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Sept-Oct 2010 AMERICAN www.bikeleague.org League of American Bicyclists Working for a Bicycle-Friendly America RIDEOF PASSAGE p. 18 10 THE NEW AAA: Bringing Bicycling into the Mix 16 CLIMATE CHANGE & BICYCLING How Bicycling Advocates Can Help Craft Climate Action Plans 24 BICYCLE FRIENDLY UNIVERSITIES contentSEPT-OCT 2010 IN EVERY ISSUE Viewpoint ......................................................... 2 Chairman’s Message ..................................... 3 InBox .................................................................. 4 Cogs & Gears ................................................... 6 QuickStop ......................................................... 28 Pedal Progress The Future of the League 9 National Bike Summit 10 Bringing Bicycling into the MIx: 18 the New AAA Think Bike Bicycle Advocacy 10 16 Climate Change & Bicycling From the Saddle 18 Ride of Passage ON THE COVER! Bicycle Friendly 24 America Workstand Working Toward a More Bicycle-friendly Nation 24 Bicycle Friendly Universities Smart Cycling 27 By the Book cover photo courtesy of Matt Biers-Ariel 16 AmericanBicyclist 1 viewpoint [Andy Clarke, president] Wishes & Wands I got to fulfill a lifelong dream in I figure as long as we keep the July — five days of riding in the Pyre- League firmly between these two ex- nees, culminating in a fantastic climb tremes and continue to focus on our up the legendary Col de Tourmalet. mission — to serve all cyclists, even Spectacular scenery, great roads, con- those that want to cycle but currently siderate drivers, and the organizing don’t feel safe or comfortable — we’ll wouldn’t be comfortable riding on talents of Trek Travel made for a truly be doing our jobs. I believe we have the same kind of roads in the United memorable experience. a good balance in our programs; and States — rural and small-town moun- I was brought straight back down based on our member surveys, the tain roads with few shoulders or bike to earth upon my return by the mail. overwhelming majority of you agree. facilities. By the end of the first day, Two messages in particular caught We offer a strong education program that anxiety was largely gone as they my attention. The first came from teaching responsible, respectful rid- encountered competent, respectful Bob Boyce; you can read it in the ing techniques; we enable effective drivers on well-maintained roads with Inbox on page 4 of this issue. Boyce advocacy for better conditions in our information and services along the believes that I am unfit to lead this states, communities, and businesses; way that made cyclists welcome. organization because I like bike lanes we speak up for cyclists ever-more Changing U.S. culture to the point and trails and think they have a place powerfully each year through the Na- where cyclists are welcome partici- in our communities. tional Bike Summit; and our network pants in traffic won’t come by banning At the other end of the spectrum, of 750 affiliated local clubs and advo- cyclists or by squabbling internally a young woman from Blacksburg, cacy organizations provide a dazzling about bike lanes, and I don’t have a Va., wrote a long letter (yes, an actual array of events and opportunities to magic wand. That means we’ve got our letter!) explaining why she believes ride. work cut out to make our programs “that for the safety of both bicyclists Now, if I could wave a magic even more effective, and we appreciate and motorists alike, bicyclists should wand and change one thing, my your support in making that possible. be banned from, or avoid, any road inspiration would come from the that is hazardous,” and she had a long roadways of southern France. Several list of area roads she and her fiancé riders on my Pyrenean adventure would put in that category. were initially nervous, saying they Andy Clarke President 2 AmericanBicyclist chair’smessage [Hans van Naerssen] 2020: A Long-term Vision for the League In October 2010 League Board and staff will start a longer term vision- ing and planning process. We will be drafting 10-year measurable outcomes in support of our mission and the priority areas of advocacy and rights to the road, education, and promotion. What are your thoughts? What are the top three or four things you feel the League should have ac- complished 10 years from now? How will we measure success? Let us know your top three or four goals by visiting www.bikeleague.org and sharing your thoughts. Once we have drafted a measurable 10-year vision, there will be several reviews. Teams will ensure it is achievable while setting shorter-term goals. Stakeholders will be invited to give us their thoughts. We will share it with you to get your opinion and suggestions. Why are we doing this? The 