guest speakers about a variety of topics, or they may just be an informal opportunity to meet other employees interested in cycling.  The group can also identify the need for facilities to support bicycle commuting.  Here's a guide on how to organize a group.

1.     Identify interested cyclists.  Contact them by e-mail, company newsletter, or leaving a note on parked bicycles.  Try to identify people who might bicycle as well as those that already do.

2.     Hold a short meeting.  Find out why people may not be bicycling to work.   These reasons may involve the cost, safety, security, uncertainty about routes, concern about physical fitness, or  lack of worksite facilities.  Set your goals and develop an action plan.   Keep your goals simple and realistic.   You may receive suggestions on a number of ideas:

• Showers, changing facilities or lockers for a change of clothing

• Secure bicycle parking

• A newsletter or contributions to an employee newsletter.  Dedicated space on a bulletin board for cycling posters or announcements.

• Policies that encourage cycling, including casual dress on Fridays, use of a company car if needed during the work day for company business, or  ride arrangements if a cyclist has an emergency and doesn't have a car at work.

• On-site amenities such as an ATM or food services.

Allocate the tasks in your Action Plan among the group.  Then decide how you are going to present your ideas to management.

You may want to split this step into several meetings so the meetings don't last too long.   Some people will attend because they want to support the concept rather than actually spend time on projects.  Those people will help you in other areas within the organization.

3.     Gain support from management.  Find a hero, someone that bicycles or recognizes the benefits of cycling and can represent your group or advise you on the best approach for presenting your ideas and suggestions.

4.     Present your ideas to management. 

• Remember not to present a problem without proposing a solution (and perhaps a way to pay for it).

• Book an appointment.

• Have your Action Plan prepared to distribute.

• Be prepared to answer questions on problems including financial and space requirements.  It may be possible to demonstrate that some improvements may save the organization money.

• Be positive when selling the benefits of commuter cycling.

• Stress the cost-effectiveness of your proposals.

• Present information on support for bicycling within the organization and the health and environmental benefits of cycling.  Collect favorable articles from the local press.   (The Sacramento Bee did a great article on SMUD bicycle commuters on the front page of the Metro section on May 20, 1998.)

• Leave with a date set for a future meeting.

5.     Keep the Bicycle Users Group interested by arranging activities for them.

• Arrange social events and encourage new and potential cyclists to attend.  Sponsor group rides during lunch or before or after work.

• Recognize bicycle commuters with photos and articles in company newsletters.  Mention their accomplishments, ideas and changes.

• Set up bicycle commute partners to help new cyclists.

• Take advantage of events where you can promote cycling, whether an employer-sponsored health fair or a relocation of employees to a new building.  The change to daylight savings time or the opening of a new stretch of bike paths are also opportunities to attract new bicycle commuters.  An employee at the California Air Resources Board tapes the Tour de France in July and plays it in a break room at mid-day so other employees, who were eating lunch at their desk anyway, can come down and watch the event while they eat.

• Promote bicycle commuting during new employee orientations.  Provide information to employees that drive about the importance of sharing the road with bicyclists.

• Provide Sacramento Area bike maps produced with funding from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, the Sacramento TMA, and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.

• Get copies of brochures with cycling information, laws, bicycling tips, common causes of bicycle and motor vehicle accidents, equipment, safety, etc., from the California Highway Patrol, the League of American Bicyclists, the California Bicycle Safety Network the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the California State Automobile Association.

• Support local bicycle events such as Bike Commute Week in May.

• Work with local and state government officials to develop better bicycle facilities.  Develop a resource list for bicycle commuters with the names and phone numbers of city and county representatives to call for cycling obstacles and problems such as potholes and debris on the roads.

• Set up monthly brown bag lunch meetings with guest speakers on interesting topics. 

Bicycle Users Group Meeting Topics

Your speaker may be an expert from outside your organization or you may invite your employees to speak about their experiences.  There is often a wealth of knowledge  within your group.  You can thank the employee with a note and a copy to their supervisor.

• How to pick a bike route

• Getting ready for the first ride

• Basic bike maintenance

• Fixing a flat

• How to choose a commuter bike

• Fitting a bike and cyclist posture (cyclist ergonomics)

• Riding in traffic

• Skills clinics

• Defensive cycling and cycling risks  (presented by an attorney or insurance expert)

• Proper clothing and equipment

• Helmet selection

• Health and fitness benefits

• Nutrition for cyclists

• Cold weather / hot weather cycling

• Night riding (lighting)

• Recreational cycling and touring

• Setting cycling goals

Bikes on Light Rail any Time

Accommodate Bicyclists Downtown

Sacramento's bike routes are not well integrated into the city's transportation system, indicating to bicycle commuters that the city views the bicycle as a recreational toy, rather than a serious transportation alternative.

