Bicyclists top million commuting miles

Since last spring, Warning, 50, has logged about 2,500 miles commuting to work by leaving his van parked at his home and biking nine miles to the UPS Center on the north side of Oshkosh.

Two weeks after starting his bike commute, Warning lost 10 pounds and found himself more alert and full of energy at work. He also noticed a difference in his wallet.

"It's (saving) like the price of a gallon of gas per day — at least $20 a week in fuel," Warning said.

He is among the nearly 4,600 bicyclists statewide who have logged more than 1 million miles going to and from work since May 16 as part of the Scott Get Up and Ride Wisconsin Bike Challenge. The challenge, which ends Sept. 30, surpassed the 1 million mile mark last week.

All challenge participants and bicycling enthusiasts are invited to help celebrate the milestone and other biking-related successes in the Fox Valley at Fed Fest on Saturday at Appleton's City Park. It is one of several events scheduled across the state by the Bike Federation of Wisconsin to promote bicycling, recognize the bike challenge success and spread the word about Share & Be Aware, a statewide safety program sponsored by the state Department of Transportation.

Scott Reilly, of Appleton, a BFW Share & Be Aware ambassador, has been attending public events such as farmer's markets, festivals and concerts while also teaching bike safety and skills classes to spread the word about the safety program launched earlier this year. There have been 32 bike and pedestrian fatalities in Wisconsin so far this year.

The safety program's basic messages are: bicyclists and motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk; bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as a motorist, including stopping at red lights and stop signs; and motorists by law need to leave at least three feet of space when passing someone on a bicycle.

"Our goal is to educate drivers, bicyclists and the general public on our shared responsibilities on the roads here in the state by attending public events and offering classes on bike safety with the hope of reducing the number of accidents involving bikes and automobiles," Reilly said.