Drumroll, Please

Posted on by Libby Nachman

SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers fix up bikes and distribute them to those in need, pour you drinks at great events like Tour de Fat and Winterfest, keep our office running at our monthly Volunteer Nights, and chat with you about our work at our streetside outreach stations. We are immensely grateful for the time and energy from each of the over 800 people who collectively gave over 10,000 hours last year to keep the wheels of advocacy spinning and help make San Francisco a more enjoyable and safer city for biking.

To celebrate these amazing folks, we gathered with over 60 SF Bicycle Coalition volunteers last week at our winter Volunteer Appreciation Party. At the Dolan Law Firm office, with Sufferfest Beer Company brews to sip and Littlejohn’s chocolates to munch (the space, beverages and dessert all graciously donated), we raised a glass to everyone who volunteered over the past six months and gave awards to those who went above and beyond in 2016.

The 2016 Volunteer Appreciation Awards went to…

Meet your 2016 Volunteer Award winners.

Meet your 2016 Volunteer Award winners.


Volunteer Night Champion: Sindy Cho

Not only does Sindy attend each and every Volunteer Night, she takes extra time to pick up the delicious snacks that we provide to keep our volunteers fueled at Volunteer Night. She also distributes posters for all our major events and volunteered at a Bike to Work Day Energizer Station. We’d be lost without her!

Most Active Bike Mechanic: Paddy O’Flynn

Paddy is a bike mechanic extraordinaire. He completed over 38 hours of volunteering for our Bike It Forward program in 2016 alone. Only one other mechanic even broke single digits – barely. Paddy has been a fixture at our bike builds, helping to ensure that the reclaimed bicycles we distribute to communities across San Francisco are safe and in good working order.

Snapshot Super Star: Volker Neumann

Have you ever looked at event pictures on the SF Bicycle Coalition’s Twitter or Facebook accounts? Chances are, those photos were taken by Volker. Volker’s talent with a camera is undeniable, and his photos support our communications and marketing work year after year. Thank you, Volker, for your super snaps.

Ivan of the Year: Ivan Abeshaus

We realize that such a specific award means it’s unlikely Ivan would have much competition, but no one is more deserving of an award than Ivan Abeshaus. From truck-driving and tote-bag stuffing to helping with our move, Ivan supports the big and little things that help keep our organization rolling. The most impressive part? He does it all with the biggest smile on his face.

All-Around All Star: Jenn Chan

Jenn is one of our many former interns who has stayed involved since her internship. We are so grateful to the enormous amounts of time and energy she has dedicated to our work over the years. What put her over the top in 2016? Jenn is a champion in the Richmond District, giving a huge amount of support to our advocacy work in D1 and Golden Gate Park. Whether it’s organizing rides, attending walk-throughs or providing input at community meetings, Jenn does it all.

The SF Bicycle Coalition holds Volunteer Appreciation Parties twice per year, and everyone who’s volunteered in the previous six months is invited to attend. That’s just one of many great reasons to join us as a volunteer: Check out our upcoming projects, and sign up today.

New Roles and Fresh Faces

Posted on by Libby Nachman

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

I first learned about the SF Bicycle Coalition while searching the internet for San Francisco internships from a hostel in Chile in 2014. I’d never ridden a bicycle in San Francisco and I knew next to nothing about the organization. Three months later, I enjoyed my first bike ride in the city straight to the SF Bicycle Coalition office for my internship interview. Spoiler alert: I got the internship.

I loved promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation so much that when a staff position opened up, I jumped on it. Now the organization’s Program Coordinator and manager of our internship program, I’m grateful to the many talented individuals who give their time to support our organization as interns (and volunteers!)

We’re lucky to have three staffers in addition to myself who began as interns, and many more who have risen to take on new roles or started recently.

