1. Bicycle. A Machine of Empowerment or Oppression? Meredith Begin202-449-0401mbegin@umich.edu @biker_mbegin http://meredithbegin.blogspot.com

2. Why do we ride?

3. Why Do People Commute by Bicycle? According to a survey of 2,400 cyclists: 95% ride for health and fitness 82% do it for the environment 52% bike to avoid congestion 46% ride to save money on gasoline 34% want to avoid car-parking costs and availability

5. Women who bike 30+ minutes a day for 3 days have a lower risk of breast cancer

6. Adolescents who bike are 48% less likely to be overweight as adults

7. 82% of bicycle commuters believe their health has improved since they started bicycle commuting.

8. Biking is listed as the safest way to get physical activity.

9. 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.

11. Biking Helps Communities Events bring people together Charity events/rides Breaks down anonymous & exclusive barriers (more exposure) People feel a stronger connection to their neighbors, and local shops and restaurants

12. 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

13. Biking Improves Public Health & the Environment

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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!

21. A Tip: Don’t Cross Your Chain Don’t do this: Do this:

22. 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!!

23. 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.

24. 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?

25. 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?

26. Biking and Gender

27. 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.”

28. Bicycling and Empowerment "The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world." -Susan B. Anthony, 1896

29. 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

30. My experiences, my story… Shifting gears Drive Confidence Clinics Girls beefing with girls Agoraphobia

31. On being a female bike messenger: During my tenure, approx. 5 % of couriers were women Pros: Some companies prefer to hire women Clients have more confidence that females will do it right Building security Cry 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

33. there is usually a lot of debris, cracked surfaces, and doors to the right of the road.

34. Vehicles pulling out of driveways or making turns onto the road you’re traveling on cannot see you early enough

35. Victims of the “right-hook”

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. Your bicycle is your friend. Don’t lose it! Lock it ALWAYS! Lock up your wheels/saddle! Quick release skewers/axel rod Allen key skewers Locking skewers

40. Lock Through Head Tube or Seat Tube

41. 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

42. Resource Links http://www.dcbac.blogspot.com http://www.waba.org http://www.capitalbikeshare.com http://www.bikesbelong.org http://www.peopleforbikes.org

43. Questions? Meredith Begin mbegin@umich.edu @biker_mbegin http://meredithbegin.blogspot.com