Alternative Transportation: Easier than you think!

This summer I decided to tackle two methods of alternative transportation I've been curious about, but have not tried since living in Raleigh: riding the bus and biking. Each was something I shied away from before moving to my current location in the Five Points area. My disclaimer is that both systems in Raleigh need much improvement and depending on your location, biking may not feel safe if you are inexperienced (this was me in my previous neighborhood near Jones Franklin Rd).

I decided my first foray with the bus would be to take it from my apartment to Crabtree Valley Mall. The mall is only about 10 minutes from my apartment, but I saw this as an opportunity to ease into figuring out bus schedules. Luckily my bus route (#16, Oberlin) goes directly to the mall, then to Rex, then loops back to Moore Square Station. Basically all buses travel to Moore Square Station (inbound) and back out again (outbound) on their designated routes.

My advice is to first check out the system-wide map to figure out which bus, or buses, travels down your road. Next pick a place you want to go! If you aren't familiar with bus routes, you may want to pick a location close to where you live, preferably a location on your bus route. Then you can check out the time tables specific to each route on the city of Raleigh transit site. Remember, if you are going towards downtown (Moore Square Station on the map), this is Inbound. Away from downtown is Outbound. The time tables won't show all stops on the route, just the major intersections. Your stop time will fall in between the two closest stops. My rule of thumb for ensuring I don't miss my bus is to be at my stop at the time listed for the previous stop. So, for example, if my stop lies in between the 2nd and 3rd listed stops, I make sure I'm at my bus stop at the time listed for the 2nd stop. Don't forget to check the times coming back, you don't want to wait at the bus stop for an hour! Bus riding involves more planning and patience than hopping in your car to zoom off when you're running behind. The payoff is much more rewarding. It's free to students with college IDs, so you'll automatically save money by choosing the bus.

This summer I also got into the habit of riding my bike around town. I understand biking, more so than riding the bus, is not an available option for everyone. I previously lived in a location that was not suitable for biking. I lived near Jones Franklin, which is a narrow but very busy road. I never rode my bike around in that area, but as soon as I moved to my new place on Oberlin, I made it first on my list of things to do in my new location. Oberlin is a great road for biking because while it can be busy, it's mostly got wide lanes. I also happen to live about 2 miles from many of my favorite places: a grocery store, my favorite coffee shop, movie theater, and pizza place. 2-3 miles is my range limit for how far I am able to bike before collapsing :) Biking on the road with cars was something I was (and still am at times) apprehensive about doing.

The most important thing is to wear a helmet! It is extremely dangerous to ride without a helmet, no matter how uncool you think it may be. Other rules of the road are to always ride with traffic, not against. Think of yourself as another vehicle on the road versus a pedestrian. This also means obeying all traffic signals, signs, and lights. Even if the intersections is clear but the light is red, you must stop. If the light won't change because no cars are around, get off and walk your bike across the intersection. Don't feel like you have to ride on the shoulder, this is not true! If the roads around you do not offer separate bike lanes, then you are entitled to ride in the car lane as well. Use common sense, though; you may not want to take up the middle of the lane on a busy road, since this can annoy the drivers you're sharing the road with. I try to ride close to the shoulder so that cars have room to pass if they choose, but I don't ride in the shoulder.

Technically it isn't legal to ride your bike on the sidewalk, but again use common sense. If you think the road is too busy and the sidewalk isn't teeming with pedestrians, then choose the option that will keep you safe. Just don't make a habit of riding on the sidewalks: the last thing you want is to hit a pedestrian! Some cities are hardcore about keeping cyclists off the sidewalk while others will overlook it.

The other thing is to watch out for the drivers around you, who may become annoyed at cyclists. Part of biking is to educate others. The road is not only for cars! Show drivers that cyclists belong on the road by biking safely. Another thing to keep in mind is to signal when turning. Signal for a left turn by sticking your left arm straight out; signal for a right turn by sticking your left arm up at a 90 degree angle. Using your left arm increases the chance that drivers on either side of the road will see your signal. The final rule is to always have a light and reflectors when biking at night. It is also helpful to wear light clothing. You want to make yourself as visible as possible when biking at night!

Biking is a fun way to get around and get in shape. It is also a growing trend in the area, with activities and groups working to gain recognition for cyclists. A couple of activities that I know of geared towards gaining confidence in biking are the Critical Mass rides every last Friday of each month, around 5PM. They meet at the NCSU Bell Tower. This is an opportunity to ride in a group with other cyclists, and learn the rules of the road. Activities geared more to social gathering are the Bike First Friday events. Every first Friday of each month a large group meets again at the Bell Tower to bike First Friday. Even walking around for First Friday is a great way to meet new people while taking in some great art from local artists. The local art + food scene in Raleigh are two of the best things about living here!

Hopefully this post will inspire you to read up more on the methods of alternative transportation the Triangle has to offer! My final offering is a great resource for all things transportation + trip planning: Go Triangle. Go there to find out how to get nearly anywhere in the Triangle with public transportation.