Once bicyclists reach downtown, they're forced to negotiate city streets with no bike lanes.  Where lanes exist, other vehicles often use them, or they are blocked by parked cars.

Other cities in this country and Europe are taking a different approach, and the percent of trips made by bicycle reflects success.

Muenster, Germany (pop. 270,000) has 156 miles of separated bike paths in its central city and surrounding suburbs.  In a 1994 survey, 32 percent of all trips in Muenster were made by bicycle (compared to the current estimate of 1.5 percent of all trips in Sacramento). Muenster and other major German cities have taken other steps to make their urban streets bicycle friendly -- including giving bicycles priority right-of-way on some streets. This is occurring, mind you, in a country that has, next to the U.S., the second highest per capita ownership of automobiles in the world.

Closer to home, Portland, Ore., experienced a tripling of bicycle trips to its central city after retrofitting four of its gateway bridges over the Willamette River with either designated bike lanes or widened sidewalks.

Palo Alto, Berkeley, Portland and Eugene, Ore., have successfully introduced bicycle-friendly streets. On these "bike boulevards," traffic barriers at intersections discourage autos from using them as thoroughfares, while bicycles can pass right through.

Downtown Sacramento has a similar opportunity in its northeast quadrant, where traffic-calming measures are already in place and where further steps could be taken to encourage bicycle commuters from East Sacramento. Many of them already use E Street, which has a few bike-porous traffic barriers in midtown. Why not make E Street similarly bike-friendly all the way into the heart of downtown?

Downtown's 11th Street, already equipped with bike lanes, attracts bike commuters from Land Park and other south area neighborhoods, but could be improved with stop signs or traffic signals regulating the heavy east-west auto traffic on P, Q, S and T streets. (The Sacramento City Council recently directed city staff to identify a north-south bike route for downtown commuters; other candidates, in addition to 11th Street, are 13th, 19th and 21st streets, all of which could be fitted with bike lanes.)

Admittedly, taking these kinds of steps would require something many Sacramentans are loath to do: favor any mode of transportation other than the auto. Our expanding waistlines and narrow sidewalks are testimony to that.

Our fixation on the automobile is also having less obvious but serious health impacts. According to mounting medical evidence, the fine particulate matter in auto emissions is causing high rates of asthma in physically active children, and heart disease and lung cancer in adults.

Today's bicyclists are hardy pioneers, willing to risk the hazards of a mode of transportation distinctly outside the mainstream, that has received only haphazard support from government.

If we truly want cleaner air and a healthier society, we need to appeal to marginal auto commuters, the ones who've been thinking about dusting off the old 10-speed. To lure them out of their gas-guzzlers we have to convince them that bicycle commuting is not just for the bold and the brave, that it is a relatively safe form of transportation. We can go a long way toward achieving this with bike lanes on all major arterials and specially designated bike routes.

A policy shift that treats cycling as a viable, adult form of transportation would, if the European model is any indication, mean greater responsibilities for cyclists, including safety checks and a stricter application of traffic laws to two-wheeled travel. (The one current advantage to the secondary status of bicyclists is that police tend to look the other way when they run a red light or roll through a stop sign.)

Other cities are showing that it is possible to both think and plan multi-modally. The Germans have relatively astronomical rates of bike use because they have made conscious, public-policy decisions to promote that mode of travel. Here in this country we have been making policy decisions in favor of the automobile for over half a century, with the predictable results. Isn't it time we broadened our approach and invited cyclists into our cities?

Drive to the Fair, pay $17. Ride a bike, pay $8

The California State Fair offers free valet bike parking to those that arrive by bike, and you get a coupon for $2 off the regular $10 admission price. If you drive, parking at the fair is $7 and admission is $10.

The valet bike parking is located near the fair's main entrance gate and is open every day during fair hours. I did it last weekend and it’s really easy!

Take the bike trail heading west (from, for example, Sac State). Right before the railroad tracks, the trail splits and the trail to the right has Tribute Road painted on the path. Go to the right, which leads to the levee near Tribute Road

Follow the levee a short ride east right into Lot A of Cal Expo. Then head east across the lot to the attended, valet bike parking at the Main Gate.

You can see the levee road on the map, and how it ends at the parking lot. Between the levee and the parking lot entrance is the only short, (20-foot stretch) that's actually on the street.

For more information, call the Sacramento Transportation Management Association  (916) 737-1513  or E-mail Us

Please note the TMA's new mailing address: P O Box 19520 Sacramento, CA  95819-0520
               
Last modified: 04/21/08    Copyright© 2008