Although it sounds contradictory, the greater the number of people biking the safer the environment. 

This concept of "Safety in Numbers" is not new. It was first observed in 1949 by Rueben Smeed, a British statistician and transport researcher. Using auto traffic data from 20 different countries, he developed Smeed's law which states that an increase in traffic would lead to a decrease in fatalities per vehicle. Since his death in 1976, the data set has been increased and validated in 62 countries. 

The same inverse relationship has also been observed in biking and walking with data from 68 cities in California (Jacobsen). The researcher concluded a motorist is less likely to collide with a person walking and bicycling if more people walk or bicycle. How is this possible and how do different cities compare? 

Last night I attended the inaugural kick-off of Stories on the Move. Sponsored by the Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), the event was part whimsy, part inspiration and whole lot of fun. Over 50 people packed the house at Township bar on N.California Avenue in Logan Square, many of whom arrived via bike. 

A sort of two-wheeled version of NPR's Moth Radio Hour, the event included invited speakers as well as several brave individuals from the audience who shared their personal bike experiences. The stories were amazing and entertaining. You couldn't make up the adventures they shared. 

It was 0 degrees during the ride this past Monday morning and again today. Add in the wind chill and it felt like -15 below zero. Perhaps I spoke too soon last week when I said You Don't Have to be Fearless to Bike Commute. 

People are always amazed when they learn I ride in this type of weather. Usually they say "you are brave" and act as if it's some great feat. (Or maybe some other, unspoken adjectives come to their mind.) For me, it's how I get to work. And while it is challenging, there are actually some unexpected pleasures to bike commuting in the winter.

Over half of Americans (ages 18 and over) would like to bicycle more often and perceive bicycling as a convenient mode of transportation. While safety is still a primary concern, more Americans are biking to work with over 800,000 bike commuters in 2013 alone. (US Census Bureau). That number has grown steadily over the past 10 years as cities improve biking infrastructure and road-safety policies. In Chicago the number of bike commuters increased 175% from 2000-2013 (American Community Survey) with even greater growth in many US Cities. 

As we start a new year, now is the time to consider how you can join the growing numbers of people who bike to work or use the bicycle as a form of transportation. Here are five easy steps to help you start bike commuting.