Tulsa, OK

Ride to Work Day Set for July 16

Your morning commute might seem different on July 16. Instead of being surrounded by big gas-guzzling SUVs, you might see a few more vehicles of the two-wheeled sort.

Mayor Taylor has officially proclaimed July 16 as Ride to Work Day, which is part of a national event that encourages commuters to ride their motorcycles and scooters to work.

This event increases driver awareness and helps make the road safer for bikers of all kinds.

It also demonstrates the benefits that come from riding motorcycles or scooters: studies show that commuting motorcyclists reach their destinations in less time than those using automobiles and take up less space on roads and in parking situations.

Switching from four wheels to two is also great for the environment. If every work day were Ride to Work Day, an estimated 15,000,000 gallons would be saved each year.

Ride to Work Day participants are invited to spend time with other commuters at a riders’ breakfast. Riders will meet at the Savoy Restaurant, 6033 S. Sheridan Road, from 6 to 10 a.m. on July 16.

Read more at http://twowheelok.com/

Bike to Work Day, July 18

Want to save money, get fit, and help the environment? You can do all three at once by participating in Tulsa’s Bike to Work Day, Friday, July 18.

This event, organized by the Indian Nations Council of Government (INCOG) and sponsored by the City of Tulsa, Green-Traveler, and the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge, aims to raise awareness of biking commuters.

Channel 6 will host a live remote from River’s Edge at 19th & Riverside to publicize the event and promote bicycle safety on the road.

Ride to Work Day participants are invited to join other like-minded commuters for a light breakfast at River’s Edge from 7 to 9 a.m on the 18th. Fruit, breakfast items, and juice will be served.

Riders can share biking tips and learn new ways to go green and save money all summer long. Participants can also enter their names in a drawing for their choice of a $100 gas card or a $100 gift certificate to a local bike shop.

Need more incentives? Check out these great cycling benefits from the League of American Bicyclists:

Get a better body! Most weeks, seven out of 10 of us fail to get the minimum recommended 30 minutes of activity per day—partly because many of us have to fight traffic to get to the gym. The result: More than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and rates of obesity related diseases such as diabetes are soaring. Ride your bike to work, and you no longer need to make time to exercise. Rack up just three hours of riding time a week, and you can slash your risk of heart disease and stroke in half. Plus, you’ll lose the gut and lovehandles—no diet required. Consult your doctor whenever starting any new physical activity.

Save more money! The average annual price of keeping an automobile running: at least $3,000. The cost of riding a bike for a year: less than $300. The joy of saving more than two grand this year: priceless.

Clear the air! The number of communities that will fall out of compliance with the Clean Air Act is expected to triple within a decade. Motorized vehicles are responsible for 70 percent of the carbon monoxide, 45 percent of the nitrogen dioxide, and 34 percent of the hydrocarbons people produce. Riding a bike is a simple way to improve the environment.

Read more at www.bikeleague.org.