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| March 6, 2007"I find it so odd to get back into a motor vehicle. I feel so isolated. You just sort of zoom along in your little cocoon. You start to look at everything as an obstacle. Oh, a stop sign, I'm getting slowed down again. Oh, there's kids crossing. Oh, there's a bus stopping. You're not stopping to enjoy anything because you're just trying to get somewhere. With a bicycle, a lot of it is just the ride." Some cyclists don't give up when winter comes, Ottawa Citizen, March 4, 2007 Table of Contents
Did you know the city has bike lockers for rent? Sunday Park Access Threatened
Also, we need more messages to Mayor Newsom, who is sitting awkwardly on the fence on Healthy Saturdays. Even though the Mayor requested more factual data about the effects of car-free space, he seems to be ignoring the new study showing that car-free space has net positive effects and does not result in worse parking or traffic situations for the neighbors. Please email and call the Mayor to urge him to get off the fence and to support a Healthy Saturdays trial based on the facts, not to continue to equivocate based on politics: 554-7111 or gavin.newsom@sfgov.org. Finally, please take a minute to contact Supervisor Bevan Dufty — the swing vote on the Board — to encourage him to do the right thing. We're encouraged that he's taking a fresh look at the issue, based on the facts in the study. Please encourage him to do the right thing: 554-6968 or bevan.dufty@sfgov.org. Outreach Volunteer Training on Wednesday, March 7Have you volunteered with the SFBC in the past, or are you interested in doing volunteer outreach with the SFBC at Streetside Outreach, Bike to Work Day, general tabling opportunities, or as a Bike Valet? Our quarterly Outreach Volunteer Training will ensure your volunteer experience is easy, fun, and effective! Membership outreach is the best way to build support for SFBC Campaigns. You can exercise your activist muscle by coming to our special volunteer training at the SFBC office. Outreach is super-fun and easy, and the most important way you can help advance the bike projects that matter to you! Get tips on engaging people, and get answers to the most commonly asked questions, practice talking about the SFBC and win great prizes! March 7, 6:30-7:15pm, SFBC HQ, 995 Market Street, Ste 1550. To RSVP, or if you have questions, contact Kate or just come, and don't forget to bring up your bike! If you can't make this one, the next one is scheduled for May 14, just in time for Bike to Work Day, May 17! FREE Urban Bike Ed Class at CCSF
Volunteer for Better Bike Parking at SFSUMore and more, students, faculty, and staff are pedaling out to San Francisco State University only to find... there aren't enough bike racks! A survey of campus shows bikes locked to every available railing, fence, and post, especially on the southeast side of campus. SF State's developing Master Plan claims a dedication to reducing single occupancy automobile trips through providing better biking facilities (among other improvements). SFSU should start now by providing cyclists with convenient decent places to lock up. (While we love the Bike Barn, it's not convenient for many bike trips...and c'mon racks are a pretty simple fix.) Can you come out to agitate for more bike racks and other bike improvements to SF State? We'll be out with petitions talking to students, faculty, and staff from 11-2pm on Thursday, March 8th. Email Rachel if you can help! On-Street Bike Parking on Mission St in Bernal Heights
Upcoming Volunteer OpportunitiesDo you like to spread the bike word? Flex your membership muscle as a volunteer! We need you to help represent the SFBC at a couple of great events. If you can help at either of these awesome events, contact Kate at (415) 431-BIKE x303.
Host a Workshop at the Spring Back to Bikes FestivalThe Presidio Community YMCA's youth bike program is seeking creative and engaging bike workshops to be presented at the Spring Back to Bikes Festival, Sunday, April 29th in Golden Gate Park's Peacock Meadow, 12-4pm. From bike advocacy to touring to safe riding to art or mechanics, share your knowledge with youth at this festival! Workshops can range from 1/2 hour to 2 hours in length and should be able to be held in an outdoor setting. Workshops that are accessible to a variety of folks in terms of age, language, and bike experience are especially encouraged! There is a stipend of $50/hr for workshop presentation time and lots of fun at the festival. You will be presenting workshops as other festival activities (such as bike safety education games, bike fixing, music) happen around the meadow space. For more information or questions please call 415-850-0525. Hey! What are you doing for Bike Spring?Speaking of springtime bike festivals, it's time to tell us what you're doing for Bike Spring. We're printing up a massive calendar of events for an April and May full of bike love, recreational rides, cultural tours, fix-it and DIY clinics, sing-alongs, slide shows, what you will — anything with a bicycle flavor or theme, to celebrate this super cycling city. If you want your event in our widely-published Bike Spring calendar, get it in by this Friday (March 9). Click over to BikeSpring.org and book your gig today! Protect public transit funds and keep California moving!Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed 07-08 state budget would cut $1.1 billion from public transit; the majority of this grab would redirect Spillover funds, the only source of state funding for transit operations. The Governor's budget also threatens to permanently terminate Spillover funding for transit operations! The Governor's attack on public transit comes only two months after voters across the state supported the transportation infrastructure bond (Prop 1B) to expand our transit options, and a law to protect transportation funding from being redirected to other purposes (Prop 1A). Unless our legislators say NO to the proposed cuts, this budget would lead to further reductions in service and have devastating impacts to commuters, youth, elderly, people with disabilities, and others who rely on public transportation. And California needs reliable, quality public transit in order to help reduce global warming. Please contact your state legislator today and ask her/him to protect funding for public transit. See our Leaders page for contact information for your State Assembly Member and Senator. For more information about the Spillover Theft, see the Transportation and Land Use Coalition's website. How Much Can You Carry By Bike?
You're reading the SFBC Weekly Biker BulletinGet this sent directly to your inbox by signing up here. Join the SFBC and add your voice to thousands demanding a city-wide network of bike lanes, traffic calmed streets, better access to transit and secure bike parking. Together we can make San Francisco the most bicycle friendly city in the country!
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While the Mayor is A.W.O.L. on where he stands on a trial of Healthy
Saturdays in Golden Gate Park, a disability rights groups is threatening to
roll back existing Sunday car-free space since the City has dragged its feet
on improving accessibility to the Park. The SFBC and our partners in the
Healthy Saturdays coalition are working hard not only to expand car-free
space to Saturdays, but also to improve accessibility on Sundays (and
Saturdays), particularly for those with disabilities. Background: Even after
our Healthy Sats. legislation was vetoed last year, we worked with
Supervisor McGoldrick, the Mayor's Office on Disability, and disability
advocates to create and pass new legislation that should have already added
new, accessible trams in the Park on Sundays and new accessible parking
spaces, drop-off zones and signage. Yet, the Recreation and Park
Department ignored that legislation for nearly a year and is only now
starting to fulfill its commitment. Email the Rec and Park Commission to
urge them to make the Park accessible for all and to support a trial of
Healthy Saturdays: 
Cyclists in the Bernal Heights area are taking the lack of bike parking on
their stretch of Mission Street into their own hands — they're organizing for
more racks! They've been talking to the city about making an exciting
change — converting an on-street car parking space into bike parking in front
of their favorite coffeeshop. This car-space to bike-space conversion doesn't
happen enough in our fair city (think the racks in front of the SF Public
Library). Come out to their next community meeting to learn more about
their specific proposal and how you can make it happen — they need your
support! Deidre Weinberg from MTA's Bicycle Program will be presenting
and there will be time for a Q & A session. MARCH 14, 2007 @ 6:30 pm,
Community Room, Coleridge Park Homes in Bernal Heights, 190 Coleridge near
Virginia Street (above and behind Big Lot's) For more information, email
You could carry more with
this 