Commuter services to hold bike to work day

By Ravneet Padda

Almost every morning for the past five years, Dennis Nef has dressed in his formal shirt and slacks, hopped on his bike and rode three miles to work.

Upon entering his office, he puts on his tie and dusts off his shoes, ready for another day as dean of undergraduate studies at Fresno State.

To show his commitment to bike riding, Nef said he will bike to the Free Speech Area between 10 a.m and noon Wednesday to celebrate Bike to Work Day 2004.

The campus Commuter Services Program will provide free refreshments, a T-shirt and raffle drawing to students, faculty and staff that ride a bike to work on that day, Fresno State’s observance of “California Bike Commute Week,” beginning May 16.

Annette Harvey, a staff member in the program, said the purpose of the event was to encourage the use of alternative means of transportation on campus that help save gas, promote air quality and reduce the problem of traffic congestion.

Melissa DenHartog, a student in the Craig School of Business, said she agreed with Harvey.

“ I am saving $50 a month and 20 minutes every single day,” said DenHartog, who has been biking five miles to campus since January.

DenHartog said riding 15 to 20 minutes brought her right in front of the business school. It takes her five minutes to lock up and get to class.

In fall 2003, driving a car to campus, finding a parking space and walking to class took longer, she said.

“ I don’t know anybody who rides a bike to school,” she said.

Stephen Lewis, an avid bike rider and faculty member in the department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said he wished more students on campus used bikes.

“ I don’t understand why people don’t ride to campus,” Lewis said. “Fresno State is very similar to U.C Davis but Davis is the bicycle capital of California.”

Lewis said people have the notion that riding a bike is inconvenient for many reasons and the purpose of the event is to educate people about the advantages of biking.

“ (The aim) is to get people to try (cycling) because if you try it, it is easy to like it,” he said. “Boy, am I glad I don’t drive my car.”

Lewis, who rides to Riverpark and Manchester Center for shopping with a backpack, said using a bike saves time.

Considering the traffic and stoplights in a city like Fresno, the average speed of a car is 18 miles an hour and it is very easy to cycle that fast, he said.

Graham Mortyn, who works with Lewis in the Earth and Environmental Sciences department shared his views and love for riding.

“ Cycling is a very do-able and sensible thing, especially in a place like Fresno that is so sunny, so flat with clean roads,” Mortyn said.