CalBike’s E-Bike Affordability Bill (AB 117) had its first victory on Monday when the Assembly Transportation Committee voted unanimously in support of this essential program. Committee Chair Laura Friedman and Member Buffy Wicks asked to be included as co-authors.
Dave Snyder, Vista City Councillor Corinna Contreras, and a number of representatives of environmental groups and individuals spoke in support of the bill during the hearing. Brian Simmons testified eloquently about how his e-bike was essential to his mental and physical healing after losing a leg in military service. Nobody spoke in opposition.
The bill is part of CalBike’s $10M E-Bike Affordability Program. Introduced by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath, AB 117 establishes an e-bike purchase incentive program which through grants and vouchers will help make e-bikes affordable and accessible to thousands of Californians. Prior to approval, CalBike coordinated amendments among stakeholders to specify the goals of the program. Amendments also removed any reference to funding the program. For the promise of AB 117 to become real, legislators must separately include the $10 million in the state budget.
“The budget process will be key,” said Dave Snyder, CalBike’s Executive Director. “This will be meaningless without a healthy amount of funding.” The $10 million CalBike hopes to win in the 2022 budget is slated to cover the first several years of the program. Snyder hopes that e-bike purchase incentives will be so popular and successful that the state will soon allocate $10 million annually for e-bike purchase incentives.
Funding is the key to removing barriers to e-bike adoption
E-bikes are not only greener than electric cars; they also help people lead more active, healthier lives. And the electricity to power an e-bike costs less than $0.01 per mile.
The biggest barrier to e-bike adoption has been the price. Simple e-bikes of good quality cost more than $1,500, and many of the most useful bikes can cost more than $4,000, well out of the price range for low-income Californians. CalBike’s goal for the program is to connect 10,000 Californians with affordable e-bikes.
The next big test for AB 117 will be the vote on the floor. Many of you emailed your representatives on the Transportation Committee to build support for e-bike purchase incentives. We’ll put out a similar call when the bill comes up for a vote on the Assembly Floor.
But the bigger test for the program will be the budget process. “It’s one thing for legislators to say they support the program in theory,” said Snyder. “It’s more important for them to support it in the budget.”
On Monday, CalBike brings on board a campaign manager to help us win the budget fight. Your support will be critical. Please sign our petition, and include your address, so we know which district you live in to coordinate our advocacy. And please share the petition in your networks.
We can’t avoid the worst effects of climate change unless we transition our transportation sector to cleaner vehicles—quickly. E-bikes are one of the best ways to replace car trips with clean, green transportation. Your support will help us pass and fund this important e-bike affordability program.
Californians need to drive less to mitigate the climate crisis, but we don’t always have convenient public transit options. E-bikes replaces car trips to school, work, and on errands. In fact, studies have shown that e-bikes are one of the best ways to liberate people from the burden of car travel. That’s why CalBike is campaigning hard for our $10 million e-bike affordability program.
When we asked for e-bike stories, many of you told us that your e-bikes have replaced car trips and, sometimes, allowed you to go car-free. Here are a few of those stories.
Matt Hill, San Francisco
I got my first e-bike almost four years ago, and it completely changed my life. I live in San Francisco with two kids, and I stopped driving completely. I never look for parking anymore, which is an amazing mental health benefit. The whole family spends much more time outside, which is great, and I get more exercise.
After about a year with the e-bike, I sold my car, which reduced our transportation costs significantly (maintenance, insurance, gas, parking, etc.). I almost never use a car anymore, except for road trips. I probably ride 25 miles per week.
This past year, I upgraded to an electric bakfiets, because our kids are getting bigger, and we got a dog. With the bigger e-cargo bike, I can haul tons of stuff. We do beach days by bike — carrying boogie boards, wetsuits, picnic supplies, the dog, chairs, etc. We also go crabbing on the municipal pier by bike. There’s pretty much nothing we can’t do in San Francisco by e-bike that we could do by car. It’s truly amazing.
Phil Hong, Torrance
My e-bike has made biking a dependable and desirable way to get around my neighborhood.
