Overview
Happy Bike to Work Day to all who celebrate!
The third Friday of May is dedicated to encouraging people to get out there on two wheels for their commute. For one, it gets you moving, which is always a good thing if you spend a lot of time at your desk. A 30-minute bike ride can burn between 215 and 500 calories, plus, you can get pretty far on a bike in 30 minutes! Add a few more 30-minute rides and you can reduce your risk of heart disease by 50 percent (if you reach 3 hours for the week).
Besides the health benefits of biking, there's also the environmental benefits, such as reducing household emissions and traffic, and it takes far less to power a bike than a car. Plus, have you seen gas prices lately? It's not a bad idea to forgo a car trip lately.
If you plan to hit the road two wheels, remember some safety tips, especially those of you who have not been out there in awhile. The League of American Bicyclists suggests some rules of the road:
- Ride with the flow of traffic, using the rightmost lane, and avoid sidewalks
- Obey traffic signals and stop signs
- Ride in a straight line, avoid swerving between cars, and signal turns and check behind you before turning or changing lanes
- Be conspicuous and ride where people - motorists and pedestrians - can see you
- Watch for turning vehicles and ride outside the dreaded door zone of parked cars