It’s Bike Month!

You’ve got a bike, right?

The purple Schwinn mountain bike you were were going to ride every day. The one you crammed into the back of your car when you drove out west from Minnesota, now collecting dust in your garage.

Or the 1980's Bianchi fixie conversion you bought pre-built off of Craigslist and walk the two blocks from your $1,800/month studio to Ritual every Tuesday night.

Or the Giant OCR that cost a pretty penny, but felt so light when you picked it up in the store that it seemed crazy not to buy it. You know the one.

Well, it's Bike Month, and it’s time your bike got the fresh air and exercise it deserves.

That’s right, Drive Your Bike to Work Day is almost here! On Monday, May 14th (2007), hoist that bike onto the roof of your car and drive it to work!

Celebrate the joys of bike-driving with your fellow road warriors! Put some miles on that under-used eco-transport! Plus, raise awareness about the hazard that affects bike-lovers everywhere. Low clearance garages.

Most of us know someone who has been hurt by low clearance. Some of us have even experienced it ourselves. Any time you place your bike on the roof of your car, you are putting yourself at risk. It's time we stand up and speak out about this danger, and driving your bike to work helps spread this important message.

Don't let this happen to you:

She had to learn about low clearance the hard way:

How can I help raise awareness about bike racks and low clearance?
It's easy! On Drive Your Bike To Work Day, just attach your bike to the roof of your car and drive it to work! When someone asks you why your bike is on the roof, inform them about the dangers of low-clearance that drivers face every day. If you see cyclists commuting without a vehicle, a friendly "Get A Car!" and a bright smile always helps get the message across.

What if I don’t own a car?
Fear not! There are plenty of ways that you can show solidarity with fellow drivers:

Carpool!
What is a better way to start increasing bike-rack awareness than pairing up with a car-owning co-worker and driving your bikes to work together?

Carshare!
There are several city car-sharing programs that support bike-driving. CityCarShare has several cars equipped with bike racks, and ZipCar encourages the transportation of bicycles in their hatchbacks or other vehicles with rear-folding seats. Just watch out when re-entering the garage; that low clearance will get you every time!

Are there other ways I can raise awareness about bike racks and low-clearance?
Of course! You just have to get creative and think outside the steel box. Take these examples:

Isn't driving your bike to work bad for the earth?
Definitely. Cars, even when equipped with bike racks, emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. But you can reduce your "carbon footprint" to zero by sending money to people who will plant trees to offset your fossil-fuel burning vehicle. Rest easy knowing you can buy your way out of this predicament, while also boosting the economy! After all, you're pushing money into gas, a car, a bike, and trees in Ecuador!

I just want to bring my bike to work like I normally do. You know, riding it... without a car?
Your dedication to bicycling is admirable, it really is, but don’t you think it’s time to show solidarity with your fellow commuters? This is a day when we must empathize with bike-drivers. Think about how they must feel, having to be constantly on guard, driving in these hectic streets, forced to swerve wildly around cyclists, worrying about running the bike on their roof into garages…

Please, just take Drive Your Bike To Work Day as a annual reminder that cyclists aren’t the only people using the city streets of San Francisco.