The Cupertino Courier
News
Cyclists promote a 2-wheeled commute
By Stephen Baxter
Driving a car, Rick Warner's daily commute from Sunnyvale to a San Mateo software company would mean chancing traffic on Highway 101. On his 19-year-old Trek road bike, he rides to Caltrain's Sunnyvale Station, boards the train to San Mateo, and pedals the last 2 miles.
Warner says he can think more clearly when he's not staring at brake lights on 101.
"I just don't deal well with all the traffic. ... I don't really see the upside to driving," he says.
As Bike to Work Day approaches May 17, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is encouraging drivers to join Sunnyvale's daily bike commuters.
For some cyclists, starting a two-wheeled commute did not evolve from a disdain for driving or oil companies.
Andrea Stawitcke acquired a 1987 BMW with an oxidized hood about four years ago, and she wanted it repainted. She didn't want to rent a car for two weeks, so she decided to pedal her Costco bike the 51/2 miles to work.
"I had no intention of becoming a permanent bike commuter," she says. The ride was uncomfortable and physically demanding at first.
"The first two weeks I couldn't quit because of my car, then it was a personal challenge thing," she said.
Stawitcke, the executive director of Bay Area Adoption Services, says as she strengthened her legs and lost weight, the ride became easier. Now she bikes every workday unless it's raining hard.
"I think it's so worth doing, if for nothing else than the economics," she said.
Stawitcke bought a commuter bike from REI, and she now drives just 2,000 to 3,000 miles a year. Her car insurance also dropped because she drives so little. Stawitcke now serves on Sunnyvale's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
"I'm not one of those bike nuts; I don't know all the codes and all that. I'm just a person in Sunnyvale who bikes to work," she says.
Sunnyvale and Cupertino's relatively flat topography lends itself to bicycle commuting, but there are some hazards. Some routes share the road with heavy car traffic, and rides before dawn and after dusk make it hard for cars to see bikers.
Sunnyvale resident Kevin Jackson rode his bike to work for more than three decades before retiring from NASA Ames Research Center in 2003. In Washington, D.C., he was pedaling on the shoulder in front of a car when it accelerated. The car passed him and turned right, and he collided with it, sending him to the pavement.
"I got right-hooked," he said. The driver was the daughter of an ambassador, he said, and she claimed diplomatic immunity. Two years later he received $100 in the mail.
Despite his accident, Jackson says the perceived danger of riding a bike in traffic is overblown.
"If you know what you're doing, it can be pretty safe out there," he says. Jackson now wears bright clothes and has lights and reflectors on his bikes. "I pretty much look like a Christmas tree going down the road," he says. He also carries fliers with excerpts from the California Vehicle Code, in case someone needs a refresher.
Many drivers don't know that where there are cars parked on the shoulder, a cyclist is allowed to ride in the middle of the lane to avoid "dooring"--when a car door opens in front of a cyclist, he says.
Jackson, who is also on Sunnyvale's bike advisory committee, said he decided long ago that he prefers bikes to cars.
"Within a few months of getting a driver's license, I still decided it didn't make a lot of sense to haul around a 2- or 3-ton box with you wherever you go."
On Bike to Work Day, Jackson said he plans to work at the Energizer Station at the VTA's Bayshore/NASA Station serving food and drinks. Many other stations in Sunnyvale and Cupertino will be set up to support cyclists.
On May 17, drivers who choose not to participate are asked to be alert for first-time bicycle commuters.
Bicycle commuters offer tips
Look for the best route from home to work. Talk to cyclists who take similar commutes and research bike maps on www.511.org.
Read the weather forecast.
Buy a commuter bike or an entry-level mountain bike without nobby tires. They vibrate.
Find a bike buddy to ride with through 511.org. Experienced cyclists can explain equipment and how to deal with traffic.
Wear comfortable, bright clothes so drivers can see you.
Some larger employers have showers and locker rooms. Consider keeping some clothes at work.
Don't make it a chore. Take it one day at a time and enjoy the ride. Chain Reaction
On May 17, the Bay Area's 13th Annual Bike to Work Day will take place as part of National Bike Month. There will be eight Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Energizer Stations in Sunnyvale and Cupertino, which will have refreshments, biking information and some giveaways. Nearly all stations will be open from 6 to 9 a.m. to support riders.
Sunnyvale
VTA Bayshore/NASA light rail station.
N. Mary Avenue and W. Maude Avenue.
Sunnyvale Caltrain Station.
Arques Avenue and Wolfe Road.
E. El Camino Real and S. Wolfe Road.
Cupertino
Pruneridge Avenue and N. Tantau Avenue.
N. De Anza Boulevard and Mariani Avenue.
10185 N. Stelling Road.
