Join people around the world to leave your cars at home today.
Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, and what better time to ride a bike than in the fall? Try riding to the store or run your errands and enjoy the freedom without a car. Walking and public transportation are also great options for World Carfree Day. If you can’t leave the car at home all of the time, going carlite can still have a positive impact on your life, the city you live in, and your climate.
If you go by bike today, and you are new to bike commuting, check out the League of American Bicyclists and Commute by Bike.
Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated society.
But we do not want just one day of celebration and then a return to “normal” life. When people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.
Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year.
As the climate heats up, World Carfree Day is the perfect time to take the heat off the planet, and put it on city planners and politicians to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of to the automobile.
WCD has been Wiki’d so you can easily add an event you are planning and get more people to explore alternative means of transportation.\
What do you have planned for this World Car Free Day????
At Light & Motion we’re big believers in getting people of all ages on bikes which is why we love the work that El Grupo is doing.
El Grupo is a non-profit youth cycling team in Tucson, Arizona that affords the opportunities of cycling to local teens who otherwise would not get the chance. Their mission “to empower youth through bicycles. We aim to instill traits such as courage, integrity, life-long healthy habits and good sportsmanship through bicycle advocacy, and riding and racing bicycles.”
In fact, the work that El Grupo does is based on the following goals:
- To enable youth to become life-long bike lovers and good healthy citizens
- To educate and inspire youth to overcome obstacles, both personal and societal (i.e. choosing the bicycle as a primary means of transportation)
- To empower youth to set and achieve personal and team goals
- To make riding bikes safer, cooler, and more accessible for those under 18 years of age
National Bike Month is wrapping up, and as we move into June, there’s plenty to celebrate in the bike safety world.
USA Today highlighted some of the great moves that states are making to improve the safety of their cyclists.
Here are a few:
- Delaware’s Legislature unanimously passed a “Walkable, Bikeable Delaware” resolution designed to create networks of sidewalks and bike paths throughout the state.
- Georgia became the 19th state to enact a three-foot zone as the minimum safe passing distance for motorists overtaking cyclists.
- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, ordered the state to start tracking “dooring” collisions, which occur when motorists carelessly open doors and cyclists crash into them.
Good on all of you!
Image: gwhalin
We’ve been supporting all kinds of initiatives during National Bike Month and it has been great to see the success of all of them, especially the Mass Commuter Challenge.
To celebrate everyone that took part, they’re throwing a huge Bike Bash this Wednesday, May 25. By the looks of it, we’re sure it’s going to be a great time; wish we were in Cambridge, MA so we could attend too!
We hear there will be a Light & Motion light getting raffled off… so if you took part in the Mass Commuter Challenge, we hope you get lucky!
It’s national Bike to Work Day, and since we’ve been talking about Bike to Work Week for the last few days, we’re devoting this week’s list of favorite links to commuting on two wheels.
- First off, be sure to stay safe. (Rocking lights are just the beginning)
- If this little old lady can ride her bike to work, what’s your excuse??
- People for Bikes made some rocking posters. If these don’t make you want to bike commute, we don’t know what will.
- Biking to work helps you reduce your risk of heart disease… by up to 50%.
- Still not sure about bike commuting? Here are 11 tips to get you started.
- And if you missed out on today’s Bike to Work Day, this sweet event is only a month away.
And whatever you do today, don’t overpack. You don’t want your commute looking like this:
Happy Friday!
Image: Wired
If you’re in the Illinois area, you’ll be sure to want to check out the Black Partridge Open, hosted by Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association (PAMBA), this weekend, taking place on Sunday May 22, 2011.
As a race series partner you’ll be sure to see the Light & Motion banners hanging loud and proud!
PAMBA does a solid job of keeping their trails well maintained and encouraging people to get out on two wheels. In their words, “We build, we ride, we maintain…we socialize! ”
A great organization and great race!
For this week’s Life in Motion, we’re featuring the new PSA by People for Bikes. We can’t get enough of it!
Although we might change the title to Bikes and Lights Make Life Better…
It’s National Bike to Work Week, and even if you spend the greater part of the rest of the year commuting on two wheels instead of four, this week gives you ample opportunity to celebrate and inspire others to make bike commuting a part of their everyday lives.
We’ve rounded up some of the fun events happening throughout the week to make sure that you get to take advantage of the Bike to Work spirit!
- Cleveland: Kick off May 20 Bike to Work Day party with your fellow Cleveland cyclists in a downtown celebration, 7:30am-9am. Don’t want to go it alone? Find yourself a”ride buddy” with the help of Ohio Ride Share.
- Boston: Enjoy a guided bike convoy to Boston’s City Hall Plaza as part of Mayor Menino’s Bike Festival. May 20, 7-9am.
- Eugene: Bike ‘n Brew, with local food and beer on Friday May 20, from 5-7pm.
- Flagstaff: Bike to Breakfast Day on Tuesday May 18, from 6:30-9am, being hosted at 8 different locations.
- Los Angeles: Bike FROM work on Thursday May 19 and you’ll get to have a happy hour beer with fellow cyclists at a handful of locales around the city.
- Portland: In this city, Bikes Mean Business. Join the BTA in learning just why. They’ll be set up from 9am-1pm talking to workers, employers, and visitors about why biking makes sense for a thriving business community.
- Santa Fe: Clinics and socials will keep you busy in New Mexico.
- Seattle: Commuter stations (which will have some L&M lights as prizes!), the Mayor’s ride, Ballard Block Party and a rally at City Hall, all on May 20, the Cascade Bicycle Club has you covered.
Know of more fun Bike to Work Week events? Tell us about them in the comments below.
Image: Center for Neighborhood Technology, Jeff Moser
Last week we celebrated San Francisco Bay Area’s official Bike to Work Day by setting up a booth on the Monterey bike path and serving up free breakfast for anyone making their way to work on two wheels.
Lots of fun and great to see so many people out!
Katy Crane on 
Charles Allen on 