Anna Gore heard about the SF Bicycle Coalition through her work with a bicycle advocacy organization in Athens, Georgia. As soon as she arrived in San Francisco in 2012, she jumped into volunteering and interning. She started out as Bicycle Education Intern. After wearing a couple of different hats, including Interim Volunteer Coordinator and Database Assistant, she seized the opportunity to join the membership team and is today our Membership and Business Program Manager.

“I’m really passionate about the mission and loved the community of people I met during my internship,” Anna said. “Being part of the staff felt like a dream job for me. I was really impressed by how the organization was run. Staff, members, interns and volunteers collaborated so well.”

Charles Deffarges, our intrepid Bicycle Parking and Campaign Coordinator for the past year, was recently promoted to Community Organizer. As a San Francisco native, he’d been a member of the SF Bicycle Coalition while in high school – “but purely for the discounts,” he said. While in college, he became more interested in bicycle advocacy so interning with the SF Bicycle Coalition was a perfect fit. Upon graduation, he moved back to the city, joined our staff and now has a much deeper appreciation for all our work.

“As an intern, you are often working with one or two staff members so you only see one side of the organization’s work,” Charles said. “Transitioning to staff, you get to see and hear about everything that people are working on, which is a ton. The work we do here is incredibly important for San Francisco and to be able to do that full-time is an exceptional opportunity.”

Julia Schaber began as a Graphic Design Intern at the beginning of 2016 to complement her last semester studying Visual Communications at San Francisco State University. She was drawn to the organization because it aligned with her personal morals and values, even as she strived to be more comfortable biking in urban settings. It was on Bike to Work Day in May of 2016 that she found her wheels, riding to City Hall with her local Commuter Convoy and around town with the Communications team. She loved supporting our work so much that she applied to join the staff when the chance arose. Now our Graphic Designer, she’s impressed with the organization’s impact.

“I love seeing what an incredible amount of work such a small team can accomplish, and how far-reaching the work of the SF Bicycle Coalition actually is,” Julia said. “Our work doesn’t only affect people on bikes, but the entire community of San Francisco. I am so glad to be a part of that influence.”

We’re also excited about some of the recent promotions we’ve made to elevate exceptional staff members to new roles. Brian Wiedenmeier, now our Executive Director, passed the reins of the Development Director position to former Development Manager Tracy Chinn. In 2015, we were thrilled when long-time Community Organizer Janice Li accepted a new role as Advocacy Director.

In addition to these familiar faces, you’ll see some new people hanging out at the SF Bicycle Coalition office. Ana Vasudeo recently joined the team as our Program Director, bringing years of advocacy work around parks and green jobs to our work. Keep an eye out at public meetings on the waterfront and in western neighborhoods for Community Organizer Julia Raskin, and look for Membership Assistant Kelsey Roeder’s smiling face at Women Bike SF’s Coffee Clubs.

Come see us, won’t you? Whether at a Women Bike SF event, phone banking or at our upcoming New Member Meet & Greet, we’re organizing an array of events and have them all listed for your convenience on pages 13-14 and at sfbike.org/events. We hope to see you soon!

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.

Riding in the Richmond

Posted on by Julia Raskin

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

With ocean views, endless dining options and beautiful parks to the north and south, what could make the Richmond District even better? More and better biking, of course!

We are working with members like you on some exciting projects that will make the Richmond more comfortable for people riding bicycles and walking to local stores, schools and parks. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and SF Planning Department collaborated with then- Supervisor Eric Mar to set the groundwork for improvements that make it easier and more enjoyable for people to bike and walk.

ARGUELLO BOULEVARD

Get ready to roll out the green carpet on Arguello Boulevard from Golden Gate Park to the Presidio. Coming this February, a spacious buffered bike lane will connect two world-class parks, with safety islands at McAllister Street, Golden Gate Avenue and Cabrillo Street that will make crossing the street more comfortable. Thanks to the leadership of Supervisor Mar, the SFMTA led an extensive public planning process to gather input from residents, our members and local businesses. We made sure that Arguello Boulevard will be safe and enjoyable for everyone, and will offer a welcoming green connection for people biking between the parks.

