Join Us: How to Run for Our Board of Directors

Posted on by SF Bicycle Coalition Board

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is seeking members to run for its Board of Directors this fall. The extended deadline for submitting questionnaires and resumes is Friday, Sept. 9 at 5:00 pm PT.

If you are interested in running for the board, we ask that you follow these steps:

More details about our annual Board election, including a full timeline and description of the process and relevant FAQ’s, can be found here in our new SF Bicycle Coalition Board of Directors Candidates’ Guidebook. This guidebook includes key information, including an election kickoff meeting and information session for interested candidates, and subsequent deadlines for all candidates to confirm their intent to run and to submit the required candidate statement to appear on the 2016 ballot.

Other important upcoming dates for our 2016 board election:

  • Friday, Nov. 4 at 11:59 pm: Deadline to join or renew your membership to be eligible to vote.
  • Monday, Nov. 14: Voting begins.
  • Thursday, Nov. 17 Annual member meeting and candidate forum.
  • Sunday, Dec. 4: Voting ends; 21st annual Winterfest party and auction.

Board members fulfill the important duty of governing the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Many skill sets contribute to ensuring a strong board. Priorities for this upcoming year have been identified and outlined here.

Questions on the process can be directed to boardnomination@sfbike.org. Interested members are encouraged to attend the next meeting of the board of directors on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 pm.

Note: Per the SF Bicycle Coalition’s bylaws, any member in good standing by the Nov. 4 deadline may nominate themselves or another member to run for the board. The questionnaire has been developed to give members more information about candidates as well as to provide candidates an additional channel to communicate with members, but are not requirements.

Near-Term Improvements Approved on Arguello

Posted on by Julia Raskin

On Tuesday the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors approved improvements to make Arguello Boulevard a better place to bike, walk, shop and visit. Join our Arguello campaign and be the first to get all of the latest information on these and long-term improvements planned for the corridor.

The changes include adding a buffer to the existing bike lane, lines to guide bicycles through intersections and traffic diversion at McAllister Street that makes the intersection much safer for people on bicycles. Click here for full details with images. This approval is a critical first step towards the long-term vision for Arguello, which will be repaved in 2017. Thanks to everyone who wrote letters on behalf of the project; our members’ support was key to yesterday’s win for people who bike.

As the main corridor that connects two world-class parks for people walking and biking, this street has the potential to be a destination point for people seeking a piece of nature in the city. We applaud the SFMTA for moving towards that goal by make more space available to people biking even ahead of next year’s street repaving. We also look forward to the final vision with a wide, green buffered bike lane that will make Arguello better for everyone, whether you’re commuting to work or traveling between the Presidio and Golden Gate Park.

With strong member input we can win changes that will make Arguello Boulevard an enjoyable ride for all users. The SFMTA and your SF Bicycle Coalition have heard from members and the broader public that the intersections along the corridor are a major safety concern. We want to hear more about these problem spots, and about your experiences riding on Arguello. Please take a minute to tell us your thoughts in the petition below.

Whether you have suggestions or not, please show your support for a safe Arguello in the months and years ahead. As more news and opportunities to make a difference become available, we’ll be sure you’re the first to know.

Bike it Forwards Program Seeking Warehouse Space in SF

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
This post was authored by Erika Rasmussen.

 

Did you know that our Bike it Forwards program has given away over 150 bicycles in 2016 alone? We’ve been working hard to divert more bikes away from the dump and into the hands of folks who will join the growing ranks of people biking in San Francisco. To expand that work, we need your help. We are currently looking for a new warehouse space in San Francisco to make make our Bike it Forwards more efficient and effective at working with community-based organizations to place bikes with folks.

Ideally, we’d like:

  • 1000-1500 square feet with high ceilings;
  • Loading dock access;
  • Ability to build out the space;
  • 24-hour access; and
  • Location in southeastern San Francisco.

At a minimum, we will need:

  • 500 square feet;
  • A place to park large vehicles for loading/unloading; and
  • No stairs.

Do you have such a space we could use or know anyone who might? If so, please contact Francisco Grajales, Program Coordinator at francisco@sfbike.org.

Members, Help Us Bike the Vote!

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Bike the Vote season is upon us! Election Day is Nov. 8 and this will be an exciting year, with six seats on the SF Board of Supervisors, two seats in the State Assembly, one seat in the State Senate and two seats on the BART Board of Directors up for election.

