City to Add (Double) Parking on Turk?

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The people of San Francisco deserve leadership and vision from those entrusted to manage our transportation systems, which may explain broad disappointment with recent plans proposed by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

On Friday, your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition joined Sup. Jane Kim and local residents in unanimously opposing the SFMTA’s plans to build an unprotected, paint-only bike lane on Turk Street. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s opposition to the SFMTA’s deficient proposal for Turk Street marks the first time we have opposed a bike lane in our 46-year history.

Oppose Weak Street Design

The SFMTA initially proposed a physically protected bike lane on Turk Street, following Mayor Ed Lee’s Executive Directive issued in August 2016. This required that high-injury corridors see the highest achievable quality improvements and directed the SFMTA to fast track three protected bike lane projects. Yet on Friday, the SFMTA watered down their plans and turned their back on street safety.

The SFMTA was created with a 1999 amendment to the City Charter. There, the people of San Francisco empowered the SFMTA to provide transportation planning that enhances our “quality of life, environmental sustainability, public health, social justice, and economic growth.”

The SFMTA’s leadership is falling down on that job by advancing compromised designs for Turk Street. If you are with us and believe that the Tenderloin deserves better than this, use this email template to write SFMTA Director Ed Reiskin to remind him of his responsibility to deliver protected bike lanes.

Not only did the SFMTA backpedal from a protected bike lane on a high-injury corridor, but they proposed to replicate a failed design. Just one block from Turk Street, on Golden Gate Avenue, the paint-only bike lane delivered last year is overrun with double parking and/or auto traffic, depending on the time of day. See the photo above for a common sight on Golden Gate Avenue’s “bike lane,” captured by Twitter-user @R27D.

San Francisco is at its best when we’re a model for the country. The SFMTA’s leadership is pulling the agency farther and farther away from that lofty goal by refusing to learn from recent mistakes and presenting failed designs with a straight face.

The Tenderloin is SF’s only neighborhood where every single street is officially a high-injury corridor. Do we want to live in a city where the SFMTA’s failure to address that is controversial or one where protected bike lanes stir controversy?

Write to Ed Reiskin with your answer to that question today.

Working in Sacramento to Improve Biking in SF

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

“Sacramento” by Flickr-user seliaymiwell is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 159 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The future is now, and we need laws to match.

Your SF Bicycle Coalition’s advocacy has always found strength within San Francisco’s borders. In recent years, we’ve also seized opportunities to advance state-level policies that make SF streets more livable and bikeable. While we always look to our state partners at the California Bicycle Coalition for their leadership on an array of statewide issues, we’ve begun complementing their efforts by advocating for legislation in Sacramento that urgently impacts San Francisco’s streets.

And we’ve been busy in the state capitol lately.

Late last year, the promise of autonomous vehicle technology was becoming more and more real. Each week, it seemed that a new company began testing their LiDAR-equipped vehicles on our streets, looking to deliver a future of driving that could significantly reduce traffic collisions. Uber invited Brian Wiedenmeier, our executive director, to see this technology first hand. After his first test ride, in which a vehicle made an illegal and unsafe right-hook-style turn across a bike lane, it was clear that the technology was not there yet. Nevertheless, Uber started relying on those very same autonomous vehicles to pick up passengers, engaging in illegal, dangerous behaviors and operating without the required permits. State regulations were crucial in our successful campaign to see that those unready vehicles were removed from San Francisco streets shortly thereafter.

To ensure that our City continues toward our Vision Zero goal of eliminating serious traffic collisions, we appealed to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which is in the process of overhauling existing autonomous vehicle regulations. Supported by San Francisco’s Vision Zero Coalition, we sent the DMV strong, detailed recommendations for updating these regulations to ensure the safety of everyone using our streets. In particular, the regulations must ensure the safety of those most vulnerable: people walking and biking.

We also support Assembly Bill 87, penned by Assemblymember Phil Ting to increase fines for companies skirting autonomous vehicle regulations. Realizing the potential of autonomous vehicles to reduce collisions is a big goal of the SF Bicycle Coalition, as is ensuring that this technology is tested and deployed in ways that do not expose people to additional danger in the interim.

Another technological innovation already reducing speeds and collisions in over 140 communities across the country is Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE), which is the use of camera and radar technology to automatically enforce speed limits. In Washington, D.C., for instance, fatal collisions have fallen by a jaw-dropping 70 percent since ASE use began. Speeding is the number-one cause of collisions in San Francisco, and ASE could be an immensely effective tool to make our streets safer. Before San Francisco can implement ASE, however, it must be legalized at the state level. Assembly Bill 342, introduced by Assemblymember David Chiu with support from Assemblymember Phil Ting and Senator Scott Wiener, would create a five-year pilot program permitting ASE in San Francisco and San Jose.