Walking doesn’t make sense in my suburban neighborhood because everything is at least 15-20 minutes away by foot. Manual biking was always an option but arriving sweaty at my destination was never appealing. My e-bike has given me the option to bike to meetings, the mailbox, grocery stores, hardware stores, and the local parks.
Wherever I go on my e-bike I arrive fresh and energized. Parking is easy because I just need to locate the nearest bike rack, railing, or pole. Whenever I can bike, the car stays at home. I play tennis at least twice per week, go to the grocery store twice per week, and visit my post office mailbox twice per week. I am averaging 25 miles per week on my e-bike.
My e-bike can travel 30 miles before needing to recharge and a full recharge costs less than $0.10. Compare that to $5-10 in my gas car for fuel and maintenance, and it’s easy to see how e-bikes can revolutionize life for many but especially lower-income families. My e-bike has made going places much more enjoyable and it has made the car a much less important part of my life.
Lisa Reinker, San Carlos
I love my e-bike! I ride it to work every day as well as running errands. It’s so much more versatile than a car, and I never have to worry about finding or paying for parking. In traffic, I’m often faster than the Teslas and it’s so much more relaxing than being behind the steering wheel.
I make sure to drive my car once weekly to keep the tires ok, but other than that, my e-bike has pretty much replaced my car.
E Lebel, Menlo Park
In about a year, my e-bike has traveled over 1500 miles, replacing about 15% of my annual car mileage. In a post-pandemic world where I will have more places to go around town, I suspect this number will increase.
Riding the bike is usually at worst the same time as driving and most times faster than driving if going anywhere in Menlo Park or Palo Alto.
Erik Hovland, Glendale
I recently purchased a used e-bike on a lark. Turns out that the majority of my biking and the majority of my under 5 mile trips are now made by e-bike. It has had a transformative effect on short commutes and work commutes. The major benefit is the certainty that if I take my e-bike to work, I will be there in about 30 minutes and I will be home in about 30 minutes. This vastly improves my daily life.
I now regularly use my e-bike to take short trips. My trips to the hardware store and the grocery store are almost exclusively by e-bike at this point.
Phoebe Ford, San Francisco
I moved to San Francisco in 2015, worked very long hours at a start-up, and spent a big part of my paycheck on rent for a tiny studio in the Mission. I started bike commuting then, a pretty flat ride into Soma. In 2016 I moved in with my husband, which meant moving up a hill. I immediately felt trapped — I dreaded going down for any reason because I’d have to bike or walk back up. My e-bike, purchased about 1 month after moving, transformed my relationship to that apartment and SF city biking overall.
On my ‘classic’ bike, I found excuses not to ride. A late night at the office? Uber. Rainy? BART. Groceries? Walking over to the corner store. With my e-bike, I ride more, I ride farther, and I carry more cargo. I’ve put over 2000 miles on my e-bike every year since I’ve owned it, mostly commuting, but also every other local trip — to the movies, to the grocery store, to yoga, even to Lowes. I rode it until the day I went into labor with my first child. After my son was born, my husband and I added an e-cargo bike so we could take him out with us. We chose a front bucket bike to fit an infant car seat, to keep him protected, and us on the move in the months before he could sit in a child bike seat.
I still don’t own a car. I read recently that the average car payment is $572/month and I honestly cannot imagine fitting that into our household budget — not with pre-school kids in childcare. And I wouldn’t want to– we’d miss out on all the fun we have because our daily trips are outdoors on a bike.
Mark Maxwell, Ventura
I love, love, love my e-bike! It has replaced my car for all my day-to-day activities, including my daily commute, shopping trips and recreation for the last three years. It’s is so much fun to ride. There is a certain thrill in the acceleration of an electric motor! I love my bike’s throttle.
I also feel safer on my electric bike, because I am able to choose routes that are the safest, often on side streets, or along bike paths, routes I wouldn’t have taken on my regular pedal bike as I would want to keep my route short and flat to conserve my own energy (and knees), and to save time. I used to ride my regular bike down the east end of Main St. in Ventura, an obnoxious six-lane commercial stretch full of freeway ramps, left and right turn pockets, a Target center and fast food stores. Just not a nice place to ride a bike. Now I ride my e-bike up and out of my way on mostly residential Loma Vista St., which is wide, has excellent bike lanes and is lightly travelled. I would never have gone up Loma Vista on my pedal bike.
