OKC Standard

As spring rolls around, it’s a great time to get rolling yourself.

May is National Bike Month, and it’s a fantastic time to take advantage of the bike-friendly trails, routes, and roads all around Edmond.

Bicycling is a wonderful way to stay healthy and it has the added benefits of supporting sustainability while cashing in on economic savings.

The City of Edmond embraces the benefits of biking, committing to developing even more ways to safely ride around our community. The hope is by investing in and promoting the idea of providing ways for residents and visitors to bike more often, to bike to more places, and to feel safe while doing will put a spotlight on the benefits of riding a bicycle. Whether for transportation, physical activity, or recreational purposes, riding your bike can help us all in terms of staying fit, avoiding traffic delays, saving money, enhancing quality of life, and sustainability.

To promote May Bike Month, the Edmond Bicycle Committee and friends of bicycling are organizing numerous events through the month of May, and encourage your support and participation:

• May 7 – BikeFest by ACOG, 12-3 p.m., Wheeler District Ferris Wheel, 1701 S. Western, Oklahoma City.
• May 8 – City Council Proclamation for Bike Month, 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 20 S. Littler.
• May 13 – Cycle 66 Training Ride, 8 a.m., Edmond Municipal Library/Shannon Miller Park, 10 S. Boulevard.
• May 13 – Mountain Bike Ride, 2 p.m., Arcadia Lake, Post Rd. Parking Lot, Led by OEF-Edmond.
• May 16 – Oklahoma Bicycle Society casual ride, 6:15 p.m. leaving from the parking lot west of Target.
• May 17 – Ride of Silence, 6:30 p.m. leaving from Mitch Park.
• May 18 – Bicycle-Pedestrian Counting, 5 to 7 p.m. at various locations in Edmond.
• May 19 – Bike to Work Day Celebration, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Edmond Municipal Library, 10 S. Boulevard. Group ride leaves at 7:45 a.m. and returns for yoga in Shannon Miller Park, breakfast, refreshments, and door prizes.
• May 20 – Bicycle-Pedestrian Counting, 10 a.m. to noon at various locations in Edmond.
• May 19-21 – Bike to Worship Weekend to encourage riding your bicycle to the church of your choice.
• May 26 – Mountain Bike Ride, 5 p.m., Arcadia Lake, leaving from Integris/Jim Thorpe Rehab Parking Lot.

Here are tips for bicycling provided by the League of American Bicyclists, which encourages motorists and cyclists to share the road:

• Bicycles are vehicles with the same rights, rules, and responsibilities of other road users – always ride with the flow of traffic.
• Motorists: Please pass a bicycle only when it’s safe to do so. Oklahoma State Law requires motorists give cyclists 3 feet of passing room. New laws in Oklahoma require motorists to change lanes when passing a bicyclist on a road that has at least 4 lanes.
• Cyclists should obey all traffic laws, stop signs and traffic lights. New laws in Oklahoma allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and treat traffic lights as stop signs.
• Always wear a helmet to protect your head in the event of a crash.
• Be visible and predictable at all times – wear bright clothing and signal all turns.
• Before riding, inspect your bike for safety and mechanical concerns.
• Ride together.

To learn more about May Bike Month and cycling in Edmond, check edmondok.gov/BicycleEdmond. 

Original source can be found here.