#26, October 26, 1999
"Be prepared!
That's the cyclist's motto.
Don't be scared
of that speeding auto.
Oh, the day is near
When the air will clear
'cause our bike travel
won't be so impaired…
so be prepared!"
Preparation is the key to bicycling success, before you
even mount the saddle. I have to start off in the morning down a long hill. The
first 3 minutes produce a high chill factor, before I'm warmed up. But if I add
an extra layer for this stretch, I'm shedding it (or sweating in it) by the time
I reach the D Street bridge. Solution: warm up in the house with some upper
body exercises (which also balance the leg workout on the bike.)
Uh-oh… rain! Used to be that it drove me to drive, until
I discovered the $100 day-glow yellow rain suit in the Land's End catalogue. I
wear (sort-of) matching yellow rubber dishwashing gloves to cut the evaporative
chill on the pinkies. I carry a towel in my pack (shielded under a white
garbage bag) to dry my face when I get on the bus. I keep several fresh changes
of clothes at work.
Can I do this? These behaviors seemed
embarrassingly extreme until I thought objectively about all the benefits, to
me and my community and my planet, of leaving the car at home. In that context,
it wasn't a big deal to appear a little geeky. Plus, when I exchange a holler
and a wave other cyclists on the road during rush hour, I am rewarded with a
feeling of proud kinship with my fellow transportation pioneers.
Once you're rolling, preparation takes on a different
meaning, especially if you are a cross town bicycle commuter in Petaluma. You
must confront challenges not unlike those faced last century by the
cross-continental pioneers, in that you can never be sure what the trail will
dish up. Until you learn your routes, you can't take bikeways for granted.
Sometimes they narrow suddenly, or become cloaked in tree branches, or covered
by gravel. Sometimes they just disappear into nothing.
But don't be scared. It will get better, and soon. The
Petaluma Bicycle Advisory Committee is putting the finishing touches on its
Bicycle Plan, and will soon be sending it to the Planning Commission and City
Council for approval. Many years in the making, the Plan covers every aspect of
improving the bicycling environment for Petalumans. It designates a
comprehensive system of bikeways (what I propose we call "Green
Lanes") throughout the town,
including off-street paths along Petaluma's many waterways and the railroad
corridor. For example, construction will soon begin on a the Plan's cross town
bike trail under Highway 101 at Lynch Creek.
The Bike Plan sets standards for new developments and
reconstruction, to ensure that bicycle and pedestrian access are included in
designs from the beginning. Applying these standards. the Bicycle Committee
already has already recommended significant improvements to the design of
several projects, including the new shopping center on Sonoma Mountain Parkway.
The Plan specifies programs for safety improvements and
education, including joint projects with the City's schools. It calls for a
Spot Improvement Program, whereby a City crew can quickly repair hazards
reported by cyclists (like that big asphalt hump in front of the police
station!) It spells out steps employers can take to encourage bicycle
commuting, like providing showers, and kitchenettes for onsite lunches (thank
you, AFC!)
Perhaps most important, by adopting the Plan as a
component of the City's General Plan, the City becomes eligible for significant
State and Federal funding for bicycle facilities. To learn more about the Bike
Plan, contact the City Planning Department and watch this paper for news of
public hearings.
There's danger ahead on the old road. We are fast
burning the fossil fuel legacy of the dinosaur era. But thanks in part to the
Bike Plan, Petaluma will be prepared for life in the green lane.