We just rode our first Bike Bus of the school year! I wanted to make a list of all of the Bike Buses that I knew about so that interested parents/students can find one to join, and so that riders can work together, learn from each other, and start new ones. You probably already know that I think this is the best way to get to school, even when it rains. Special thanks to the #BikeNite #BikeBus and #BikeTooter people on Mastodon for helping create this list. Bike Buses in the United States California Berkeley, CA Ecole Bilingue Bike Bus Malcolm X Bike Bus Oakland, CA North Oakland Bike Bus – that’s ours! San Francisco, CA San Francisco Bike Bus – A series of 5 bike buses that span different neighborhoods in SF. The biggest one travels through the JFK […]
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What’s new about biking to school this year
Biking to school is pretty much the first part of getting back into the school routine. In a week where some golden retriever failed to stop a bike thief and Portland gets ready for the World Naked Bike Ride, we’re starting to head back to school. It feels different to be back at school, but as far as bike-related things go, not too much has changed. There were a decent number of people biking to school There appeared to be more parent bikes at the bike racks this year, but a similar number of kids’ bikes. I saw more cargo bikes than I had before. Lots of Tern bikes – 2 HSDs and one GSD. I saw an Xtracycle, a RAD, and a Surly Big Easy as well. I didn’t see too many while biking to school, because I think […]
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Biking the kids to school in light rain? Not too bad of a Bike Bus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nSk8ngGlwI&feature=youtu.be We might have overdressed today but it was not a bad ride to school in the rain. Our fingers got a little cold but the rest worked out fine. Here’s what made the ride more comfortable: Fenders Waterproof pants and jackets A bike safety flag for visibility Bike Bus Friends! A waterproof backpack cover Good headlights Riding through puddles Here are some general tips for riding your bike in the rain. And here are tips specifically for riding bikes with kids in the rain. Or follow along for updates:
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Bike Twitter’s (or soon Bike Tooter?) tips for helping kids bike to school
Why bike to school? There’s something special about biking to school and watching your child wave to friends as they near the front gates. If you’re just starting out, for Bike to School day (in Alameda County, it’s Walk and Roll to School Day), or because you want to take climate action and make sure your kid(s) get exercise, here are some reasons why biking to school is great: Builds community and friendships Lets kids have fun riding with friends – bikes make people smile! Promotes better air quality & a lower carbon footprint Reduces the number of cars on the road Gets Kids and adults healthy physical activity Saves money on fuel Allows kids to be independent “You and your kids will be happier riding and get used to it quickly” – @share_hugh on Twitter As easy as riding […]
Continue readingHow to start a Bike Bus (or Bike Train) to help kids joyfully bike to school
What is a Bike Bus / Bike Train? A bike train (or Bike Bus, as it has recently been named) is a group of students and parents or volunteers who ride to school together, kind of like a carpool, but for people on bikes. Some great things about Bike Buses / Trains include: Parents can share transportation responsibilities Reduce congestion around school by reducing the number of cars on the road Encourage healthy physical habits Build community A regular schedule helps get students to school on time Creates joy and independence We regularly rode to school before starting this activity. With the help of Oakland’s Slow Streets, we’d already been able to realize some of the above benefits. We’d see familiar faces on bike or on foot on the way to school. The ride to school featured a good dose […]
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Slow Streets: They make biking to school on Oakland’s Shafter Avenue calmer and more peaceful
It’s great to see kids biking to school There were so many kids biking to school on the Shafter Ave Slow Street. I counted at least 11 kids on bikes on the 4 blocks that we rode through. It’s such a nice thing to be able to commute through these streets – streets that are not prioritized for car traffic, speed, and throughput. These kids might have been driven to school instead if not for the slow streets. It’s great to have a lower carbon and lower congestion alternative. About Oakland’s Slow Streets Oakland’s Slow Streets have existed since May 2020. They are “soft” street closures that include small barriers (such as cones) and “Road Closed to Thru Traffic” signs. There are no other restrictions, and the intent was to still allow for local car, delivery, […]
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Is this bike lane safe? (Riding to Creston Park was kind of scary)
I took my child to Creston Park by bike during our last visit to Portland. Aside from a few issues (it was hot! and my kid wasn’t used to their borrowed bike!) the ride there was mostly pleasant. We took some of the calm neighborhood streets and Greenways. Our general path was along SE 34th, Clinton and SE 45th Avenue. I knew we’d have to cross SE Powell at some point, but I guess I had hoped that there’d be a decent way to bike across it. Especially since Portland has relatively (for the USA) good bike infrastructure. I also hoped that since there’s a park with Creston Elementary school nearby, the city might have provisions for easier biking to school and play. We saw another adult and children riding, presumably headed to the same destination. We stopped […]
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School drop-offs and car culture
Having ridden the bus a lot as a child, I was surprised to see that, at least in the Bay Area, many schools don’t have school bus service. When I visited our elementary school for a tour, I was surprised to see how many children were dropped off via car. I was also impressed at how streamlined the process was. There was a long line of 8-10 vehicles, and volunteers helped shuttle children onto school grounds and to where they needed to go. Parents or other caretakers didn’t even need to leave their vehicles nor open the door for their children. I was impressed and also a little concerned. We don’t own a car, and I was hoping that, given how mature and streamlined the car drop off process was, that there would be at least evidence of accommodations for […]
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