Greenberg, an energy-efficiency expert for Berkeley Lab,
knows that bikes are the most energy-efficient mode of transportation
ever devised. A 10-mile commute by bicycle requires 350 calories
of energy, the amount in one bowl of rice. The same trip in your
average car burns 18,600 calories, or more than half a gallon of
gasoline.
In the Bay Area of the 21st century, not many have a commute
as straight- forward as Greenberg's. Don't let that deter you. Greenberg's
colleague Sherie Reineman uses a hybrid bike-public transit strategy
for her commute. At 6 a.m., she leaves her home in Benicia and pedals
6.5 miles to Vallejo. There she hops on a Vallejo Transit shuttle
(with her bike), which delivers her at the El Cerrito Del Norte
BART station 20 minutes later. After a five-mile bike ride to Berkeley
on the Ohlone Greenway, a shuttle delivers her to the office. "If
I make all my connections, I am locking up my bike at 7:30 a.m.,"
she says. Not everyone has the fortitude for such a trek. But even
in traffic, bikes can average 10 miles per hour; cars don't fare
much better.
Getting started
To get started on your own bike commute,
do a dry run on a weekend. Make a checklist of provisions for the
ride. Wear comfortable riding clothes and bring along work attire.
Ergonomics is as important on a bike as at the office. Test ride
several bikes and get one that fits. Keep a spare tube, tire irons,
and a patch kit in your bag.
A couple of words about helmets: Wear
one. According to the Bicycle Safety Institute, 75 percent of bicycle
accident fatalities are due to head injuries. A bell can announce
your presence as you glide up behind pedestrians on bike paths.
According to Reineman, "The most important safety factor is visibility.
Exercise extreme caution and make eye contact with drivers. Never
count on having the right-of-way, even if the rules say you do."
Some employers have developed incentive programs for employees who
bike. Perks include free taxi rides home in case of illness, family
crisis, or unscheduled overtime. Some provide cash payments for
freeing up parking and sparing the air.
Many Web and phone resources offer advice for optimal routes and
bike-transit connections. So next time your alarm goes off, instead
of bracing yourself for gridlock, slide onto the saddle and pedal
yourself down a new path to work.
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