When I do drive a car lately, I am reminded of all the many instances of frustration, anxiety, and road rages big and small which don’t really present themselves while I am riding my bike. Driving can be a drag, especially during daily commutes and running errands in commercial areas. On my bike, I’m just zipping along past all that stuff. I get in my car once a week, if that. I can’t tell you the last time I filled my gas tank.
Do you have a story about how e-bikes replace car trips in your life? Or perhaps you’d love to own an e-bike but the price is too steep without help from a plan like CalBike’s E-Bike Affordability Program? Tweet your e-bike story @CalBike or share it with us on Facebook using the hashtag #ebikestories.
Do you believe everyone deserves to be able to purchase an e-bike? Support CalBike’s campaign to create a $10 million e-bike afforadbility program. Sign our petition.
MIT Press has just published an important new book of scholarly research on bicycle trends: Cycling for Sustainable Cities. The book covers topics ranging from safe bicycle infrastructure to social justice considerations for bicycle planning to cycling in a variety of cities and countries around the globe. It is an essential volume, filled with actionable data, that will instantly become essential for bike planners and advocates.
An essential and accessible reference for bicycle advocates
While the chapters are surveys of scholarly research, the writing style is accessible and the information is easy to digest. The contributors include bicycle advocates and bike program managers, as well as academics. CalBike’s Executive Director, Dave Snyder, is one of the authors of the chapter about cycling advocacy on three continents (North America, Europe, and Australia).
Whatever bicycle transportation topic you want to nerd out about, you’ll probably find it here. The chapter on bicycle parking is a welcome reference on a vital but too often overlooked topic. The bikeshare chapter includes valuable insights about what leads bikesharing systems to success or failure.
The chapter on e-bikes covers a subject that is at the top of mind at CalBike. The e-bike research showed that, given the chance to try out e-bikes, people start to use bikes for more and longer trips. But, not surprisingly, surveys find that e-bike riders trend older and wealthier. CalBike’s e-bike affordability program is a great way to bridge that gap and get more people on e-bikes.
“It’s rare that a scholarly book of data and research can serve as an essential reference in the age of global internet searches, but this is that book,” said Snyder. “It’s like a guidebook for bicycle advocacy and planning.”
Cycling for Sustainable Cities is an enlightening read as well as an excellent reference book. It’s a must-read for bicycle advocates.
Join a webinar for a deep dive into Cycling for Sustainable Cities
The first webinar on the book takes place on March 31. Anyone can register.
What: Zoom webinar hosted by the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Authority (MPO)
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite with information about joining the webinar. You’ll get a Zoom link and password, both specific to you, which you will need to access the webinar on March 31.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/party-slider.jpg2961030Laura McCamyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngLaura McCamy2021-03-30 15:56:552021-03-30 17:40:31Book Review: Cycling for Sustainable Cities
One of the main things that people use their cars for is running errands. Most of those trips are short enough to take by bike. When you add an electric boost, the remaining barriers melt away. When CalBike asked you to share e-bike stories to support our campaign for a $10 million e-bike affordability program, many of you told us how much you love running errands on an e-bike. Here are a few of those stories.
Eli Akira Kaufman, Los Angeles
In December, we welcomed a new member to our family [pictured in the featured image] and determined to expose our baby to the joy, health benefits, self-reliance, and sustainability of bicycling invested in an e-cargo bike. Of all the baby gear we’ve gotten, our e-bike is hands down the most essential to our health and happiness as a growing family.
We use our e-bike daily to get outside exercise, run errands around the neighborhood (especially trading baby items with our local https://buynothingproject.org/ group), and to stay connected with the people and places we love. We are replacing an average of 20 dreadful car miles with glorious bike miles per week and Gia is only eight weeks old!
Meghan Sahli-Wells (& Karim Sahli), Culver City
My husband and I bought e-bikes and consequently got rid of our car (we still have a minivan for work and camping). I had long been a bike commuter, but my husband had not. Our e-bikes have allowed us to go further, faster & have replaced all but a very small number of trips. We’ve been working from home, so our trips are mostly short ones to the grocery store, hardware store, doctor, etc. We’re saving money on insurance and gas, while boosting our health & the health of the planet.
