Feb - Mar ’05
ISSUE
102
SAN FRANCISCO
BICYCLE COALITION
P R O M O T I N G T H E B I C Y C L E F O R E V E R Y D AY T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
FREE
How to Marry a Bicyclist
Making the Rainbow
Connection on
Folsom St.
Rainbow Grocery customers
and Folsom Street commuters had reason to rejoice
recently as work crews laid
down the final paint job on
the long-awaited extension of
the Folsom Street bike
lanes, from 11th Street to
14th Street. This important
addition to our city’s Bike
Network was made, thanks
to the good work of the
Department of Parking &
Traffic’s Bike Program as well
as the support provided by
the letters, postcards, and
calls from SFBC members.
For updates on other key
Bike Network projects, see
page 3
www.sfbike.org
Finding shared values is a factor in any relationship,
and bicycling can make for an excellent foundation.
Who better than your own life partner to share your
exhilaration at new bike lanes being striped? Imagine
not having to explain why you need three bikes (one
beater, one touring, one Burning Man). It’s also a
practical issue: if one person bikes to a date and the
other drives, where do you go from there?
For those of you who want to include your bikes in
your Valentine’s Day celebrations, we offer the following four-step process to finding the bicyclist of your
dreams—and riding off into the sunset together.
Step 1: Decide What You Really Want
The first step in marrying a bicyclist is determining
the sort of cyclist you want to spend the rest of your
life with. As you are probably aware, all bicyclists are
not created equal. For some, bicycling is a mode of
transportation; for others, it’s a way of life. Some strap
a bike to the back of their Saab to hit the trails in
Marin, while others ride to City Hall to speak out in
support of the latest bike lane proposals.
Is bicycling more of a practical or political statement—or both—for you? Knowing your own attitude
toward biking can help you decide on what you’re
looking for in a partner. Realize, though, that with each
qualification you put on a potential spouse, the fewer
people you have to choose from. Even if they don’t
already bike for everyday transportation, you can
always convince them.
Step 2: Find an Eligible Bicyclist
My grandmother has a saying: “If you want to meet a
nice Jewish girl, go to synagogue!” Along similar lines,
if you want to meet a bicyclist, go to Zeitgeist. Or
ZCritical Mass. Or any SFBC event.
Longtime SFBC member Emily Tilles met an eligible
bachelor on the Howard Street bike lanes soon after
they were striped. She simply struck up a conversation
at a stop sign, and you can too.
What should be your opening line? How about, “So,
what do you think of the new bike lanes?” Or “Boy, we
could use a bike lane on <insert name of street
here>.” Or “Didn’t you outbid me at the Winterfest
auction?”
Newlyweds Patricia Gideon and Christopher Sharron
(see “How I Married a Bicyclist,” below) knew they
were destined to bike together forever when they met
at a friend’s birthday party. How did they know? As
Patricia puts it, “I was walking out the door when I saw
this nice-looking guy in an SFBC T-shirt. He said he was
a member and didn’t even own a car.”
If you don’t want to go to events or be caught stalking the local bike racks, you can always look online.
On Friendster, there are currently more than 500 single
men and women in the Bay Area who mention biking
and bicycling as interests. Regardless of the social networking site you use, consider featuring a bicycle or
helmet in your main photo to clearly broadcast your
interests. If all that fails, Cycling Singles (www.cyclingsingles.com) is a site that focuses specifically on pairing
up two-wheelers.
C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4
FOR UPCOMING SF BIKE EVENTS: www.sfbike.org/chain
PHOTO: SF HISTORY CENTER, SF PUBLIC LIBRARY
PHOTO: NINA BALL
Are you lonely? Always locking your
bicycle to a rack with no bike beside it?
Do you have visions of riding a bicycle
built for two? In honor of Valentine’s Day,
we offer a guide to turning two-wheeled
fun into four.
From Leah’s Desk
Happy New Year!
K, so you’re probably not reading this until February or March, but I think it’s not too late in
the year to wish you a happy 2005. In fact, I
encourage us to say it all year long because I think
it is going to be a good year for the Coalition, and
for bicycling in general.
Why so rosy a prediction for 2005? For starters,
much of our advocacy success hinges on convincing local decision makers to support our agenda,
and we are thrilled to see another pro-bike Board
of Supervisors in office this term (see Quick
Releases, page 3). And we have reason to believe
that Mayor Newsom will be an ally to the SFBC’s
work in the coming year, hopefully helping to fasttrack key bike projects.
And there are plenty of bike projects that need
nudges. Thanks to the SFBC’s last two years of
outreach work to help create the Bicycle Plan
Update, in partnership with the city’s Department
of Parking & Traffic and Transportation Authority,
we have at least 20 prime projects that will dramatically improve biking in San Francisco. Now,
SFBC members will be needed to ensure that
these projects are implemented A.S.A.P. You know
what that means: we’ll be looking for committee
leaders and volunteers for several new grassroots
campaigns. Stay tuned for calls for help in the
Biker Bulletins. (If you’re not getting the SFBC’s
weekly e-mail Bulletins, sign up at
www.sfbike.org/lists.)
