Bike To Work Day 2009 - Central Oklahoma

[PLANSIT]

As you may or may not know, Bike to Work Day 2009 is on May 1 this year. The date was moved ahead two weeks to entice area schools and Universities to participate. This year we will have roughly 7 community participants as well as routes designed to meet the needs of OU and UCO.

okctalk.com makes for a wonderful forum for both participation and discussion. I encourage the diverse posters on this site to both participate in the event itself and be apart of the grassroots effort by spreading the word.

If you have any ideas, concerns, or feedback for the event please feel free to post them here.


Bike to Work Day 2009 - Central Oklahoma

Bike to Work Day - Central Oklahoma - FACEBOOK

Central Oklahoma Bicycling Survey 2009 Survey

[sxl]

i do this anyway.

[PLANSIT]

Well, that's awesome! If you don't mind filling out the survey, it would be greatly appreciated.

[trousers]

It would be a long slooooow ride on my beach cruiser. May have to give it a shot anyhow.

[LordGerald]

This is a great project that I believe showcases a viable alternative to transportation for those willing to participate. I recall seeing several bike riders last summer who were clearly going to work. The more bike riders on the road, the more visible, and the more awareness is had for motorists to respect and recognize them. I, too, would be willing to try it if gasoline hits $3 plus again.

[MadMonk]

If you have any ideas, concerns, or feedback for the event please feel free to post them here.

Bicycle Commuting Survey

FYI, that survey link is broken (you have one too many "http://" in there).

[fromdust]

bike to work, thats rich.

[Midtowner]

Who wants to work around all of those sweaty people? If you bike to work, where do you shower? Or do you just soak in your own juices all day?

[PLANSIT]

This is a great project that I believe showcases a viable alternative to transportation for those willing to participate. I recall seeing several bike riders last summer who were clearly going to work. The more bike riders on the road, the more visible, and the more awareness is had for motorists to respect and recognize them. I, too, would be willing to try it if gasoline hits $3 plus again.

Thanks LordGerald, I agree completely.

FYI, that survey link is broken (you have one too many "http://" in there).

Thanks MadMonk, I'll try and get that fixed in the OP, but for now here is the real link:

Bicycle Commuting Survey

Who wants to work around all of those sweaty people? If you bike to work, where do you shower? Or do you just soak in your own juices all day?

Well, if you're not being sarcastic, I'll try to answer for the now and future. Right now, because your ride to work is in the morning and at the beginning of May, it shouldn't be too hot; try giving yourself time to ride at a slower pace to keep your "juices" in check. Bring a change of clothes and a towel to dry off. For the future, there is a concerted effort to provide facilities for both the public or private cycling communities. Bicycle parking/shower facilities such as this one in Chicago could be built downtown for those who choose to commute by bike. Devon or other local businesses could also provide such a facility for their employees if enough demand was evident.

[BG918]

I know people at Chesapeake that bike to work because of the health club allowing them to shower before work. If you don't have that option it's pretty nasty if you're coming from over a mile away, or it's late spring/summer/early fall. I used to bike to class everyday when I was at OU, never once parked my car on campus in 5 years there (and laughed at all the people who complained about campus parking). I work on construction projects now and the one I am currently working on happens to be very far from where I live plus no showers at the jobsite, so biking isn't an option for now. For people who work in offices and live close by it's a great alternative (if you have showers)..

[Lord Helmet]

I'd love to bike to work...but 30 miles round trip is pretty long...

[fromdust]

I'd love to bike to work...but 30 miles round trip is pretty long...

i was thinking the same, but 44 mi. round trip. thats just not going to happen.

[PennyQuilts]

I used to bike to OCU from Bethany and back 2 - 3 times a week, weather permitting (sometimes it was a guess as to what the weather would be like in the afternoon). I'd drive down 19th street. I was never in such good shape and felt wonderful. I think biking to work is a great idea if you can swing it but without a shower, it's hard.

[southernskye]

I'd love to bike to work...but 30 miles round trip is pretty long...

i was thinking the same, but 44 mi. round trip. thats just not going to happen.

The farthest I've ever driven for work is 22 miles and that was too far. It took me over an hour to get home on a bad day.

[metro]

Who wants to work around all of those sweaty people? If you bike to work, where do you shower? Or do you just soak in your own juices all day?