It’s been transformational!
Sasha Kinney, Sacramento
I LOVE my e-bike. I use it in place of my car. Grocery trips, friends’ houses, bike rides for the hell of it all happen on my e-bike. I love the speed of it (20 mph), that I can coast, pedal or not pedal, and carry lots of stuff (I have a front basket, back rack, and a trailer if I need it). I am always recommending that family members and friends buy an e-bike for commuting.
I also use my e-bike for Mercy Pedalers, a non-profit that delivers goods to people experiencing homelessness. (photo attached). And I use it to go to the grocery store, which is a couple of miles from my house. I ride my bike about 10 miles a week.
Peter Spirer, Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles
My e-bike arrived in October. Since then I’ve ridden over 350 miles. I travel for light groceries food pickups and errands around town. I’ve cut the use of my car down to only a few days a week. One of the benefits of having an e-bike is that I’ve spent a third of what I used to on gas. I like to bike before but could not go down the hill and come up easily which the e-bike has made easy. I’ve replaced many of my trips with my e-bike. More people should be traveling by e-bike.
Maureen Persico, San Francisco
My car was destroyed by an uninsured driver. Decided to take a risk and put insurance money toward a top e-bike. I live in a city with lots of hills so I needed a dependable bike with a strong motor. My spouse agreed if I promised we’d buy a car later. Well, we’ve never looked back.
Been car-free for 10 years now. I get more exercise, and while people my age slowly gain weight I’ve been able to maintain my weight and health thanks to using a bicycle as my main method of transportation.
Buying my e-bike was a major step on a life transformation. I created a program with a non-profit where I packed and delivered by e-bike donated art supplies to schools and museums throughout San Francisco. I connected with bicycle and car-free activists on Twitter and we advocate and politically support bicycle infrastructure in the City.
I co-created People Protected (@PeopleProtected), which calls bicycle infrastructure advocates together to stand on the painted bike lane line to protect bicyclists from car traffic. It’s an idea that has spread to eight countries. I was honored by the San Francisco Bike Coalition and The New Wheel bike shop for this work. I’ve created #We Are Fragile art installations which I place on Slow Streets. All this because I bought an e-bike and ditched my car.
Do you have a story about running errands on an e-bike? Or riding on steep terrain, riding with age, or another tale of happy e-biking that you’d like to share? Tweet your e-bike story @CalBike or share it with us on Facebook using the hashtag #ebikestories.
Do you believe everyone deserves to be able to purchase an e-bike? Support CalBike’s campaign to create a $10 million e-bike afforadbility program. Sign our petition.
CalBike Announces New Legislation to Eliminate Jaywalking Tickets in California
San Francisco: Jaywalking is arbitrarily enforced throughout California. When it is, tickets are disproportionately given to Black Californians, and sometimes these encounters with police turn life-threatening. In an effort to reform this unfair system, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) — along with CalBike, California Walks, and Los Angeles Walks — has introduced AB 1238, The Freedom To Walk Act, which would decriminalize jaywalking.
“Whether it’s someone’s life or the hundreds/thousands of dollars in fines, the cost is too much for a relatively minor infraction,” said Ting at a San Francisco press conference. “It’s time to reconsider how we use our law enforcement resources and whether our jaywalking laws really do protect pedestrians and all road users.”
The Freedom To Walk Act promotes the fair and equitable use of roadways by:
Legalizing crossings, when safe, outside of a marked or unmarked crosswalk or against a traffic light;
Stopping the undue financial burden of jaywalking tickets on low-income people, whose fines can range to hundreds of dollars, if not more, because of added fees tacked on by the court, county, city, and others;
Preventing police from using jaywalking as a pretext to stop Black Californians; and
Ending the criminalization of people in disadvantaged communities that lack adequate pedestrian infrastructure.
