May-June 2012 AMERICAN www.bikeleague.org League of American Bicyclists Working for a Bicycle-Friendly America WOMEN ON A FEMALEROLL CYCLISTS ARE TAKING THE LEAD IN THE BICYCLE MOVEMENT p.8 16 CYCLING IN JAPAN 20 RIDE AMERICA FOR SAFE ROUTES Pedaling across the country for bicycle safety contentMAY-JUNE 2012 8 IN EVERY ISSUE Viewpoint ......................................................... 2 Inbox .................................................................. 3 Cogs & Gears ................................................... 5 QuickStop ......................................................... 28 ON THE Pedal Progress COVER! 8 Women on a Roll Female cyclists are taking the lead in the bicycle movement 16 From the Saddle 16 Cycling in Japan The ideal combination of spectacular terrain, delicious food and friendly people 20 Ride America for Safe Routes Pedaling cross-country for bicycle safety Bicycle Friendly America Workstand 22 Moving Up BFA program helps bicycle-friendly 20 participants improve their performance Think Bike 24 24 Who Benefits from Bicycling in Your City? Community Cycling Center advances collaborative advocacy 26 Getting and Leveraging Public Funds Five lessons from Delaware Cover: Kim Cross, founder of Magic City Cycle Chix, re-imag- ined the iconic Rosie the Riveter poster for women in bicycling viewpoint [Andy Clarke, president] BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER The League has a proud tradi- the impact of every individual League tion of leadership. From the glory member through more focused and days of the Good Roads Movement in effective education, advocacy and the 1890s to the National Bike Sum- training programs at the national, state mit today, we have championed smart and local level – while respecting and national transportation policy. celebrating the rich history and tradi- In the 1970s and 1980s the League tion of the League. (Read more at secured the legal status of bicyclists, www.bikefuture.org.) state by state, and established an educa- What is particularly exciting to me tion program for cyclists – then known about this opportunity is that all three as “effective cycling” – with principles organizations come to the table with League President Andy Clarke (center) upon which every state and local educa- a shared vision, strong programs, and with Tim Blumenthal from Bikes Belong tion program is still based to this day. financial good health. We aren’t talking (right) and Jeff Miller from the AllianceT The Bicycle Friendly Community because one of us is going under, or for Biking & Walking program – which has spawned not only need to consolidate programs or save our own Business, University and State money by cutting staff. The emphasis programs but also derivatives such as is solely on expanding the reach and Walk Friendly and Age Friendly Com- value of what we do at a time when in- munities – is spearheading the creation terest in bicycling is at an all-time high of a more bicycle-friendly America. in communities across the nation. And, for the past 50 years, National There is a lot of work still to be Bike Month and Bike to Work Day done before we can start writing this have given people the perfect excuse to next chapter in the history of the get back on a bike and ride. League, and we’ll be presenting more Today, the League is playing a details in the months ahead. For now, leadership role in taking our movement we welcome your input into this pro- to another level of effectiveness and cess; we ask for your continued support influence. through your membership and con- Our board and staff leaders are tributions; and we need you to be the deep into negotiations with the Al- ultimate bike advocate ... by getting on liance for Biking & Walking and the your bike and riding! Bikes Belong Coalition to unify our three organizations into one powerful voice for cyclists. The new organiza- tion will combine the financial clout of Andy Clarke the bike industry with the grassroots President, League of American Bicyclists passion and reach of hundreds of local advocacy groups and clubs. If we are successful, the collaborative relation- ship we already enjoy with the Alli- ance and Bikes Belong will magnify 2 AmericanBicyclist inbox [letters to the editor] Rear-view mirrors can help prevent “struck-from-behind” accidents. The Value of Hindsight TWEETED The Jan-Feb issue of American Bicyclist Took off my lobbying contains an excellent article on educa- dress and cherry blossom tion for bicyclists. There is, however, petals fell out. #NBS12 [National a significant omission from this and Bike Summit] + cherry blossom most other articles I have seen on the season? Heaven! subject of reducing injuries and fatali- - Rhonda Smythe ties among road-riding bicyclists. This omission is the lack of discussion, or even a mention, of the role of rear-view