|
Commuting in the news
Resources for
Rochester Commuting
Commuting Without
burning fossil fuels
We should look seriously at the
possibility of bikes being an integral part of our community's commute to work.
Bikes have changed. We have changed. Our environment has certainly altered since
our love affair with the internal combustion engine, making the bicycle a
reasonable alternative to our global-warming vehicles. However, our city's
transportation infrastructure and public's attitudes haven not changed their
obsession with gas-guzzling vehicles.
In a recent lecture at the Second Annual Environmental Forum, Dr. Buchanan (a
noted environmental writer, author, and instructor at Rochester Institute of
Technology) stated that, "The automobile has defined our cities." If
we are to make our cities sustainable, that is, relieve the environmental
pressures-air pollution (from exhaust), water pollution (from toxic fluids
leaking on our roads, ending up in our waters) and increasing sprawl (the
destruction of plant and animal habitats due to development)-we are going to
need more environmentally-friendly ways of getting to work.
Despite angry motorists, who believe
God made roads for only cars and trucks, the bikes of today are an excellent
alternative to cars. Anyone who has shopped for a bike recently will see an
explosion in bike technology on each of these fronts: They are durable, fast,
cheaper than cars, comfortable, safe, non-polluting, and a healthy way of travel
for anyone in reasonably good health. Exercise, we have learned, is an integral
part of our lives-not a fad for the few. We did not evolve on a couch.
Though not the complete solution to
our overcrowded streets, nor a final replacement for cars (because of vehicle's
ability to protect us from the elements, get to long distances quickly, and
carry more of our stuff) biking to work offers a great leap forward in smart
living. According to SelfPropelledCity.com
"The cost of operating a compact car is 35 cents per mile (Hertz Corporation),
while the cost of operating a bike has been estimated at a nickel a mile (U.S.
General Accounting Office). Employees who ride more and drive less can save
hundreds of dollars a year on fuel, vehicle maintenance, parking and even
automobile insurance." These are no small benefits in a time when our cars
and trucks threaten to over-run our cities with noise, pollution, and the
expensive infrastructure required sustaining them. How much of our tax dollars
and our own budget goes our obsession with vehicles-gas, insurance, cost of the
vehicle, etc.?
Given all the benefits biking to
work, what stands in the way of this reasonable solution to our present
environmentally unfriendly trek to work? Presently, most of the streets and
roads in Rochester, New York will accommodate biking if drivers give us a brake. Lately, nature trails are the rage, (just recently Governor Pataki
approved State monies for the creation of a new nature trail in Rochester)
creating the illusion that there is a new acceptance of bikes. But, in truth we
are marginalizing them because our trails do not go where we need to go with
them-to work. In a personal account, where a pick-up truck driver tried to force me off
the road, drivers are often impatient with, and ignorant of, the existing laws
governing the use of bikes on our roads. This psychological barrier is no small
hurdle. Finally, provided you can ride to work safely, there are few safe places
around the city to store bikes against theft and vandalism.
So, how can we change this hostile
environment to using bikes for our commute to work? First, let's change our
attitudes. We need to ensure that the existing laws of the road are obeyed.
Report road rage against bikes! Two: Convince your employer that biking to work
is cheaper, healthier, and environmentally healthier. Many could already bike
once changes have been made
to accommodate bikes. Three: Make our cities more accessible to bikes. There
should be more places to store and protect our bikes from vandalism and the
weather. Four: Implement changes in how we build and repair our roads. With
proper planning, each new road built and repaired should include a safe bike
lane. Get organized and get involved in the road building and repair process
that legally allows for input by the public. Finally: Live healthier. Integrate
biking into your work day-you won't need a gym.
No sane individual is an
anti-environmentalist. Plato thought that evil was done out of ignorance of the
Good. We are destroying the environment not because that is what we want, but
because we are ignorant of the true effect our lifestyle has on the environment.
We are driving more, farther, and creating a world where pedestrians (that's us,
folks!) are an annoyance to vehicles. We have edged out, in both our minds and
how we have shaped our cities, one of the best modes of transportation options
available. We have divorced ourselves from each other by closing our car doors,
turning up our radios, and giving each other the finger when anyone gets in the
way of our cars. Biking to work is not a throwback to a simpler time, but a full
understanding of what we and our environment needs. They will not only improve
our community's health, but may also may ensure that we survive our own
progress.
FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com
Critical
Mass: The worldwide web-wheel of the organized coincidence known as
Critical Mass. Critical Mass is a monthly event occurring in hundreds of cities
worldwide. Cyclists ride in a group through the city streets to celebrate
cycling, fossil-fuel-free transportation, redefining of the social space of our
cities and reclaim autonomy in an automobile dominated society. It's loads of
fun too. The revolution is riding a bike! ROCHESTER
CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE!! Meet every last Friday of the month at 5:15 to ride at 5:30 at
the Church of
the Annunciation, 962 East Ave. Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride assert
cyclists' right to the road. The idea started in San Francisco in September
1992, and quickly spread to cities all over the world. Critical Mass is a
monthly worldwide two-hour (more or less), non-athletic, non-competitive, free
bike ride to educate the auto-bound to the simplicity of travel by bicycle and
to draw attention to the rights of urban cyclists. ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE IS
ENCOURAGED TO COME RIDE WITH US! IT'S FUN, IT'S OUTDOORS - LET'S SHOW
ROCHESTER THAT CYCLISTS ARE EVERYWHERE!
RocBike.com "I started RocBike.com to
chronicle my adventures as a cyclist and bike commuter in Rochester, NY, a
mid-sized city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. My idea was to write about
the rides, the idiots, the joys, the brushes with death, and the daily challenge
that is being a bicycle rider. After just a few days, though, I started to see
more potential for the site. Now I’m interested in making it a gathering place
for bike advocacy and shared experience here in the Flower City. RocBike.com can
be an online zocalo (town square) for cycling and bike activism in Rochester,
from Critical Mass to citywide bike tours to the everyday experiences of
cyclists just like me."
The
weather's getting good, the air is getting bad, why not ride a bike?
Welcome to bikeRochester This site is
sponsored by the independent bicycle shops of the greater Rochester area united
as the Genesee Valley Bicycle Dealers Association, a chapter of the National
Bicycle Dealers Association.
Second Life Bikes' (SLB)
(page from
bikeRochester)
mission is to provide bikes and bike services free to children of low
income families. We take in bikes that are no longer being used or are
thrown away and give them a second life, but SLB does not accept monetary
donation at this time.
Bicycle Commuting -
E-Files - Sierra Club Almost everyone thinks that it would be nice to ride a
bike to work, and the health benefits to both the rider and the environment are
undeniable. Unfortunately, many people find the logistics (especially dealing
with traffic) daunting or downright frightening. Here's how to make riding to
work less nerve-racking and more enjoyable.
How safe is it to cross
the streets in New York State?:
Mean Streets 2003 -Pedestrian
Safety, Health and Federal Transportation Spending -STPP's
"Mean Streets 2002" report is the latest study in a series that looks at the
perils facing pedestrians, why where you live matters, and how states aren't
spending enough to fix the problem. The new study ranks per capita deaths and
spending by metro area for the first time, and finds children, the elderly and
African-Americans at particularly high risk.
Need exercise? Want
to help reduce pollution?
Let loose, de-stress, bike to work Try commuting by bicycle.--from
Democrat and Chronicle
Sharing
the Road New York State Bicycle and Pedestrian Laws --from NYS
DOT Adults and children are bicycling and
walking in increasing numbers in New York State for transportation and
recreation. To be as safe as possible, all motorists, bicyclists, and
pedestrians should be familiar with the sections of the New York State Vehicle
and Traffic Law that apply to them. These are the laws that apply to bicyclists
and pedestrians on public highways and paths. Motorists also are reminded to
obey the law, and to respect bicyclists, pedestrians and other motorists. Unless
otherwise indicated, the section numbers in parentheses are from the New York
State Vehicle and Traffic Law. All referenced sections of the law are printed in
the back of this booklet.
It cost a
little, but maybe you'll buy a green car:
GreenerCars.com: ACEEE's Green
Book Online Make
a difference -- for your health and the health of the planet -- by using
GreenerCars.com to comparison shop with the environment in mind. Our low-cost
subscriptions will let you look up Green Scores for every car, van, pickup, and
SUV on the market. It's worth spending a little "green" to get the information
you need to make an eco-conscious car choice. Why isn't GreenerCars.com free?
When
biking, take your cellular phone and report road rage against bikers!
Here's a great way to help save
energy. Check out this carpooling site: CarPoolConnect.com
Recently commuters have made carpooling one of the most popular ways of saving
money and the environment by sharing a ride to and from their destination.
Carpools are incredibly simple to arrange. With carpoolconnect.com
anyone wishing to find fellow commuters to carpool with can easily perform a
search for someone in their area and contact them directly through the site.
This is accomplished without compromising any ones security. All communication
happens through carpoolconnect.com's messaging service.
Mass Transit & Commuting in
the news
- BikeRochester.com: This site
mainly contains information and links to 'all things' bicycling in the
Genesee Valley Region, the Finger Lakes Region, and Rochester, NY.