As with our advocacy here at home, our efforts in Sacramento are directed towards delivering the safe streets that all San Franciscans deserve. Through updated regulations for autonomous vehicle technology and implementation of ASE, we envision city streets that are inviting and safe for people of all ages to walk and bike.

The Tube Times is published quarterly as one of the many benefits to members of the SF Bicycle Coalition. For a complete list of membership benefits, or to join/renew today, click here.

Bike it Forward Program Going Strong in 2017

Posted on by Paloma Rezende

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 159 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

“This is what Bike it Forwards is all about: helping give others opportunities to share knowledge, build relationships, learn safety and grow to be better people,” Ingrid Wynn said after attending a Bike Build at Northridge Cooperative Housing. We were inspired by Ingrid and the hundreds of other folks we met during a banner year for our Bike it Forward program in 2016. Last year, we hosted 13 Bike it Forward events and distributed over 280 bikes. We’re looking to build on that momentum by dramatically expanding the reach of our Bike it Forwards in the year to come.

Our Bike it Forwards program collects unclaimed and abandoned bicycles from the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and other agencies. With the help of volunteer mechanics, these bikes are repaired and provided to folks who want to bike, but for whom bikes are otherwise out of reach. Mechanics also teach participants the basics of bike maintenance so they can continue to care for their bikes. Every recipient leaves a Bike it Forward event knowing how to safely ride a bike in San Francisco thanks to an Urban Bicycling workshop taught by an SF Bicycle Coalition staff member.

To get even more people on two wheels this year, we are partnering with PODER, a local advocacy group that works with Latino immigrant families and youth, on a new bicycle storage and wrenching space. This new facility means that we have more space to store tools and bikes. It also opens up the possibility of offering mechanic skill-building trainings for Bike it Forward volunteers.

“We strategically looked for a storage and wrenching space in Bayview-Hunters Point because we want to be close to the communities we aim to serve through our Bike it Forwards program,” Program Director Ana Vasudeo said. “At these events, all skill levels are welcome and apprentice mechanics can gain more experience by volunteering for this great community-building initiative. As long as you’re comfortable getting your hands dirty, we’ll teach you what you need to know to take care of your new bike.”

None of these events could succeed without the dedication of our volunteers, who generously donate their time to help us achieve our mission. Mechanical skills aren’t required to pitch in; we also need help registering recipients, distributing helmets and organizing tools. Among these wonderful Registration and Tool Guru volunteers is member Cathy Kora, a constant presence at our Bike it Forward programs.

“Looking at the recipients’ faces when they are given their bikes is a priceless moment,” Cathy said. In addition to spreading joy, our Bike it Forwards program also helps address the increasing price of living in our city. Transportation is the second-highest household expense in San Francisco, putting a strain on already-overburdened budgets. New Program Coordinator Miles Stepto aims to reach as many people as possible who might otherwise not have access to the affordable transportation that they need and deserve.

“We all have places we need to be, whether it’s work, running errands or doctor’s appointments,” Miles said. “Through our Bike it Forwards program, we’re working to make those essential trips possible and more affordable for folks.”

It’s not just freedom from high transportation costs that Bike it Forwards attendee Rheema Calloway appreciates, however. She also believes biking gives people the chance to be more connected with their surroundings and explore their city in a healthy way: “Riding a bike gives you the opportunity to see your community from a different perspective.”

The Tube Times is published quarterly as one of the many benefits to members of the SF Bicycle Coalition. For a complete list of membership benefits, or to join/renew today, click here.

It’s (Bicycle-Friendly Business) Award Season

Posted on by Anna Gore

Nominations for the 2017 Bicycle-Friendly Business Awards are now open!

Has your organization taken steps to become more bicycle-friendly in the past year? If so, we want to celebrate with you. Nominate your workplace today, and you could be recognized as one of our annual Bicycle-Friendly Business Awardees.

Each year we recognize organizations large and small that have taken steps to support a culture of bicycling at their workplace. Has your building recently improved bicycle parking or bicycle access? Is there a new bicycle commuter benefit, riding club or company bike ride? If so, we want to hear about it, and you have a chance to win!