“NEIGHBORWAYS”

Imagine your Richmond neighborhood with calm streets where people walking and biking are given priority. The SFMTA is committed to this vision through their Inner Richmond Neighborway project, focused on Eighth and 23rd Avenues. Public outreach for Eighth Avenue started in the fall, and outreach for 23rd Avenue will kick off later this year. The goal for these north-south corridors is calm and easy-to ride streets with reduced speeds and auto traffic volumes, providing another connection between Golden Gate Park and the Presidio. This winter you can look forward to giving your feedback on the first round of designs on Eighth Avenue.

We will keep you posted about ways to get involved in improving both corridors for people walking and biking at facebook.com/sfbike and twitter.com/sfbike.

GOLDEN GATE PARK

Last year, Mayor Ed Lee’s Executive Directive identified Golden Gate Park as a top priority for improving road safety to support the City’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic deaths in San Francisco by 2024. As a first step in that process, the SFMTA installed speed humps on JFK Drive west of Transverse to address chronic speeding. What’s the next step in building a park for people? The City is conducting a traffic circulation study and held an open house in December to hear your experiences of getting around the park. Your SF Bicycle Coalition will continue to advocate alongside our members for more open streets for people and less speeding as the study continues. Get the latest at sfbike.org/ggp.

A HOLISTIC STRATEGY FOR THE RICHMOND

The Richmond District Strategy is a collaboration between Supervisor Mar’s Office and the San Francisco Planning Department that provides a big-picture view of the District’s current and future needs, including housing, parks and transportation. SF Planning conducted a survey to inform the strategy in 2015 and received over 1,400 responses. Of the respondents, 28 percent bike and 86 percent walk to the local shops, and residents of the district show a strong desire for more transportation choices aside from personal vehicles. At an open house in December, SF Bicycle Coalition members came out to discuss the findings around street safety and areas for improvement. Members are excited to build momentum for a Richmond that prioritizes sustainable, active transportation.

For every improvement towards livable streets in the Richmond, SF Bicycle Coalition members deserve credit for turning out, speaking up and empowering us to advocate for your vision: A network of physically protected bike lanes that make every corner of our city accessible and fun to bike. We could not to do this work without you and are grateful every single day for your support.

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.

Self-Powered in the Excelsior

Posted on by Chris Cassidy

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is a collection of people dedicated to collaborating on improving our neighborhoods for everyone’s enjoyment, but we’re not the only folks delivering safe streets for San Franciscans.

The Excelsior is a neighborhood teeming with passionate advocates organizing to improve access to healthy, affordable transportation. Among the many efforts underway there is a grassroots-organized, weekly Walk & Roll to School Hub for families to enjoy. Frank Sanchez, Safe Routes to School liaison at nearby SF Community School, rides with families to school from the Hub every Tuesday morning.

The SF Community School bike class is a great complement to the Hub. Nic Aulston, the class’ teacher, also co-founded Bicis del Pueblo, self-styled as “a community-based bike project that works … towards providing low-income youth and families … resources to incorporate the bicycle into their everyday lives.” Their programs, supported by PODER, include providing community members access to bike repair skills and safety education. They also distribute bikes, sometimes in partnership with our Bike It Forward program.

SF Community School is just one of four schools close to the Hub. Last Bike & Roll to School Week, students from Denman Middle School’s bike class also stopped by before riding to school together.

“That ride was the first time that half of those students ever rode a bicycle in the streets of San Francisco,” the class’ teacher Shenny Diaz said. “As a Physical Education teacher, my main concern is health and well-being. Bicycle advocacy can help transform students’ lives by providing a positive outlet to deal with stress and having the feeling of being free.”

Working with community members like Shenny, Nic and Frank, your SF Bicycle Coalition advocates for improvements for everyone biking in and around the Excelsior including on Mansell Street, Geneva Avenue and through the Excelsior Neighborways Project.

