the city of Oakland has always been a great supporter of cycling. through the City’s Bicycle Master Plan, that was implemented in 2007, Oakland is continuously working on making itself one of the bike friendliest cities in the nation by providing bike paths, bike racks, classes, and through encouraging people to take up bicycling as a means of transportation and recreation. i can’t say that i always feel comfortable on the road, there are worse street conditions here than i experienced in sf, something i see Oakland working on daily and happy to know that someday the roads i ride here will be like the yellow brick road to oz. i know many cyclist out there are trying to get involved in ways to help their city become a bike friendly city, one way i try to support my city is through promotion of events, joining the cities bike coalition, and volunteering. the point is that the long term effectiveness and sustainability of a system is dependent on it’s community. as long as you want to see your city become a bike friendly city, you have to be involved and keep it pedaling. perhaps not everyone is all about volunteer work but even just getting on a bike is a bold statement. i also encourage ways to inspire your friends to get on a bike by taking them for a recreational ride, show them how fun and easy it is, you’ll never know how a bike can change the life of a friend and city.