Bike to Work day brings out crowds of cyclists
By: Will Reisman
May 14, 2009
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| (Will Reisman/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — Buoyed by ideal weather conditions and lured by the promise of free coffee, bagels, and other amenities, cyclists swarmed the streets this morning as part of the 15th annual Bike to Work Day in San Francisco.
Market Street resembled a leg on a pro cycling circuit, as citizens pedaling two-wheelers more than matched the number of people driving automobiles. An “energizer station” set up by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition at Market and Battery streets to encourage participation in the event was humming with activity at 8 a.m., as cyclists stopped by to drink some liquids, power up on energy bars and bagels, and pick up a tote bag, all free of cost.
Annie Leuenberger, a San Francisco resident who lives in the Mission District, was participating for the third time in Bike to Work Day, which she credits with helping her overcome her fear of biking down Market Street.
“This event really helped me realize I could safely get to my job everyday by biking,” said Leuenberger, who stopped by the energizer station at Market and Battery on her way to work at Levi Strauss Plaza. “I love Bike to Work, and today is a perfect example of why it’s so much fun.”
At the 2008 Bike to Work Day counters tallied twice as many bikers as motorists on Market Street, a rate cycling advocates are hoping to better this year, according to Andy Thornley of the San Francisco Bike Coalition. As many as 200,000 bikers were expected to participate this year.
Nathan Frankel, a volunteer manning the Market and Battery energizer station, said there were more cyclists gearing up at the pit stop this year than last. Cycling officials won’t know exactly how many people participated in today’s event until this afternoon, Frankel said.
