Ride Your Motorcycle To Work Day Is July 16

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Is it only bikers who know this?

Nearly everyone knew that Bike to Work Day was held last week, on June 25. On that day, commuters are encouraged to ride their bicycles rather than drive their cars.

So tell me, are you aware that there is also a national Ride Your Motorcycle to Work day? There is, and it is planned for the third Wednesday in July every year.

That means it's two weeks from tomorrow, July 16.

What is the idea behind the event? For the bicyclists it is largely an environmental thing, merged with a health thing. Save gas, cut pollution, and get some good exercise.

Ride Your Motorcycle to Word day has a different focus. The issue is more one of awareness. In their materials, the event promoters have this to say:

Ride to work and demonstrate to politicians and the general public that motorcyclists:
Represent a considerable portion of the population.
Are from all occupations and all walks of life.
Help reduce traffic congestion in large cities.
Ride for transportation as well as for recreation.

So the focus here is on politicians and the general public. Politicians because far too often they cavalierly propose laws that illegally and unthinkingly discriminate against motorcyclists when far simpler solutions are available to address the issues that concern them.

The public because every motorcyclist has had the experience of nearly being hit by someone in a car who didn't look carefully before pulling out, turning, changing lanes, or whatever. And for plenty of us you can remove the work "nearly" in that last sentence. We want to make them aware that we are here and that they need to be alert when they're driving. We're the ones who are most vulnerable in a collision, and it is often literally a matter of life and death.

Ride your motorcycle to work on Wednesday, July 16.