I commute to work about 45 minutes each way, five days a week, so I am familiar with the popular excuse of “I don’t have any time to exercise after work when I get home.”
Well Bike in York Week nipped my whining in the bud with its very first reason on why riding to work is a great idea: In the time we already spend getting to work, we can get the exercise we need, but “don’t have time for.”
Ah, yes. Guilty.
Luckily, York is making the “bike to work” option so easy it’s almost impossible to ignore. The week runs May 16-20, with a special kickoff event on Sunday, May 15, and the city’s website is chock full of information about it — reasons to ride, sample routes through the city, places to park and then bike if you’d rather not navigate roads without designated bike lanes, etc.
They even have some freebies going on for the week, including a free pass to the YMCA so bikers can shower and change, and free bus rides for those boarding a rabbittransit bus with their bikes. What’s more, if you don’t own a bike, then you can borrow one for the week! Under “Rider Information” on the site, there is a form to fill out for a loaner… They’re really not giving you room for excuses here, are they?!
If you’re concerned about safety, never fear: Temporary bike lanes will be in place on certain roads throughout the city, designating the right-hand lane for bikes only. There are also eight videos on the Bike to York site that deal with hand signals, bike safety and an intro to bike commuting, among other topics.
So give your car a break for the week and shed some light on your trusty bike. You’ll be ready for May 16 in no time!
Sarah,
I wish we could do this in Ridgefield, but our “pig paths” couldn’t handle it. Nice article!
S. Faulk
It took a couple of tries to submit this because I could not differentiate between the I’s and the 1′s when entering the code.
Yes, wider roads with designated (albeit temporary) bike lanes will help York riders navigate more smoothly than they could in some smaller towns!