May is National Bike Month
May is National Bike Month! Established in 1956 and promoted by the League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling, raise bicycle safety awareness, and encourage more people to simply get out and ride. Running errands? Ride your bike! Meeting friends in the park? Ride your bike! Taking the kids to school? Strap on their helmets and cycle the kiddos to campus. Wherever you need to go in May, decide to ride your bike instead of driving your car whenever possible. Here are some safety tips to consider before you pedal your way through May.
Whether you’re riding for fun, fitness, or with family, or taking essential trips to work or school, you are joining the movement for safer streets, connected communities, a healthier planet, and happier people. There are a few ways to participate during National Bike Month, including Bike & Roll to School Day on May 7th, Bike to Work Week May 12-18, or Bike to Work Day on May 16th.
Bike Month celebrates the numerous benefits of biking, including:
·Physical health - improves cardiovascular fitness, strengthens muscles, and reduces body fat.
·Improved mental health - biking produces a neurochemical spike of serotonin, the happy hormone, and dopamine, the pleasure hormone, and triggers the release of endorphins.
·Decreased stress and anxiety – biking can reduce the level of stress hormones, like cortisol, and relieve tension.
·Protecting the planet – transportation is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Biking reduces carbon emissions and air pollution.
·Saving money – reduce transportation expenses and car maintenance costs.
Get Involved with the City’s Active Transportation Plan Update!
The City of Thousand Oaks has also begun the process of updating the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). The ATP will guide the design of safer, more enjoyable, and convenient multimodal options to schools, parks, and other places you would like to go. With your help, we can support all forms of multimodal mobility, such as walking, biking, and rolling, while promoting public health and reducing traffic congestion.
More information, including a feedback form and online comment map, can be found at https://www.toaksatp.org/