June 17, 2008

"The average American car-owner can expect to pay between $240,704 and $349,968 during her driving lifetime. These figures will increase with the price of fuel and the rising cost of the vehicles themselves."

- Gavin Hudson, on the 17 Reasons Why Bicycles are the Most Popular Vehicle in the World Today, EcoWorldly.com June 16, 2008

Table of Contents

1. Bicycles Outnumbering Cars
2. Caltrain Bicycle Master Plan - San Francisco meeting tonight!
3. Calling Superstars: SFBC and City of SF Hiring
4. Southwest Cyclist Meeting Next Tuesday!
5. Ring in Summer with a sexy and FREE bike bell
6. Put the "Roll" into "Rock 'n' Roll" as an SFBC Volunteer
7. Parade your Byke Pride with the SFBC
8. Bicycle Music Festival Rolls through San Francisco.
9. Biketown creates 30 new bicyclists
10. Upcoming Events

What are the Seven Hells of SF?
Find out this Saturday on a brand new route that will appeal to the masochist in you, featuring a lovely mix of long one-block spasms and multi-block quad burners.
www.sfbike.org/chain

Bicycles Outnumbering Cars

We're excited to report that this past Thursday, June 12th, the SF MTA announced that cyclists outnumbered cars on Market Street, again! The SF MTA's count on Market Street at Van Ness Avenue showed bicyclists made up 52% of the eastbound traffic, while motorists comprised 41% between 8am and 9am. This count indicates a nearly 30% increase over the number of people biking a year ago. You may remember that on Bike to Work Day city counts showed twice as many bikes as cars on Market Street when bicyclists made up 64% of the eastbound and motorists comprised 32% between 8am and 9am. We're thrilled to see that so many are continuing to ride everyday!

Other U.S. cities, like San Francisco, that have long promoted bicycle use by commuters are seeing a similar rise in the popularity of biking as gasoline prices soar. Read the story here.

Caltrain Bicycle Master Plan - San Francisco meeting tonight!

Good news: Caltrain is developing a Bicycle Master Plan. Bad news: The plan doesn't include anything about carrying bicycles on board, a huge service success for the Peninsula rail line but one which definitely needs serious planning and operational attention to maintain and grow. The Bike Plan focuses on ways to improve bike parking at its 10 most-popular stations, which is a worthy effort, but without "bikes on board" it's only a half a loaf. Please attend the San Francisco meeting tonight to express the need for a plan about bikes on board trains, and to provide input on bike parking.
6pm, Tonight (Tuesday) UCSF Mission Bay Campus (600-16th Street) Genentech Hall, Room S201

Calling Superstars: SFBC and City of SF Hiring

The SFBC will bid a grateful farewell in August to our dynamo Projects Manager Rachel Kraai, who is returning to graduate school. Rachel has been a big part of the SFBC's success in the past few years, and we can't thank her enough for her special style of effective advocacy and fun-filled community organizing.

That means the SFBC is looking for another Superstar to step into this important role. (See the job description here.) If you, or someone you know, is a highly motivated bicycling enthusiast with experience in grassroots organizing and community planning, check out this exciting opportunity. We are eager to bring someone on board as soon as possible. Please spread the word among your networks.

Also, the City of San Francisco is now accepting applications for transportation planners, including positions in Municipal Transportation Agency's Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Traffic Calming Programs. Detailed information for the three positions can be found here: Transit Planner II, Transit Planner III, Transit Planner IV. The window on submitting resumes is closing soon, so apply quickly.

Southwest Cyclist Meeting Next Tuesday!

Do you pedal to City College, San Francisco State, Lake Merced, or Balboa Park BART? We're organizing a Southwest Cycling Committee to advocate for the bike facilities these neighborhoods desperately need. Many important projects are in the works -- bike lanes on sections of Ocean and Phelan Avenues and better bicycle connections to the Mission, just to name a few. Many of these projects are already part of established neighborhood plans, but they will need the voices and support of neighbors to make them a reality! Please join us at the inaugural Southwest Cycling Committee Meeting:

When: Tuesday, June 24, 6:30pm
Where: A friendly neighbors home! Email Jon for the meeting address.

