Bike up and be counted! F5 Bike to Work Day is a great time to encourage your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to give bicycling a try. They might be nervous, worried they can’t find a route or concerned that it’s too hard. By giving a helping hand, you can smooth a newbie’s nerves and open the door to new possibilities. Don’t believe me? Read on:

I had never ridden my bike to work before bike-to-work day last year. In fact, I didn’t even know how I was going to get from my house [in Bellevue] to my job [in Seattle]. However, I belong to Team Survivor Northwest, an exercise group for woman cancer survivors, and the TSNW program manager, sent us all an inspiring e-mail the day before bike-to-work day last year. She described her own fear and doubts the first time she tried biking to work. She mentioned the kiosks that are available on bike-to-work day so I looked it up and found there was one not too far from my home.

So last May 15th I got on my bike and rode to that kiosk hoping they would be able to tell me the best way to get to my work. The first person I talked to gave me a great map but didn’t seem to know the best route. But while I was getting my tires pumped and my seat adjusted by the bike maintenance volunteer I asked if he had ideas. He opened up the map I was given and described a fantastic route. It took me nearly two hours to get to work that first day, with all the stops to check the map, but you’d think I’d won the Tour de France by the smile of triumph on my face when I finally arrived at work that morning!

–Catherine S., Bellevue

Who knows how many of use are out there commuting by bike thanks to someone’s encouragement? You, your words and your support could be just the thing that tips the balance in helping someone give it a try.