Spending vs. Cycling? mirrors in preventing “struck-from- behind” accidents involving bicyclists. I read your article in the Jan-Feb issue The helmet, a much-touted piece of of American Bicyclist bemoaning the safety equipment (which I person- fact that funding for bike-friendly ally would never ride without), really programs is being cut from the federal doesn’t do much for the rider until budget. Where is the money going to their head strikes the ground. A mirror, come from? We are borrowing 40 cents in contrast, is something that may be out of every dollar the government used literally every few seconds. spends. We will be Greece if this trend - Steve Weeks, Mundelein, Ill. isn’t reversed. I love cycling, and rec- Corrections ognize the value of the programs you Goshen Gets Bike-Friendly Several errors appeared in the are discussing, but we simply have to March-April issue of American Just got my March-April American stop spending money on non-essential Bicyclist. We apologize for the Bicyclist magazine and it is among the programs and get the national debt and oversight and invite you to download best and most informative ones yet. deficit under control. the corrected version on our website: Goshen, Indiana, made the Bronze list - Joe Rohner, Dallas, Texas www.bikeleague.org/members/ for the first time. They are continuing magazine.php Stopping Trouble to improve safe cycling in a big way — and one little-known way is the Before it Begins Bicycle Friendly Communities: Chain Reaction Bike Project (CRBP. My hat is off to the wonderful “First Line Minneapolis, Minn.: Gold org). The nonprofit shop provides bikes of Defense” article by Karen Jenkins and New York, N.Y.: Silver for people who otherwise couldn’t af- Jim Nicholson in the Jan-Feb issue of Chicago, Ill.: Silver ford one and keeps discarded bikes out American Bicyclist. That’s exactly the Philadelphia, Pa.: Bronze of the scrap yards. They also run a re- message we need to publicize. The mo- San Antonio, Texas: Bronze cycle pick-up service by bike. I’ve been ment you start to ride in or near traffic, volunteering there for the past seven the first principle of bicycle safety Bicycle Friendly Businesses: months and it’s great to see the smiles becomes preventing collisions. We can Alta Planning + Design: Platinum on the faces of kids when they leave on teach you to identify trouble and danger RPM Transportation Consultants: Gold a bike they worked to earn. when it begins, and prevent it with ad- Mad Dog Cycles: Gold - Stephen Riffe, Leesburg, Ind. vanced arm-signaling, lane-positioning, Urban Adventours: Gold merging, and emergency skills. Ciclismo Classico: Silver - Lauren Cooper, Carlsbad, Calif. Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District: Silver Erik’s Bike Shop: Silver Thanks for your letters We eagerly await all of your comments — Spin Doctor Cyclewerks: Silver good and bad — on cycling, the League, our publications, and just about Washington Bike Law/Anderton anything else you want to tell us about. E-mail [email protected] Law: Silver or mail it to us at 1612 K Street NW, Suite 510, Washington, D.C. 20006. Comment on facebook.com/leagueamericanbicyclists or twitter.com/bikeleague. Letters may be edited for style and length. AmericanBicyclist 3 cogs&gears [League News] The Personal is Political at the National Bike Summit The lasting impact of one woman’s story By Katie Omberg The record-breaking crowd was impressive, but the funding, which also didn’t instill much confidence. But to numbers are just the tip of the iceberg in revealing the be a good advocate, all you need is a story that sticks, a true power of the 2012 National Bike Summit. On March fact we stress to everyone at the Summit. And Aly told her 20-22, more than 800 advocates from 49 states (we want Representative a story that cut right to the heart of the to see you in 2013, Alaska!) and Canada traveled to Wash- issue. ington, D.C., to learn about the federal transportation “My daughter, Mandy, was diagnosed with a mood bill and take our “Save Cycling” message to Capitol Hill. disorder when she was young,” Aly said. She would sud- Here at the League, we spend countless hours lining up denly erupt into tantrums that were impossible to quell break-out sessions, preparing fact sheets, and answering and, one particular day, Mandy broke down in the middle registrant questions. After all that hard work, the Summit of the living room. “Something’s wrong with me,” she said, finally comes, and that’s when the fun really begins. crying in her mother’s arms. I’ll never forget what Aly [who asked that her last “My heart was broken,” Aly said. “I wasn’t sure what to name not be used], a first-time Summit attendee from do, so I took her outside. We went to the path behind our Little Rock, Ark., shared with me at the Congressional house, and just walked.