This election is an opportunity to ensure that we keep San Francisco rolling toward becoming a better, more bike-friendly city by supporting the most bike-friendly candidates. The SF Bicycle Coalition will be making candidate endorsements and we’re calling on you, our members, to help us determine who deserves our influential endorsement. Your voice is essential in guiding our decision, so please weigh in and let us know who you think are the most bike-friendly candidates.

How to Vote, In Two Easy Steps

1. Read the candidate responses to our questionnaire on bicycling issues.
2. Go to our Bike the Vote page and cast your vote.

As a part of SF Bicycle Coalition membership, only current members may participate in our endorsement process and take part in voting. Voting will close on Friday, Aug. 26 at 11:59 pm. Your vote informs our final Board of Directors’ decision, and we will announce the final slate of endorsements in early September. After you’ve voted, get ready for Election Day and take a few minutes to check on your voter registration status. If you moved recently, help make San Francisco a better place to live and to bike by registering to vote on local ballot measures and candidates this November.

We’ll also need help to get out the vote and support our endorsed candidates. We’ll have more information in the coming weeks but if you would like to be more involved in our Bike the Vote campaign today, email charles@sfbike.org.

Should Joy Require a License?

Posted on by Brian Wiedenmeier

Joel Engardio, a candidate for the Board of Supervisors in District 7, has figured out a way to draw much-needed attention to his campaign for office: revive a tired proposal like licensing bicycles that attempts to pit people who bike against people who use other modes of transportation. While it shouldn’t need to be stated, let me begin by putting the false dichotomy of bikes vs. cars to rest. People who bike also walk, take transit and drive. Mr. Engardio’s frame asserting “ongoing resentments between cyclists and motorists” overlooks the fact that most of us are multi-modal commuters who share perspectives, just like him.

We know San Francisco is a fast-growing city, and there are more vehicles than ever on our streets. Congestion is a real issue for people who live and work in all parts of SF, and it is a source of mounting frustration on our roads. Licensing bicycles and requiring people who bike to carry insurance does nothing to solve this problem. By establishing an additional set of barriers to growing the number of people who bike in our city, it risks just the opposite: increasing strain on Muni and encouraging more people to drive.

Biking is one of the most affordable ways to get around. We know that after housing, transportation is the second-highest household expense in San Francisco. Riding a bike is an inexpensive and healthy transportation choice for thousands of San Franciscans struggling to hang on amid a skyrocketing cost of living. Mr. Engardio’s proposal unfairly targets those who would be least able to afford the added cost of licensure and additional insurance premiums. It also ignores that fact that most people who bike already carry a driver’s license and insurance.

Mr. Engardio also argues that carrying additional insurance would give people who bike peace of mind as they cycle our streets. He has the problem perfectly backwards. Rather than accepting the status quo of unsafe conditions that currently exist, we need better infrastructure, including protected bike lanes, that reduces conflict and encourages more people to ride.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is committed to fighting for a city where biking is an easy, comfortable and smart transportation choice for people in every neighborhood. Our 10,000-plus members bicycle for a variety of reasons, including health, the environment, affordability and convenience. I ride my bike for all of those reasons, including this one: it brings me immense joy. By licensing bicycles, Mr. Engardio is proposing to erect a barrier and impose regulation on one of the last remaining simple and free pleasures in our hectic urban lives. It’s a terrible idea.

Mr. Engardio has since posted an update on his position regarding licensing bicycles and requiring insurance. 

We’re Hiring: Community Organizer

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is seeking a seasoned, effective organizer to work on expanding bicycling and bicycle infrastructure in San Francisco. If you are passionate about bicycling, this is your chance to help improve the lives of San Franciscans.

Hours: Full time. Hours may be flexible. Position will entail some work on weeknights and weekends in order to attend community meetings and events.

About the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Through day-to-day advocacy, education and working partnerships with government and community agencies, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is dedicated to creating safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation.

Our active membership of over 10,000 represents San Franciscans of all ages and backgrounds from all neighborhoods who are working towards safer, greener and more efficient ways to move around our city. The SF Bicycle Coalition is the largest city-based bicycle advocacy group in the nation and one of the largest member-driven groups in San Francisco. Our members donate over 10,000 volunteer hours a year.

Job Components

You will work with all parts of the organization, including staff and members, to develop and win support for key bicycling infrastructure improvements. This work will entail working closely with community groups, businesses and elected officials to develop grassroots and grasstops support for new and improved bike infrastructure. You will also be responsible for helping create and support member-led campaigns. You should be comfortable with street-level organizing as well as grasstops outreach.

