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Bicycle Commuter Mentor Program of Charlotte, North Carolina
"Ride my bike to work in Charlotte? Are you crazy?"
Are you a cyclist who's convinced that there's no safe route to work? No safe place to leave your bicycle? No good way to clean up after your ride? Well, some Charlotte cyclists have found solutions to all these challenges.
We use routes and techniques that can, in many cases, make a bicycle trip to or from work at least as safe and enjoyable as a weekend training ride.
Charlotte's Bicycle Commuter Mentor Program is a group of cycling enthusiasts who want to help other Charlotteans try out cycling to work. Whether it's every day, once a week, or just on the prettiest days – if you've ever thought, "Why don't I ride to work?" we want to help you make it happen!
We are ready to:
- suggest equipment, routes, and technique,
- ride with you on your first trip to work,
- offer ongoing encouragement and advice, and
- include you in a supportive community of like-minded bike commuters.
This Web site describes BCMP and how you can take advantage of it. We hope you, too, will soon be able to say, "Sometimes I take my car to work."
Everything a prospective participant might want to know: what the Bike Mentor Program can do for you, how to find your personal Bike Mentor, and what the Bike Mentor Program expects of you.
What you need to commute in safety and comfort. Gear, clothing, and tools; the essentials and the nice-to-have.
Currently-used commuting routes in the Charlotte area.
Other resources useful to Charlotte Bike Commuters.
How to be a participating Mentor in the Program.
Got a question? Suggestions for others? A complaint about road or traffic conditions? Share it with the rest of the BCMP community.
Recent postings
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Submitted by BikeMentor on Sun, 05/06/2007 - 08:15.
The 2008 Bike Commuter Challenge is now complete! Team Captains, please record your team's daily participation on the Recording Form that we emailed to you. At the end of the week, you may:
- email the Recording Form to info@bikementor.org,
- fax the Recording Form to 704-896-1696, or
- complete and submit the on-line Reporting Form below (click "read more").
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Please submit your team's results by Wednesday, May 14!
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Submitted by BikeMentor on Sun, 11/12/2006 - 20:44.
I'm sorry to announce that posts to BikeMentor.org now require login and authentication. We've been receiving an increasing number of spam posts and can no longer bear the burden of manually separating spam posts from good posts (the ratio of spam to "ham" is now running about 1,000 to 1).
If you have forgotten your password, please use the "request new password" link. If the "request new password" process doesn't work for you (perhaps because your email address has changed since you signed up) please email the site administrator, bill <at> bikementor.org. I'll try to respond within 48 hours.
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Submitted by BillC on Thu, 11/08/2007 - 06:45.
CATS has changed their initially-announced policy that restricted transport of bicycles on LYNX light rail vehicles. LYNX riders may now bring their bicycles on board at any time!
Complete bikes-on-LYNX information is available here.
Note that there is still a restriction: no tandems, and of course, no motorized vehicles.
This is an important change, because LYNX replaces some bus routes. The original policy would have been a step backwards for cyclists, eliminating "Rack-n-Ride" service for patrons whose bus lines were replaced.
If you're a cyclist who may use this service, why not let CATS management and your City Council representatives know that you appreciate the change? |
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Submitted by jcock on Tue, 08/28/2007 - 15:28.
He's peddling a fit commute
Mecklenburg health official, 52, walks and bikes to his job — for himself and the environment
by Megha Satyanarayana
©The Charlotte Observer, 2007
Jon Levin, 52, gave up his car a month ago and now bikes into work several days a week.
About 10 weeks ago, Jon Levin, preacher of healthy living at the Mecklenburg County public health department, started spreading the gospel by walking and biking to work.
When the notion first struck, the 52-year-old dusted off his sons' bikes to ride the 4.7 miles from his home in Woodbridge to his Billingsley Road office. All three had flat tires, so he opted to walk.
Click here for the full story. |
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Submitted by jcock on Wed, 07/18/2007 - 06:13.
New study shows sub-optimal responses by cyclists.
Cyclists confronted by disruptions to facilities (e.g., dedicated paths, designated lanes) experience disturbances that prompt them to select sub-optimal facilities to avoid disruptions. Cyclists who have ready access to such improved facilities often choose sub-optimal facilities.
Among important findings, results show that as perceived safety decreases, riders appear to be more cautious and move more slowly; however in situations of substantial perceived danger, riders go faster to spend as short a time in unsafe conditions. Cyclists choose these dangerous situations over alternatives because of lessened travel times. The research has been successful in establishing insightful relationships between commuter cyclist behavior and facilities. The methodological results are significant for future work.
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Submitted by sixthorn on Tue, 07/03/2007 - 08:14.
General Topics
On my ride in today just past Central/Kings on 7th st, I was nearly sideswiped by a truck with the company name 'Service Express'. I don't think there was any space between my head and the mirror of the truck, and as it passed, there wasn't much room there either. I was able to keep my line, blurt out an expletive, but not catch up to the vehicle. I thought about calling the company (there's a local number), but what would I say? I didn't get a license or a truck number, and I couldn't catch up after it passed. I think I need a rear view mirror. What do you like out there - mirror on the glasses or mirror on the bike?
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Submitted by magellan on Thu, 06/14/2007 - 21:20.
Routes
I live near Blakeney (Rea Rd. and Ardrey Kell) and work just off of Hwy. 160 and Westinghouse (very close to Gita Bike). I would really like to commute by bike or a combination of bike and bus but so far have not been able to figure out a safe route. Any ideas?
Thanks,
David
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Submitted by fsenkel on Fri, 06/01/2007 - 18:02.
Routes
Hi all,
I've finally moved to Charlotte and I'm renting at the corner of Lancaster and Ballanytyne Commons Pkwy. I have found a good route to get around the bottle neck at Rea, and connect to Colony.
Morning into Town:
Ballanytyne Commons Pkwy to Rea
Rea to Bevington
Weave through back roads to Willow Point
Willow Point into the Arboretum Mall
At the light Cross onto Arboretum View
At the end of Arboretum View you can connect to Bon-Rea
Quick right onto Swans Run Rd
Left onto Rea
Right onto Windyrush Rd
Left onto Abbottswood Dr
Right onto Colony
Afternoon out of Town:
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Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/31/1969 - 19:00.
n/a
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Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/31/1969 - 19:00.
n/a
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