Call the Fashion Police!

Riding in a dress can be done!  (Luckily, no one has a picture of what I looked like while riding my bike with capris and this dress.  For that, the fashion police should be alerted. HA!)

 

I remember a couple months ago someone asked Julie and I what we wear when we bike to work.  Honestly, we both have flexible jobs where we don't have to wear professional clothes every day; however we do dress nicely for work and from time to time do need to wear a suit or more professional attire.  

The trick is preparation.  For instance, today I hosted a meeting at my office where I needed to look nice.  I wanted to wear a dress, so I wore capris under the dress making sure not to expose anything during my morning commute.  It was pretty easy and I had no difficulties riding my bike.  Sure, I looked odd and did get a couple "huh?" looks but oh well.  After the capris came off, I looked "work nice."  You should try it for it can be done!!! 

What do you think - should 2 Women 4 Wheels have a bike-to-work fashion show?  :)

Road vs. Sidewalk

While biking in the city, I do my best to ride on the road and to obey traffic signals. However, on occasion I don't feel safe on the street and I'll hop onto the sidewalk. Today, I had to do just that.

Usually I don't have any problems with Woodward in Detroit but this morning was different. I left my apartment a little after 8am on my way to a work meeting in the Buhl building. I considered traveling down Cass but then I remembered the construction that is taking place, so I decided to travel on Woodward. It was busy! I was a bit nervous but thought I could brave it and do it.

I started strong and biked in the far right lane until I reached Park Lane, just passed Grand Circus Park, where I was bullied onto the sidewalk. (Why didn't I turn onto Park Lane? It's a one way in the wrong direction of where I needed to go.) I just didn't fit on Woodward and it was so full of speedy cars that I decided not to risk my life trying to figure out how to fit. So I put my head down and rode on the sidewalk until I reached State Street. :(

Once I was on State Street, I biked on the road to Griswold and continued biking on the road despite the mess of congestion on Griswold. I think the difference between Woodward and Griswold was the traffic was slower, so I felt more confident in braving Griswold.

Yes, I know it's *technically* safer to ride on the road than on the sidewalks - not to mention that in some instances it's illegal to ride on sidewalks.  I am admitting to you in this post that I need to do a better job of convincing my mind and body that's the case. Or maybe the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) could install bike lanes on Woodward?  Just a thought!

Anyway, my bike adventures are not always perfect. I'll keep trying to be a better biker and hopefully one of these rides I will brave riding on Woodward even when it's packed with vehicles.

 In the meantime, check out this awesome picture I took of the very full bike rack in the garage downtown. The bumper sticker reminded me that at least I did not add to the congestion on Woodward this morning with my car. :)

 

P.S. Starship's, "We Built this City" is playing on the radio. (And yes I'm singing along with 2 Women 4 Wheel's motto... We built this city on walk and roll!!!)

Interesting Reading:
Bicycle Safety: How to Not Get Hit by Cars
Bike Commuting 101:  Top 5 Rules for Riding on the Sidewalk

Getting in touch with your inner Leslie Knope

I've been traveling a ton lately for fun and work - so it was pretty amazing that I actually caught the email about the City Commission vote on the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan in Royal Oak. And it was even more amazing that I'd be in town to lend my support for this awesome and comprehensive plan.

Re: the title of this blog - I've been called Leslie Knope before - for those of you that don't get that reference - Amy Poehler's character on NBC's Parks & Recreation. And for those of you that don't want to Google that? She's super civically-engaged, dedicated to all people/things related to the city she lives in. Really the type that would go to bus system board meetings and try to map out how transit funding flows in her spare time. Sound familiar!?

So having a reason to go to the City Commission meeting and speak at public comment? Sign me up!

 I'm there about 5 minutes early to survey the scene, scope out the other non-motorized transportation fans are in the room. I see some other local bikers and we congregate. My seat is on the aisle - which is important to the story later.