“Jaywalking laws do more than turn an ordinary and logical behavior into a crime; they also create opportunities for police to racially profile. A stop for a harmless infraction like jaywalking can turn into a potentially life-threatening police encounter, especially for Black people, who are disproportionately targeted and suffer the most severe consequences of inequitable law enforcement,” said Jared Sanchez of the California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike), co-sponsor of The Freedom To Walk Act.
“Low-income communities and communities of color are more likely to be cited for crossing unsafely due to societal racial bias and poor crosswalk conditions in their neighborhoods that emphasize drivers’ needs over other road users. Walking should not be a dangerous activity in the communities where people rely on walking for transportation,” said Caro Jauregui, Co-Executive Director of California Walks.
“It’s time we stop blaming pedestrians for trying to navigate streets that all too often prioritize cars and fast traffic. If we want neighborhoods that are community-centered, where our children and seniors can move with safety and ease, let us begin by treating those who walk or roll with some dignity,” said John Yi, Executive Director of Los Angeles Walks.
There are many examples of where a jaywalking stop has gone wrong in California. The most recent case occurred in September of 2020, when San Clemente Police killed Kurt Reinhold. In the Bay Area, Chinedu Okobi was killed more than two years ago in Millbrae by San Mateo County deputies. And in 2017, Nandi Cain Jr. was beaten by Sacramento Police. The victims in each of these cases were Black, and video captured each incident.
Jaywalking citation statistics highlight the way that this harmless behavior is used to target and victimize communities of color through pretextual policing. From 2018-2020, data compiled by the California Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) shows Black Californians are disproportionately stopped for jaywalking, up to four-and-a-half times more than their White counterparts.
Jaywalking laws were invented in the 1930s by the emerging auto industry as an attempt to shift the blame from drivers to walkers after the number of deadly car crashes skyrocketed. Over the years, street design has prioritized the needs of drivers, failing to accommodate people who aren’t in cars.
California has already begun making changes. In 2018, crossing at a traffic light after the countdown meter has begun was legalized. The Freedom to Walk Act repeals the state’s remaining jaywalking laws. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, have shown that this can be done safely. The U.K. allows pedestrians to cross mid-block, yet it has roughly half as many pedestrian deaths as the United States.
In March 2021, Virginia became the first state to decriminalize jaywalking. Last summer, the New York Attorney General recommended that the State of New York do the same. California needs to pass The Freedom to Walk Act and decriminalize jaywalking. It’s the right thing to do.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/jaywalking-scaled.jpeg14552560Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2021-03-25 13:03:432021-03-30 16:09:59CalBike Announces New Legislation to Eliminate Jaywalking Tickets in California
On March 22, 2021, the Assembly Transportation Committee approved the Safety Stop Bill (AB 122, Boerner-Horvath). The CalBike-sponsored legislation will make it legal for bikes to treat stop signs as yields. If the Safety Stop Bill wins the support of the entire legislature, bicyclists can proceed without stopping if there is no other traffic in the intersection and it’s safe to proceed.
At the hearing, Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Buffy Wicks signed on as co-sponsors. CalBike Executive Director Dave Snyder was among those who spoke in support. The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 10-4.
The Safety Stop is safer: a similar law in Delaware led to a 23% reduction in bicycle crashes at intersections.
Safety stop wins wide support, narrow opposition
The list of supporters of the Safety Stop Bill is a who’s who of bicycle advocacy and active transit organizations from across California. The bill got statewide support from groups like the Safe Routes Partnership, PolicyLink, Transform, and California Walks, among others. National bicycle champions People for Bikes also signed on in support, as did the Berkeley City Council.
The only group that signed on to oppose the Safety Stop Bill is the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. Apparently, the CHP wants to protect its right to cite less than 200 bicyclists a year for this safe and commonsense behavior. Two AAA clubs opposed the bill unless the committee made specific revisions. The committee did not make AAA’s suggested revisions, though it did make modifications to the bill’s language. The committee also added a sunset date of 2028. The safety stop will no longer be legal at that time unless the legislature takes action to make it permanent.
