Steve Weeks Goes Green to Get Around
by Joanna Brown
(This article first appeared in the CDS Review Sept/Oct 06 edition and is reprinted with permission)
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat nor gloom of night stays Dr. Steve Weeks from the swift completion of his daily commute*. Regardless of the forecast, Dr. Weeks uses a combination of bicycle and train travel to get from his Mundelein home to his office at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry (nearly 90 miles round trip) daily.
“It’s really not that big a deal,” said Dr. Weeks, a clinical assistant professor who sees many benefits in his unconventional commute. “It’s a habit, and it’s one that I look forward to indulging it. I believe bicycles are a good way to get around.”
Dr. Weeks took up the cycling habit – one step toward an overall healthier lifestyle – five years ago, shortly after a milestone birthday. But there were also monetary motivations for the change. Biking to and from the train station enable Dr. Weeks to avoid the suburban parking fee, bus fare and the rising price of gasoline.
Beyond those benefits, however, Dr. Weeks is proud of his efforts to protect the environment. Biking to and from public transportation reduces his consumption of scarce resources, his contribution to air pollution and its effects on global warming, and his role in roadway and parking congestion.
“I also have two cars and a wife and two kids, and we live in the suburbs; there are times when you need to put the whole family in the car and go somewhere,” Dr. Weeks admitted. “But there is obesity; and the decreased availability of gasoline, and the greenhouse effect and all kinds of environmental problems festering around us, and I believe that bicycling is one answer to those problems.”
Outside of his commute, Dr. Weeks does the best he can. His family tries to combine trips whenever possible to minimize their gasoline consumption and the environmental effects of their car’s emissions. He’s considering a trailer for his bike to carry groceries and other parcels.
The City of Chicago’s Bike 2015 Plan calls for 5 percent of all trips of less than 5 miles to be made on bicycles and a 50 percent reduction in the number of bicycle accidents over the next nine years. Dr. Weeks’ experience demonstrates that it’s a feasible goal.
“Since I’ve been commuting with the bike I’ve found extra things I can use my bike for during the day. I can ride to Starbucks’ mid-day, which is faster than walking. I can really go anywhere – anywhere downtown is within striking distance form Metra, and I don’t have to pay for parking or gas. It’s really liberating.”
Dr. Weeks uses a folding bike for these adventures. Models vary, but the concept is simple: the frame folds in half, the seat and handle bars drop down, and the resulting knot is compact enough to fit in a tote bag. In such a bag, folding bikes are allowed on all Metra trains at all times (they are considered luggage).
“I’ve checked my bike – folded up, in its bag – at the coat check at the Midwinter Meeting,” Dr. Weeks said. “Wherever I go, I can always take it inside with me and leave it in a corner of the room.”
The weather is never a problem. A motorcycle rider as a younger man, Dr. Weeks knows exactly what kind of equipment he’ll need to get through each of Chicago’s seasons.
“Ever since (former Chicago mayor) Mike Bilandic had that problem years ago, the city’s streets are always very well plowed,” Dr. Weeks said.
*With apologies to Herodotus and the New York City Post Office.
Steve Weeks is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry and rides bikes as they fit well into his scheme for reducing his personal carbon footprint.