Bicycle Corral Demonstration Friday at Kreuzberg in SLO

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BikeCorralsWe’re happy to announce the installation of a temporary bicycle corral (on-street bicycle parking) at Kreuzberg Coffee Company in SLO. These corrals are popping up all over the country, and serve to encourage the use of bicycles for short trips, reduce traffic congestion and improve the overall quality of life.

Bicycle corrals are specifically established for bicycle parking. They are identified by roadway striping, bollards or other protective barriers and signage. A corral can be as simple as a series of bike racks surrounded by painted lines or a unique, artistic creation that enhances a vibrant commercial area. Existing bicycle racks in San Luis Obispo use part of the sidewalk.

When: Friday, January 17th  9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Where: Kreuzberg Cafe, 685 Higuera St, SLO (map)

Why: The Bicycle Coalition and Bicycle Club invite the public and local business owners to see how a bicycle corral can make our downtown more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly.

  • Bicycle Corrals provide a 10-to-1 customer-to-parking space ratio, generating greater business patronage. Corrals keep sidewalks and walkways free of bicycles and for better pedestrian mobility and business access.
  • Corrals improve restaurant and outdoor seating environments by removing parked bicycles from sidewalk areas.
  • The city of San Luis Obispo’s recently updated Bicycle Transportation Plan calls for increased bicycle parking throughout the city. Bicycle corrals will meet the need for convenient and safe bicycle parking downtown.

Kreuzberg co-owner Chris Tarcon noted that he and partner James Whitaker explored cafés in Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood by bicycle in early 2010 for ideas for the coffee shop they opened in San Luis Obispo. Although customers often lock their bicycles to the railing in front of their downtown business, adding to the décor, Tarcon said a designated parking area for bicycles makes a lot of sense.

“A bicycle corral will be more inviting for those who ride bicycles,” Tarcon said. “We have no designated parking area for cars, so more and more people are turning to bicycles because they are convenient and a great way to get around. If the bicycle corral demonstration is successful, we will follow up by submitting a request to the city for a permanent corral.”

We invite you to come down and park at the corral to show your support for better bicycle parking in downtown!

Advocacy Alert

Help Approve the SLO Bike Plan on Nov 5!

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Join the Bicycle Coalition to pack the San Luis Obispo City Council chambers and get the latest SLO City Bike Plan approved! The plan is a blueprint for future bikeways including 26 miles of new paths, 17 miles of bike lanes, and 6 miles of bike boulevards all aimed at getting more people riding bicycles. Bicycle Coalition advocates will stand together to show the City Council how important bikeways are to our community.

2013_SLOBikePlanUpdate

We will be gathering from 5:00 – 5:45 pm for some snacks and socializing in our downtown SLO headquarters (860 Pacific St, Suite 105, SLO – map) before riding to the meeting together!

What: San Luis Obispo City Council Meeting
When: Tuesday November 5, 2013, 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Where: City Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (map)
Why: Ask City Council to approve the Bike Plan Update

Advocacy Alert

Advocacy Alert: 3ft Passing Bill on Governor Brown’s Desk

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Our statewide partners at the California Bicycle Coalition are one step closer to victory in their latest Give Me 3 campaign.

Give Me 3 is a Bill to get drivers to give a safe three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle rider. Assembly Bill 1371 amends the Vehicle Code to specify three feet as the safe passing distance. Twenty-one other states have enacted similar legislation.

3-feet-poster

The bill has been passed by the California State Assembly and as of August 27th, 2013 it passed the Senate on a 31-7 vote! Now it sits on the Governor’s desk awaiting final approval.

The legislation would “require a driver to pass a bicycle at a distance of at least three feet”, but when drivers cannot leave that much room due to road conditions they must slow to “a reasonable and prudent speed” and pass only if doing so would not endanger the cyclist’s safety. A violation would be punishable by fines starting at $35. It also sets a base fine of $220 (that’s $959 once court fees and other expenses are added) for injuring a bicycle rider in violation of this statute.

This current version of the bill is an attempt to address the concerns raised by the governor in vetoing previous 3-foot passing bills over the past two legislative sessions. This has given him the distinction of becoming only the second governor to do so – joining Texas’ Rick Perry.

Over 40% of fatal bicycle collisions are caused by motorists passing unsafely. And yet, Governor Brown has vetoed CalBike’s previous two “3 foot” bills. With your help today, the third time could be the charm.

AB 1371, if signed into law by the governor, could become an effective educational tool in making roads safer for all users. Please send a note urging Governor Jerry Brown to pass this important piece of legislation, and require California drivers to give a safe distance when they pass you on your bicycle.