Responsibilities may include, but will not be limited to:

  • Campaign strategy and outreach for campaigns to build more, better bike infrastructure throughout the city;
  • Organizing on-street and other forms of grassroots outreach;
  • Developing and supporting member-led campaigns;
  • Working with City agencies and elected officials to advance campaigns;
  • Creating new relationships and deepening existing relationships with community partners;
  • Representing the organization at public meetings;
  • Engaging and communicating with members about our work at all steps in the campaign process;
  • Supporting the organization’s political endorsements process for candidates and ballot measures; and
  • Hiring and managing a team of diverse interns.

Desired qualifications include:

  • A deep commitment to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s mission;
  • Written and/or conversational fluency in Spanish, Cantonese or Tagalog;
  • Two years of experience as an organizer;
  • Strong interpersonal and relational skills;
  • An ability to take initiative and lead advocacy efforts within the organization;
  • A demonstrated track record of successful project planning, project management, base-building and strategy implementation;
  • An ability to work individually and as part of a team;
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a wide variety of audiences;
  • A strong record of online organizing;
  • Experience sourcing and managing a diverse cohort of interns and volunteers; and
  • The desire and ability to implement systems that will allow your work to scale quickly and significantly to maximize your impact.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary for this exempt position is lower-$40Ks or higher, depending upon relevancy of experience. Full-time benefits include medical, vision and dental insurance.

How to Apply

Write a compelling cover letter and resume, and submit them by clicking “Apply for Position” below. Be sure to mention where you saw the opening advertised. People of color and women are strongly encouraged to apply. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an equal opportunity employer.

To apply via mail, please enclose your resume and cover letter in a sealed envelope and mail to:

Janice Li
c/o San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
1720 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

You are also welcome to drop off an application in-person during regular weekday office hours.

UPDATE: We are no longer accepting applications for the community organizer position. If you have questions, please contact janice@sfbike.org.

A New Vision for Biking in SoMa

Posted on by Janice Li

In 2013, the Folsom Street bike lane pilot gave us a taste of change. Now, the time has come to reenvision the future of Folsom and Howard Streets. But before public planning kicks off later this year to bring protected bike lanes to SoMa, we want to hear from you.

Hundreds of people bike on Folsom and Howard Streets everyday, and we know that with the implementation of protected bike lanes, that number will grow. With flat terrain, apartment buildings, offices, shops and restaurants on nearly every block, SoMa is a great place to bike — given adequate, well-designed and welcoming bike infrastructure.

Our ask is bolstered by last week’s Executive Directive issued by Mayor Ed Lee. The entire length of Folsom Street through SoMa is on the city’s high-injury network list, meaning that all future infrastructure implemented here must include the highest-quality bike lanes achievable. The City recognizes this and will be launching their Folsom-Howard Streetscape Project later this year to get public input and support for protected bike lanes from Second Street to 11th Street.

We can only win big changes with strong member support and input. The first step is to learn how you get around SoMa and the issues you face when biking here. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey and share your thoughts.

TAKE OUR FOLSOM AND HOWARD SURVEY

As we sift through the results, our next step is to launch our SoMa Member Committee later this month to bring together people to make your vision for Folsom and Howard Streets a reality. We know that SoMa is a diverse neighborhood, so please share this blog with everyone you know to bring more ideas to the table and build broad, strong support for this project.

Women Bike SF Ride the Waterfront

Posted on by Julia Raskin

Last Sunday your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition embarked upon a six-mile ride to learn more about the many bike-friendly projects, both past and present, where “the city meets the Bay.” If you missed this ride, there are plenty more opportunities ahead to help shape the future of San Francisco’s waterfront.

Together with the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) and the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), we started at Brannan Street Wharf and rode to Fort Mason Center. We stopped along the way to highlight transportation infrastructure and new developments coming to the waterfront, as well as ongoing ways to get involved in the planning processes. A special thanks to Diane Oshima and Norma Guzman of the Port of San Francisco for joining the ride, part of our Women Bike SF program.

An important feature of the ride that prompted the most discussion was the Embarcadero Enhancement Project. Led by the SF Municipal Transportation Agency with coordination from the Port, this public planning process will develop the preferred design of what a protected bike lane from AT&T Park to Fisherman’s Wharf could look like.