Organizationally, the SFBC is strong, with plans
to grow stronger. We increased from 4,200 to
4,500 members in 2004. This year, we will launch
an unprecedented Membership Campaign to reach
5,000 members in 2005. I want to take this opportunity to thank our members for their generosity
during the past year. We not only reached, but surpassed, our fundraising goals largely thanks to
increased support from members like you, through
responses to our End-of-Year Appeal, major donations, and support at events like Winterfest (see
page 5). Our strong financial shape will allow us to
(hopefully!) move our offices within the next few
months to a bigger, better space.
With this anticipation for the new year, though,
we also have some hard goodbyes to bid. Two of
our longest-term and most treasured staff members are moving on. Both Michael Calfee, former
O
Membership Director, and Mary Brown, Bike Network Director until the end of February, are heading
back to school to prepare for what will surely be
exciting new directions in their lives.
You can’t really think of Volunteer Night or Bike
to Work Day or any of the SFBC’s outstanding parties without thinking of Michael’s enthusiasm and
passion for the SFBC’s membership. His work during the past three and a half years has helped the
SFBC membership grow impressively, while always
keeping a strong focus on ensuring that members
felt connected to and excited by the SFBC’s work.
Every new member and volunteer was made to feel
welcome and appreciated by Michael’s warm style
and clear dedication to the cause.
And what to say about Mary? She has shaped
not only the SFBC during her seven years with us,
but San Francisco itself. As a tenacious volunteer,
Mary led what is regarded as the SFBC’s most well
known victory, the Valencia Street bike lanes. What
we now take for granted on Valencia Street took
years of grassroots campaigning to succeed and
launched the SFBC into a position of real power
that benefits us today. Later, as both Membership
Director and Bike Network Director, Mary continued
to inspire other volunteers to follow her lead of doit-yourself, on-the-street organizing. It’s hard to
imagine kicking off a new bike lane campaign without her experienced planning, focused vision, and
much-appreciated sense of humor.
I know I speak for loads of SFBC members when
I write how deeply we will miss Michael and Mary,
and how much gratitude we feel for their years of
commitment, skills, and spirit. There is not enough
room in this column or in this newsletter to do
them justice with written thanks. I hope that our
successful work to dramatically improve and
increase biking in 2005 will show our appreciation
for the tremendous groundwork they have laid for
us all.
BY LEAH SHAHUM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Congratulations to New
SFBC Board of Directors
Thank you to all of the members who voted in the annual SFBC Board of
Directors elections at the end of 2004. We congratulate the following top
vote-getters who started their two-year terms on the Board in January: John
Calaway, Jean Fraser, Brooke Kuhn, Deb Janes, Amandeep (’Deep) Jawa,
Ann Lyons, and David Soward. And a special thank you to all of the candidates who ran for the SFBC Board. (This was the most contested Board
race in as many years as we can recall.)
If you are interested in knowing more about the Board’s work or service
on the Board, please contact Leah Shahum any time at [email protected].
And Board meetings are open to SFBC members; contact us for meeting
information. To find out more about the SFBC’s Board members, see
www.sfbike.org/board.
PAGE 2
TUBE TIMES
Michelle Thatcher
E D I TO R
[email protected]
Jeffery Bennett
P RO D U C T I O N
Brandon Fine
DISTRIBUTION
Published six times a year by the
SAN FRANCISCO BICYCLE COALITION
1095 Market St., Suite 215,
San Francisco, CA 94103
phone: (415) 431-BIKE
fax: (415) 431-2468
email: [email protected]
www.sfbike.org
The SFBC is a 4,500-member advocacy organization
working to transform San Francisco’s streets and
neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by
promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.
SFBC STAFF
Jodie Medeiros
AC T I N G M E M B E R S H I P D I R E C TO R
Josh Hart
P RO G R A M D I R E C TO R
Chris Hayashida Knight
O P E R AT I O N S D I R E C TO R
Leah Shahum
E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R
BOA R D O F D I R E C TO R S
Jon Calaway • Dale Danley
Mark Dwight • Chris Fenster (Treasurer)
Jenn Fox • Jean Fraser
Deb Janes • Amandeep Jawa • Brooke Kuhn
Ann Lyons (Secretary) Clay Mankin
Renée Rivera (President) • Eric Sloan
Justin Smith • David Soward
Potholes Giving You Pain?
The Department of Public Works
(DPW) relies on the public to
report potholes on city streets.
Note the location of potholes when
riding your bike and report them to
DPW. Ask for a tracking number so
you can follow up if the problem
isn’t fixed with 48 hours, as DPW
promises.
Contact: 695-2100/
[email protected]
Please let us know if any pavement
problems linger - contact
[email protected] with a description.
Desperately Seeking
Drivers
Do you have a friend, coworker, or
roommate who regularly drives to
work? Have they expressed interest
in trying a bike commute? If so, let
us know! We’re looking for a regular car commuter who’s willing to
try biking to work for a week as the
subject of a Tube Times feature
story.
E-mail [email protected] for
more information or to volunteer.