Nominations are open between April 1 and 30, and up to five organizations may be awarded. Winners will be chosen in three categories: small (less than 25 employees), medium (between 25-100) and large (over 100).

Winners will be announced on the steps of City Hall during our Bike to Work Day Rally and recognized in a blog post, on our Bicycle-Friendly Businesses webpage and news announcement in our Biker Bulletin Newsletter. Each awardee will also receive a new Saris Hottie bicycle rack for their office.

Nominate Your Workplace

We’re Hiring: Program Coordinator

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is seeking a Program Coordinator. This position will represent the organization to members and the broader community and assist with the execution of one of the SF Bicycle Coalition’s primary program areas.

Hours: Full time
Reports to: Program Director

About the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Through advocacy, education, and working partnerships with government agencies and community organizations, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is dedicated to creating safe 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 who are working towards safe, green 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 per year.

Job Components

We are looking for a committed and motivated Program Coordinator to manage and grow our renowned bicycle education program. The SF Bicycle Coalition is the city’s leading provider of bicycle safety education. We offer free classes for adults, children and families, and teach over 1,500 people the rules of the road annually. We also offer safety education to drivers of large vehicles, such as garbage and tow trucks, and frequent drivers, such as taxi drivers and Uber drivers.

Responsibilities may include, but will not be limited to:

  • Manage multiple education contracts (SFMTA, Bay Area Bike Share and others) to ensure deliverables are met;
  • Ensure high-quality bicycle safety education classes are available for adult bike-riders and professional drivers by writing curriculum and scheduling, staffing and teaching classes;
  • Update bicycle and driver education curriculum regularly to conform to the California Vehicle Code and local regulations;
  • Schedule bicycle safety outreach booths at events across San Francisco and manage a team of between five and 15 part-time outreach staff;
  • Cultivate and manage relationships with community partners to secure free or low-cost class event space, and support education goals citywide;
  • Solicit and secure contracts with private companies to expand professional driver safety training;
  • Develop, implement and analyze evaluation tools to understand the program’s areas of success and opportunities for improvement;
  • Represent the SF Bicycle Coalition at the SFMTA’s Taxi Task Force and Large Vehicle Working Group meetings;
  • Manage relationships with bike education subcontractor and Freedom From Training Wheels subcontractor;
  • Teach taxi training to new and renewing taxi drivers at the SFMTA biweekly;
  • Conduct outreach about bicycle education classes to the widest possible audience, including but not limited to: writing and sending the monthly bike education newsletter; sending information about classes to local supervisors’ offices, neighborhood newspaper editors, community-based organizations, and other interested parties; hanging posters or flyers across the city; posting classes on internet calendars; etc.;
  • Build relationships with community-based organizations that cater to low-income populations and diverse communities, ensuring that our bicycle education curriculum reaches a wide demographic;
  • Cultivate relationships with multilingual communities and identify individuals capable of teaching classes in Spanish and Cantonese, and see curriculum translated into these languages;
  • Manage the organization’s Constituent Services program alongside the Membership and Business Program Manager to provide the highest quality customer service and resources to our members and the greater bicycling community;
  • Advocate for and implement a citywide bicycle ticket diversion program; and
  • Work with the Membership and Business Program Manager to host brown bag lunches or trainings about bicycle safety and education with business partners.

Desired qualifications include:

  • A deep commitment to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s mission;
  • Strong organizational, multi-tasking and time-management skills;
  • Volunteer management experience;
  • Excellent interpersonal and relational skills;
  • An ability to work individually and as part of a team;
  • Experience teaching or developing curriculums;
  • Experience leading groups or individuals;
  • Experience with Salesforce or other CRM software;
  • Experience with WordPress or another CMS;
  • Experience with Marketing Cloud or other email software;
  • Familiarity with G Suite by Google Cloud;
  • Experience managing contracts;
  • Strong writing skills;
  • Familiarity working with diverse communities;
  • Volunteer experience or community involvement a plus;
  • Commitment to and/or interest in the nonprofit sector;
  • Fluency in languages other than English a plus, specifically Spanish, Cantonese or Tagalog; and
  • Flexibility to work nights and weekends; this position may require approximately three-to-seven nights per month and one-to-three weekend days monthly.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary for this exempt position is lower-$40,000s 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. 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:

Ana Vasudeo
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
1720 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

You are also welcome to drop the envelope off in-person.

Hiring Timeline

Applications will be reviewed starting on March 29 and considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

UPDATE: We are no longer accepting applications for the Program Coordinator position. If you have questions about your candidacy, please contact Ana.