As recently as last year, Mansell Street bisected McLaren Park with several lanes of high-speed traffic. Those traffic lanes are being reduced in number to create a physically separated path for people biking and walking, opening up access for more community members to San Francisco’s second largest park. The reduced number of automobile lanes is also intended to reduce speeds through the park.

A few blocks south of Mansell, Geneva Avenue runs from Ocean Avenue to the southeast city line, connecting the Outer Mission, the Excelsior and Crocker-Amazon. In addition to safety improvements for people biking and walking, the City’s multi-modal project on Geneva seeks to improve the reliability of the 8-Bayshore bus. That Muni line serves about 23,000 San Franciscans every day, making it among the busiest bus lines citywide. We’re advocating to see robust outreach by the City on this project, including non-English materials to meet the needs of Cantonese-speakers and other communities along the corridor.

Three neighborways are also planned for the Excelsior with funding from Caltrans. The corridors are yet to be named, but City planners intend to integrate their construction with the redesign underway for Geneva Avenue. As the process moves forward, we will engage community members with opportunities to help shape where and how neighborhood streets are improved for biking and walking.

Together, with community groups leading the way, your SF Bicycle Coalition is proud to do our part in supporting Excelsior residents and neighbors realizing their dreams for their streets.

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.

Pedaling 245 Miles for Safe SF Streets: Meet Climate Rider Dina Beigelman

Posted on by Gina Schumacher

Meet Dina, one of this year’s Climate Riders on the SF Bicycle Coalition’s team. She will be riding from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo to raise money and awareness for sustainability, the climate and active transportation. As a first time Climate Rider, she is enthusiastic about pedaling the coast this summer.

SF Bicycle Coalition: What are you looking forward to most?

Dina: So many things! Being a part of and reconnecting to the cycling community in SF. Giving back to that community. Raising awareness for an important issue, and feeling like I’m making a pointed contribution during a confusing and tumultuous time.

What are you hoping to come away with?

Honestly, I view participating in the Climate Ride as my first step in being more involved and connected to my community, and at creating healthy habits in my life. I don’t view the Climate Ride as a thing I work towards and then finish and put away; I view it as a catalyst to help me engage in a lot of areas in my life I’ve been meaning to for some time.

If someone is on the fence about the Climate Ride, what words of wisdom would you like to give them?

Anyone can do it. Honestly. I participated in a similar event back in 2011, so I know what to expect with training and fundraising. But the Climate Ride is much more impactful for me than my previous ride. The beautiful thing about the Climate Ride is it’s a community of folks doing something they love. So if you feel yourself drawn to this type of adventure, chances are it’s for a reason. Trust that, and know there is a wealth of knowledge and support on the other side to help you reach your goals.

Any fundraising tips for newbies?

In my experience, it’s always easier as a newbie. People are really excited that you’re doing this new thing and tend to donate more easily. Something my team captain shared with me really resonates in this case: most likely folks are donating because they are moved by your passion about the ride and their connection to you. So being able to tell your story and talk about your motivation is a very powerful fundraising tool.

We are recruiting riders for the SF Bicycle Coalition’s team who will bike the new California Central Coast Route, June 9-13. For team members who choose the SF Bicycle Coalition as their sole beneficiary, we will provide additional fundraising support as well as training rides and schedules. Our team is made up of first-time and experienced riders, the perfect atmosphere for everyone. The only requirement is wanting to make a difference. Join the team today!

Taking Care of a Piece of SF Bike History

Posted on by Julia Raskin

In 1996, longtime member and SF Bicycle Coalition leader Joel Pomerantz invited Mona Caron — a young artist still in school — to be the lead artist for the Duboce Bikeway Mural. Two years and countless volunteer hours later, the mural was unveiled on Nov. 21, 1998.

Nearly two decades later, this beloved piece of biking history creatively expressing the freedom and imagination of biking from the bay to the beach needs your help. Along with Joel, the Castro Community Benefits District and local community members, we’re inviting you to join in a clean-up day to refresh the mural.