Sign on to Bay Bridge
Access Platform
The SFBC, in collaboration with the
Transportation and Land Use
Coalition, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition and East Bay Bicycle Coalition,
is continuing to build support for
the completion of the Bay Bridge
Bicycle/Pedestrian/Maintenance
Pathway from Treasure Island to
downtown San Francisco. You can
find out more about this exciting
project—and get other organizations you are affiliated with to sign
on to our platform, asking state
and regional leaders to fund a
shore-to-shore pathway—by visiting our Bay Bridge page at
sfbike.org/baybridge. Contact
[email protected] for more information or to join the Bay Bridge Task
Force.
BABC Hires New
Executive Director
The Bay Area Bicycle Coalition
(BABC), representing the interests
of Bay Area bicyclists on a regional
level, has hired its first executive
director. Nicole “Cole” Portocarrero started in December and will
be working on Bike to Work Day
2005, which the BABC will coordinate thanks to a grant from the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Cole graduated from UC
Berkeley and has had many years
FEBRUARY - MARCH 05
experience with community development and fundraising in the
nonprofit sector. You can contact
her at [email protected].
Broad New Coalition
Opposes Park Projects
A broad new coalition of organizations has formed to oppose the
widening of Martin Luther King
Drive in Golden Gate Park to four
lanes, as well as a second entrance
to the underground parking garage
currently being built in direct contradiction to Proposition J.
We are calling on the Board of
Supervisors to put the brakes on
this disastrous plan and protect the
park from the vastly increased traffic that would result. The De Young
Museum is slated to open in October, and without adequate plans to
improve transit and bicycle/ pedestrian links, many fear auto gridlock
in the park. Take action by visiting
our web page at
www.sfbike.org/save_mlk.
SFBC Celebrates (Local)
Election Victories
Members had good reason to celebrate the election victories of
SFBC-endorsed supervisorial candidates. Every supervisor who was
endorsed by the Bicycle Coalition
was elected, including Jake
McGoldrick in District 1, Aaron
Peskin in District 3, Ross Mirkarimi in District 5, Tom Ammiano in
District 9, and Gerardo Sandoval in
District 11.
A key victory was that of Green
Party member Ross Mirkarimi,
took the place of Matt Gonzalez
“The SFBC’s endorsement and volunteer support were key to our
success,” says Mirkarimi. “I am
excited to work with my new colleagues on the Board to close outstanding gaps in our Citywide Bicycle Network.”
First up next year for District 5
are improvements to the
Potrero Traffic Calming
Needs Final Push for
March Implementation
The SFBC is continuing to work
with neighborhood and safety
groups to advocate for the original,
community-based plan for Potrero
Avenue, which will add bike lanes
in each direction, remove two traffic lanes, and add a middle turn
lane and pedestrian refuge islands.
This plan would put the freewaylike street on a ‘road diet,’ just like
we successfully won on Valencia
Street in 1999.
The only problem is that Muni
has been resisting the community
consensus, trying to force through
a weaker plan that places the
northbound bike lane smack-dab
between a traffic lane and a bus
lane. This plan also retains more
car traffic lanes, keeping five car
lanes on this one-way street instead
of four lanes, as most neighbors
prefer. We urge our members to
write to City leaders, especially if
their Supervisor is Tom Ammiano,
Sophie Maxwell, or Chris Daly.
Contact info for all elected officials
is at sfbike.org/leaders.
Bike Plan Update Yielding Results
After two years of community planning, the first of the Top 20 Bike
Plan Update (BPU) projects are
moving toward action. Proposals to
add bike lanes on two small but
important pieces of the Bike Network are working their way
through the legislative process —
14th Street between Market &
Dolores Sts. and Oakdale Avenue
between Bayshore and Selby. You
can support them by writing Supervisor Dufty to express support for
14th St. bike lanes and by writing
Supervisor Maxwell for Oakdale
Ave. bike lanes (and also asking
her to fill the gap on Oakdale
between Third St. and Phelps).
Another separate improvement slated for approval is adding bike
lanes on Fulton St. between Baker
and Webster Sts. Thanks to the DPT
Bike Program for their work on
these projects. Also, the BPU’s Policy Document will be going to the
Board of Supervisors for approval
soon, and we’ll need members’
support at a public hearing. Stay
tuned for the date and details!
PHOTO: DAVID ENG-
Quick Releases
Masonic/Fell intersection as well as
Masonic Avenue bike lanes. “Ross
understands that investing in the
Bike Network will benefit all City
residents, including car drivers, by
reducing the competition for limited parking spaces and road
space,” says Josh Hart, program
director of the Coalition.
By now you've noticed the volunteer crossing guards at the perilous
intersection of Fell and Masonic at the Panhandle - SFBC and Walk SF's safety
program is going strong, and changes are in the works to improve safety for
bikes and pedestrians on this important route in the citywide Bicycle Network.
Special thanks to the many volunteers who've given their time to create a safer
space for alternative transportation! For more info, or to volunteer as a crossing
guard, contact Josh Hart at 431-BIKE x23 or [email protected].
