Bike Week (Bicycle Week)
Encyclopedia
Bike Week is a yearly international event that originated in Europe
. It is typically a seven day event that advocates the importance of bicycling as a means of transportation. The event has been steadily gaining popularity in North American cities over the past decade. Bike Week takes place during the second week of May or June and is typically an entire week of city-wide cycling supplemented with events. The central aim of the event is to give citizens of a city the opportunity to help the environment and exercise in a fun and social way. Participants include professional cyclists, celebrities
and individuals who choose cycling as a chief means of transportation for the week.
, Fern Britton
, James Cracknell
, Jean-Christophe Novelli
, Jon Snow
, Josie Dew
, Olivia Williams
and Wayne Hemingway
.
(CO2) emissions, the carbon footprint of the average 2000 model family sedan, driven 12000 miles (19,312.1 km) per year is 9030 lb (4,095.9 kg) CO2 per year. In addition the car consumes 462 U.S.gal of gasoline. According to the Clean Air Council, auto emissions currently represent 31% of total carbon dioxide, 81% of carbon monoxide, and 49% of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S. 60% of the pollution resulting from auto emissions is released during the first few minutes of operation of a vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration tells us that 65% of all driving trips are made within two miles of the home. By biking 2 miles, twice a week, you can reduce your CO2 emissions by roughly 5 lb (2 kg).
Furthermore the recent Bicycle Commuter Act of 2009 extends transportation benefits to bicycle commuters. Commuters are defined as one who:
(I) regularly uses a bicycle for a substantial portion of the travel between his residence and his place of employment, and (II) does not receive any other qualified transportation benefit for such as transit, and parking.
The legislation provides a tax benefit to employers who offer cash reimbursements to an employee who commutes by bicycle, while helping defray the costs of commuting for the bicyclist.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is typically a seven day event that advocates the importance of bicycling as a means of transportation. The event has been steadily gaining popularity in North American cities over the past decade. Bike Week takes place during the second week of May or June and is typically an entire week of city-wide cycling supplemented with events. The central aim of the event is to give citizens of a city the opportunity to help the environment and exercise in a fun and social way. Participants include professional cyclists, celebrities
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
and individuals who choose cycling as a chief means of transportation for the week.
History
Introduced in the 19th century, the bicycle has a host of innovators and inventors. Though specifics of its origin may be hazy, the concept of bicycling as a mode of transportation surely originated in Europe. In 1923, the first preliminary Bike Week was held in the UK and a tradition was born. The annual event is nearly a century old and is religiously observed in Europe and more recently in North America. While the dates of a respective city's Bike Week may differ, conceptually, the event remains the same. Celebrities that have taken part in the past include Fearne CottonFearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
, Fern Britton
Fern Britton
Fern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :...
, James Cracknell
James Cracknell
James Cracknell, OBE is a British rowing champion and double Olympic gold medalist and adventurer. Cracknell is married to TV and radio presenter Beverley Turner; they have three children. In the New Year Honours List, 2004, he was appointed OBE for services to sport...
, Jean-Christophe Novelli
Jean-Christophe Novelli
-Life:Born in Arras, Northern France, in 1961, in a family with Italian roots, Jean-Christophe Novelli left school at age 14 and worked in a bakery before, at the age of 20, becoming a personal chef to the Rothschild family....
, Jon Snow
Jon Snow
Jon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
, Josie Dew
Josie Dew
Josie Dew is an English touring cyclist, author and cook. Her 'day job' is in catering, but she frequently indulges in long cycle trips and then writes a humorous travelogue detailing her experiences...
, Olivia Williams
Olivia Williams
Olivia Haigh Williams is an English film, stage and television actress who has appeared in British and American films and television series.-Early life:Williams was born in Camden Town, London, England...
and Wayne Hemingway
Wayne Hemingway
Wayne Andrew Hemingway, MBE is an English fashion designer and co-founder of Red or Dead. He is also chairman of the South Coast Design Forum, and chair of Building For Life .Hemingway is the son of Canadian Mohawk chief and former wrestler Billy Two Rivers...
.
Europe
Bike Week takes place during the third week of June in England, London, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.USA
In the United States of America, May is recognized as Bike Month and Bike Week is always either the first or second week of May. Austin, Boston, Pasadena, Portland, Roseville, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, and San Francisco are among the US cities that actively participate.Canada
In Canada Bike Week occurs in either May or June because Bike Month is typically from May 25 to June 25. Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Victoria and Halifax are among the cities that participated in 2009.Reducing emissions
Biking is a carbon-neutral, healthy, and cost-effective method of transportation. Though the construction of most bikes causes carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
(CO2) emissions, the carbon footprint of the average 2000 model family sedan, driven 12000 miles (19,312.1 km) per year is 9030 lb (4,095.9 kg) CO2 per year. In addition the car consumes 462 U.S.gal of gasoline. According to the Clean Air Council, auto emissions currently represent 31% of total carbon dioxide, 81% of carbon monoxide, and 49% of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S. 60% of the pollution resulting from auto emissions is released during the first few minutes of operation of a vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration tells us that 65% of all driving trips are made within two miles of the home. By biking 2 miles, twice a week, you can reduce your CO2 emissions by roughly 5 lb (2 kg).
Government
The popularity of Bike Week has caused cities to do major overhauls in respect to city planning. Things like smooth bicycle lanes and better bicycle laws are being demanded by citizens and the pressure is causing change. Many cities that hold annual Bike Weeks have committees who push for the improvement of city regulation.
Cleveland Bikes has a committee that is about to contact city governments to advocate for better (safer and more fair) local ordinances covering bicycle operation. We have rated the ordinances ... Only one city, Brook Park, has excellent ordinances (rated A). About half (32) are mediocre (rating of C) and the rest are D's and F's (some even F-).
Furthermore the recent Bicycle Commuter Act of 2009 extends transportation benefits to bicycle commuters. Commuters are defined as one who:
(I) regularly uses a bicycle for a substantial portion of the travel between his residence and his place of employment, and (II) does not receive any other qualified transportation benefit for such as transit, and parking.
The legislation provides a tax benefit to employers who offer cash reimbursements to an employee who commutes by bicycle, while helping defray the costs of commuting for the bicyclist.