I’M THERE

This was Mona’s first mural, and this well-travelled two-way bike route was also the first street in San Francisco to be converted into a dedicated bicycle path, serving as the gateway to the Wiggle. In the mural, the Wiggle is symbolically represented by the waterway that once carved out the path of least resistance that we now use to avoid the surrounding hills. After passing through the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood and Golden Gate Park, the mural ends at Ocean Beach.

Mona arrived at this idea for the Duboce Bikeway Mural through a series of brainstorming meetings with the community and saw it through with the help of your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Join us for a mural clean-up day to make sure that the community’s vision can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Duboce Bikeway Mural Cleanup
Feb. 4, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Duboce Bikeway, between Market and Church

Folsom’s Future

Posted on by Janice Li

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The year is 2040. San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood is everything a livable, sustainable community should be: Each street has been designed with people as the priority. Integrated transit lines meet up at the beautiful, iconic Transbay Terminal. Biking and walking are the best ways to get around and experience the neighborhood. Two key corridors, Folsom and Howard Streets, form the healthy, sustainable backbone of SoMa. The influx of new housing and job centers means that local businesses are thriving from all the foot traffic. With so many different transportation options available, getting around is more affordable than ever.

CALLING ALL CREATIVE MINDS: THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE AND YOUR IMAGINATION IS NEEDED.

Over the next year, you have a seat at the table to make your vision for SoMa streets a reality. The SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is ready to launch a new project for Folsom and Howard Streets, and there will be numerous opportunities for you to speak up and weigh in.

Now close your eyes and think of how SoMa feels today. Cramped? Congested? Unwelcoming?

Anyone who spends time here knows that we feel the impacts of growth in few San Francisco neighborhoods as acutely as we do in SoMa. Yet SoMa streets like Folsom and Howard are often five or six lanes wide, encouraging the number-one cause of severe traffic collisions: Speeding. The mix of fast-moving vehicles within a dense, urban context unfortunately means that all the major corridors moving people through SoMa means more conflict. “High-injury corridors” identified by the SF Department of Health make up only 12 percent of city streets, yet are where more than 70 percent of severe and fatal traffic crashes occur. Few streets in SoMa do not bear inclusion in this list.

This means that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by traffic fatalities. A 2013 report done by the City’s Budget and Legislative Analyst found that Supervisorial District 6, which covers all of SoMa and the Tenderloin, had the lowest median household income and highest rates of poverty in San Francisco. According to the same report, District 6 also has the least amount of green space among all 11 districts and far more high-injury corridors than any other district.

San Franciscans deserve better. Over the next year, we invite you to join us in fighting for better streets and healthier places for residents who need them the most. We win when we invite everyone to the table and unite towards our common goals. Help us get there.

THE PLAN BEFORE THE PROJECT

In 2011, the City kicked off the Central SoMa Plan, recognizing the need to grow our downtown core as our city attracted more jobs and residents. The Plan sought to answer several key questions: How will we increase capacity for jobs and housing? How do we maintain the diversity of residents who call SoMa their home today? How can we expand open space? And how can we promote biking, walking and transit as the preferred means of getting around?

Six years of walking tours, community surveys, and countless meetings with community groups and neighborhood stakeholders was the first step in answering these questions. The City is now in the final stages of incorporating feedback, refining plans and completing environmental review. The next step is seeking the Board of Supervisors’ approval for those plans in mid-2017.

In order to accommodate growth, the City needed to plan for its infrastructure to-be, starting with its transportation networks. While the Central SoMa Plan was bounded by Second Street to the east and Sixth Street to the west, the City looked beyond those boundaries for two key corridors: Folsom and Howard Streets.

Using the groundwork laid by the Central SoMa Plan project thus far, the SFMTA launched their Folsom and Howard Streetscape Project in December 2016 to hone in on the ideal design for these two streets. The scope of this project extends from Second all the way to 11th. By the end of 2017, the SFMTA aims to approve physically protected bike lanes connecting the full length of the project as well as a suite of pedestrian, transit and livability improvements from better lighting to more open spaces.