PAGE 3
H O W TO M A R R Y A B I C YC L I S T C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1
Step 3: Go on a Bike Date
So, by now you’ve decided what sort of bicyclist you’re interested in,
and you found one at an SFBC party. Where do you go from here? On a
bike date.
There are two types of bike dates: those that are about the biking
itself, and those that use bicycles for transportation. Following are a few
suggested bike dates.
SFBC Cultural History Tours. The SFBC hosts at least 20 tours of San
Francisco, with topics ranging from graffiti to the Gold Rush. This is a
great chance to spend time together while seeing and learning about the
City.
Marin Headlands/Paradise Loop. What could be more romantic than
riding across the Golden Gate Bridge and watching the sunset from the
Marin Headlands? How about lunch on the water? With added mileage
and incline, this bike date is geared toward more athletic bicyclists.
Opera/Symphony. Imagine biking to the Opera House—in full evening
wear. Arrive exhilarated by the fresh air and the thrill of doing something
different. Grab a bite at one of the many restaurants in the Civic
Center/Hayes Valley area that now have bike racks, such as bicycle-friendly Midori Mushi.
Golden Gate Park. With car-free Sundays, nothing beats a bike through
the park and lunch by the ocean. To add a little advocacy to your date,
you can always write a joint letter to the Board of Supervisors to encourage Saturday closure and to the National Park Service to call for more
bike parking by Ocean Beach.
Embarcadero/Farmer’s Market. With ample bike parking and abundant organic food, the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market makes a great bike
date. Pick up some fresh fruit, bread, and cheese, then bike down the
Embarcadero bike lanes and find a nice spot to watch the boats sail by.
Step 4: Swap Rings
By now you’ve met, dated, and moved in together (hauling your stuff
across San Francisco on an SFBC bike trailer, of course). You’re ready to
make a formal declaration of commitment, state-sanctioned or otherwise.
As any event planner can tell you, weddings come in many shapes and
forms. For the bike fetishist, that means proposing with a chain ring from
Resource Revival, registering at a local cycle shop, rolling down the aisle,
and biking away on a tandem or pedicab. Less fanatical cyclists can simply encourage their guests to bike by providing cycling directions to the
wedding location and providing ample bike parking at the reception.
And wherever your honeymoon may be, consider renting bikes and
spending at least a day riding around, remembering how it all started.
How I Married a Bicyclist
I was at a friend’s birthday party, having done my share of the
musical entertainment for the night and also having downed my share
(and someone else’s) of the available alcohol. I was hanging out near
the exit, and this fantastic redhead was on her way out. She said “Nice
shirt.”
I thought, “Jeez, I hate it when they objectify me like that, just staring at my chest and all.” But then I remembered I don’t have a great
chest. That’s when I realized she REALLY meant my shirt. Now what
shirt was I wearing? Ah, yes, the ol’ SFBC shirt. What an inroad to conversation. We chatted about SFBC and biking for a bit, and then she
was gone.
A few e-mails later, we had our first date. On it, we recounted various bike adventures (her Alaskan AIDS Ride, my Bostonian riding trials
by snow and asphalt), shared our mutual grief at the general public’s
love of cars, and addressed other bike-related philosophies (e.g., how
long do you REALLY wait before applying the patch to the tube, and the
ecology of C02 cartridges verses pumps). She told me about her commute from the Financial District to the Sunset over Presidio’s Arguello
Street hill—I was impressed. And that was before I found out she keeps
a spare set of clothes, shoes, water, rations for earthquakes, and a full
medical kit in her bag (about 20 lbs.). She can kick my butt on a bike.
About our third date, we roamed all over the waterfront on a beautiful sunny day and then into the Sunset to crash a friend’s party. Another
date had us escorting a friend of hers, who was biking her way across
the country, over the Golden Gate Bridge. I brought champagne on ice
(in my backpack—kept the body temperature cool on a very hot ride).
Most of our favorite dates have involved bikes.
Little did she know at the time, but I already knew she was more
special than any other woman I’ve ever dated: she is a bike person.
There is a philosophy and an attitude necessary to ride a bike in the
City (more so to commute every day): equal parts dedication, fortitude,
kiss-the-ground-when-I-arrive gratitude, and above all, appreciation for living. Her commitment, despite every setback imaginable—from stolen
bikes to assaults by automobiles—is inspiration and comfort and hope
to me.
I worry a lot about her biking everywhere (she wiped out in the rain
on 17th Street three days before the wedding), but it’s part of who she
is, and she is who I love. I married her on New Year’s Eve, 19 months
(or roughly 2,500 miles) after meeting her.
BY DAVID GARTNER
Another reason I love my wife, partner, gal is that in lieu of wedding
presents, we asked folks to give to our favorite “things that need
money.” SFBC was her nomination.
BY CHRISTOPHER SHARRON
It’s winter in the City, and that means short days and plenty of rain on the
streets. But wet weather doesn’t mean you have to take the bus; a set of
fenders and some rain gear can keep you on your bike all year long! For
help, check out the SFBC’s Nighttime and Wet Weather Riding safety education video online at www.sfbike.org/wet_weather.
