Several weeks ago, as we were just starting to think about spring, we reminded you all of the importance of bicycle safety as you get back on the streets and trails this season. Well, if you haven’t already, it’s time to get your bike out of the garage, dust off the seat, pump up the tires and of course, put those safety tips to use because May is National Bike Month.
Since 1956, the League of American Bicyclists have been celebrating National Bike Month as a way to promote bicycling as a safe, environmentally-friendly and healthy mode of transportation. All across the country, bicycle enthusiasts are planning special rides, promotional events, contests, and educational sessions to get Americans out on their bikes.
This month, the League of American Bicyclists encourages everyone to set aside all the excuses for not using their bicycles to commute to work—being out of shape, having to ride too far for too long, needing to dress up, and working up a sweat before work—and instead focus on the positives. For example, the fact that riding a bike instead of driving a car is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Or, the fact that biking to work or school gives you a great opportunity to get in that daily exercise we all need. Or, that riding a bike can actually save you time in traffic and money on parking.
Most notably, May 16-20 is Bike to Work Week, with that Friday, May 20, culminating in the Bike to Work Day. Right here in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area, there will be countless bicycle promotion events—ranging from special rides to maintenance classes—throughout the entire month. You can check them out by visiting this website: Bike Month Special Events.