MAKING OUR DREAMS COME TRUE

The work ahead is to join today’s infrastructure to the vision people dream of and deserve. Knowing our advocacy is strongest when informed and led by our membership, your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition surveyed members about your vision for SoMa and received nearly 500 responses. The results were clear: Streets need to be redesigned with people as the top priority.

What was most interesting was the feedback on design preferences. A few big picture design options were proposed by the Central SoMa Plan, and we included the conceptual images in our survey. Respondents preferred physically protected bike lanes going both directions on Folsom over adding lanes to Howard.

folsom-streetstructure-01

Design options under consideration for Folsom Street include a two-way protected bike lane (top) and separate physically protected bike lanes on either side of Folsom (bottom).

Given that 80 percent of respondents were concerned about dangerous intersections, we know that protected intersections are part of the answer, as well. Protected intersections, like SF’s first at Division and Ninth Streets, take the chaos out of crossing a street by adding physical barriers to separate people biking from vehicle traffic. They can add additional signage and signals along with raised crosswalks so that everyone is visible and knows when to cross. Protected intersections also employ treatments to slow speeds of turning traffic, further improving safety.

Seventy-four percent of survey respondents noted concerns about drivers entering the bike lanes. Survey results also showed that people want to see more greenery in SoMa. Bike lanes physically protected with concrete planters can solve both these problems by incorporating greenery and stopping drivers from entering the bike lane.

Now is the time to imagine the possibilities for every inch of asphalt, curb space and sidewalk in order to transform Folsom Street into the bike-friendly, walkable, people-first street we know it can be. Over the next year, the SFMTA will lead a series of open houses and other opportunities to solicit public feedback. And your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition will regularly convene our SoMa Member Committee, which launched last year and won approval of protected bike lanes on Seventh and Eighth Streets in November.

We know that the way to win these projects is bringing the whole neighborhood together and fighting for a vision of safe streets that serves everyone. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we reach out to our long-standing community partners, our allies in safe streets advocacy and other neighborhood leaders. Join us and tell everyone you know: Share your dream for SoMa with folks you know and welcome them to the table.

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.

Keep Your Wheels Safe: How to Lock Your Bike

Posted on by Libby Nachman

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

PROPER LOCKING IS THE FIRST DEFENSE AGAINST BIKE THEFT.

PREVENTING BIKE THEFT

In San Francisco, always use a hardened-steel U-Lock as your primary lock. Cable locks and cheap U-Locks can easily be cut. Secure your wheels with locking skewers (best) or cable around both wheels. Lock the U-Lock through the rear triangle of your bike frame (never just the wheels) and to a secure corral, rack or pole. Allow for as little space within the lock as possible; loose locks can be more easily broken open. For extra security, get a locking skewer for your seat or attach a cable through your seat and frame. You can also install a locking skewer for your handlebars.

If you’re in need of new locks, be sure to flash your SF Bicycle Coalition membership card at one of our participating Discount Partners: sfbike.org/discounts.

We also strongly recommend being proactive about keeping your records straight. Take photos of your bike and its serial number. Contact your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance company to see what options exist for insuring your bike. Register your bike with SAFE Bikes, who maintains a registry of bikes in SF. You’ll get a unique serial number attached to your bike. If your bike is stolen and then recovered, the police will know who to get it back to. Visit safebikes.org to register your bike.

WHAT IF MY BIKE IS STOLEN?

We sincerely hope it doesn’t happen, but if it does, follow these steps to aid in recovery of your bike.

First, file a report with the SF Police Department. While you can file it online (sanfranciscopolice.org/Reports), investigators strongly recommend reporting it in person at the nearest station. Provide your serial number and photos of your bike. If you can, collect extra evidence: Look for cameras near where the bike was stolen. Buildings often have cameras facing the street, and you can contact the building owner to recover the tapes. Ask soon after the bike is stolen to ensure the footage isn’t deleted. We also suggest filing a claim with your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance company, if bike theft is covered.

