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Bicycle. A Machine of Empowerment
or Oppression?Meredith Begin
@biker_mbeginhttp://meredithbegin.blogspot.com
Why do we ride?
Why Do People Commute by Bicycle?
According to a survey of 2,400 cyclists: 95% ride for health and
fitness82% do it for the
environment52% bike to avoid congestion46% ride to save money on
gasoline34% want to avoid car-
parking costs and availability
Biking is Healthy for Individuals
3 hours of riding per week reduces the risk of heart disease & stroke by 50%
Women who bike 30+ minutes a day for 3 days have a lower risk of breast cancer
Adolescents who bike are 48% less likely to be overweight as adults
82% of bicycle commuters believe their health has improved since they started bicycle commuting.
Biking is listed as the safest way to get physical activity.
A study of nearly 2,400 adults found that those who biked to work were fitter, leaner, less likely to be obese, and had better triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin levels than those who didn't active commute to work.
Bicycle commuting burns an average of 540 calories per hour.
Biking Helps Communities
A report estimated that Portland, Oregon's regional trail network saves the city approximately $115 million per year in healthcare costs
People are more likely to bike for transportation if they have social support from family and friends.
Biking Helps Communities
Events bring people together
Charity events/ridesBreaks down
anonymous & exclusive barriers (more exposure)
People feel a stronger connection to their neighbors, and local shops and restaurants
Biking Generates Economic Benefits
The U.S. bicycle industry sold $5.9 billion in bicycles and equipment in 2008
Twice as many bicycles are sold in the U.S. each year than cars
Studies have shown that homes closer to bike paths are more valuable
Bicycle touring is a multi-million dollar industry
Of the $1.5 billion travel/tourism industry in WI; $900Million from bike touring; $500million was from out of state
Biking Improves Public Health & the Environment
Biking is Affordable
• On a round-trip commute of 10 miles, bicyclists save around $10 a day.
• The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308, less than 4% that of an average car ($8,220 — more than spending on food!).
Biking Reduces Our Dependence on Foreign Oil
One of every 10 barrels of crude oil ends up in U.S. gasoline tanks
If all Americans ages 10-64 were to bicycle instead of drive for 60 minutes a day, gasoline demand would be reduced by 48 billion gallons, equal to 35% of 2005 domestic oil consumption.
Biking is Fun and Convenient!
Most trips Americans make are short: 49% are less than 3 miles, 39% are less than 2 miles, and 24% are less than 1 mile
No need to circle around for a place to park
Takes the same amount of time regardless of traffic
Why don’t we ride?
I don’t have a bike
Falling hurts/Its dangerous
Lack confidence in abilities
Bad weather
Lack of safe places to ride
Don’t know how to fix my bike
Get a Bike or a BikeShare Membership!
Capital Bikeshare http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/ $75 for annual membership $25 for monthly membership $5 for 24 hours Free for first half hour, fees for use beyond half-hour
Up to $240 tax-free for bike commuting Craigslist, bike swaps, even a new bike is a great investment
Cycling is Actually Pretty Safe
The average commuter cyclist has just 1 accident every 8.7 years.
There is safety in numbers: the more cyclists there are, the safer bicycling is
The risk of fatality while cycling is just once every 20 million miles, or over 800 times around the world.
The health benefits of cycling outweigh the safety risks by a factor of 20 to one.
Practice Makes Perfect
Parking lots, alleyways, Beach Drive
Ride a stationary bike to increase endurance (spin classes!)
50% of trips Americans make are less than 3 miles — about a 15-20 minute ride at an easy pace.
Even the best riders might make a mistake. The key is to learn how to fall — roll onto your back!
A Tip: Don’t Cross Your Chain
Don’t do this: Do this:
Battling the Elements
Layers, layers, layers Base layer to whisk
moisture away from the body
Wool keeps the warmth in, even if wet, but many synthetic blends are designed to act like wool
Fenders keep your butt and dry
Wet shoes? Stuff with wadded up newspaper overnight.
Wipe down your bike with damp towel (old t-shirts!) after rainy day or when there is a lot of salt on the roads. Re-oil chain!
Lights!!
