The Washington Area Bicyclist Association has been hosting Bike To Work Day since the group formed in 1972. This year it’s Friday, and WABA’s Executive Director Eric Gilliland said 26 celebrations were planned regionwide. Cyclists who register at waba.org and participate will receive a free T-shirt.
How many people bike to work that day?
In the past we’ve had upwards of 7,000 people register for the event. And we hope to have even more than that this year.
How many people bike to work on a typical day?
It really depends on the location. There are some parts of D.C. where it’s up to 10 percent of people who commute by bike, but regionwide it’s probably about 1 percent.
What’s the most common reason commuters cite for not biking?
Mostly it’s safety. They are concerned about interacting with cars on local roadways, which is why we work so hard on improving the roadway environment.
What safety tip would you offer new riders who want to bike to work?
The first thing that we always say is obey all traffic laws, signs and signals since you are considered as a vehicle. Ride in the same direction as traffic and use hand signals for your turns. We urge people to be very visible, both with wearing clothing that is bright and, also, if you’re riding at night, to use front and rear lights.
What is a commuter convoy?
For Bike To Work Day we actually have 26 different commuter convoys that are led by experienced WABA volunteers. … Most of them converge on downtown D.C. It’s a way for us to show newer cyclists the safest route from their home to their workplace.
Will you be biking to work that day?
Unfortunately, probably not. We’ve got to set up the event early and usually that involves a lot of equipment. So unfortunately at WABA events, I usually end up in a van.
