Cycling Safety Related Videos

Our friend Darryl from Loving the Bike has a couple of Cycling Related Safety Videos that we'd like to share with you today.

Safety From Sun Glare:

Safety in Strong Winds:

Bike Month

Each May the nation celebrates the bike, and here in Austin there is definitely no shortage of bicycle related goodness.  Once again there will be Bike to Work Week, Bike to Work Day, and countless cycling events and rides to go along with all the celebrations.  It is a great month to get excited about cycling and to get out for a solo ride, with your family, or maybe even a commute to work.

Please BE KIND to Cyclists will be sponsoring 3 stations in Austin's Bike to Work Day: Tsunami Bike Shop, Jack and Adams Bike Shop, and Bouldin Creek Cafe (their new location on Mary and South 1st).

Volunteers Needed:
We are in need for 4 volunteers to help us out with our Bike to Work Day activities.  We require 2 people for Tsunami BikeShop, one for Jack and Adams, and one for Bouldin Creek.  Please contact us at al@bekindtocyclists.com or by phone at 512-924-6683 to let us know you're able to help out.  Below are more details on what are required:

Date: Friday May 20, 2011
Arrival Time - 6:45AM
Required from 7:00 - 9:30AM
Duties: Greet cyclists, handout goodies, talk to people about cycling and Please BE KIND to Cyclists, collection donations for bumper stickers, help sell merchandise.

Free breakfast will be served to all volunteers at each station.

If you aren't able to volunteer, we hope you'll take part in Bike to Work Day on May 20th and stop by and see us at one of our stations.  For a map of all the stations for this year's event, please visit: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/rideyourbike/downloads/btw_map4chron_2011_temp.pdf.  For a list of other cycling events taking place in Austin during Bike Month, visit http://www.austinchronicle.com/bike-month/.

Come out and celebrate Bike to Work Day with us......it's going to be a guaranteed great time.

The Pledge

Okay, here the deal I'd like to make with y'all. It's really simple actually....you agree to our terms and we'll deliver on what we pledge to do. Is it a Deal?

As a Driver I Pledge:

• Not to drive while under the influence of alcohal or drugs
• Not to text, tweet, e-mail, talk, or do anything else with my phone while driving
• To give all cyclists at least 3 feet of space
• Not to drive while drowsy, tired, or sleepy
• Not to throw garbage and other items out of my car
• To follow the rules of the road

As a Cyclist I Pledge:

• To continue to do my part for the environment by riding instead of driving
• To bring down the cost of national health care by keeping my body in top health
• To spread my positive vibes and attitude that comes through cycling and exercise
• To encourage my fellow cyclists to show respect and be safe on the road
• To follow the rules of the road
• To be street smart on the road and make sure I make it home safely to my family and loved ones

*We understand that not all drivers or cyclists can be classified in the lists that we provided here, and we hope to continue to educate and develop all cyclists into safe and pro-active riders.

Hit and Run in South Austin

We won't quit...we can't quit.  Please BE KIND to Cyclists will continue to promote cycling awareness and safety and fulfil our mission:

Please BE KIND to Cyclists is a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness and increasing the harmony and tolerance between drivers and cyclists. 

Our mission is to promote safe cycling for all and to contribute to a global social change by making stronger and healthier communities and providing resources to all: communities, drivers and cyclist; so they can educate themselves and learn to coexist and share the road safely and with respect.

We are once again aware of how important it is to get our mission fulfilled in the wake of a hit and run that took place in Austin last weekend.

24-year-old Austin cyclist, Andrew Runciman was struck down and killed on his bike last Saturday at midnight on South Lamar Boulevard.

Runciman was riding in the far right lane when a dark-colored SUV (also driving south) struck the cyclist and then continued to drive off.

It is customary in Austin (and in other parts of the country) to honor a fallen rider by putting up a "ghost bike" where the event took place.  Azgad Crisostomo, along with another local cyclist, placed a ghost bike in the 3500 block of South Lamar to honor Andrew.

Our own, Al Bastidas placed a Please BE KIND to Cyclists sign next to the ghost bike to further impact the message of making cycling safety all of our concern.

Local police are looking for any help they can get in identifying the person responsible for this tragic incident.  Please contact Vehicular Homicide Unit at 512-974-8164.

For more information on this story, please visit KVUE.com.

2011 Austin Bike Summit

Last weekend, Please Be Kind to Cyclists took part in the 2011 Austin Bike Summit.  This is an annual event that allows all Austin bike advocates and staff to get together and talks bicycle promotion, education, and strategy.


The mission of the Austin Bike Summit is:

An annual gathering that fosters collaboration and bridges gaps between Austin’s various bicycle endeavors, movements, and efforts and provides new volunteers with avenues for involvement.

The summit is open to anyone to attend and we were happy to take part by presenting along with a variety of other great Austin advocates.  Al Bastidas was part of a presentation on Bike Programs at Schools and informed attendees on all that Please Be Kind to Cyclists is doing to promote safe biking for everyone.  Also included in the presentation was:


Bike Programs at Schools
A comprehensive look at bike programming at schools including after-school programs, Safe Routes initiatives, PE 3, and the Boltage Program. The Austin Safe Routes to Schools Project will present an update on their progress to improve the health of kids and the community by enabling and encouraging children and the parents to walk and bike to school. The Yellow Bike Project will present their unique initiatives and their impact on kids who are biking to school. The Boltage and Pe 3 Program will share their current Kid Commute initiatives and expand on the impact they are making in Austin, and throughout the state.

We applaud the volunteers and organizers of the Austin Bike Summit and look forward to being a part again next year.

Thank You

Everyone at the Please BE KIND to Cyclists organization would like to send out a great big Thank You to everyone who participated, volunteered, and was a part of our Round Rock Express ride held over the weekend.


Austin has been in the wind tunnel this past week and yesterday was definitely no exception.  The intense winds made the ride a little more challenging, but the riders toughed it out and cycled through to help benefit our cause.


We are very pleased with the turnout and media coverage that we received.  Thank you to YNN Austin for airing this story on the event:  http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/277718/cyclists-ride-to-promote-harmony-on-austin-s-roads.

Following the rides (27 and 77 mile courses), everyone enjoyed the BBQ and Beer while watching the Round Rock Express baseball game.  Our own Al Bastidas threw out the first pitch and this capped off one incredible day of cycling, awareness, and good times.


Thanks to everyone for their attendance and contribution.

New Hanover County

When your mission is to "promote safe cycling for all and to contribute to a global social change...and share the road safely and with respect", we just can't let instances like that which happened in New Hanover County, NC go un-noticed.

This week a 47 year-old cyclist, Ronald Doolittle II and his 17 year-old son, were struck down when a vehicle swerved into the bike lane and collided with these two riders.  Ronald Sr. didn't survive and Ronald Jr. was left suffering with severe head injuries, only to pass the next day.

We are saddened to hear of yet another un-necessary event and will continue our fight to prevent future instances from happening.  Safe roads are all of our responsibilities and we encourage you to join us in our fight.

This Sunday we'll be riding in the Round Rock Express Ride to gather riders and speak out to our cause.  If you're in the Austin area, we hope you'll join us.  Please help us fulfill our mission.