What’s next for the Safety Stop Bill
The next stop for the Safety Stop Bill is the full Assembly. Your calls and emails to your assembly members will help ensure that the safety stop wins the votes it needs to move on to the Senate. We’ll let you know when it’s time to step up for the Safety Stop Bill.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Palo-Alto-Bicycle-Boulevard-WEBSITE-2-1290x600-1.jpg6001290Dave Snyderhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngDave Snyder2021-03-23 15:48:562021-03-24 15:29:40Safety Stop Wins Support of Transportation Committee
On February 11, 2021, California Representative Jimmy Panetta introduced the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment Act (E-BIKE Act). The bill is now making its way (slowly) through the committee process in the House.
At CalBike, we’re excited about this federal bill. Although it’s not as progressive as the E-Bike Affordability Program that CalBike is sponsoring in California, it will still have a considerable impact.
What does the federal E-BIKE Act do?
The E-BIKE Act creates a credit against your federal taxes of up to $1,500 per taxpayer. The credit can go toward purchasing one new e-bike with a price tag of $8,000 or less. A Class 1, 2, or 3 e-bike purchase qualifies for the credit.
This tax credit is an essential step toward recognizing e-bikes as a crucial green transportation option.
How is CalBike’s $10M e-bike campaign different from the E-BIKE Act?
CalBike’s campaign for a $10 million e-bike affordability program [link] will provide purchase incentives rather than tax credits. This is a critical distinction because it will give Californians money to buy an e-bike at the time of purchase. Our program will help low-income residents with grants they can use for upfront costs. The E-BIKE Act requires you to come up with the total cost to buy an e-bike; you won’t get the tax credit until the following tax filing season.
The California program can provide $1,000 grants to 10,000 new e-bike riders if the legislature fully funds it. The funding and the number of people who benefit will be capped until the legislature allocates additional money (which we hope they will, once they see the success of the initial program).
The E-BIKE Act tax credits, on the other hand, don’t have a spending cap. They will be available to as many taxpayers across the US as want to use them. Plus, Californians who don’t qualify for or aren’t able to get funding from the state program will still have a helping hand from the federal tax credit.
Two bills are better than one
CalBike will be working hard to pass our AB 117 and fully fund the California program. We will also support our national allies as they advocate to keep the E-BIKE Act strong.
With both programs in place, Californians may be able to combine a state purchase incentive with a federal tax credit to take up to $2,500 off the price of a new e-bike. That will make e-bikes a more affordable transportation option for many more Californians.
The E-BIKE Act is a promising sign of a new attitude about active transportation in D.C. We look forward to more progressive action to mitigate climate change, provide more transportation options, and improve communities.
Electric bicycle advocate and climate scientist Tom Lent recently published new e-bike research about the greenhouse gas emissions reduction benefits. Not surprisingly, he found that e-bikes are great for the environment and inexpensive to operate.
Key findings of the E-Bike 1000 MPG Project:
E-bikes are 10 to 30 times more efficient than electric cars at fighting climate change.
E-bikes get 30 to 100 times more miles per pound of battery than an electric car. Battery efficiency is essential because the resources used to make lithium batteries may be in short supply as more car manufacturers switch to electric.
An e-bike emits 40 to 140 times fewer pounds of greenhouse gases than a 30 mpg gas car, assuming it is charged with California’s electric energy mix.
E-bikes are incredibly cost-effective. Most bikes cost less than a penny per mile to charge.
This e-bike research supports what we already knew: e-bikes are one of the most economical and environmental forms of transportation. In 2021, CalBike’s $10 million e-bike affordability campaign is crucial to help more Californians choose this green transportation mode.
Lent’s research is a project of the Climate Action Center. He has compiled e-bike research from dozens of sources and has a breakdown of stats by e-bike model.
Already own an e-bike and want to find out how efficient yours is? Get bragging rights about your bike’s high efficiency by joining the citizen science E-Bike Monitoring Project.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Yuba_bikes_spicy_curry_blue_sideboards_bread_basket_deck_couple_mucem_woman_hands_in_the_air-copy-scaled.jpeg17072560Dave Snyderhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngDave Snyder2021-03-18 19:34:122021-03-22 12:08:35E-Bike Research Shows Environmental and Economic Benefits
California has lots of hills; they are part of the landscape that makes our state so beautiful. When CalBike asked you to share e-bike stories to support our campaign for a $10 million e-bike affordability program, many of you told us how your e-bikes flatten hills, so you can ride on terrain that might have been too challenging on a manual bike. Here are four inspiring stories of how e-bikes flatten hills.