Why We Need More Bike Facilities
47% of Americans say they would like more bike facilities in their communities
After a bike and pedestrian lane was installed on a South Carolina bridge, 67% of users indicated that their activity levels had increased since the opening of the lane.
After bicycle lanes were installed post-Katrina on a New Orleans, Louisiana street, there was a 57% increase in the number of cyclists and a 133% increase in the number of female cyclists.
Everyone Can Learn toFix/Maintain a Bike
Bicycle is a simple machine
Free classes at bike shops for fixing flats, rim cleaning, drive-train care, brake adjustments
Farmers Markets Mt. Pleasant 14th and U Street NW Bloomingdale Glover Park
Is there interest in a bike workshop/gathering?
Bicycling and Oppression
Why do we give so much public space to motorized vehicles?
Why do we designate so much public funding on private, single occupancy motorized vehicles?
In a conflict between a bicyclist and an automobile, who wins?
Biking and Gender
Bicycling and Gender Women less likely to bike
than men In the U.S., 35% of all
bicycle trips are made by women and 65% are made by men.
A census of cyclists in Calgary, Canada found that 75% of cyclists commuting downtown were male. Why?
Women are under-represented in the world of bike racing Women aren’t even allowed
to enter the Le Tour de France
Winners’ purse favors male races
“Unique in the mountain biking industry, the cash purse will be split 50/50 between men and women.”
Bicycling and Empowermen
t"The bicycle has done
more for the emancipation of women than anything
else in the world." -Susan B. Anthony, 1896
Bicycling and Empowerment at the End of the 19th Century
The bicycle allowed for movement into new spaces
Women now had a vessel with which one could not only develop autonomous power
Women were now able to leave behind the old reliance upon men for travel
The bicycle mandated that women cast off their corsets and figure out some way around their long, billowy skirts
My experiences, my story…
Shifting gears
Drive
Confidence
Clinics
Girls beefing with girls
Agoraphobia
On being a female bike messenger:
Pros: Some companies
prefer to hire women
Clients have more confidence that females will do it right
Building securityCry your way to
more work
Cons: Believed that
women get more work simply because we’re female
Lack of confidence when asked to carry big/heavy objects
During my tenure, approx. 5 % of couriers were women
Riding Safely
But really, the right side of the road can have many obstacles and actually be more dangerous. there is usually a lot of debris, cracked surfaces,
and doors to the right of the road. Vehicles pulling out of driveways or making turns
onto the road you’re traveling on cannot see you early enough
Victims of the “right-hook”
If the lane is too narrow for an automobile to pass you with the required 3-feet, then go ahead and take the entire lane
The law says to ride to the RIGHT as much as possible.
Riding Safely
Communicate and Be Predictable Use hand
signals Look other road
users in the eye Move to the front
of a line of cars at a stop light
Wear a helmet Make sure it fits
properly
What to Do in Case of a Crash
If you’re hurt in a traffic crash, don’t ride away or shake off what seems like a minor injury—you might find later that it’s worse than you thought. Instead: Call the police (911 or 311 or #77). If needed, get medical help
immediately. Get the following information from every vehicle: driver name,
address, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, make of car, insurancecompany name and policy number.
Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses. Get the police report number from police on the scene. Write down how the crash happened while it’s fresh in your
memory. Keep (or photograph) any damaged clothes or equipment.
What to Do in Case of a Crash
Also, if you’re a victim:
Don’t get mad at the scene. Keep a level head so you can ask questions and take notes
If injured, don’t move unless you’re sure you won’t hurt yourself more.
Your bicycle is your
friend. Don’t lose it! Lock it ALWAYS!
Lock up your wheels/saddle!Quick release skewers/axel rodAllen key skewersLocking skewers
Lock Through Head Tube or Seat Tube
Locking your bike (cont)
Standard bike racks Lock 2 wheels and
frame Long-term bike
parking BICYCLE
COMMUTER AND PARKING EXPANSION AMENDMENT ACT OF 2010
Residential Commercial
Resource Links
http://www.dcbac.blogspot.com
http://www.waba.org
http://www.capitalbikeshare.com
http://www.bikesbelong.org
http://www.peopleforbikes.org