Meet Girls Riding Club Coordinator Malay Khamsyvoravong

Posted on by Kelsey Roeder

Bike and Roll to School Week is Apr. 17-21. Is your school or little one ready to ride? We caught up with family biking champion and member Malay Khamsyvoravong, Program Coordinator at Presidio YBike to find out more about her and her program, the Girls Riding Club.

SF Bicycle Coalition: Can you give us a little background on what YBike does?

Malay: YBike was started in 2002 when one of the Presidio YMCA’s members began volunteering to teach kids how to ride a bike. “YBike” is now the umbrella term for a set of initiatives promoting youth cycling in San Francisco and the Peninsula. We lead after-school bike clubs, high school bike shops, PE programs, weekend learn-to-ride events, summer camps and Girls Riding Club.

(Want to support our bicycle education work? Join us today.)

Tell us a little about the Girls Riding Club.

Girls Riding Club, a program through YBike, started in 2015 with the purpose of getting more girls, trans* and femme-identified youth riding and exploring the world of bikes. Our goal is to hold a space where youth can be themselves while trying new things and bonding with others who share a common interest. We aim to offer opportunities to engage with biking from many different angles – from trying out different riding styles to learning mechanics to making bike crafts to viewing bikes as co-conspirators to adventures big and small.

Why is getting more girls and young women on bikes important to you?

When I started at YBike, it transformed my relationship to bikes because I began to see how biking fits into the flow of traffic, and how taking an assertive stance on the streets made interactions with other road-users safer. I found that the more I biked, the more ​I began to approach other situations in my life ​with the same confidence and self-assurance. Being able to help others develop these parts ​of themselves is a huge motivator for me. I want for all people – and young folks in particular – to feel joy in moving their bodies and to feel that they have a right to take up space;​ on the road, in a classroom, in a discussion, wherever.  It’s also why I think it’s important to connect with young folks who don’t already associate themselves with biking, or with being “athletic.” Their experience having fun or accomplishing something challenging on a bike could be a catalyst for other changes in their lives.

How does your work intersect with our work here at the SF Bicycle Coalition?

The SF Bicycle Coalition does such awesome work to push for safer streets! When we bike through a new bike lane or area with improved bike infrastructure, we get to share with youth how organizations like the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition advocate for making our streets safer. YBike also ends up at many of the same community events as the SF Bicycle Coalition. While our focus generally is on running a youth biking segment, the SF Bicycle Coalition has a lot of information to share about family biking. We’re also excited to host the volunteer night for April’s Bike & Roll to School Week, which is being coordinated by the SF Bicycle Coalition.

Become a member like Malay! Join today.

The Presidio: Views, Green Space and Bike Parking

Posted on by Charles Deffarges

With miles of beautiful trails, more than 400 historic buildings and gorgeous views throughout 1,491 acres of national park land, the Presidio is a true San Francisco treasure. For people who love to explore by bike, the Presidio has premier routes for all types of riders.

Making sure San Franciscans have access to good bike parking is a priority of ours citywide. We’ve heard that parking your bike in the Presidio can be difficult, so here’s your opportunity to suggest new locations for bike parking. The Presidio Trust will install 27 new racks providing parking for 62 bikes in the Presidio, and you’re invited to suggest where the new racks end up.

Take a look at the map below to see where the new racks are proposed. Current locations are marked in green and potential new locations are marked in blue. See any locations that are missing? Any that might not work? Love all of them? Take this brief survey and let us know.

Racks Here Please

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition continues to work extensively to open up more secure bike parking and reduce bike theft in our city, beyond just bike lockers. To learn more about how to lock your bike securely, visit sfbike.org/theft.

To see a map of the Presidio bike trails, routes and lanes, click here.

Some Lucky Family is Winning

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

As if San Francisco families need yet another reason to bike to school, we’re raffling off a gorgeous, new bike for one lucky SF family.

Win a Family Bike

Students who arrive at school show up energized and ready to learn. Families who bike together tell us that their rides are a great time, offering an unformatted chance for caretakers and kids to chat. And, of course, it’s all the more fun during SF’s annual Bike & Roll to School Week, which we coordinate with SF Safe Routes to School. This year, we anticipate thousands of families at over 80 schools to celebrate the week of April 17.

Thanks to a generous donation from Xtracycle, one participating family is going to enjoy a new way to bike to school together for what remains of the school year. Any San Francisco family can enter the raffle to win this beautiful, pink Edgerunner 11i.