Many employers have showers, others are encouraging their employers to install showers so they can bike to work.

[BG918]

Many employers have showers, others are encouraging their employers to install showers so they can bike to work.

The city should provide incentives for doing this because having a shower/changing room is equally important to having bike lanes, trails, etc.

[AFCM]

I'd love to bike to work...but 30 miles round trip is pretty long...

This may detour from "Bike to Work Day", but you can always bike to the nearest Metro Link stop and traverse the city and back for a total of $2.50. This would kill two birds with one stone by raising awareness for two issues we badly need addressed.

By the way, for those of you who've never taken public transit in Oklahoma City: It's not that bad. As a matter of fact, I routinely take the Metro Link to conserve fuel and maintain my vehicle. I understand some may have gripes about reliability, but that will only correct itself with an increase of funding. I know it's a chicken-and-egg paradox, but public transit really is sustainable if people support it. I hope Maps III addresses public transportation.

So, if you can't make across OKC on a bike alone, ride to the nearest bus stop and let someone else worry about the hustle and bustle of morning traffic.

[Midtowner]

Many employers have showers, others are encouraging their employers to install showers so they can bike to work.

Not gonna happen here. Not unless we buy the building.

Let me rephrase.

Not unless *I* buy the building

[PLANSIT]

Not gonna happen here. Not unless we buy the building.

Let me rephrase.

Not unless *I* buy the building

Why not take a shower at the YMCA?

[southernskye]

By the way, for those of you who've never taken public transit in Oklahoma City: It's not that bad. As a matter of fact, I routinely take the Metro Link to conserve fuel and maintain my vehicle.

I do ride the bus when possible and it is very bad. But i believe it's important to support it.

[AFCM]

I do ride the bus when possible and it is very bad. But i believe it's important to support it.

I apologize about making such an ambiguous statement. You may be referring to the unreliability and hours of operation in your response, wherein I was alluding to the idea of taking public transit. It seems as though utilizing public transit in Oklahoma City is stigmatic; those who entertain the notion concerning alternative modes of transport are dubbed poor. Hopefully, people will wake up and realize that taking public transportation does not equate to running out of options or riding because one "has to". Participating in public transit as an alternative is simply that: an alternative.

Southernskye, I apologize for making such a dubious statement. For clarification, I meant that having to share a bus with others to get from one place to the next, for $1.25 (plus the money I'm saving on vehicular attrition), isn't all that bad.

[southernskye]

I apologize about making such an ambiguous statement. You may be referring to the unreliability and hours of operation in your response, wherein I was alluding to the idea of taking public transit. It seems as though utilizing public transit in Oklahoma City is stigmatic; those who entertain the notion concerning alternative modes of transport are dubbed poor. Hopefully, people will wake up and realize that taking public transportation does not equate to running out of options or riding because one "has to". Participating in public transit as an alternative is simply that: an alternative.

Southernskye, I apologize for making such a dubious statement. For clarification, I meant that having to share a bus with others to get from one place to the next, for $1.25 (plus the money I'm saving on vehicular attrition), isn't all that bad.

No problem, its all good. I agree there is a stigma here to riding the bus and there shouldn't be. When we first moved here, I was shocked at how bad the bus system here is and I mean the hours of operation, the condition of the buses, the fact that they don't run on Sunday at all,their website is a joke too.

[metro]

AFCM, I think the only reason the stigma is that riding the bus is "bad" or means your "poor" is because, due to the incompetency of Metro Transit and the city on mass transit, that it mainly is true who uses it by default. It's unreliable, unfrequent, and barely goes anywhere, so the majority of the riders, that is their only option. That's not to say there isn't a few exceptions here and there, but not the majority. I have no doubt, more middle class folks would ride it if it was a working system.

[PLANSIT]

Bethany and Moore Bike to Work Day route maps have been added to Facebook. Will be available later today on the website.

[goldbug]

No problem, its all good. I agree there is a stigma here to riding the bus and there shouldn't be. When we first moved here, I was shocked at how bad the bus system here is and I mean the hours of operation, the condition of the buses, the fact that they don't run on Sunday at all,their website is a joke too.

I agree with you, southernskye, the Metro Transit website is hard to navigate and the information is not always up to date. However, this should be changing very soon. They're in the process of a major site redesign done by Element Fusion. The new website should be up sometime in the next few months.