Anchorage Daily News

Be ready for a spike in bikes come Thursday.

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The city has proclaimed the day "Bike to Work Day," and more than 700 people have e-mailed the city saying they plan to participate -- a tip-of-the-iceberg number, based on last year's figures.

A year ago, 539 bikers registered, but bike counters who monitored several popular bike routes during morning rush hours counted more than 1,400 people on bikes.

The main reason to register, said Minta Montalbo of the city's Health and Human Services Department, is to get one of the T-shirts the city is giving away. But those T-shirts are long gone, she said.

There's greater incentive to participate, though.

The health benefits are obvious, and with gas approaching $4 a gallon, so are the financial benefits.

When Judy Abrahams lived near Baxter Bog, she often left her truck at home and biked downtown to her job with Conoco Phillips.

"If I rode my bike to work at last twice a week, I saved one fill-up of gas per month," she said -- a savings of $70.

Tim Woody, who has commuted on Anchorage trails and streets for a dozen years, said there's another reason to bicycle to work.

"It's a stress-releaser," he said. "By the time you get home, it's less like coming home from work and more like coming home from a bike ride."

If you're biking to work Thursday -- or if you're a driver dreading what the day might bring -- here are survival tips:

ADVICE FOR DRIVERS

"Look to the left and the right before making a turn. Often, drivers are just looking left to see when there's a break in traffic and then they just pull out." -- Janice Tower, mountain biker and road cyclist since 1992.

"The worst thing to do is honk. It makes me flinch and then I might veer out into traffic." -- Tiffanie Novakovich, avid bicyclist since 2004.

"It's fine to slow down for 10 seconds for a bike rider and arrive at work 10 seconds later. Bicyclists have a right to be there and they are human beings -- not just a source of frustration." -- Tim Woody, Anchorage bike commuter for 12 years.

ADVICE FOR BICYCLISTS

"Ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic. Stay as far to the right as safely possible, but don't hug the curb and risk hurting yourself." -- Tim Woody

"Know what the rules of the road are and obey traffic laws. Bicyclists in general are very poor about doing this. Stop at signs, yield to pedestrians -- do everything a motor vehicle would." -- Janice Tower

"Wear a bright-colored jacket and don't wear headphones. ... I'd rather hear the traffic and be safe." -- Tiffanie Novakovich

"Take advantage of the great trail system. Spare yourself the hassles and risks of streets." -- Tim Woody

COLLISION COURSE

Driver inattention and failure to yield are the main factors in Anchorage collisions between cars and bicycles, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation.

Other notable facts:

• 40 percent of vehicle-bicycle crashes involve a car turning right on a red light

• 46 percent of crashes happen between 3-7 p.m. on weekdays

• 39 percent of Anchorage crashes involve bikers 18 or younger

COMMUTERS UNITE!

Looking for tips on commuting? Ask questions and give advice at akspokes.com/forum.

Recent discussions include how to freshen up at work after your ride and how to find the easiest route from home to office.

Other Web sites:

• anchoragebicyclealliance.org (a new group for bicycle commuters)

• muni.org/healthchp/biketoworkday.cfm (the city's Bike to Work site)

• munimaps.muni.org/trails/reference.htm (download a map of city trails)

• muni.org/trailwatch (learn about Anchorage bike trails)

CHECK IT OUT

From 3-7 tonight, get a free bike check at REI. Technicians will be available to make minor adjustments. Questions? Call 272-4565.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

Unless otherwise posted, bicyclists have as much right to claim a piece of the road as vehicles do, according to the Anchorage municipal code.

When on a road, the code says, bicyclists should stay as far to the right as possible -- unless they are making a left-hand turn or are approaching a right-turn-only lane when intending to go straight. In those cases, they can take up a full traffic lane elsewhere on the road.

When in a business district, they cannot use the sidewalk and therefore must use the road.

Find Beth Bragg online at adn.com/contact/bbragg or call 257-4309.

Share your stories - good and bad - about past bike-to-work days. Post a comment below.

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