Bicycle Barriers Survey

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BikeBarriersSurveyIn order to know more about bicycles in SLO County, we have been working with the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) on a “Bicycle Barriers Survey“, which is now available online for your input!

We encourage you to take the survey, regardless of your bicycle riding habits.

  • Do you want to ride more, but are deterred by motorists? Take the survey.
  • Do you ride 40 miles everyday? Take the survey.
  • Do your children not ride to school because it is too difficult? Take the survey.
  • Do you not ride a bicycle at all? Take the survey.

The purpose of the survey is to understand how people ride bicycles in SLO County, what types of barriers exist prevent people from riding, how we can make riding better, and more.

Take the survey and share it with your friends and neighbors so we can help make SLO County better for bicycles! View it here.

This online survey is a follow-up to a previous survey that was mailed to a random sampling of the community and will be used to further inform SLOCOG about San Luis Obispo County residents’ views and priorities for the region. It was funded by SLOCOG and the Air Pollution Control District and carried out by the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition. Data gathered from the mailed survey will be made available to the public on the SLOCOG website in August 2013 and used to develop programming and infrastructure investment priorities.

Rand Paul Attacks Federal Funding

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Just yesterday, July 24, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced an amendment to the Transportation Appropriations Committee that will strip all Federal funding for biking and walking facilities. Please help us maintain the Transportation Alternatives (TA)* program – that will help build a bikeable and walkable SLO County.PaulAttacksFederalFundingPaul’s amendment would prohibit ANY MONEY from being used for TA*, and to redirect it all towards bridge repair. Contact our Senators and ask them to save Transportation Alternatives by voting NO on amendment 1742. It’s quick, painless, and will help ensure the Bob Jones Trail is completed in your lifetime.

Caron Whitaker, the League’s Vice President for Government Relations, told POLITICO that the amendment is off the mark. TA represents just 2 percent of transportation funding, and that percentage would hardly put a dent in bridge repair.

“Stripping the Mayors of this funding and putting the entire TA program funding to bridge repair couldn’t fix our country’s bridges in 40 or more years […] However, putting this 2 percent put towards transportation needs in our cities, towns and counties can make transportation in those communities more safe, efficient and accessible.”

-Caron Whitaker, VP for Government Relations
League of American Bicyclists

Obviously repairing our bridges is important, both for safety and economic development reasons, but dedicating the small amount of TA funding to bridge repair would not be highly effective. Taking this small amount of funding away would dangerously undermine efforts in communities to provide safe and efficient transportation options for everyone. With rates of bicycling and walking fatalities on the rise, this is a trade we can’t afford to make.

The Senate hopes to finish this bill today, so please act soon!

Read more from our national partners at the League of American Bicyclists here.

*In 2012, Congress passed a new transportation bill, MAP-21, that dismantled dedicated funding for biking and walking by combining Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails into one program, Transportation Alternatives (TA), and cut the funding by 30%. The only saving grace was a local control provision to ensure that Mayors and communities could access dollars to support their local transportation priorities.

Bike Theft Prevention & Tips

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A stolen bicycle sucks. Nothing compares to the brutal feeling of having something stolen from you, especially if it is something as beloved and useful as a bicycle. Too often, the Bicycle Coalition hears stories of bicycles being stolen from backyards, garages, and public racks.

Earlier this year our Executive Director’s bicycle got stolen and through the magic of social media, craigslist, and constant communication with the police department, it was found and returned to him in a few weeks! While the recovery rate is traditionally low, there are a few steps you can take to make it easier to get it back into your loving arms.

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Sometimes making a flier is better than therapy.

Register Your Bicycle

  • Registering your bike won’t keep it from being stolen, but it greatly aids in its return to you if it is recovered by the police. The police will not give you back your bike unless they have proof that it belongs to you, so a serial number and photo are essential.
  • The SLOPD just launched an online bicycle registration system for residents, which we encourage you to do here.
  • If you are a Cal Poly student, UPD has an online bicycle registration system for students.
  • If you do not live in San Luis Obispo there are still a few simple steps to take, as illustrated below.

Preventing Theft

  • Lock your bike – it’s the easiest way to deter a thief!
Locking

Basic tips on how to lock your bicycle. Locking the front wheel with the frame to a rack is most essential.

How to Document Your Bicycle

  1. Download & fill-out our “Freezer Form” and keep the information yourself.
  2. Take a photo and type in your serial number and email it to yourself. That way, it’s stored in your email inbox forever.
  3. Use the National Bike Registry for a fee.
  4. Whether you are a renter or homeowner, many insurance plans cover the loss of a bicycle — anywhere in the city. Check in with your Insurance provider to see if your bike is covered.
  5. Follow our 2011 Bike Hack trick to help provide proof that it is your bicycle.

