Inflate Your Tires for Bike to Work Day

If you opened up the San Jose Mercury News today, you might have seen an editorial I wrote with my colleague, Supervisor Liz Kniss.

As we continue with the budget process, I will stand by what we have written in the opinion piece. It’s time that the county used its “rainy day fund” to make sure that our residents get the services they need.

Before the budget workshops today, I rode my bike to a meeting with Santa Clara City Councilmember Pat Kolstad. I have been meeting with the members of the city councils in my district to discuss ways the county can work with the cities to better serve our residents. I was pleased to hear Councilmember Kolstad’s ideas.

As I rode back to the office, I passed by a gas station. Gas prices are hitting record highs, so Bike to Work Day on May 17 couldn’t come at a better time. Not only will Thursday’s event save gas during the commute hours, it will also help residents conserve gasoline throughout the day.

As I have found, people who bike to work tend to plan to complete their errands all in one trip when they get back to their cars in the evenings or on the weekends. People who drive to work tend to make several trips throughout the day to complete errands one at a time. Biking to work saves not only gas and the environment, but also time spent waiting in traffic and wear on our roadways and automobiles.

Don’t forget to stop by an Energizer Station on Thursday for refreshments, encouragement, and your free Bike to Work Day 2007 tote bag. If you need a break after work, the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition is hosting its annual “Bike Away From Work Bash” at Gordon Biersch in downtown San Jose. Enjoy food, beverages, and the crowning of the 2007 Bicycle Commuter of the Year.

I hope to see you all in the bike lanes Thursday.