Saturday, October 10, 2009

Anne-Marie and Cori on Starting a Bike Gang


Ann-Marie - "I just moved back to DC, like, a month and a half ago. I bought a beachcomber bike in Miami and when I moved here it was completely useless because of all the hills. I bought a new bike with gears, helmet, and mirror, so now I am pimping on my Schwinn! I bike to work everyday because I am trying to live green. I feel like there are bikes everywhere in DC. That doesn’t mean I feel safe when I am on my bike, though. My route to work goes through Rock Creek and the C & O Canal, so I am not around cars the whole time, but biking home at night is nerve-racking. I don’t think drivers here pay attention to us."

Cori - "I grew up in the DC area and had not ridden my bike since middle school. When I started work, I saw that bikes were everywhere and decided that I should start biking, too. I borrowed my Dad’s bike from the 70s, which is a great old road bike. And, it’s been working really well. I see bikers all over the place which encourages me, and hopefully others, to bike more."

Anne Marie - "Our company reimburses us for riding to work. They encourage people to bike or use public transportation. We even have a bike repair kit at the office. Now that they are providing support, more people are coming to work on bikes. And, the more that people in DC see bikers, the more they will consider riding themselves. That’s what got me started. There is also great camaraderie in biking. We just finished a softball game and came over to Georgetown. This is our first time riding together. It was like being eight again and riding on the streets with my buddies. I was, like, we should start a bike gang!"

For more information about DC bike trails and routes through the city that avoid heavy traffic, click
here.

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