Kate Blumberg, Portrero Hill, San Francisco
I live at the top of Potrero Hill. I was riding my bike to work for years but I often dreaded coming home and I never left the house on bike unless it was going to be a long ride or a full day. I never got burritos or groceries on bike, mostly going without or driving.
When my son was born I realized that I just couldn’t bike him up the hill—the added weight was too much for me, and I started looking into e-bikes.
Riding home on my first e-bike I remember thinking, everyone in San Francisco should have one of these! I still, 10 years later, bike my son to school and aikido class. And I now also bike to the farmer’s market, grocery store, pizzeria, burrito shop, the best sushi restaurant and everything in between. I pretty much never get in the car unless my destination involves a highway (hiking, surfing and camping all mostly require the car). I definitely use the car less, and I’m happier. And my son is too (he also hates the car).
[I replace car trips with my e-bike] all the time – 25 miles a week or so. That’s lots of trips. The rest of the trips, if I didn’t have an e-bike I would take transit or walk.
Wesley Reutimann, Pasadena
Our household became a one-vehicle household in the suburbs of Los Angeles County about a decade ago, and purchased our first e-cargo bike after starting a family in 2015. In addition to saving on vehicle insurance, registration, maintenance, etc., the change has been a wonderful opportunity to explore southern California with our children on two wheels in a comfortable and safe manner. It’s also made visits to grandparents who live on the top of steep hill manageable with children on a bike. And e-cargo bikes are awesome at making cycling more comfortable on hot days in the inland valleys.
Pre-pandemic the average [on our e-bikes, replacing car trips] was 60-80 miles a week. We use the e-cargo bike to drop the kids off at school, run errands, do shopping around town, and go to local parks and trails.
Helena Worthen, North Berkeley Hills
After I got knee replacements four years ago followed by ablation surgery for A-fib (I am now 77), it was clear that it was time to get an electric bike.
On my first ride, from near Bay sea-level up to the edge of Tilden Park above Berkeley, the steepest hills turned into gentle rollers and all the pain just went away.
With saddlebags, I do all my shopping and anything else that happens between Richmond and downtown Oakland. I don’t try to be an athlete, I just use the full e-assist and enjoy it. Even just in the last four years, routes around the East Bay have gotten more and more marked and protected, making it more relaxing to ride.
I’d guess I ride 15 miles a week – not a lot, really but it’s all my grocery shopping, banking, and library trips. It’s not cardio but at least I’m moving around, so it has to be good.
Eventually, in order to travel out past the 40-mile battery range, we did buy a car, but we had at least three years of living car-free. Our car basically sits in front of the house unless it’s cold, raining hard and I really have to go somewhere. Currently, our car has only gone 2000 miles this last year, and most of that was one trip to LA.
Paola, Carmel
I have lived in Carmel Valley since 1965. I have been involved in county transportation issues at varying times since 1989 and am currently on the Carmel Valley Road Committee as spokesperson for bicyclists needs. I started riding to school in Monterey when I was fourteen. I have always ridden to do errands and for pleasure.
I researched e-bikes for a good fifteen years. In 2017, electric bikes had evolved sufficiently in range that I purchased one. At that time I was 56 years old, so I was tired of riding against the wind and dealing with the steep hills solely under my own power. While I do still need to use my car for certain things, I ride as often as possible.
Now, I have logged almost 8,000 miles doing errands locally since I purchased the bike. It is the way to go!
Monica de la Cruz, San Diego
My e-bike has made a world of difference, especially through the darkness and difficulties of the pandemic. I lost a very close friend and a family member in the fall of 2020, and between the immense grief and the isolation of working from home, I was really struggling. Regular bike rides became my method for coping. It’s still a difficult time, and I will not minimize mental health issues, but the rides afford me space to breathe, explore the city, feel wind and sunlight on my skin, take screen breaks, process, and feel a little lighter. Through this last year, that space has been essential. Nothing could convince me to trade my e-bike rides for a car commute.
