Better bike facilities at work
Getting organized
Bicycle User Groups (BUGs) get started in workplaces for
many different reasons, but they often focus on promoting
bikes as a healthy, safe and environmentally conscious way
to commute to work.
If you want to lobby for better bike facilities, do it as
part of a group in your workplace or building. Look for signs
of other cyclists (helmets, reflective vests etc.) and talk
to them , attach a flyer to bikes parked outside your building,
or post a note on the internal e-mail advertising a BUG meeting.
However small your BUG is, it's easier to get support from
your employer and the Toronto City Cycling Committee (TCCC)
if you represent an "official" group.
Once you're a BUG, you can receive a copy of the BUGle from
the TCCC that's full of ideas and examples of BUG activity.
As a group, discuss what facilities you'd like to see at
your workplace.
Parking at work
Parking, especially secure parking is a common BUG concern.
Many commuters have inadequate parking for bikes, even when
the employer provides free parking for car-using employees.
In a recent survey (1) commuters evaluated their parking facilities:
 |
28.4% are protected from snow
or rain |
|
46.4% say they have adequate
security from theft |
|
51% say there are enough parking
spaces at work |
|
35.3% of bike commuters said
they would bike to work more often if they had better
parking at their workplace. |
Your BUG can lobby to obtain:
|
designated bike parking indoors
or in a covered area |
|
secure bike parking, preferably
in view of a parking lot attendant, or using bike lockers
or a caged off area |
|
reimbursement for the subsidized
cost of providing free car parking for employees |
|
The TCCC can provide your
BUG with a list or bike rack suppliers and advice on designing
safe, effective bike parking facilities in your neighbourhood.
Contact Dan Egan at 392-1143. |
Security
Bike security relates to workplace parking facilities, although
many bikes are stolen from a person's home. This is often
due to difficulties in getting and storing a bike inside a
house or apartment. Your BUG could consider hosting workshops
on preventing bike theft, building home security parking,
or organize bike registration with the police.
In the 1991 Bike to Work Week Survey (1) 45% respondents
had had a bike stolen.
The bikes were stolen from:
|
At home 52.5% |
|
At work 23.5% |
|
At school 7.0% |
|
Other 17.0% |
Shower and change facilities
Only 44.6% of commuter cyclists have access to shower or
change facilities at or near their workplace. Of people who
have access to these facilities, 70.9% make some use of them
(from occasional use to daily use). The TCCC survey indicated
that shower and change facilities would entice 45.3% of respondents
to bike to work more often.
What kind of arrangements are feasible depends a lot on what
exists - showers are expensive to install. However, some ideas
are:
|
Renovate existing washrooms
to provide a change room area |
|
Provide clothes lockers for
employees |
|
A washer and dryer at work
to deal with rainy/slushy day fashion disasters. |
|
Get group rates to use the
showers at a nearby gym, or better yet, have the employer
pay for it. Note that fitness places may change much less
to provide access to the showers, not than the actual
gym equipment, especially if your BUG would be using those
showers during off-peak hours. For example, the City of
Toronto has a fitness centre for employees that costs
$20 for 6 months of access to the shower and changeroom
facilities. |
|
Your BUG can also provide
information on clothing care and strategies for new cyclists.
Many people may think they need to shower after they cycle
to work, however, it depends on how far and fast they
ride. Tips on getting bike grease out of clothing or keeping
dry in wet weather are also helpful to people who want
to ride more often. |
Sharing the cost of a bike
Although bikes are a lot of more cost effective than cars,
few workplaces maintain a fleet of bicycles for employee use.
Even when TTC tickets or company cars are provided, cyclists
may be expected to pay the cost of buying, repairing and maintaining
their bikes. Your BUG can ask for:
|
a company fleet of bikes available
for employee use |
|
a policy that pays for the
cost of using your car in work-related trips (the same
as car-use is reimbursed) |
|
a repair kit for flat tires
and emergency repairs to be kept at the workplace |
Getting involved in improving city-wide facilities
Bike lanes and other city facilities help cyclists get to
work every day. Your BUG can get involved in advocating for
these facilities around your workplace, as well as near your
homes. Learn about the bike lane routes to your workplace
and generate ideas and support for expanding facilities. Report
potholes, debris and broken glass near your work to 392-7737
or 392-5555 for repair.
Mentoring new cyclists
Changes are always difficult to make when there are new things
to learn and new challenges to meet. A new cyclist faces lots
of problems, from changing how they dress, strategies for
parking, where to put their bike gear, danger on the roads
and even what to look for in a bike. Helping people get over
the initial changes they need to make can save them lots of
time and grief. Become a bicycling commuter expert and mentor
new cyclists. A BUG can serve that function for its members.
Even as an individual, you can get on the internal e-mail
and answer people's questions about cycling to work.
by Regan McClure
1. Bike Commuter Facilities, City of Toronto (from a survey
of 939 Bike to Work Week participants in 1991).
|
