SVBC Member Spotlight: Michele Rowic

We are happy to spotlight Michele Rowic in the latest Member Spotlights series on our blog!Michele is a librarian at the San José Public Library. In addition to being a member of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC), she has formed partnerships with SVBC, the Bay Area BikeMobile, San José Bike Clinic and Bicycle Express to bring bicycle programming to the Library. She also leads library tours by bicycle twice a year, the Library 2 Library Bicycle Loop Tour and the Gira de Libro Bicycle Tour. Also, in 2014, she was named the 2014 Santa Clara County Bicycle Commuter of the Year!Are you an SVBC member, and wish to showcase your bike club's work, events, and/or concerns? Contact us!How did you get introduced to Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition?I heard about SVBC when I first moved to the area in 2004 through volunteer work days in Mountain View helping to fix bicycles. I had previously volunteered with Arcata Green Bikes (precursor to things like Bay Area Bike Share) and been active with bicycle advocacy in Humboldt County. I wanted to keep up with the cause, but I could not figure out how to best jump in and get involved with SVBC.It remained on my radar for years and it was not until 2013 that I joined SVBC. It was an empowering experience for me to become a member. I found myself speaking bike more frequently and confidently. It inspired me to incorporate bicycle advocacy into my work as a librarian by promoting cycling as a mode of transportation to coworkers and scheduling bike-related programs at the Library.What kind of activities and/or trips do you use your bicycle for?I am on my bike seven days a week for all sorts of trips and journeys. I go to work, to the grocery store, to yoga, to the farmers market, to the post office, to the library, etc. by bicycle.In the past I rode primarily as a mode of transportation to commute to work or get around town. Only in the last few years have I started cycling for fun, exercise and as a way to explore. My favorite trips are always in the hills and mountains up and away from busy streets. I call these places, “the land above the houses.” I love going to those places! Everything feels a little extra special and I am able to focus on breathing, pedaling and being in the moment.I have also enjoyed bicycle touring in France, including following the Tour de France on bicycle. Pedaling up the same mountains as the pros with 1000s of other fans is among my favorite all-time bicycle experiences.How does the San Jose Public Library promote bicycling to its employees and the public to make it a positive, enjoyable commute option?The San José Public Library is part of the City of San José and the City has several programs to promote bicycling.Bike lockers and cages are installed at many City facilities for employees and customers.City employees may take a one-day bicycle safety training class and have access to the City’s fleet of bicycles to use during work hours instead of driving between work locations.Several times a year there are bike safety workshops, urban cycling classes and other bicycle-related sessions.There is a group called the “Green Commute Champs” made up of City employees who promote green commuting options for coworkers. They host the annual “Green Commute Challenge” an interdepartmental competition tracking the use of alternative forms of transit, including bicycling.Among your friends and people you know who don't ride a bike, what do you think would help encourage them to get out there? More Viva CalleSJ [Open Streets events]! This event brings people out on bicycles! It was estimated that 100,000 people participated in the 2016 event. That is an amazing number of people cycling, walking and skateboarding in a five-hour period along a six-mile stretch of road closed to automobiles. It is a huge step towards getting people on bicycles, whether for the first time in several years or for the first time ever. Things like Viva CalleSJ help people feel more comfortable and confident on their bicycles.For many people, nothing short of a totally separate bicycle lane that has a physical barrier separating them from automobile traffic is required for them to feel comfortable riding their bike in San Jose. People have told me more than once, they believe that bicycling in San José is too dangerous. Some have said even when there is a basic bike lane, they still opt to ride on the sidewalk.Something I can do on a daily basis to encourage more people to ride is to share my joy of cycling with them. I am currently enjoying weekly cycling trips with a neighbor who needed a little mentoring and encouragement to ride his bicycle. Last year, one of my coworkers felt inspired after a library bicycle tour to purchase a bicycle and has enjoyed taking trips around her neighborhood. Other coworkers share their stories of their bicycle commutes, whether they ride one day a year, a month or several days a week. I think just knowing someone who rides a bicycle on a regular basis can inspire another person to try cycling.What do you think needs to be done to achieve 10% of trips taken by bike by 2025 in Silicon Valley?This is a tough one…from what I found, a 2009 report called, “San José Bike Plan 2020,” 1% of trips were currently made by bike. I could not find anything more recent to know if the percent has increased.Bicycling needs to become normalized and not only considered in the realm of children or pro bike riders. I once overheard a small child exclaim to her mother, in reference to me, “Mommy, look that grown-up is riding her bicycle!” At the time I dismissed it, but I later realized that the child was not used to seeing adults riding a bicycle and she associated it with something only children do.In addition to normalizing cycling for all ages, we need to reclaim space for people and reconstruct our streets and roadways. It takes a huge effort and a deliberate political decision to turn away from car-centric culture and policies. Thoughtful bicycle infrastructure needs to be installed to increase cycling trips. This is where the magic of SVBC benefits all cyclists.Share with us what a dream day on your bike looks like.Arlington (Virginia) Public Library’s Peter Golkin said it best, “My two favorite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”What would you say to someone considering becoming a member of SVBC? The process of becoming a member of SVBC reminds me of donating to my favorite public radio station. The station uses the following quote to encourage people to pledge, “Don’t sit on your good intentions.” One may listen to their public radio station every day for years and years before pledging, all the while thinking, “One of these days, I am going to pledge.”I think the same may be true for joining SVBC. All bicyclists benefit from the work that SVBC does. SVBC fights the hard battles at the regional, state and federal levels to make cycling in Silicon Valley safer. I would encourage people that the time is now to “Get off of your good intentions” and become members of SVBC. You will feel so much better!Will you join Michele and the other 2,000+ members of SVBC? Join today and support our work to make our streets and trails safe for all users, improve and expand bike infrastructure where you live and ride, and get more people riding!