PAGE 4
Winterfest 2004
a Huge Success
Moments of captivating performance, scintillating conversation, and
great deals marked the night of December 5 at SOMArts Gallery. Winterfest 2004 was our most successful annual celebration yet, and lived up to
its reputation as the SFBC’s biggest and best party of the year as we
brought more people together, raised more funds, and had more incredible local art in the auction than ever before!
Members came together to enjoy the mesmerizing acrobatics and aerial
dancing of Circo Zero directed by Keith Hennessy, the energizing professional auctioneering skills of John Cardoza/Cardoza Auctions, the riveting
holiday funk of jazz trio St. Julien Experience, the witty Haiku Hut,
beautiful locally made crafts, tons of bike gear in the silent auction, great
food, and of course New Belgium Brewery’s fine beer.
Thanks to all of our hardworking and generous volunteers, those who
donated items and talent, and the festively costumed attendees. Many
thanks also to Jonn Herschend, Susan O’Malley, and Michael McConnell
for organizing the art auction. All of your efforts helped us to raise over
$30,000 for bicycle advocacy in the coming year. Welcome to the new
members who signed up at Winterfest, and thanks to our longtime members who enjoy the party every year. This member
appreciation party is for you!
See our Winterfest Photo Gallery at www.sfbike.org/winterfest
PHOTOS: NINA BALL/DAVID GARTNER
Thanks to our generous
SPONSORS
Event Co-Sponsor
Planet Bike
Scorchers
($1,000–$4,999)
Bellwether/Profile
Design
Big Swingin’ Cycles
John Cardoza
Chimes Printing/
Action Printers
City Cycle
Co-Motion Cycles
inktank design
KHS Bicycles
New Belgium Brewery
Noe Valley Cyclery
OnGuard Locks
Pacific Cycle
Roaring Mouse Cycles
Timbuk2 Designs
Valencia Cyclery
Law Offices of William
Weiss
Sprinters
($500–$999)
Avenue Cyclery
Bally Total Fitness
Breezer
GU Sports
Inertia Designs
Patagonia
Primal Wear
San Francisco Opera
SOMA Fabrications
Specialized
Voler Apparel
Wilson Bicycle Sales
Xtracycle
Coasters
($100–$499)
A. Maciel Printing
Alta Transportation
Consultants
Arizmendi Bakery
Art by Opsal
Bay City Bike Rentals
BikeAID
Bike Blender
Bike Nook
Bikeparking.com
bikestation
Blazing Saddles
Joe Breeze
Bolinas Surf/2 Mile
Surf Shop
Buff
California Bicycle
Coalition
Chris Carlsson
Mona Caron
Chrome
Circus Center
Dahon
DD Cycles
Dol Active Wear
Embarcadero YMCA
Fehr & Peers
Associates
Firefly
Fisher Bikes
Fossil Fool
David Gartner
Giant Bicycles
Golden State Health
Gravy Wheels
Hideo Wakamatsu
USA
Izze Beverage Co.
Joie de Vivre
Hospitality Phoenix Hotel
Kool Stop Intl.
Le Colonial
LeVeL Components
Light and Motion
LoFi Customs
Marin Bikes
Mission Cliffs
My Own Bag
Pedal Express
PlantIt Earth
R.E.Load Baggage Inc
Rainbow Grocery
Cooperative
REI
Coasters cont’d
Road Rage Bicycles
Bruce Scanlon
See Jane Run Sports
SF Brewcraft
SheBeest
Sheila Moon
Shiatsu by Sebastian
Slim’s
The Sock Guy
SRAM
Surly
Thule Racks
Velo Press
Verge Sport
Yoga Tree
Thanks also to our Participating Artists
Bill Acheson, Altered Ego, Jose Arenas, Laura Ball, Nina Ball, Amy Berk,
Chuck Bierwirth, Ivan Blackshear, Valerie Britton, Heather Brubaker, Julie Caine,
Mona Caron, Kevin Chen, John Daniel, Monica Denevan, Robin Denevan, Ariel Dovas,
Lisa Ruth Elliott, Scotty Enderly, Tom Fowler, David Fullarton, Phil Frank, Jim Gaylord,
Allegra Gibson, Tracy Taylor Grubbs, Lori Gordon, David Hamill, Audrey Heller,
Mondo Jud Hart, Jonn Herschend, Amanda Hughen, Cynthia Ona Innis, Jason Jagel,
Josh Keyes, Hugo Kobayashi, Leslie Kossoff, Stefan Kirkeby, Noah Lang, Kenneth
Leaf, Sam Lopes, Jeanne Lydon, Richard Lynch, Brian McDonald, Michael McConnell,
Muscovie Design, Paul Musso, Pete Nelson, Audrey Newell, Susan O’Malley,
Heather Patterson, Michael Rauner, Frank Revi, Will Rogan, Mark Rodriguez,
Lynn Rubenzer, Alice Shaw, Andrew Shultz, Dan Siegler, Stephanie Smith,
Jennifer Stuart, Jefferson Thomas, Michelle Townsend, Liz Walsh, Dave Warnke,
Audrey Welch, Jennifer Wofford with Brian Scott, Kelli Yon
PAGE 5
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CHAIN OF EVENTS
FEB-MAR ’05
The SFBC is constantly updating its website
at www.sfbike.org. For new events and full
details, check it often.
