Laura Damiani: Cycling Superior to Driving

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I love the Oregon rain! I've lived here for 8 years and have actually come to enjoy the rain just as much as the summer weather. It sure beats the snow and cold of my hometown, Chicago. Winter is the time to stay inside and be productive in Oregon. Summer is the time to play and have fun. If you have an issue with rain, Oregon is not the place for you. If you're going to ride your bike in the rainy weather to work, a good rain suit is a must. Before I had one, I had to bring an entire change of clothes and change when I got to work. A good set of fenders is a big help too. There's nothing worse than spending the day at work with a soggy butt!

I take 12th street all the way from West Eugene and go the same way every day (sometimes I make detours to do errands on the way). There's a nice view of Spencer's Butte when you go over Willamette Street, when it's not cloudy that is. And it's always fun to see/hear Frog outside Caspian's hocking his joke books. I also especially love riding home during the summer when I'm on the 9pm closing schedule because I get a nice view of the sunset as I head west. And that's the time the bats come to feed on the bugs and I look for them swooping about. Of course I have to be careful to keep my mouth closed or I get a mouth full of bugs too! You definitely miss these things when you drive.

The benefits of riding your bike to campus are almost too many to list! Exercise for one - especially since I sit at the computer a good part of the day. And riding my bike to work is fun and provides stress-release before work, especially on a nice summer day. It's easy to stop at the Kiva on the way and grab some snacks for work. Lastly it is much more of a hassle to drive to work. Parking is very limited, and not free. I save money on gas and parking and even car insurance because I don't drive to work. And it actually takes me less time to ride my bike than to drive and find a parking space. I think the bus is great too.

I went for a year recently with no car at all and rode my bike everywhere I needed to be. It was an interesting experience. But it totally worked in Eugene. There's almost nowhere in Eugene that is difficult to get by bike. That would NEVER work in Chicago!

My biggest safety concern is cars! I have lost track of how many times I have almost been hit by a car were it not for my quick reaction. One of these days someone in a big Mercedes SUV is going to actually run me over and then after that I'll have my chauffeur drive me to work! The most common offense is a driver making a right turn without looking for bikes on the right. But in fairness, there are just as many dangerous bikers out there that don't follow the rules as there are car drivers. I think everyone should have a light at night. I've almost hit other bikers without lights.

Also, you have to be very careful of all the people walking across 13th on campus oblivious to the bikes. I realize it's a crowded campus, but we can't (or shouldn't!) bike on the sidewalks so riding down 13th is our only choice. On the Bookstore strip, pedestrians tend to jump into the bike lane unexpectedly.

One bummer about riding your bike is if you have allergies. Whoa! During the allergy season riding my bike is about the worst thing I can do. And oh, gotta love those leaf blowers that people use to blow their dirt in their neighbor's yard! I love riding my bike down the street right into clouds of dust, dirt and pollen that someone blows into the street. I think those things need to be banned. Especially in Eugene where everyone has allergies. And did I mention the noise pollution? Come on, pick up a broom people!

I think the saddest thing about biking to campus is the amount of bike theft that goes on here! It's really sad. I once had the back tire of my bike stolen during broad day light intersession. It cost me $90 to replace it. The thief probably got $20 for it. I would have given him $20 NOT to steal it! Ed Teague also had his bike stolen recently. That's a pretty bad odds for the AAA staff!

We could use a bike path or route going from North to South down the Willamette Street area that goes as far south as near Spencer's Buttte. And maybe one that goes North over the Coburg Bridge up into North Eugene. (maybe there are already good bike routes in these areas I don't know about ) But I think Eugene is awesome for bike paths. I'm from Chicago. It is a land where people go 80 miles an hour bumper to bumper on the freeway. In Chicago riding your bike anywhere is taking your life in your own hands.

Lastly here's another biking story to share. Maybe a lesson to be learned? I once got a $135 ticket for not stopping at the stop sign at 13th and Kincaid, headed west, at 11:15 at night on a Sunday on my way home from work! There wasn't a car or person to be seen anywhere. The cop jumped into the bike lane and commanded I stop. He showed me no mercy. Even though I explained my confusion in that the "do not enter" signs on the opposite side do not apply to bikers, yet the stop sign on the other side does? He didn't buy it. Went to court and got the ticket cut in half.

Each bike ride to and from work can definitely be an adventure!

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