More News

Pedaling alongside the gridlock

Area bikers plan to ditch cars on Bike to Work Day

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Gazette file photo Debbie Reynolds (left) and Robert Bernstein, both of Laurel, take a break from their bike to work to eat a snack at the College Park Town Hall, one of the official pit stops on National Bike to Work Day.

On Friday — the annual Bike to Work Day — Kelly could get his wish, as hundreds of College Park bike enthusiasts plan to meet at City Hall at around 6 a.m. to make their morning commute. Instead of wearing a seatbelt on their way to the office, commuters will guard themselves with helmets and a keen eye for surrounding traffic. Despite the occasional challenges of biking around the metro region, many bicyclists said they were happy to breathe in a little fresh air on their way to work.

‘‘It boils down to the fact that riding a bike is fun,” said Kelly, chairman of the College Park Area Bicycle Coalition, reminiscing about how excited he has been on previous Bike to Work days. ‘‘You feel good, you feel uplifted to see all those people out there. ... People of all sizes and all ages come out and participate in something they’ve wanted to do for a while.”

Seeing the city’s small but devoted population of bike lovers is a plus, Kelly said, and talking with casual bicyclists about the benefits of biking is what drives him to participate in the yearly event.

‘‘It’s like a convention or a seminar,” he said, adding that he expects about 400 people to show up for Bike to Work Day. On Friday, local bike organizations will set up 17 pit stops throughout the region, including College Park City Hall, where bicyclists can meet and ride with experienced biking caravans as they make their way to many parts of Prince George’s County and the District. Hundreds or thousands of bikers are expected to meet at Freedom Plaza in the District.

Sam Bronstein, a longtime College Park resident who often rides his bike to run errands, said he is always surprised that more people don’t participate in Bike to Work Day.

‘‘But of course it depends on where you need to go,” said Bronstein, adding that a long morning commute is not ideal for someone who only rides a bike a few times a year.

Bronstein said pumping bike pedals rather than the brakes of a car can benefit people on a personal level and on a community-wide scale, as more biking means a little less traffic along the clogged Route 1 corridor.

‘‘I like [Bike to Work Day] because you get fresh air and a little exercise,” he said. ‘‘You get to miss all the [traffic] lights most of the time ... and it’s a lot more relaxing than fighting the rat race and all the cars on Route 1.”

Kelly said the narrow sidewalks and busy streets in parts of College Park and surrounding municipalities can make for an adventure for some bikers, but the risk is always worth the reward.

‘‘You have to be a special person,” said Kelly, who plans to pass out copies of a brand new map of Prince George’s County’s biking trails, complete with color-coded danger zones. ‘‘You have to be on the edge a little bit.”

College Park City Councilman Eric Olson (Dist. 3), who rides his bike to the Metro on a regular basis, said city residents should take advantage of the veteran bicycle convoys that will make the trek to the District on Friday.

‘‘It is definitely a fun thing to do,” he said. ‘‘It’s a great way to start your day ... to get your blood and your muscles going a little bit.”

Olson, a longtime advocate of alternative forms of transportation, said he is encouraged to see people jump on their bikes instead of in their cars – even if it is just once a year.

‘‘It’s actually a great sight to see so many people out on their bikes using another mode of transportation and having fun,” Olson said. ‘‘It is an all-around good thing.”

E-mail Dennis Carter at dcarter@gazette.net.