You don’t want to meet them in a dark alley. You don’t want to mess with their bikes. You don’t want to steal their parking spaces. The Seattle Prep Faculty biking community has taken to the streets. With nicknames such as Orangeflash, Bluesteel, and Stormin’ Norman, intimidation never looked so smart.
Many members of the Prep faculty prefer to ride their bikes to school. When asked why, the unanimous answers were exercise, fresh air, and it is a great way to jumpstart the morning! Although this seems like a hassle, it only takes the teachers an average of 23.8 minutes to get to school each morning. In addition to the enjoyment of exercise and fresh air, biking is a great way to save money. It takes an average of 25 cents per mile to operate a car, so if Mr. Olson (who has a daily commute of 3 miles) rode his bike to school every day for a month, he would save $15.00 in gas! That’s enough to buy five Starbucks Refreshers!
As well as having some pretty tricked-out bikes, the teachers also have professional-looking gear as well. Mr. Bond has a snazzy reflective jacket, Mr. “Stormin’ Norman” Hardy has a sharp-looking motorcycle helmet, and Mr. “Bluesteel” Mitchell and Mr. Butler have matching neon biking gloves (those of which are the envy of Mr. “Orangeflash” Richardson). The bikers also have various bike-accessories including bells, lights, rear-view mirrors, and duct tape.
Car driver’s road rage against bicyclists has been a long running conflict, but apparently the feeling does not go both ways. Most of the teachers like cars, or are indifferent. As Mr. Richardson likes to put it, “They are whatever”. The Prep Faculty bikers take a practical stance on sharing the road with cars. Mr. Hardy prevents encounters with cars by making sure he is visible and by following all of the rules of the road. Teachers like Mr. Mitchell steer clear of the bigger vehicles. “You can kill someone with a car. You can’t kill someone with a bike!” The scariest thing Mr. Mitchell has seen while riding his bike is Prep students driving down hills! The street is a dangerous place, and it’s a wonder these brave commuters make it to school every day without incident, although there have been some close calls. Mr. Bond has gotten attacked by a raccoon, and Mr. Butler has been accosted by a friendly German man with a thick accent who was determined to make conversation. Riding to school may seem like a monotonous experience, but the Seattle Prep bikers have all seen or experienced things that liven up their daily commute.
Teachers don’t necessarily need to be the only ones that ride their bikes to school; students are encouraged to ride in the morning as well. Although it may seem tedious to get up early in and exercise before your first period begins, studies show that kids who either ride their bikes or walk to school have an easier time concentrating in their classes. In a study, Neil Eglund, a Danish professor, says the reason we function better with morning exercise is because “We learn through our head and by moving. Something happens within the body when we move, and this allows us to be better equipped afterwards to work on the cognitive side.” Maybe this is why Mr. Mitchell is so smart!
So the next time you see a bicyclist on the side of the road, check to see if it is any of our legendary faculty on wheels and give them a little wave!