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People can conjure up all sorts of reasons to not bike to work.
Steffen Root, owner of Berkshire Bike and Board in Great Barrington, along with the other members of the Southern Berkshire Bike Week committee, are hoping to change that attitude with some incentives over the week of May 12-18.
"Making a conscious effort to commute (on a bike) is much easier than it seems," Root said.
For example, he said, someone might think that there isn't time in the day to bike to work.
"Ninety percent of people in the gym are on the treadmill or on a stationary bike," he said. If you consider the time you spend in the gym, you may get more bang for your buck riding to work than from your stationary bike.
"There's an endorphin rush (on a bike) that you don't get sitting on a stationary bike," he said.
Although the average commute nationally is about 3 miles, he did concede that in Berkshire County, our average commute is probably longer because of the rural nature of the area.
But there are alternatives for those with a long commute, he said. Riders can throw the bike in the car, drive part way to work, and then bike the rest, cutting the biking distance down considerably.
Of course, you can choose, if you have a shorter commute, to make a commitment to it like Michael Gordon, another member of the committee, does.
"I drive into work on Monday, bike home, bike to and from work all week, and then drive home on Friday," he said. His commute is 9 miles one way; the ride takes him about 40 minutes. He does drive in, he said, during the winter.
Gordon credits Allison Lassoe, who rides her bike to and from work every day, year round, regardless of the weather, with being the driving force for starting Bike Week in this area.
"She's definitely the example, the role model," he said.
Open to entire county
Root explained the committee has solicited businesses to provide prizes for those who try biking to work, with the biggest prize a $250 gift certificate to Berkshire Bike and Board. The event, he was quick to add, is open to any resident in the county or neighboring communities in Vermont, New York and Connecticut.
"The whole point of this is to get people to try this at least once," Gordon said.
Each day that a rider bikes to work, he or she logs the miles ridden. Each commute earns the rider one chance in the raffle. Riding to work five days would garner five chances; riding to work seven days would earn the rider seven chances. Forms documenting the miles ridden must be submitted by May 24.
The number of miles ridden is not a factor in the raffle, Root said. There will be a separate prize for the person who bikes the greatest number of miles.
In addition, the group is holding a business challenge on Friday, May 16. Businesses with four or more employees are eligible to enter. The business that has the greatest percentage of its employees biking to work on that day wins bragging rights, Root said.
Besides getting people to rethink their driving/biking attitudes - "When you run to the store for two things, you jump into the car. The time difference to bike for a 3-mile ride is negligible," Root said - the committee members also hope to raise awareness among the general public that bikers are out there, and have every right to share the road with cars.
Gordon was recently hit by a car. He was turning off a road onto another, using his hand signals, when a pickup truck, which obviously didn't see him, pulled out in front of him, causing him to run into its bed. Thankfully, he wasn't injured. Both of them were going just a couple of miles an hour. However, it does make a case in point that drivers need to be aware of bikers.
"People have this perception cyclists shouldn't be on the road and are making their commute 10 seconds longer," Root said. "Unless it is posted that bicycles are specifically forbidden on a road, we have as much right to be there as anyone."
Group ride, rodeo
The group is holding two other events in addition to bike-to-work week. On Saturday, May 17, a free group ride will be held starting from Berkshire Bike and Board at 23 State Road. There will be three different lengths to choose from - 15, 35 or 65 miles. Sign-ups will take place at 9 a.m., with the 65-mile group heading out at 9:30, the 35-mile group leaving at 10:30 and the 15-mile group leaving at 11 a.m.
"The idea is to get everyone back at around the same time," Root said, so they can all take part in the 1 p.m. barbecue, which is also free.
On Sunday, May 18, the week will wrap up with a bike rodeo at Berkshire South Community Center at 11 a.m. The event, held jointly with the Great Barrington police, serves "to educate the younger crowd," he said. It is appropriate for tricyclers through teens, "or to the age where this is still cool," Root said with a smile. The police department will be giving out free helmets to needy children, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Highway Department.
This year, Gordon said, the hope is to maintain more of presence throughout the year by holding more events, such as group rides. But in order to create a stronger presence, the group needs to build its committee beyond its present four dedicated members.
"Anyone who is interested in biking or alternatives to driving to work is welcome to come," Gordon said.
Root pointed out that even if biking to work is not a possibility for some people, because of children who need to be driven, length of commute or lack of safe roads on which to ride, he hoped this week would raise awareness of the benefits of biking in general.
"It's about trying to take small steps to change your lifestyle. Maybe it's not even commuting, it's about getting on your bike on the weekend and reconnecting to biking and being outside," he said.
Information about Southern Berkshire Bike Week is available at the group's Web site,
sbbikeweek.org, or from
Berkshire Bike and Board,
berkshirebikeandboard.com.
