Walk & Roll Challenge

Cycling in the Alamo Region

Is there a bike in your garage? Is it dusty, with flat tires? Do you keep telling yourself you really should get out and ride it, but you never quite do it? Why not ride to work?

The Walk & Roll Corporate Challenge is your chance to dust off that bike and get up and go. Biking allows you to exercise, save (A LOT of) gas money, de-stress before or after work, have some fun, and, of course, rack up miles toward meeting your goal for the corporate challenge.

With a 50% chance of sunshine during the winter months and a better than 70% chance in the summer months, biking in San Antonio is a viable transportation alternative and provides an opportunity to improve your health at the same time. San Antonio has over 200 miles of bicycle facilities throughout the City, and is working to becoming a more bicycle-friendly city.

Types of Bicycle Facilities

Off-Road Shared Use Path: A multiuse path separated from the roadway, usually 8-10 feet wide. This facility is the safest for bicyclists.

Bike lane: The portion of a roadway designated by striping, signing, and/or markings for the exclusive use of bicycles. Bike lanes should be at least 4 feet wide.

Shoulder: The paved portion of a roadway to the right of a white edge line, which may be used by bicycles.

Wide outside lane: The right most lane width should be at least 14 feet to safely accommodate a car and bicycle.

Shared lane: The standard shared motor vehicle/bicycle lane is 12 feet wide.

Ride the Bus & Bike

All VIA buses are currently equipped with bike racks, which allows you to combine modes if your daily commute is too far or along or across interstates or major roadways.

The City of San Antonio has recently completed the installation of 25 bike racks at various locations throughout the city including, parks, libraries, city facilities and other destinations. Remember, miles you ride commuting or for leisure can be counted toward in the Walk and Roll Challenge.

Tips on Getting Started

Here are some suggestions to help you ease into bicycle commuting:

Try a practice run on a weekend to find a good route and see how long it takes
Find a co-worker or friend who bikes and commute with them
Start by trying just one day a week
If you live far from work, try bicycling to the nearest VIA bus stop, put your bike on a bus, or drive part of the way and bike the rest

Tips for Riding in Traffic
Be Predictable–Ride so drivers can see you and predict your movements.

	Obey all regulatory signs and traffic lights Bicyclists must follow the same rules of the road as drivers of other vehicles.		Choose the best way to turn left There are two ways to make a left turn: Like an auto. Look behind, signal, move into the left lane and turn left. Like a pedestrian. Ride straight to the far-side crosswalk. Walk your bike across.
	Never ride against traffic Motorists aren't looking for bicyclists riding on the wrong side of the road or on the sidewalk. Ride with traffic.		Avoid or go slow on sidewalks Pedestrians have the right of way on walkways. By law, you must give pedestrians audible warning when you pass. Bicyclists are not allowed on sidewalks in certain areas.
	Use hand signals Hand signals tell motorists what you intend to do. Signal as a matter of law, courtesy and self protection.		Ride in straight line Whenever possible, ride in a straight line to the right of traffic and about a car door width away from parked cars.
	Don't weave between parked cars Don't ride out to the curb between parked cars unless they are far apart. Motorists may not see you when you try to move back into traffic.		Take the lane in slow traffic Ride in the middle of the lane when you are moving at the same speed as traffic.

Be Alert–Ride defensively, watch the traffic, and be prepared to react.

	Watch for cars pulling out Make eye contact with drivers. Assume they don't see you until you are sure they do.		Scan the road behind you Learn to look back over your shoulder without losing your balance or swerving left.
	Avoid road hazards Watch out for parallel-slatted sewer grates, slippery manhole covers, oily pavement, gravel, or pot holes. Cross railroad tracks carefully at right angles. For better control as you move across bumps and other hazards, stand up on your pedals.		Keep both hands ready to brake You may not stop in time if you brake one-handed. Allow extra distance for stopping in the rain, since brakes are less efficient when wet.
	Wear a helmet Always wear a helmet when you ride a bicycle. Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head injury in a bicycle accident.		Use lights at night Always use a strong head light and tail light at night and when visibility is poor.

From the SANDAG website (San Diego Association of Governments) www.sandag.org

How can Commute Solutions help?

Friends who ride to work can give you tips on what routes to take, safety, and parking. If they live near you, ask if you can ride with them for the first few days while you get used to your route and traffic patterns. If you can't find any bikers at work or near home, fill out a Bike Buddies form, and we will try to find a bike buddy for you! Commute Solutions will search its database to find bike riders who live near you and work near for a match. If a match is found, Commute Solutions will send you the name and phone number of your match so that you can contact your match and start biking to work. This is a free service for residents of the 12-County Alamo Area (Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson).

More Cycling Resources

Last updated on June 16, 2008