 Public comment starts and it's a lot to do with events coming up in the city - Memorial Day Parade, etc. Good stuff. Then this man and his two young-adult-age kids get up there and I perk up to listen. They start reading prepared statements about a fundraiser and a blood drive they are having at their respective schools. At one point - the younger kid reads "come to the circle drive at the school - and not sure where that is? Not to worry - we'll be waving you in with balloons and signs!". I have no idea who these kids are but I was BEAMING. These prepared statements. How much they already care about their community. Speaking up in front of a room of adults - using a microphone (which still freaks me out) no less. BABY LESLIE KNOPES. Ah, it gave me so much hope.

So they finish their statements and start to walk back down the aisle. My hand is already raised, ready to be called on for my public comment. The youngest kid, feeling joy from his very successful public comment, raises his hand too. I'm confused for a second, but then I realize - he thinks I'm throwing a high-five! He quickly realizes, sheepishly looks at me, and puts his hand down. But hot damn - I totally would've high-fived that kid. Let's bring that kind of excitement to City Commission meetings! LOVE IT.

And to make the meeting even better? The Non-Motorized Transportation Plan PASSED. Royal Oak is getting bike lanes!! YAY!

Thanks to the local non-motorized transport activists (ahem, Tom Regan for being our fearless organizer!), the consultants that worked on this plan, the Planning Commission, Mayor Ellison and the City Commission. This is democracy and progress at its very finest. So, so proud to be a Royal Oak resident!

http://royaloak.patch.com/articles/commission-oks-language-for-non-motorized-plan-in-city-master-plan

Bus life lessons!

It's truly been awhile since we've been able to bus/bike here in Detroit - but not to fear! We've been on the road - Costa Rica & Wisconsin for vacation, San Francisco for work. And it's been great to explore the public transit options in these other areas. The cross-country public bus system in Costa Rica is a-maz-ing! The most timely system ever - if the bus left at 10:30, it was heading out at 10:30 and 5 seconds. LOVE the extreme efficiency. We're back in the Detroit-area (at least until the next work trip :) - and got the chance to bus/bike on Friday. I left Royal Oak on the 8:12am Woodward 460 which was full, yet quiet. A gentleman that got on the bus near Palmer Park and sat next to me. I was engrossed in a two-weeks-old Crain's Detroit Business (gotta catch up!) but we started chatting around Midtown. He had been talking with another bus rider about his 10 grandbabies and he thought I was reacting to that (but it was actually news in Crains!). The following conversation ensued: "So do you have any kids?" "Nope, no kids, just a cat that is spoiled like a kid!" "HA! Oh, my grandkids are so great. But sometimes, when they are all at my house, Granddad just needs to go in his room and shut the door. That's how the grandkids know that granddad is just DONE. Aren't your parents anxious for grandkids?" "They are, but right now they are just happy with a grandcat. I'm still working on making sure I have a good father for those grandbabies before having them, you know?" "YES. You definitely don't need a crazy father in your life" "Agreed. Agreed! I'm working on it :)" Murmurs and nods of agreement from fellow bus riders followed. YES. You just don't get this kind of camaraderie/life lesson before 9am driving in your car by yourself. :)

2W4W - Superheroes in the making?

What a gorgeous day for biking and busing?!

This morning after cleaning bird poop off of my bike seat (angry birds?), I biked to work. It was warm and beautiful for a day in March, which is rather alarming. POW!

Later in the day, Julie and I met up for lunch, where we enjoyed the weather and discussed how confused - STILL - we are about what's happening and quite frankly, NOT happening with public transportation in southeast Michigan. Maybe there's hope with TRANS4M? (We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on it - please share below.)

Then after lunch it was back to work, so I jumped on my bike to the scene of a water pollution crime located on Brush, between Warren and Canfield, in Detroit. (Earlier I received a tip that there was some "hazardous activity" present.) This is the first time I rode my bike to something like this. I should note that even though I rode my bike to this area, I have no experience dealing with hazardous waste sites or cleanups. Rather, I traveled to the site to learn more information and to make sure the proper officials had been contacted. So with bike helmet still on and sitting on my bike, I ran into FOX News and discussed water pollution and how it negatively impacts the quality of our rivers and Great Lakes. You can see the clip here.