- Bicycling.com
Major resources for
all things bikes, including magazine.
- Welcome
to Rochester Trolley & Rail Formed in early 2003 and incorporated August
2003 as a NYS Railroad Corporation, we're a new company that will develop, own
and operate a heritage rail-based trolley and streetcar system for the Greater
Rochester area. We have an executive team developed, and every day we're
working on developing great community partnerships to move this endeavor
forward. We are targeting an underserved and/or unserved market, creating
jobs, economic development, community revitalization, and leveraging a unique
mode of transportation to run across town.
- Huggers Ski Club Pedal Power:
- The
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is an operating administration
of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Bureau is headed by a
Director appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. BTS started
operations in December 1992, and is required by the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 to improve the knowledge base
for public decision making, and to improve public awareness of the nation's
transportation system and its consequences.
- Rochester Rail Transit Committee
The RRTC is a §501c not-for-profit, grassroots citizen's group
dedicated to exploring and promoting the opportunities of rail transit in the
greater Rochester, NY area. The goals of the Rochester Rail Transit Committee
are to: Inform community leaders about rail transit options and their benefits,
Educate the public about the benefits and possibilities of rail transit
Promote all modes of transit, including bus transit
- United States
Light Rail Transit System Web Sites Light Rail is
lightweight passenger rail cars operating singly (or in short, usually
two-car, trains) on fixed rails in right-of-way that is not separated from
other traffic for much of the way. Light rail vehicles are driven electrically
with power being drawn from an overhead electric line via a trolley or a
pantograph. Also known as "streetcar," "tramway," "trolley car."
- Special Report: Bicycle
Commuting A Commuting Guide for Employers, from Self-Propelled
City.
- Rochester Bicycling Club Exercise outdoors
without polluting by biking with others. This site has a RBC Events Calendar, newsletter about all their events, and
even an Adopt-A-Highway Program.
Don't forget to check the weather
before you go.
- Sharing the Road with Bicycles
Whether running errands, commuting to work, or exercising, more and more
people are riding bicycles in Connecticut. Under Connecticut General
Statutes, a bicycle is considered a vehicle with the same rights and
responsibilities as cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles that travel on
public roadways. Courtesy, predictability, and visibility are important
factors in “sharing the road” with many types of vehicles.--form
Connecticut Bicycle Coalition, Inc
- New York Bicycling
Coalition Advocacy and Education The Board and staff of NYBC is
committed to staying lean and "on the edge" - which means that we
envision our evolving website to be our main communication and community
building tool. Who needs an office when you can create an effective
interactive website?
- Rochester Rail Transit: The RRTC is a not-for-profit, grassroots
citizen's group dedicated to exploring and promoting the opportunities of
rail transit in the greater Rochester, NY area. The goals of the Rochester
Rail Transit Committee are: Inform community leaders about rail transit
options and their benefits Educate the public about the benefits and
possibilities of rail transit. Promote all modes of transit, including bus
transit.
- League of American Bicyclists:
The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and
transportation and works through advocacy and education for a
bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of the
nation's 42 million cyclists. With a current membership of 300,000
affiliated cyclists, including 40,000 individuals and 600 affiliated
organizations, the League works to bring better bicycling to your community.
- BikeToWork.com
BikeToWork.com is a web page devoted to bicycle commuting.
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Information
Center: In June of 1999, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)
was established with funding from the US Department of Transportation to
connect communities with the information and resources they need to create
safe places for walking and bicycling. The Center is a program of the
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center in cooperation
with the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.
- National Center for Bicycling and
Walking: This site is designed to support the activities and initiatives
of people working across the country, in their professional work and private
lives, to make America a better place to walk and to bicycle. We present
informational resources, and outline actions government agencies,
non-governmental organization and individuals can take to improve the
environment for bicycling and walking. The site focuses on issues of public
health, including physical activity promotion, chronic disease prevention
and environmental health, as well as transportation, land use, public safety
and injury prevention.
- CarPoolWorld.com
Welcome to
carpoolworld.com, the world's first global and precise carpool matching
system! This website makes it easy for everyone, everywhere, at any time, to
find perfect matches for any trip, including your daily commute!
- New York State Department of Transportation.
Included on their web site is information and laws pertaining to
Bicycle
and Pedestrian
-
Adventure Cycling Association -
Inspiring People to Travel by Bike.
-
League of American Bicyclists:The
League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and
transportation and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly
America. The League represents the interests of the nation's 42 million
cyclists. With a current membership of 300,000 affiliated cyclists, including
40,000 individuals and 600 affiliated organizations, the League works to bring
better bicycling to your community.
|