STREET SKILLS CLASSES
Sat., Feb. 12 | 10am–2pm
Ingleside Police Station, 1 Sgt. John
V. Young Lane (Off San Jose Ave. in
the middle of Balboa Park. Just
north of Ocean Ave., near BART)
Monday, March 7th | 5:30-9:30pm
SF Department of the Environment,
11 Grove St. at Market
Saturday, March 19th | 10am 2pm Richmond Police Station, 461
6th Avenue (1 Block So of Geary)
These four-hour classroom courses
teach the basics of safe and enjoyable cycling, including riding in traffic, necessary equipment, crash
avoidance, and legal rights and
responsibilities. Open to adults 14
and over. Bicycle not required. Note:
This is the “Day 1” course for
League of American Bicyclists’ Bike
Ed certification. Pre-registration
required. Go to sfbike.org/edu or
call 431-BIKE x23 to sign up.
BREWS, BIKES, AND BUCKS*
Sun., Feb. 13 | 2–6pm
Broken Drum Brewery, San Rafael
Come to the 7th annual beer party
and fundraiser benefiting Trips for
Kids. Meet mountain bike pioneers
such as Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze,
Tom Ritchey, Scot Nicol, Jacquie
Phelan, Otis Guy, Charles Kelly, Ross
Shafer, and Steve Gravenitis. Proceeds from the sale of beer go to
benefit Trips for Kids and their 40
chapters around the country.
CRITICAL MASS*
Fri., Feb. 25 & Fri., Mar. 25 | 6pm
Justin Hermann Plaza, at Market St.
Spring is a coming and the mass
is getting fat—won’t you please
ride along—make sure to fix that
flat!
“HI ARNOLD!” BIKE RIDE, A.K.A.
AMERICAN RIVER TRAIL/DAVIS
RIDE
Sat., Feb. 26 | All Day
RSVP for ride departure time
We’re off to see Gov. Arnie! NOT. On
this all-day trip we’ll take Amtrak to
Sacramento, travel the American
River Trail (approx. 35 miles) with an
option to go to bike wonderville
Davis for some pizza—all depending
on speed, time, and surliness of riders. Don’t ask about what exact
time we’ll be returning, just know it
won’t be before 5pm! RSVP to ride
leader Michael Cobb at [email protected]. Amtrak roundtrip fare is $14 (see amtrak.com).
Rain cancels.
CYCLING AROUND: A BICYCLE
TOUR OF RECYCLING CENTERS IN
SAN FRANCISCO*
Sat., Feb. 26 | 12pm
Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia Street (btwn 15th & 16th)
Join the Intersection for the Arts at
this tour of recycling and creative
reuse centers, led by recycling
mavens who wish to share their
knowledge and love of recycling with
others. Free of charge and open to
everyone, this event is part of “Life
Cycle Analysis,” a brand new collaborative painting and sculptural
installation investigating the role of
consumerism, consumption, and
recycling. Please bring sunscreen
and drinking water. Helmets
required. Rain date: April 9. For
more information contact Rebeka
Rodriguez at [email protected] or (415) 626-2487 x108.
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY NIGHT
RIDE ACROSS THE BRIDGE!
Sun., Feb. 27 | 6:30pm
Panhandle Statue (Fell and Baker)
It’s been a year since we began our
two-wheeled nighttime ventures—
join us in our ride across the Golden
Gate Bridge to celebrate! Bring
snacks and drinks to share. 12–15
miles. E-mail [email protected] for more info. Heavy rain
cancels.
MTB BASIC CLINIC WITH BICYCLE
TRAILS COUNCIL OF MARIN*
Sat., Mar. 5 | 8am
RSVP for departure location
www.
fo sfb
ride r updat ike.
s, an ed e org
d ac vent
tion s,
item
s!
youth hostel. Approx. 50 miles. Riders who want to stay at Montara Bay
youth hostel need to RSVP by Feb.
18 (riders who want to return the
same day RSVP by March 1) to ride
leader Michael Cobb at [email protected]. Rain cancels.
Events marked with an asterisk (*)
are not organized or endorsed by the
SFBC.
Are your MTB skills a little rusty
from all the rain? Want to mountain
bike like a maniac but don’t know
how? SFBC teams up with BTCM to
polish proto–mountain bikers into
fierce mountain biking fiends. You’ll
learn all the basics and actually ride
the trails going to and from the clinic! Bring water and lunch. RSVP and
questions to ride leader Michael
Cobb at [email protected].
Rain cancels.