NOTE: This crime isn't to be taken lightly, especially since it happens more often then we think. If you see illegal dumping into the sewers, please contact 911, so that they can notify the proper officials to immediately respond to the situation.

Also, quick poll - my coworker suggested I wear a cape while on my bike to these type of situations. What do you think? Do you see Two Women Four Wheels as superheroes? Capes or no capes?

Musings from an early bus trip Tuesday morning

I was up early today, so decided to get a jump on the workday with the 7:10am 460 out of Royal Oak. Lots of random bus/bike thoughts going through my head today, so its time to just get serious!

1. My bike helmet seems to have expanded over the winter, probably due to winter hat usage, and was totally teetering on my head this morning, in the most "why am I even wearing this?" anti-safety kinda way. The winter hat, which in my opinion, on March 20th in Michigan, I should still be wearing. Which brings me to #2...

2. Although this super warm weather is honestly creeping me out, I am not above saying that I do enjoy wearing capri leggings, a skirt and flats today. Biking this morning SO got me thinking about summer bus/bike happy hours, which is maybe the absolute definition of summer joy. Yeah, I said it!

3. Bus seating - am I the only one that is totally OCD in keeping my stuff on my seat/lap, leaving the seat next to me open for other bus riders? People on the bus this morning were all sprawled out, backpacks, papers, water bottles - other bus riders had to stand. This isn't your personal $2 per ride loveseat, people. The absolute definition of bus rudeness. Yeah, I said it!

And all this before 8am. :) Happy Tuesday, 2W4W fans!

A very belated post re: bus drama - it happens.

It's been a busy few weeks for 2 Women and their 4 Wheels, and not much to even do with the 4 Wheels. Which does, frankly, make us feel a little sad (we still love you, our bikes!). Between traveling for work - and enjoying the public transit options in DC and NYC - and being crazy sick (who gets bronchitis, a sinus infection AND a mild case of frostbite all in one weekend? I digress...), bus/biking has taken a total backseat these past few weeks. I did manage to fit in a bus/bike ride on Michigan's primary election day, and promised a blog post! So, with your author totally pumped full of antibiotics, finally - here it IS.

The SMART 460 has been pretty much running on time out of downtown right after work, so I make sure I'm at the stop a good 5 minutes early - just how I roll. I'm pleasantly surprised to see my friend LaVar at the stop - he's a busser as well AND we ride the same route! How have we never crossed paths?! One of the great bus mysteries. So we're catching up as the SMART cruises up Woodward and this woman almost gets run over trying to catch this bus in the Boston Edison area. You can tell she's harried, but LaVar and I are talking St. Patrick's/Tigers Opening respective Day plans, so we are focused.

In the middle of Highland Park, right across the street from the Glory Supermarket, the bus starts slowing down for the stop and this woman starts going INSANE. "Don't let that *bleepity bleep* guy on this bus!!!", hitting the window and jumping up & down. The entire bus is frozen in time - this is some real live Jerry-Springer type stuff here. The guy is just watching her flip out for a minute while she screams 'I am NOT coming home with you!' (in much more colorful language than I am detailing here, as you can imagine) and he leaves the bus. She goes one more stop and then calmly gets off the bus.

Now, who knows what was happening. The first thing that runs through my mind is that I hope that this isn't some sort of domestic abuse or other terrible situation - and sincerely hope that both parties in this bus drama are ok. But then my mind starts down the 'dramatic bus reenactment' path. Mini-flash mobs acting out dramatic/funny/totally over the top stories/situations. Shakespeare readings. A tribute to the Muppets. The snapping pre-rumble dance from West Side Story. The Dirty Dancing jump-catch scene. The possibilities are ENDLESS. Wouldn't that just make your commute!? And I think it would keep the real drama-full bus riders in check because it would just confuse 'em. What do you think - a win/win!?