By keeping your serial number and photo handy, you can easily file a police report — or prove the bike is yours if you find it for sale somewhere.

Bike-Photo

Photographing your bicycle doesn’t need to be this serious, but you get the idea.

What to Do if Your Bike Has Been Stolen

  1. Find your serial number and photo of the bike (as mentioned above)
  2. Look to see if there was a camera nearby. If so, contact the building owner to see if they can provide you with footage, to help identify the thief.
  3. File a police report with the local police department.
  4. Post the theft as STOLEN: on craigslist. The craigslist community is amazing, do not underestimate them!
  5. Social media is your friend in this instance, the more you share, the more eyes are on the ground to help recover your beloved bicycle.
  6. Come to our Bike Kitchen and provide a brief description of your bicycle. We do our best to make sure the bikes that come through our doors are not stolen and can notify you if we see them in here.
  7. File a claim with your insurance company, if you are covered. Call your agent to see if you will need a police report and coordinate as appropriate.
  8. Check out the local Flea Markets. Some people have reported finding their bike at various local markets. If you do spot your bike, call the local police immediately and ask them to assist in your recovery. They can find your police report once they begin the investigation. Do not approach or confront the seller for your own safety.

Next-Gen Bike Lanes

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The following was originally published in our Spring 2013 Spoken Wheel newsletter.
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BIKE LANES 2.0
The next generation of bike facilities will blow your mind

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In all corners of America, we are seeing innovative solutions for bicycles on our roadways. The goal of many of these facilites is to create a safer more inviting space to get more people comfortable riding bicycles.

To share this incredible progress, we put together this quick guide for you. We hope it will inspire you to think big as we shape the future of bicycles in SLO County together!

GETTIN’ IT DONE IN SLO COUNTY

The road towards innovative spaces for bicycles in SLO County is long, but the Bicycle Coalition is in it for the longhaul. We are determined to make our communities beacons for bicycles in the golden state of California. Unfortunately, the drive and energy to pursue these successful strategies won’t come from our local leaders and government staff – it comes from you!

With your help, we can make these visions a reality. Join the Bicycle Coalition today to strengthen our voice for bicycles countywide. The more members we have, the faster we can move towards completing our bike paths and putting these innovative solutions to work in your neighborhood.

BikeBox

A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that provides bicyclists with a safe and visible way to get ahead of queuing traffic during the red signal phase.

SEEN IN: Boston MA, Austin TX, Madison WI
COST: $
PROS: Greatly increases visibility of bicyclists.
Helps prevent ‘right-hook’ conflicts with turning vehicles at intersections.
Facilitates bicyclist left turn positioning during red signal.
Pedestrians benefit from reduced vehicle encroachment into the crosswalk.

BikeCorrals

On street bicycle parking spaces allow bicyclists to ride straight up to park their bicycles. One vehicle parking spot can accomodate over 10 bicycles. These corrals can be easily branded to promote neighboring businesses or areas.

SEEN IN: Long Beach CA, Missoula MT, Seattle WA
COST: $$
PROS: Decreases sidewalk conflicts between bicycles and pedestrians by preventing bicycle riding on the sidewalk and improper bicycle parking. Increases storefront visibility for businesses. One vehicle parking spot can accomodate over 10 bicycle customers.

Read more

BIG Win for Bicycles in San Luis Obispo

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Earlier in 2013, the San Luis Obispo City Council made expanding our bikeway network a major city goal. Later, on Monday, June 17th, the Council approved a two year budget that makes incredible strides towards strengthening our investment in safe biking and walking infrastructure.

The next budget cycle will include unbelievable investment in our bikeways. The Bicycle Coalition is excited to announce the increase in general funds towards bikeway improvements from $25,000 to $100,000 a year. That’s 4x the previous annual investment!

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This full list of projects below illustrates the dedication and partnership between the City Council, Staff, and your Bicycle Coalition over the next two years:

  • Bicycle Traffic Counts
  • Bicycle Education
  • SLO City Bike Rodeo
  • Bike Parking
  • $1,759,000 for the Railroad Safety Trail
  • $600,000 for the Bob Jones Trail
  • $120,000 for path maintenance
  • $200,000 for bicycle facilities improvements
  • $50,000 for sidewalk repairs
  • $220,000 for sidewalk ramp construction
  • …and more!

We know that we are joined by tens of thousands of people in our community in saying THANK YOU to our council for believing in the positive impact of complete bikeways in our lovable city.

You too can take a moment to send City Council members a thank you note for quadrupling funding for bikeways. Find their contact information here.