If you can't make the meeting but are interested in being involved, please email Rachel and we'll put you on our Southwest email list. It's time to connect the Southwest with the rest!

Ring in Summer with a sexy and FREE bike bell

Get a sexy FREE bike bell to ring in summer when you roll your bike by the fabulous SFBC Streetside Outreach Team at Howard and 8th Streets this Friday, June 20 from 5:00-7:00pm. (Thanks to the SFMTA for donating 800 bells!) While you wait, catch up on the latest SFBC advocacy work and enjoy the good company of your fellow cyclist! If you'd like to volunteer, contact Kate.

Put the "Roll" into "Rock 'n' Roll" as an SFBC Volunteer

• Bicycle Music Festival is rolling through SF this Saturday, and we need YOU to do SFBC outreach along the tour. Contact kate@sfbike.org to volunteer.
• The Big One is a "community convergence for conscious change" Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22. If you would like to volunteer as an SFBC Outreach volunteer or bike valet, contact kate@sfbike.org.
  
• Tour de Fat, the ballyhoo of bikes and beer--and a SFBC volunteer favorite--is coming July 19 to Golden Gate Park! Over 150 SFBC member-volunteers make it happen as beer pourers, wristband-its, bike valets, and more! Volunteer now to ensure your choice spot under the big tent.

Parade your Byke Pride with the SFBC

Join other SFBC members to show your Byke Pride and support for LGBT rights in the first-ever SFBC contingent in the 38th annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29th. With over a million expected attendees, the parade promises to be a super fun opportunity to spread the bike love. Don't just watch Pride, be a part of it! Our goal is to have at least 50 members riding. For more information or to sign up, contact PopcycleSF@yahoo.com.

Going to the Pride Parade? SFBC will be providing free Valet Bike Parking at Hyde and McAllister. If you love this service and want to give a hand? Contact vbpvolunteer@sfbike.org. Thanks Kryptonite for supporting the 2008 Valet Bike Parking program. Feel Free to Stop.

Bicycle Music Festival Rolls through San Francisco

The 2nd Annual Bicycle Music Festival rolls into town this Saturday and promises to bring the magic back to the streets and parks of the Mission District with the biggest, baddest, 100% bike-powered festival in the world (and all totally FREE!). All Day, and well into the night, the Bicycle Music Festival will be biking to awesome public venues such as the Alemany Farmer's Market and Dolores Park. Between Festival stops they rock the Mission with outrageous cruiser rides, and perform amazing feats like scaling tall hills on tall bikes.

Be part of the second annual BMF! They need volunteer gear haulers, bike fixers, foodies, buskers, and advocacy team members to make the festival the best yet. For details see bicyclemusicfestival.com

Biketown creates 30 new bicyclists

30 lucky winners rode away with their shiny, new coasting bikes on Friday thanks to Bicycling magazine's BikeTown program. Dodging skyrocketing gasoline prices to going green to weight loss to finally learning how to ride a bicycle were some of the many reasons that the winners gave for how a bike would "set them free." We're excited to welcome this diverse group of new bicyclists to the streets of San Francisco. Watch news coverage of the event from KTVU.

Upcoming Events

** Tuesday, June 17th **

Caltrain Bicycle Master Plan Public Meeting *
6pm Genentech Hall, Room S201 University of California, San Francisco (Mission Bay) 600 16th St., San Francisco

Good news: Caltrain is developing a Bicycle Master Plan. Bad news: The plan doesn't include anything about carrying bicycles on board, a huge service success for the Peninsula rail line but one which definitely needs serious planning and operational attention to maintain and grow. The Bike Plan focuses on ways to improve bike parking at its 10 most-popular stations, which is a worthy effort, but without "bikes on board" it's only a half a loaf. Caltrain's Key Findings and Recommendations are posted here. Comments will be accepted through July 3. To comment, attend one of the public meetings, send an email to bikeplan@caltrain.com, or write to Caltrain Bicycle Master Plan, P.O. Box 3006, San Carlos, CA 94070.