Next, post your stolen bike online. You can register it with the Bike Index (stolen.bikeindex.org). The Bike Index makes stolen bikes harder to sell and easier to reunite with owners when they are recovered. We also recommend posting the bike as “Stolen” in the bikes section of craigslist. However, if you receive a tip or info, contact the police. Do not attempt to recover the bike on your own.

Finally, visit local flea markets to look for your bike. Some people have reported finding their bikes at San Jose (Wednesday, Friday); Oakland Coliseum (Saturday) and Laney College (Sunday) flea markets. If you do spot your bike, call the local police immediately and ask them to assist in your recovery.

For more resources on theft & locking, please visit: sfbike.org/theft.

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.

Going Rogue: SFMTrA Improving SF Streets

Posted on by Chris Cassidy

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 158 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

A group of San Francisco activists is taking matters into their own hands, installing safe-hit posts along unprotected corners and bike lanes, and capturing the imaginations of people who care about safe streets. The collective calls themselves SF Transformation, or SFMTrA, a play on the name of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

According to SFMTrA members, tensions are running high between the two groups.

“We have obviously chosen to be provocative with our installations, calling attention to what could be if there was more leadership in City Hall,” SFMTrA members said under condition of anonymity. “As a result, it appears that there are some people in the SFMTA who are upset with us.”

Reached for comment, the SFMTA characterized the organizations’ relationship differently.

“We hear the frustration the SFMTrA is expressing and we share the same vision for safer, more bike-friendly streets,” the SFMTA told your SF Bicycle Coalition. “While we wish the SFMTrA wouldn’t install unsanctioned measures on our streets, we do value the statement they are making. The discussion they have sparked has brought our attention to how even a few posts can transform a street in some people’s minds and make their ride feel safe.”

At most SFMTrA action sites, the SFMTA has moved quickly to remove the activists’ posts. The lone site where City officials expressly allowed SFMTrA posts to stand for a longer period is at the eastern entrance to Golden Gate Park’s JFK Drive. Videos taken shortly after SFMTrA’s installation there show slowed automobile traffic and fewer incursions into the painted bike lane by people driving. Those 10 vigilante-installed posts were allowed to remain until the City later replaced them with six longer-term safe-hit posts.

“We believe to make Golden Gate Park a truly safe place for park-users, the City will need to come up with a proper solution for protected bike lanes and minimize the use of the park as a shortcut for speeding cars,” SFMTrA members said. “Six posts and nine speed bumps is a good pilot, but San Francisco can and must think much bigger.”

Following the SFMTrA action on JFK Drive, as well as the SFMTA’s replacement of their work, bigger thinking was on display in December 2016. With several SF Bicycle Coalition members in attendance, the City hosted an open house to, in their words, “identify solutions that reduce speeds and better manage vehicular traffic while maintaining access to Golden Gate Park destinations.”

While your SF Bicycle Coalition continues advocating for safety improvements in Golden Gate Park and across San Francisco, we asked both the SFMTA and SFMTrA members how they envision seeing safe streets delivered.

“We know there’s a need to build more safety into our streets, and that it needs to get done faster,” the SFMTA said. “We are up to the task and we’re using the city’s crash data to target our safety projects and investments.”

“We want every citizen to take a fresh look around at the speeding vehicles and the dated infrastructure, and imagine a world where these are being addressed with smart solutions and policies,” SFMTrA members said. “The City can act now to implement cheap, simple solutions and simultaneously develop plans for drastic, long-term street transformations. We also need to work together with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and other groups like Walk SF to make this a high-priority issue for our leaders.”

Visit SFMTrA.org to learn more about the work of SFMTrA members, find their accounts on social media and sign up for their emails. To support advocacy for permanent safety improvements on San Francisco streets, find the volunteer opportunity right for you at sfbike.org/get-involved.

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.

