San Francisco's Bike to Work Day
You really can’t yell at BART passengers with attitude about your bike today – at least not like you can to all the people in cars that are trying to cut you off. To the people in cars, you can really yell or cuss whatever you want at them today. But people on the BART are just trying to get to work without driving, and they do have to put up with stinky/crazy people just like the rest of us – so grudgingly this morning, I let the crowded BART car push at my bike and tell me to wait for the next train with somewhat of a pleasant smile on my face.
If you’re like most of the San Francisco under 30 crowd who is not in a band, you don’t have a car and everyday is bike to work day. Or, if you’re like me and live 2 blocks from the BART station, everyday is walk to work day.
Even though it’s easier for me to walk to the BART station and just ride easily to work, today I wanted to join the rally call of my fellow San Franciscans and get some free goodies at the great San Frnacisco Bike to Work Day Energizer Stations.
May 17 is Bike to Work Day, and if you’re reading this blog, you’ve already missed it as I pretty much missed it this morning. Hold on, there’s still hope – the Energizer Stations will be open again tonight throughout the city with lots of free biker SWAG from 5pm – 7pm. So if you forgot to bike to work, you still have time to come home, grab your bike, get free SWAG, and grab a burrito on the way to the Rickshaw Stop where there’s going to be a big after party.
But I’m getting way too far ahead of myself. Back to this morning and what all these Energizer Stations are. According to the ad that I ripped out of the SF Bay Guardian, between 7:30am and 9:30am and 5pm to 7pm, the SF Bicycle Coalition will be opening various Bike to Work “Energizer Stations” in every part of the city you can think of for you to “Pick up a goodie bag, load up on free coffee, nosh on a bagel, meet fellow riders and bike together! You’ll find friendly faces and free advice on how to navigate our bike-friendly city.”
Sounds so pleasant, so noshing (who says "nosh" besides hippies in Portland?) Except that bikes aren’t allowed on the BART until 9:30am. I went to two bike stations this morning before 8:45am, and they had nothing. Not coffee or even a hand out on bike safety for me. Not only that, but I got hassled on the BART after climbing up and down 2 flights of BART stairs with a bike on my shoulder. Mind you, WITHOUT coffee.
Yeah, yeah, I’m just being cranky. It was actually pretty nice to bike around the city this morning with my roommate and see hundreds of other bikers taking over the roads with us. At one point, I actually felt dorky for not wearing my helmet – what are the chances I’ll ever have that experience again?
Like I said, this evening between 5pm and 7pm, the Energizer Stations with be back up and running. There will be 7 stations that will be running tonight, compared to the 18 this morning, so get there early – although you can’t ride the crowded BART with a bike between 5pm and 6pm (but egh, try to forget that – remember biking to work is a lot of fun!)
Then, drink away the memories of your BART ride with a rowdy crew of bike messengers. From 5pm – 9pm, there’s going to be a big, bad, drunken party at the Rickshaw Stop w/ DJs Toph One and Charles, because there’s nothing better than riding your bike when you’re wasted.
Places to find “free goodies and friends” tonight:
Duboce Bikeway @ Market
Embarcadero BART
Valencia @ 17th Street
Division/13th Street @ Folsom
Caltrain Station (4th & King)
Howard @ 8th Street
Panhandle (Fell & Masonic)