THE SOUTHERN WATERFRONT:
PAST AND FUTURE*
Sat., Mar. 12 | 10am
Meet at the Bike Hut, Pier 40, South
Beach Harbor at Townsend and
Embarcadero
The future of San Francisco lies
south of the ballpark in post-industrial areas with names like Dogpatch, Butcher Town, and India
Basin. The tour of this area will be
both informative about the past and
looking toward a future of parks and
water recreation. Hosted by the
Neighborhood Parks Council. Rental
bikes will be available. Call Paul at
647-5183.
RETURN TO PLANET OF THE APES
ROAD” RIDE
Tue., Mar. 29 | 10am
RSVP for departure location
This fun little jaunt can be either a
one-day outing for those who want
to visit the “Planet of the Apes”
road and return the same day, or a
two-day excursion for those wanting
to ride and party at the Montara Bay
(415) 495-6027, ext. 206
www.fractureinjurylaw.com
SFBC BOARD MEETINGS
Dates TBD
Open to all members. Check www.sfbike.org for date and location.
SAVE THE DATE
May 19, 2005
Bike to Work Day!
SFBC VOLUNTEER NIGHTS
Weds., Feb. 2 & 16, Mar. 2, 16, 30 | 5 - 8:30pm
SFBC office, 1095 Market St Suite 215
iNever a better time to help out. Join us!
PAGE 6
Accidents/Injuries & Landlord/Tenant
Personal Attention,
Aggressive Representation
(415) 397-1130
DMV Provides Form to Report Unsafe Driving
As a bicyclist, you have firsthand experience with the dangers present
on the streets. The DMV has a channel for you to report dangerous
drivers.
When you encounter unsafe drivers on the streets, showing your
panic, surprise, or disbelief is the best response. Your vulnerability might
push past their defensive anger and alert them to how dangerous their
actions were—if they notice you. But if they are oblivious to the danger
they create, glance at their license plate. Then report them, using the
Department of Motor Vehicles’ Form 699.
The form, for reporting “potentially unsafe drivers,” is a great tool for
bicyclists endangered on the street. List the vehicle’s license number,
and check off boxes that help you describe the dangerous behavior
(e.g.,“Acts violent or aggressive when driving”). There’s also space to
describe the driver’s dangerous deed(s) in your own words.
The DMV might decide to retest these drivers for their competence, or
alert them that their driving habits have been reported.
When reporting a seriously dangerous incident with a stranger, advises Elvita Yearwood at the DMV Driver Safety Office, try to get at least the
driver’s first name. “That’ll help us confirm whether they are the person
that car is registered to,” she says. “With only a license plate number, we
do send a letter out, but can’t really insist on a re-examination.”
So next time, instead of just riding away feeling angry and powerless
in the face of danger, report it to the DMV.
BY JOEL POMERANTZ
You can get Form 699 as a PDF file at
www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/ds/ds699.pdf
TUBE
TIMES INDEX
compiled by Elmer Tosta
1. Number of hours a commuter during peak travel time in the San
Francisco-Oakland area was delayed during 2002:
73
2. Total number of hours drivers were delayed while traveling at
peak times in the San Francisco-Oakland area in 2002:
153,195,000
3. Number of gallons of excess fuel consumed due to the abovementioned time delay in 2002:
245,000,000
4. The total congestion cost of the traffic delays in 2002, based
upon $13.45 per hour of person travel and $71.05 per hour of
truck time and excess fuel consumption:
$2,779,000,000
5. Percentage of smog in the Bay Area attributed to motor vehicles:
75
6. Projected average daily vehicle miles traveled in San Francisco
for 2006:
8,603,300
7. Number of pounds per person in the United States of greenhouse gasses emitted from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and power our cars:
12,300
TUBE TIMES INDEX
8. Typical percentage of the pollution emitted by automobiles in the
first few minutes of operation, before pollution control devices can
work effectively:
60
Etiquette for the Conscientious Cyclist
9. Number of pounds of pollutants that can be kept from the air by
substituting a short, four-mile auto trip with a short, four-mile bicycle trip:
15
Ask the Advice Pedaler
10. Projected rise in sea level along the California coast (in inches)
by the year 2100 as a result of global warming:
13 to 19
Dear Advice Pedaler:
I am a fashion-forward cyclist. I like to ride in whatever I’m going to wear to
the office or the fancy party. But heels on my pumps keep breaking and my
fishnet-clad thighs get caught on the cables along my top tube. What should I
do?
—Speed Dating
Dear Speedy:
Biking in heels is certainly more comfortable than walking in them. But
heels can break if you wedge the pedal between the heel and sole of your
shoe. While this secures your foot to the pedal and gives you some leverage, it also pushes the heel away from the sole, and the pressure will
cause the heel to break over time. Ride ergonomically and protect your
heels by keeping the ball of your foot on the pedal. Toe clips will help!
As for the fishnets, you have several options. If you have a fancy paycheck
to match your fancy outfit, then purchase a new bike with a “step-through”
frame (no wonder they’re called “Ladies” bikes) or a cable-free fixed-gear
bike. The economical answer is to slip some shorts on under your skirt,
over your stockings. The Advice Pedaler’s friend in fashionable New York
uses thin yoga shorts, which she can take off subtly in her cubicle. Yoga
not your style? Try ruffled square-dance panties.
