‘Fulfilling way to get around’: North Fair Oaks resident named the San Mateo County Commuter of the Year

Named the 2019 Bicycle Commuter of the Year for San Mateo County by those coordinating Thursday’s Bay Area Bike to Work Day, Andrade noted some of her coworkers are surprised to learn she bikes to work even in the rain and wind. But for the 30-year-old, biking has always been a way to experience the natural elements.

“I actually really like to feel the elements when we have them,” she said. “I like to feel the wind, the whole thing feels so good.”

Having grown up with parents who regularly rode their bicycles, Andrade said she began biking as a young child and found it afforded her independence when she didn’t have a car. When she lived a short distance from her college campus, Andrade remembered it gave her a chance to clear her mind and get outside.

Andrade said she and her partner, who works at Stanford University, have both designed their schedules to accommodate biking both to work and to run errands, finding at times that driving a car from place to place can be more cumbersome than hopping on their bicycles. She said they have gotten used to putting on wet weather gear on rainy days and taking advantage of amenities a short distance away from their home, noting she’s able to go to the gym, library and grocery stores by bicycle.

Though she acknowledged trips to the airport to pick up visiting family members or meeting friends for a hike are among the instances in which she chooses to use a car, Andrade said she’s able to get to most things by bicycle. She added she’s able to see more of her community on her bicycle, noting she’s able to both make connections with familiar faces and better understand some of the challenges her community faces, such as homelessness.

“I feel like I gain way more than I lose when I ride my bike,” she said. “I find it to be a really fulfilling way to get around. I have a deeper relationship with my community than I would otherwise.”

Through her work with the Office of Sustainability, Andrade said she focuses on public environmental education programs and the county’s Climate Action Plan, and her commute by bicycle helps her think about who those her programs are serving and how environmental problems can be solved in ways that address issues of inequality, among others. Andrade also acknowledged her decision to commute by bicycle is a relative privilege, noting many don’t live close enough to where they work to be able to choose to ride their bicycles to work.

As someone who encourages others to consider biking when they can, Andrade has a few tips at the ready for those considering bicycles as an alternative form of transportation. She recommended bicyclists always wear a helmet and learn defensive strategies for riding their bicycles so they are seen by vehicle drivers.

Andrade also encouraged people to try wear everyday clothing when they ride their bicycles, noting that finding ways to carry bags on one’s bicycle instead of wearing a backpack can be more comfortable for some. She added those who don’t have a bicycle don’t have to spend a lot to purchase a reliable, used bicycle.

Emma Shlaes, director of policy and advocacy with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, said those involved in coordinating the Bay Area Bike to Work Day and selecting the Commuters of the Year receive many nominations examples of Bay Area residents riding their bicycles rain or shine. In recognizing those setting an example of how biking can be incorporated into everyday life, the agencies behind the Bay Area Bike to Work Day are hoping inspire others to give biking a try and join others in testing it out May 9, said Shlaes.

“It’s a way to highlight someone in the community who’s doing this every day,” she said. “If you’ve been curious at all, this is just the best day to do it.”

Andrade hoped others thinking about biking more would also consider the independence it could afford them, noting she doesn’t rely on anyone else to fix her bicycle.

“I value independence and autonomy,” she said. “Learning how to fix my bike, learning how to work on my bike is a deeply empowering thing.”

Visit bayareabiketowork.com for more information about Bike to Work Day 2019. A Bike Away from Work Bash is set to begin 5:30 p.m. at Redwood City’s Cyclismo Cafe, 871 Middlefield Road. Two other Bike Away from Work bashes are slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto.

anna@smdailyjournal.com

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