Year-End Giving Season: Read Why Andrew Hsu Gives His Support to SVBC
guest blog by: Andrew Hsu
My first memory of riding a bike was accompanying my father from our house in Northern Virginia to Washington DC. Although the ride could not have been more than about 10 miles, it felt like a century to a kid that had just learned how to ride a bike. I still have nightmares of seeing the Potomac River below me as I pedaled over the metal grate George Washington Memorial Bridge.These days, I commute about 40 miles by bicycle almost daily. I think many people would be shocked at the frequency of close calls I’ve had while lawfully riding my bicycle on the road. Most were the result of inattentive or distracted drivers. This has certainly made me a much more cautious cyclist. While I do my best to assert my rights on the road, I also recognize that my bicycle will not win against a two-ton motor vehicle.This is why I choose to support bike advocacy through SVBC – because SVBC is a highly efficient and effective organization of full-time professionals who fight for cyclists' right to share the road. Supporting SVBC has improved my cycling experience every bit as much as that last set of lightweight carbon wheels I bought!Yes, I am active in the competitive cycling community, but it isn’t all about going fast and hammering on my bike all the time. I lead by example in terms of riding my bicycle to work daily, and I try to communicate that someone does not need to live the “bike racing lifestyle" to be able to commute by bike. I talk to my friends and coworkers about how biking short distances during rush hour can often be faster than driving, hoping that people can begin to understand that they do have choices in combating vehicular traffic.SVBC asked me to write this letter and I gladly agreed. I believe in the work they do every day to make it so that one day, I won't have to worry about the safety of my kids (or grandkids) when they say they are riding their bikes somewhere. One day, this Silicon Valley community will feel as welcoming to those riding on two-wheeled vehicles as it does for those riding inside two-ton vehicles. Please consider making a contribution today – your ride will be better for it!Thank you,Andrew HsuPresident, Peninsula Velo Cycling Club, and SVBC Lifetime Member