Bike to Work Day is an annual event held on various days in the Spring across the United States and Canada that promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work.
Bike Month is May each year, and Bike to Work Week is the week of Bike to Work Day, which varies from city to city.
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Origins
Bike to Work Day was originated by the League of American Bicyclists in 1956 and is a part of Bike-to-Work Week, which is in turn part of National Bike Month.
Activities
Leading up to Bike to Work Day, national, regional, and local bicycle advocacy groups encourage people to try bicycle commuting as a healthy and safe alternative to driving by providing route information and tips for new bicycle commuters. Further, the American Medical Association has endorsed Bike to Work Day as part of its push to encourage active transportation. The event is supported by many organizations, from local bike shops and restaurants to municipalities and transit authorities. The southern California commuter rail network Metrolink offers free rides to cyclists on Bike to Work day.
On Bike to Work Day, a wide variety of bicycle-related events are organized. The day is a major event in the San Francisco Bay Area, where thousands of residents participate annually, supported by corporate sponsors. Organized "Commuter Convoys," and "Energizer Stations" set up in various locations around the Bay Area providing free food and coffee to bike commuters by organizations such as the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, East Bay Bicycle Coalition, and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Mayor of San Francisco regularly participate, commuting by bicycle to City Hall.
Bike to Work Day also enjoys broad participation throughout the country. Boulder, Colorado had 11 business give free breakfast to the 1,200 participants in 2012 (1,600 participants in 2013). Bethesda, Maryland used the event to unveil new bike racks (increasing from 200 to 300) and had speeches on transportation. In Kitchener, Ontario a local bike club (Ziggy's) donated 12 commuter bikes to people who participated & blogged about the event in 2012. Chicago, Illinois gave free tune-ups and balaclavas to participants.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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