Meet Cecile, Retiree Extraordinaire

Posted on by Kelsey Roeder

We’re not exaggerating when when we say we have the greatest members in the world. One of our exemplary members, Cecile, inspires us daily with her spark, dedication to our Women Bike SF program, and just her sheer volume of activities. We sat down with Cecile recently to learn more about what keeps her rolling.

SF Bicycle Coalition: How did you start biking in San Francisco?

Cecile: When I started high school in Marin County in 1970, my parents bought me a 10-speed bike, which was all the rage at that time. I like to say that’s the last they saw of me. I loved the freedom and independence bicycling gave me, so my territory expanded. My Marin cycling friends and I started a road-racing club called Velo Club Tamalpais. Our rides included Tuesday bagel rides into San Francisco to the House of Bagels, rides to the Polo Fields to ride on the bike track, full moon rides over Mt. Tam at midnight and more.

Sometimes, my rides kept me in the city after dark. In those days, the Golden Gate Bridge sidewalk closed at sunset. To return home, I had to climb around the locked gate on the bridge to access the sidewalk and ride home. (Is the statute of limitations up on that infraction?)

What’s the story of the beautiful Schwinn we’ve seen you ride to recent Coffee Clubs?  

When I was eight years old, I awoke Christmas morning to find under the tree a beautiful blue Schwinn Hollywood two-speed bike with a coaster brake. We lived on a hill so the two gears were a huge advantage. I still enjoy riding that workhorse, which is well worn and battered. It now styles white-wall tires and a wicker basket with flowers. It’s my around-town bike that I feel safe locking up while running errands or having coffee with Women Bike SF. Although heavy, it can still fly!

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen to bicycling in and around San Francisco?

I have enjoyed watching the positive changes in the San Francisco cycling environment over the last 30 years. There are so many more people biking on the road both commuting and for recreation. With designated bike routes and lanes, I find I am riding in good company among a diverse group of both bicycles and people biking, especially on Market Street. My experience is that people driving are becoming more bicycle-aware and friendly as well. More often than not, as I approach a stop sign and slow to stop, I receive a smile and a wave through from the cross-traffic person driving. Amazing!

What prompted you to become a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?

I am so grateful to have the SF Bicycle Coalition represent me and advocate for me as a person biking. As a lone voice, I don’t have much power, but as part of this group, so much progress is being made for all people biking. My husband and I raised our two boys in San Francisco and part of our motivation when joining the SF Bicycle Coalition was to have a safe and encouraging cycling environment for them. (Success!) Thank you, SF Bicycle Coalition.

What has been your favorite experience with Women Bike SF?

The first Friday of each month, I look forward to the Women Bike SF Coffee Club. Although I usually cycle alone, it is terrific to have a group to share stories with and from whom to get tips. I initially went to the coffees to make sure that my age group was represented and was pleased to find that it a wonderfully diverse group, with cycling being the binding force. I look forward to leading my first ride with the group on Feb. 4 to the Marin Museum of Bicycling in Fairfax. Please join me!

Can you give us the latest on your volunteer activities?

I have reached that time in my life when I am winding down my career as a physical therapist and spending more time doing all those other things that I love to do. In the last year, I have reconnected with some of my old buddies from Velo Club Tamalpais, who recently opened the Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Fairfax. I volunteer at the museum on Thursdays and have recently joined their board of directors. Sewing is another one of my hobbies. So I combined those interests and stitch up a line of cycling caps and bags that I donate to the museum gift shop.  

The museum focuses on the history of the bicycle and the bicycle’s influence on American society. Its chronological collection starts with 19th-century bicycles, each one representing a stepping stone in technology. The displays of the evolution of the bicycle takes you from 1819 to today’s modern innovations in bicycle design and function. I could go on, but there is a wealth of information in the well-curated collection. You really should come visit the museum and see for yourself!

Want to get more involved with Women Bike SF? Come have a cup of coffee with us at our next coffee club meeting on Friday, Feb. 3 at Mercury Cafe.