Families ditch the car; using a BIKE for errands, carpool and more
SEATTLE -- Chelsea Alvarez may seem like the typical Suburu-driving, Seattle mom, but she’s not. She’s picking her kids up from school and running her errands on her Xtracycle longtail bike.
A new wave of eco-friendly and health-conscious families are getting rid of their cars and riding in the bike lane to get their everyday tasks done.
That’s right, Chelsea is joining a crew of cyclists carrying everything from kids to their family cat, groceries to library books, even up the steep Seattle hills. And she says it is bringing more meaning to her ‘Mommy’ duties.
“It’s infinitely more fun to do all of the errands and the pickups and the drop offs on a bike, where inside I’m going ‘Weeee!’ most of the time.”
These aren’t your typical ‘hard-core’, ‘ride or die’ bikers either. In fact, according to a local family bike shop owner, Davey Oil, they don’t want to be portrayed as an elitist group.
“Hopefully we build a shop that is fun and accessible for people who don’t otherwise have a bike tattoo.”
Davey’s shop, G&O Family Cyclery in Greenwood, specializes in getting parents geared up with just the right cargo bike to fit their needs. There are dozens of ways to customize your own ride.
“Family cycling can seem intimidating because it does seem like there is a lot of specialized gear. Some of our bicycles are pretty ambitious.”
But maybe the most intimidating part of biking for new families can be the safety concern. Chelsea and her husband did a lot of research before making the decision for their kids. Although she has had six successful months of riding with her kids, she still is cautious.
“I stay off of really busy streets and if I’m feeling nervous for any reason at all, I just get on the sidewalk, it’s legal… Most drivers are really respectful and safe, it’s not as scary as it seems.”
And no matter whether a family is joining this new wave of biking for environmental, health, even political reasons, Davey emphasizes it is really all about having fun.
“With family biking we can take the stuff that’s the most frustrating, rage inducing... some of the most aggravating things about parenting, and we can turn them into joyful adventures.”
Local family biking expert Morgan Scherer joined us on Q13 Fox This Morning and answered viewer questions about safety. She says you can do a lot to feel more confident about keeping your family safe while you navigate the streets of Seattle.
"A lot of route planning goes into play. And making sure I take routes that I'm comfortable with and that I feel like my skills can handle. And that's going to vary from day to day and from person to person. "
Check out her entire interview for more tips on how to get started.