Will your family enjoy this lovely new ride later this spring? Enter the raffle today.

Families Are Getting Ready for Bike & Roll to School Week

Posted on by Paloma Rezende

UPDATE, APRIL 3, 2017: The deadline to register your kids’ schools for Bike & Roll to School Week is extended. Register today to see your kids and their classmates celebrated for biking and otherwise rolling to school later this month!

We’re gearing up for Bike & Roll to School Week the week of April 17-21, and so are biking parent Joel Murach and his two kids. Learn more how biking to school is a great way to start the day and sign up your school before April 1.

SF Bicycle Coalition: When did you start biking in San Francisco and how were things back then?

Joel: I started biking in San Francisco back in mid-1990s. Back then, there weren’t many bike lanes or marked bike routes. It was a little more dangerous, and there were not nearly as many people biking. So people driving weren’t as used to seeing bikes on the streets, which also made it a little more dangerous. Still, biking was a great way to get around the city.

There weren’t any bike racks on the streets back then, but since there weren’t many people biking, there was almost always a parking meter or street sign that you could lock your bike to right in front of your destination.

How has biking played a role in your family’s ability to continue living in San Francisco?

I think we would still be able to live in San Francisco even if we didn’t bike everywhere, but it wouldn’t be nearly as pleasant. These days, I dread getting in the car. Traffic is often bad, and it’s usually hard to park. On our bikes, we breeze past traffic jams and can usually park (lock up) right in front of our destination.

How did you start riding your kids to school?

My wife used to ride my son to preschool on a trailer behind her bike. Then, a few years ago, we decided to have him ride his bike to kindergarten. Back then, he still had training wheels, so we would ride slowly with him riding on the sidewalk. He seemed to like it, and it was usually a nice way to start the day.

These days, I ride with my son, who is in third grade now, and I have my 3-year-old daughter in a bike seat behind me so I can take her to preschool. For the most part, they both seem to enjoy being outside and feeling the wind in their hair. I feel like it calms them both down. On the way home, we have to go up a big hill. My son often complains, but I think it’s a great exercise for him and I’m proud of him for being able to ride up that hill.

What advice would you give to a parent interested in biking their kids to school?

I would say to give it a try. It’s easier than you would think and a really nice way to start the day. Take it slow and figure out an approach that works for you. Once you do it a few times, a pattern emerges. After that, a habit may form — a good habit!

Celebrate healthy and fun ways to go to school by participating in San Francisco’s Bike & Roll to School Week. Register your child’s school before the deadline on April 1 and have fun!

Riding Together to Untangle the Hairball

Posted on by Charles Deffarges

Last weekend, SF Bicycle Coalition members, neighborhood activists and City staff came together to take a bike ride through the “the Hairball,” where Cesar Chavez, Potrero and Bayshore meet underneath Highway 101. We took a critical look at the existing infrastructure and discussed how upcoming bike improvements and other opportunities could make the Hairball a better place to ride.

We welcomed riders of all ages as 30 of us started at Cesar Chavez Street (Point A in the map above) and navigated through the Hairball to Jerrold Avenue (Point B). Crowding onto the narrow sidewalk, the riders listened to staff from the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) discuss new bike lanes that will be added later this year to make entering the Hairball easier and safer for people riding. Currently, people biking have to share a narrow sidewalk with pedestrians to enter the Hairball, but the new bike lanes will open up space on the road for northbound biking.

Heading back through the Hairball, City staff pointed out a few of the new wayfinding signs to help people get around, showing destinations and travel time by bike rather than obscure bike route numbers.

Back at our starting point (Point C), we regrouped to hear staff from the SF Department of Public Works talk through the longer term project to re-grade a particular section of the Hairball (Point D). “The Slide,” as some people call it, is at a very steep grade and is a sudden transition for riders heading under the highway. In the next two years, the path will be widened and flattened out, making for a better path for all users.

Finally, there was time for general questions. While many different issues came up, concerns were raised about the homeless encampments that block the bike path on occasion. We are working closely with the Department of Homelessness and different homeless advocacy organizations to see what might be done to keep the bike paths safe for everyone. Representatives from the City participated in the ride and were able to share their perspectives and experience with the Hairball.

Whatever the solution, it is clear that much work remains to make the Hairball a safe place to ride. Your SF Bicycle Coalition will be working hard with all involved parties to see improvements implemented. Your support as members will be as important as ever, so add your name below to get the latest opportunities to speak up for a better Hairball.

A Better Hairball