10-year vision will give us direction for the next decade. It will determine how much, where and how to allocate our scarce resources. It will help us prepare for and shape the decade ahead. Hans van Naerssen Board Chair AmericanBicyclist 3 inbox [letters to the editor] Tell Us ... Why do you belong to the League? In addition to our regular letters to the editor, we also want to know how you feel about specific topics. We’ll post a question in every new In Box. Share your answer by mail or e-mail. Please include your name and address and title your Qletter “In Box Q.” Send answers to [email protected]. We may edit letters for length and clarity. ship. Someone with a mindset like FACEBOOK MESSAGE TWEETED this should not be running America’s In response to the Bike Reading Villarai- leading cycling organization. League’s Blog “Protect Vital gosa’s bike summit - Robert Boyce, Lincoln, Neb. Bicycle Funding – Demand Pro- report, and thinking how portionality in Rescissions!” What he uses the web, makes Editors Note: was John McCain thinking with his me think he might be- Please read Andy Clarke’s response to amendment? The amount of money come the Ray LaHood of this letter in his Viewpoint on page 2. “saved” with this amendment is tiny mayors. — and its impact on bicyclists who Bicycle Friendly States BikePortland, August 18 also use airplanes will be huge. Reaffirmed Ben Lyman, August 18 We recently returned from eight weeks of traveling by train and bike. FACEBOOK MESSAGE Bike Lanes As we sifted through the stack of mail In response to the Bike League’s Blog “A Boom in Andy Clarke in his “Viewpoint” and cycling magazines awaiting us at Bicycle-Friendly” I’d love to see the in the May-June issue, focused, as home, I noted that the League’s top twin cities here get on the stick and he typically does, on “bicycle facili- five Bicycle Friendly States are Wash- consider more bicycle-friendly road ties” — bike lanes, paths, trails — as if ington, Wisconsin, Maine, Minnesota options! cycling cannot be done without these. and Oregon. We had just visited all Ralph Muccilli, July 20 He proudly proclaimed “Pennsylva- five and did indeed find them bicy- nia Avenue *has* bike lanes. We’ve cle-friendly. We were happy to have arrived.” I found his piece enormous- spent cycling time and tourist dollars ly disturbing. in all five. Pennsylvania Avenue, like every - Cynthia Snow other street in America, has always had bike lanes. They just happen to be shared with motor vehicles, and are, in most cases, safer than those Thanks for your letters where cyclists are restricted to a small We eagerly await all of your comments — good and bad — on part of the roadway or prohibited cycling, the League, our publications, and just about anything else from the roadway at all. Andy’s fail- you want to tell us about. E-mail [email protected] or mail ure to understand or recognize this it to us at 1612 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20006. simple fact leads him to promote pol- Comment on facebook.com/leagueamericanbicyclists or twitter. icies that are harmful to competent com/bikeleague. Letters may be edited for style and length. cyclists — the League’s core member- 4 AmericanBicyclist Bikesharing stations are popping up all over the country. Capital Bikeshare, coming soon to the Washington DC metro area, puts 1,100 bikes at your fingertips. Pick up a bike at one of the stations, use it, and then return it to a station near your destination. to create the same effect as gouges in FACEBOOK MESSAGE the pavement. For a bicycle rider, this In response to the Bike was usable. League’s Blog “Bike Sharing - Frank Schipper, Santa Barbara, Calif. 2.0” If there is a plot to take over America by using bicycles, where do A Bright Plan for the Future I sign-up? I just finished reading the new Crisologo Chuck Gregorio, August 13 American Bicyclist and am moved to say how impressed I am with the FACEBOOK MESSAGE comprehensiveness of the League’s In response to the Bike League’s plan illuminated in “The League In Blog “L.A. Mayor Leads Bicy- 2010 and Beyond” (July-August page cling Effort after Bike 16). I am happy to see that protecting Accident” This is surprising, amaz- American Bicyclist rights and a legal defense fund are ing, and could be the start of some- Made My Day in the works. When people advo- thing big! I more than enjoyed Ben Sollee’s cate not just for what would benefit Dobrila Stancevic, August 16 article “Beautiful Limitations” in cyclists now, but also for the role of American Bicyclist (July-August the bicycle 20 to 40 years from now, FACEBOOK MESSAGE page 12). What a breath of fresh air! everything changes. The League’s In response to the Bike I didn’t know there were any people plan has that kind of vision behind it.