May 2005 marks the 49th Annual

National Bike Month

Better Bicycling Means A Better Lee County

“We’re urging everyone to leave their four-wheeled transportation at home just one day a week and try cycling – it’s good for their health and good for the health of the community.”  The need for more pedaling and less driving has never been more apparent with rising gasoline prices, longer commute times, and escalating road rage incidents in Southwest Florida.  

Planned activities include:

?      Family Bicycle Day – Sat., May 14 – Families are encouraged to ride their bikes in their neighborhoods or along bike paths.  Safety tips and countywide bike maps are available on the Lee County Health Department web site at http://www.lee-county.com/healthdept.

?      Ride of Silence – 7 p.m., Wed., May 18, in honor of cyclists who have been injured or killed on the road.  The route will begin at Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers and connect to U.S. 41 for a three to four-mile trek before returning downtown.  There's no fee and water will be provided.

?      Bike to Work Day – Fri., May 20.  Cyclists are encouraged to ride their bicycles to work.  “Employers benefit because cyclists have fewer sick days, cheaper health claims, and more productivity than sedentary employees,” Moser said.

There are many benefits for individuals who ride their bicycles to work, said Moser, who has been riding his own bicycle to work at least one to two days a week for the past six years.  Among them are:

?      A Better Body – Most weeks, seven out of 10 American adults do not get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity a day; 25 percent of American adults are not physically active at all.   As a result, more than 120 million Americans – 64.5 percent of the adult population – are overweight.  “Ride your bike to work and you no longer need to make time to exercise,” Moser said.  “Just three hours of riding time per week slashes the risk of heart disease and stroke in half.”

?      More Money – According to the League of American Bicyclists, the average annual price of maintaining an automobile is $3,000.  The cost of running a bike for one year is $300.

?      Clean Air – Motorized vehicles are responsible for 70 percent of the carbon monoxide, 45 percent of the nitrogen dioxide, and 34 percent of the hydrocarbons people produce.   Riding a bicycle is a simple way to improve the environment.

A big bonus of commuting by bicycle is all of the calories burned.  An average 150-pound person will burn about 500 calories riding a leisurely-paced 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes home, according to League of American Bicyclists.  At that rate, bicyclists will shed five to 10

For more information about National Bike Month activities in Lee County, call Moser at (239) 332-9514 or e-mail him at Dan_Moser@doh.state.fl.us.