E-mail your questions for the Advice Pedaler to [email protected].
FEBRUARY - MARCH ’05
Sources: 1,2,3,4, Texas Transportation Institute. 5, Bay Area Air Quality
Management District. 6, Metropolitan Transportation Commission. 7,
10, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 8, Pedestrian and Bicycling
Information Center. 9, WorldWatch Institute.
www.sfbike.org
SFBC DISCOUNTS
A CLEAN WELL-LIGHTED
PLACE FOR BOOKS
AMERICAN CYCLERY
ARIZMENDI BAKERY*
AVENUE CYCLERY
BAY CITY BIKE RENTALS
BIG SWINGIN’ CYCLES
BIKE HUT AT SOUTH BEACH
BIKE NOOK
BLAZING SADDLES BIKE
RENTALS
MEMBERSHIP PAYS FOR ITSELF
Join today and get discounts all over town.
CITY CYCLE OF SAN FRANCISCO
DD CYCLES
ELECTRIC BIKE NETWORK
FREEWHEEL
FRESH AIR BICYCLES
GOLDEN STATE HEALTH
MISSING LINK
NOE VALLEY CYCLERY
NOMAD CYCLERY
OCEAN CYCLERY
PACIFIC BIKES & BOARDS
*offers a discount to customers who arrive by bike
PEDAL REVOLUTION
RHYTHM & MOTION DANCE
STUDIO
ROAD RAGE BICYCLES
ROARING MOUSE CYCLES
SALON DES BICICLETTES
SAUSALITO CYCLERY
SPORTS BASEMENT
VALENCIA CYCLERY
VISION CYCLERY
YE OLDE BIKE SHOPPE
See www.sfbike.org for
addresses and policy details.
PAGE 7
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
PAID
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
PERMIT # 3819
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
1095 Market Street, Suite 215
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 431–BIKE
A D D R E S S S E RV I C E R E Q U E S T E D
www.sfbike.org
SEE YOUR NAME HERE!
Get the TUBE TIMES delivered to your home
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(MEMBERSHIP FORM BELOW)
JOIN
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Best world biking adventure?
!
Become a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and help
make the City a better place to ride. Members get:
OR
J
W W OI N ON
TUBE TIMES newsletter six times per year.
W.S LIN
THE SFBC URBAN CYCLIST’S SURVIVAL KIT bike map,
FBI K
reflectors, stickers, transit guide, hot advice and more!
FREE RENTAL OF THE SFBC BIKE TRAILERS
ACTIVISM OPPORTUNITIES GALORE
BIKE SHOP DISCOUNTS see list below right.
FREE ADMISSION TO SFBC PARTIES & CULTURAL HISTORY BIKE TOURS!
NAME
E
E.OR AT
G!
What’s the best city in the world to travel by bike (after
San Francisco, of course)? Send us a photo of your best world
biking adventure and it might get published in the Tube Times!
This photo was taken by SFBC member Chris Gramly in
Amsterdam, which boasts some of the finest examples of urban
biking facilities in the world. In fact, the city has made it so easy
to get around on two wheels that 39 percent of trips made by its
800,000 residents are made by bike each day. (Compare that to
4% of SF’s population of 700,000.) Ample bike parking and forward-thinking bicycle and pedestrian safety features on the
streets make Amsterdam a haven for velorutionaries everywhere.
_______________________________________________
OCCUPATION
__________________________________________
ADDRESS _____________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP _________________________________________
HOME PHONE
__________________________________________
WORK PHONE
__________________________________________
EMAIL
_______________________________________________
I WAS REFERRED BY ______________________________________
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
■ $1,000 HIGH WHEELER
■ $250 TWO-WHEELED WONDER
■ $500 VELORUTIONARY
■ $120 CRUISER’S CLUB
■ $52 BUCK THE SYSTEM (includes FREE “Bikes Allowed Use of Full Lane”
T-shirt: Men’s Size ____ or Women’s Tee Size ___ )
■ $25 INTRODUCTORY MEMBERSHIP (families: add $10 each additional member)
MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO SFBC, 1095 Market Street, Suite 215, San Francisco, CA 94103. Barter memberships are available in exchange for volunteer time. Check with your employer about matching your donation. As
the SFBC uses your donations for unlimited, effective grassroots lobbying,
donations to the SFBC are not tax-deductible. If you need a deduction for
your contribution, contact Chris at 431-BIKE, ext. 10.
NAME________________________________________________
CREDIT CARD # _________________________________________
■ VISA ■ MASTER CARD EXPIRATION DATE
■ Do not share my name, even with cool organizations the SFBC likes.
■
■
■
■
■
■
Volunteer Night (Wednesdays)
staffing an information table
daytime office assistance
phone-tree calling
valet bike parking at events
attending public meetings
■
■
■
■
newsletter writing
newsletter mailing/distrib.
flyer distribution
other
Printed with soy-based inks on 80% recycled, 60% post-consumer paper, processed chlorine-free. By www.newleafpaper.com.
PHOTO: CHRIS GRAMLY
I WANT TO VOLUNTEER!