Previously, the multi-legged transit ride to the office was too long to be a sustainable commute, and the length and incline were personally too challenging on a traditional bike, so I usually drove or worked from home.
My e-bike has cut out half of the transit trip so now I can work from the office on a routine basis, which has improved my work schedule. Thanks to my e-bike, I can live car-free, do just about any errand, and enjoy my city (even the hills). I ride about 30 miles a week on my e-bike.
Do you have a story about how e-bikes flatten hills in your neighborhood? Or commuting, running errands, riding with kids, or another tale of happy e-biking that you’d like to share? Tweet your e-bike story @CalBike or share it with us on Facebook using the hashtag #ebikestories.
Do you believe everyone deserves to be able to purchase an e-bike? Support CalBike’s campaign to create a $10 million e-bike afforadbility program. Sign our petition.
CalBike is sponsoring the Safety Stop Bill (AB 122), which will legalize the safety stop for bicyclists. This commonsense law is an essential first step in recognizing that bike riders use the road differently from car drivers, and we need to adjust our traffic rules accordingly.
Here’s why all road users should support this vital legislation.
What is the safety stop?
You might know the safety stop by its more common name: the Idaho stop. The Idaho stop refers to a traffic law passed in Idaho way back in 1982. Since then, many other states have adopted versions of this law.
California’s Safety Stop Bill would make it legal for bicyclists to treat stop signs as yields. If other traffic is already at the intersection or a pedestrian is crossing, bike riders must yield the right-of-way. However, if the intersection is clear, people riding bikes (including e-bikes) can ride through without stopping.
4 reasons California needs a safety stop law
Critics may say that the safety stop will give permission for more bad behavior by already lawless bike riders. Putting aside the “Get off my lawn!” attitude that many car drivers have toward bicyclists of all stripes, here are four reasons why the safety stop will actually make our streets safer.
Improve safety for bike riders
Studies show that places that make it legal for bikes to yield rather than stop at stop signs have fewer bike crashes after the law goes into effect. No study has shown an increase in hazards at stop signs. Letting people on bikes treat stop signs as yield signs is worth doing for safety alone.
Legalize commonsense behavior and increase respect for the law and cyclists
As someone on a bike approaches a stop sign, they have 360-degree visibility and are traveling slowly. They yield to others as appropriate and proceed through when it’s their turn. Almost nobody comes to a complete stop. A universally disobeyed law engenders disrespect for the law among cyclists and disrespect of cyclists among motorists. Changing the law to one that can be strictly obeyed will remove confusion at intersections, as motorists can expect cyclists to always yield and wait until it’s their turn, understanding that bikes don’t have to stop.
Remove a pretext for inequitable traffic enforcement
Data shows that Black people across California are most likely to be stopped and cited by law enforcement for vehicle code infractions, including when riding a bike. This new law will improve equity among California residents while protecting our most vulnerable road users from a long history of over-policing and traumatic criminalization.
Traffic enforcement officers will still be able to ticket bike riders who don’t yield at a stop sign or endanger others. But they will no longer be able to harass Black and brown cyclists on the pretext that they ran a stop sign.
Bring California in line with neighboring western states
The states of Oregon and Washington have already adopted safety stop laws. Idaho started this movement and its law remains in effect. Similar laws were recently passed in Colorado and Utah. By embracing this commonsense rule for bicyclists, California will join its neighbors in choosing this best practice for bike riding and traffic policing. Our state is known for its active transportation leadership; the Safety Stop Bill will keep us from falling behind.
What you can do to help pass the Safety Stop Bill
The Safety Stop Bill AB 122, will get its first hearing in the Assembly Transportation Committee March 22. If your representative is one of the committee members, please contact them and ask them to support it.
When the bill reaches the full Assembly, we’ll need all the help we can get to pass it. Join CalBike’s mailing list to keep up with the latest. And donate to help CalBike expand its advocacy for bike-forward legislation like the Safety Stop Bill.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/stop-sign-scaled.jpg21522560Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2021-03-09 18:51:352021-03-09 18:52:56It’s Time for California to Legalize the Safety Stop