** Friday, June 20th **

Ring in Summer!
5-7pm, 8th St @ Howard

Get a classy FREE bike bell to ring in Summer when you roll on by the fabulous SFBC Streetside Outreach Team. (Thanks to SFMTA for donating 800 bells!) While you wait, catch up on the latest SFBC advocacy work and enjoy the good company of your fellow cyclist! Want to be a Streetside Outreach Team Volunteer? Contact kate@sfbike.org.

** Saturday, June 21st **

Bicycle Music Festival*
10am-10:30pm and beyond | various locations, see website

The 2nd Annual Bicycle Music Festival promises to bring the magic back to the streets and parks of the Mission District with the biggest, baddest, 100% bike-powered festival in the world (and all totally FREE!). All Day, and well into the night, the Bicycle Music Festival will be biking to awesome public venues such as the Alemany Farmer's Market and Dolores Park. Between Festival stops they rock the Mission with outrageous cruiser rides, and perform amazing feats like scaling tall hills on tall bikes.

Be part of the second annual BMF! They need volunteer gear haulers, bike fixers, foodies, buskers, and advocacy team members to make thw festival the best yet. See bicyclemusicfestival.com for details.

Seven Hells of SF (Steepest Hills of SF III) Tour
11am-3pm (conservative estimated duration), meet at Panhandle Statue, Fell and Baker

Dan the Hill Man contributes to this fine granny-gear tradition with his "Seven Hells of SF" tour. This brand new route will most definitely appeal to the masochist in you and features a lovely mix of long one-block spasms and multi-block quad burners. Don't worry -- we'll wait at the top of each hill for you. Bring food, water and a bike with low gears. Come on, it will be fun -- or at least you'll think it was fun when you brag about it the following day! Contact Dan and Frank with any questions.

** Sunday, June 22nd **

Tour de Spat Alleycat! *
11am meet at the Bike Kitchen (between 8th and 9th on Mission/Laskie Alley)

Join in the fun and queering of the ever-beloved bicycle on Sunday June 22nd! Meet at 11am at the Bike Kitchen (between 8th and 9th on Mission/Laskie Alley), hand out destination points and go from there.

This little bike adventure alleycat will take you on a treasure hunt of local gay lore, visiting relics of past, present and future queer hirstory. Come dressed in your gayest finery, and bring a potluck snack to share at the final destination picnic that awaits you at the finish line! Teams are most welcome! Points for best costume, most sites visited, creative problem solving, correct answers to trivia questions, most delicious bikeable travel potluck snack, and special prize to anyone who can add an obscure local queer hirstory fact that no one else has heard of.

Alice Summerthing *
12pm-4pm, Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park

Ride your bike to and have it valet parked at this free concert in the park put on by Radio Alice 97.3 FM. Featuring the music of Lifehouse, Ingrid Michaelson, The Last Goodnight, Marie Digby, and Secondhand Serenade. To volunteer as a bike valet volunteer email vbpvolunteer@sfbike.org.

Bluegrass for Greenbelt*
2pm; Dunsmuir Historic Estate in Oakland

Bike to "Bluegrass for the Greenbelt", the third annual benefit concert for Greenbelt Alliance. The show features Hot Buttered Rum, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, and The Wronglers at the Dunsmuir Historic Estate in Oakland. Complimentary valet bike parking provided. For more information, bike-from-BART directions and tickets, please visit www.BluegrassForTheGreenbelt.org. If interested in volunteering to help with valet bike parking, contact JC at girlfridayevents@gmail.com

Here's how to contact SFBC's staff directly:
Frank Chan, Operations Director, 431-2453 x304, frank@sfbike.org
Teri Gardiner, Communications Director, 431-2453 x308, teri@sfbike.org
Rachel Kraai, Projects Manager, 431-2453 x302, rachel@sfbike.org
Jodie Medeiros, Development Director, 431-2453 x305, jodie@sfbike.org
Kate McCarthy, Membership & Volunteer Director, 431-2453 x303, kate@sfbike.org
Neal Patel, Community Planner, 431-2453 x312, neal@sfbike.org
Leah Shahum, Executive Director, 431-2453 x306, leah@sfbike.org
Andy Thornley, Program Director, 431-2453 x307, andy@sfbike.org

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
995 Market St, Ste 1550
San Francisco, California 94103
United States

415.431.BIKE
http://www.sfbike.org