In This Issue
CeleBrate and Cycle: May is National Bike Month
Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to giving biking a try. The special events in communities across the country are supported by the month’s host, the League of American Bicyclists who have posted their special events on their site. https://bikeleague.org/bikemonth
To organize and promote events of your own, a free guide, created by the league is available for download by following this link http://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/Bike_Month_Guide_2018.pdf
In addition, Pa Commuter Services is sponsoring a bike month challenge. https://pacommuterservices.org/bike-month-challenge/ They also have a list of activities throughout the month.
Hello LBC cyclists,
May is National Bike Month, including Bike to Work Week 13-19 and Bike to Work Day on Friday the 17th. The County Commissioners will make a formal declaration confirming this at a meeting on May 8th. Lancaster Bicycle Club will present our annual donation of $5,000 for covered bridge maintenance to the county at this meeting.
To promote more commuters to bike to work and other local destinations, the new Active Transportation Plan, if acted upon, will make bike commuting much more inviting. This plan proposes development of more and safer routes, particularly in the city of Lancaster.
Nothing is perfect but more cycling infrastructure raises awareness, slows down traffic, and gives us other ways in and out of the city during the heavy commute times.
Riding in the city can be enjoyable, since my wife and I recently rode one evening into the city for an errand and stopped for dinner. It was so much more fun and relaxing than taking the car. Even though most bike lanes are poorly designed in door lanes, I felt safer riding to the left side of the bike lane away from the parked cars than in the lane of traffic. Also, I was glad for the streets that have a bike lane since my wife is a less experienced urban rider.
To help support cycling infrastructures throughout Pennsylvania, you can purchase a “Share the Road” “Share the Road” license plate. I just ordered my “Share the Road” license plate (thanks Joe Stafford.) The application is available at http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms and costs $40 to purchase the plate.
For those of us who have considered cycling only as a personal form of recreation or fitness, this month is a great time to serve as an advocate for the port by encouraging friends and family to try riding.
As always, keep safety in mind for you and others. You are still the most important person when it comes to your safety.
Remember: • to take the lane in intersections but be respectful of speed and size of the cars • anticipate cars that do not see you • improve your chance to be seen with high visibility clothing, white or bright colored helmets, and daytime lights. (I just bought my light-up helmet which makes a big difference at night, the and the white color is more visible during the daytime.)
Cycling can become a part of everyday life. As this happens, the challenge to carve out riding time requires less effort and more balance comes back into life.
Have a great May. See you on the road. Dave Stauffer
Dave Stauffer
CLUB Spotlight: Piscitello Law
In support of LBC’s efforts to promote safe riding, attorneys from Piscitello Law, located in Philadelphia, presented a safety seminar to our members. The legal firm specializes in biking safety. Of significance is that all the law partners are avid cyclists themselves.
Piscitello’s web site at https://www.piscitellolaw.com features pages dedicated to cycling activity. The “Bike Community” page offers the following: Bike law talks, Cycling community, and Rides and Races. The “Bike Law” page highlights include links to these interest areas: Laws, Bike Clubs Pennsylvania, Bike Shops Pennsylvania, Advocacy Groups Pennsylvania, and Bike Trails Pennsylvania.
Below is a description of the firm’s policy and purpose.
Please welcome the following who are new new members of LBC.
Timothy Arvin, Isabel Bentz, Ed Donohue, Sue Eckman, Eric Klett, Joe Knepper, John Navas, and Albert Stauffer