Join our Embarcadero mailing list

Public outreach for the plan is starting up again this fall, so join our mailing list today. We know that an iconic waterfront like San Francisco’s deserves a first-rate biking experience, whether you’re taking in the views of the Bay or getting around by bike. There are plenty of opportunities to engage in the coming months with meetings, rides and more, so stay tuned.

Volunteers, We Love You!

Posted on by Libby Nachman

True or false: SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers are the bee’s knees?

True, of course! Last month, we celebrated with over 70 SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers at our biannual Volunteer Appreciation party. All active volunteers from the past six months were invited to attend this event, hosted at the Dolan Law Firm, and featuring beverages donated by New Belgium Brewing and delicious caramels and chocolates donated by Littlejohn’s Candies. To top it off, we raffled off some great prizes and brought back our ever-popular bike-themed trivia.

Volunteers are crucial to the success of our organization, helping out with everything from data entry in the office to outreach on the streets of San Francisco. Since the beginning of 2016, over 500 people have joined us to volunteer at events ranging from Volunteer Night to Bike to Work Day.

If you missed the party, no worries! We host Volunteer Appreciation parties twice a year, and we’ll invite you to our next one after you volunteer. Here are some of the great upcoming projects we’ll be looking to you for support this summer, fall and winter:

Tour de Fat:* This annual New Belgium festival of bikes, beer and bemusement takes place in Golden Gate Park. Join us for a hoot’n and holler’n good time. San Francisco Bicycle Coalition members are invited to join our team of nearly 200 volunteers who help make this amazing event possible (earning a free admission, a complimentary drink token and eternal gratitude in the process). Sign up to join us.

Bicycle Ambassador outreach:* SF Bicycle Coalition members, come to one of our upcoming trainings to get up to date on what’s going on with the SF Bicycle Coalition and learn how to sign up new members. This training will also prepare you to volunteer at races, festivals, Service Stations and other events. Sign up for a training.

Valet Bike Parking: Summer and fall are our busiest season for Valet Bike Parking. We’ll be parking bikes at music festivals, street fairs and more. Come help us keep bikes safe!

Freedom from Training Wheels: Teach the next generation the joys of biking at one of our Freedom from Training Wheels workshops! Our experienced staff will give you the skills you need to help kids scoot, balance and glide on their bikes. Join us.

Winterfest:* The SF Bicycle Coalition’s annual member party, art auction and fundraiser is not to be missed! Member-volunteers support all aspects of this event; helping set-up stations, run fun games, pour libations and more. We are rewarding volunteers with a drink token and free event admission (plus infinite warm fuzzies). Sign-ups will open in September.

Light up the Night:* Our annual bike light distribution campaign kicks off after daylight savings. We install 1,000 lights every year on the bikes of those riding without them. Sign-ups will open in October.

And that’s just a preview! To make sure you’re the first to hear about these great upcoming projects, sign up today to receive our twice-monthly volunteer newsletter.

*Please note: you must be a member to volunteer at starred events. Membership costs as little as $35 per year, or you can earn a no-cost Barter Membership by volunteering 10 hours in a three-month period!

Volunteer at Tour de Fat’s Festival of Beer, Bikes & Bemusement!

Posted on by Libby Nachman

Break out your feather boa and sequined hat because Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing’s merry celebration of bikes and beer is rolling into town on Saturday, Sept. 17.

In addition to celebrating the beautiful bicycle, this fun and fanciful event is a fundraiser for the SF Bicycle Coalition and the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. We need over 200 member-volunteers to make it happen!

There are so many ways to help out, both leading up to the event and on the big day itself. Whether this will be your first Tour de Fat, or whether you’ve been to them all, we’d love to have your help. Read on and sign up today.

Event Set-up:*

Join us on Friday, Sept. 16, in Golden Gate Park to help set up tables, chairs, tents and last-minute details before the big day.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

At the Event:*

Be a part of the excitement and volunteer on the big day! We’re looking for people to help lead the parade; to check IDs, sell drink tokens and pour beer; to run the craft and DIY station; to talk about the SF Bicycle Coalition’s work and recruit new and renewing members; to help park thousands of bicycles; and more.

ME, ME, ME

All volunteers will receive free admission to the event and a complimentary drink token. If you like an element of surprise in your life, sign up for the Mystery Shift and receive not one but two drink tokens. For more information on Tour de Fat, check out our events page.

*You must be a current member of the SF Bicycle Coalition to volunteer in this role. Not a member? Join today!