Tourists on bikes delay ferry commutes. Tourists to San Francisco, many of them from overseas, rent bicycles from several locations in The City. They ride their bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, then catch the ferry back to the city.

Because of unprecented bike use, though, the offloading tourists with bikes are delaying ferry service for commuters. From the Marin Independent Journal:

For the past month, weekdays have also become prime time for bikers. While there are fewer problems mid-day, that changes during the evening commute run when Southern Marin residents who work in San Francisco are looking to hop on the ferry to go home.

As dozens and dozens of bikes are loaded in Sausalito, then unloaded in San Francisco, commuters wait and wait.

We have never seen it this busy,” said co-owner Elena Sears, a Marin resident, who has run the San Francisco business with her husband for 20 years. They rent the bikes for about $7 an hour. “We are seeing a lot of Europeans. The dollar is weak, the euro is strong. This is a beautiful area to bike.”

Read more.

The San Francisco Bicycle Film Festival started yesterday. It continues through Saturday. Visit the Bicycle Film Festival site for schedule, locations, and other details. More Bay Area news below…

About 100 San Francisco Bicycle Coalition members held a rally on Monday at city hall, demanding activity on the court-mandated environmental review process. The SF City bike plan was stalled when Judge James Warren ruled that it must go through the same environmental impact reviews required of other transportation projects, but the perception of many cyclists is that the City has not put any priority on doing the work necessary to advance the project. More at KTVU and the Chronicle.

A car free Market Street?

Supervisor Chris Daly asked the city attorney to draft legislation to permanently ban cars on Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and the Embarcadero, an idea that has been floated by various city leaders, including former Mayor Willie Brown, for more than a decade.

Daly said discussion of a proposal by Mayor Gavin Newsom to close portions of city streets, including a large stretch of the Embarcadero, on two Sundays this year prompted his action.

“It’s the city’s grand boulevard,” Daly said. “Why don’t we go for the gold?”

Sunday Streets is a proposal to close 4½ miles of streets San Francisco to motor vehicle traffic and open them up to physical activity and play. Some city supervisors, however, have introduced legislation that would require an economic and traffic study before streets can be closed, in addition to approval from the Board of Supervisors.

San Jose says they’ll extend Los Gatos Creek Trail to connect Campbell and Los Campbell with downtown San Jose. Currently, the Los Gatos Creek trail stops at Meridian Avenue in San Jose. There’s also a small half mile stretch of trail along Los Gatos Creek underneath I-280 and at Azurais Street. There are no plans to connect these two discontiguous stretches of the Los Gatos Creek Trail.

The next San Jose Bike Party: August 15. The theme: Lord of the Flies. The last ride got a little bit of attention from the San Jose Police. More participation in the San Jose Bike Party means more attention and some growing pains. The organizers, for example, are talking about how to limit the involvement of belligerent drunks on the ride.

Other bicycle news

You’ve probably seen this story: Political columnist Robert Novak, known for his aggressive driving in DC, runs a red light and hits a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The pedestrian goes up and over the hood into Novak’s windshield before sliding off, according to witnesses. Novak zooms off, making this a hit and run. Attorney David Bono was biking to work when he saw this hit and run and chased Novak down. Bono called 911 and blocked Novak’s car. Bono’s a hero.

Bay Area FolderFest. Saturday July 12, 11am. Ferry Building in San Francisco. Come join the first annual Bay Area FolderFest, a celebration of folding bikes. This is for folding bike lovers who want to meet and check out folding bikes. FolderFest will then ride over to Crissy Field, have a picnic, and have some folder fun, games, and contests. Folders will then ride around the Presidio or over the Golden Gate Bridge. Cost is free — just bring your own picnic lunch. For more info, contact Alan at 650-726-4909

Tune in to KALW radio 91.7 FM at 11:00 am TODAY (Tuesday) for Your Call, and join a chat about bicycling in San Francisco. Featuring Leah Shahum (SF Bicycle Coalition), Bert Hill (SF Bicycle Advisory Committee), and Dave Snyder (SF Planning and Urban Research). It’s a call-in show, so call your smart talk to host Rose Aguilar at 415/841-4134.

SF Chron Sunday Style section: Commuters ditching cars for bikes, foot power includes several paragraphs on cycling fashionably.

Graduate student Lisa Foster refuses to let the peddling keep her from wearing her pumps. “I really think bikes are made for people who wear heels,” she said. “You don’t have to walk in them. It’s so much better.”

Judy B. (her full, legal name), lives in the Fillmore and commutes to her job as a legal assistant in the Financial District. “Short tight skirts are easier to wear,” she says. “Sometimes I wear bike shorts or leggings or tights under them. Knee-length skirts blow up and catch the wind like a sail, depending on the weather.”

Product Manager Cheryl Brinkman tucks her skirt into a band of elastic that she wraps around one thigh, a homemade garter belt solution, as it were. And, she said, “I always have a small binder clip in my handbag, as well, to keep wrap skirts or dresses closed while pedaling.”

Via Soma Fabrications, because the article features a photo of Ms. Brinkman riding a sweet Soma Mixte bicycle. My wife has the same Basil panniers, too. Sanfranciscoize the planet 🙂