Riding a bike to get to class

I ride my red beach cruiser bicycle 2.5 miles to class Monday through Wednesday. It's not as fast as the other lightweight or gear-shifting bikes, but it gets me there. During my first semester at CSULB, I bought a $135 parking pass, but found myself parking on Bellflower Boulevard because there were never available parking spaces. So, instead of raising my blood pressure, looking for parking, I decided to ride my bike.

Cal State Long Beach and the city of Long Beach are bike friendly. In fact, the city of Long Beach is trying to make Long Beach the most bike friendly city in America. CSULB has one bicycle club called the CSULB Cyclists who meet at USU 205 every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. They also have a facebook page. The club promotes "cycling as a fun, valued and sustainable transportation choice on and off campus through community, advocacy, and education," according to the CSULB Cyclists' website.

Travis Bos, a co-founder of the CSULB Cyclists, lives in downtown Long Beach and takes a ten mile commute to and from school. He expressed some of his rules-of-thumb: "I always wear a helmet while pedaling about, [I] use lights when it's dark [and] I use a u-lock to secure my frame and rear wheel to a bike rack."

There are many bike rules, but knowing a few essential ones will help correct simple on-the-road errors. More importantly drivers appreciate a confident and predictable bike rider.

This gentlemen rides his bike in the middle of the lane:

He does not swerve in between parked cars, entering in and out of traffic

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Opening car doors cannot reach him

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Cars cannot squeeze him off the road by trying to pass him in his lane

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"Cars have as much right to the roads as I do. [I] just wish motor vehicle drivers were more informed when it comes to the rights and responsibilities of cyclists. I've had a handful of close calls with motor vehicle run-ins, mostly because the motorist wasn't paying attention to traffic signals/signage or was unwilling to accept my presence on the road," Bos said.

Riding the bus to get to class

I had my bike and my identification card ready when the Passport bus arrived. "Let's go," the bus driver yelled at the woman and I getting on the bus. Cal State University students take the Passport bus for free as long as they have their student identification card. Passport D is the bus that goes to Cal State University Long Beach. It stops every thirty minutes at the "Passport A & D" bus stops. The logo can be found on the bus stop sign, which may be located on the front or back of the post. Students also use the Long Beach transit buses to get to school. These buses cost $1.25 one way. There are many different reasons students choose the bus system, but the main reason is not having a car. Additionally, some students live far away and don't want to pay the gas money or deal with the wear and tear of the long drive; some students live so close to campus it is faster to take the bus than walk across several parking lots; and some students don't want to bother searching for a parking space in their own vehicle.
"Since it's been free, I've noticed more people using the bus," international biology graduate student Mario Espinoza said. "My only complaint is that there are less buses after 6 p.m. and even less after 9 p.m."
The Passport bus seats 23 people and can hold eight standing people. The Long Beach Transit bus holds more.
"It's usually half full, noisy and upbeat with friends talking to each other, people on the phone, and people talking with other people," said Jessica Nelson, 20, while waiting for the bus to take her to work. She transfers from the Passport bus to the Long Beach Transit bus at the Language Arts 1 building. Visit www.lbtransit.com for routes and schedule information. Once on the bus, grab a "route and schedule" booklet to keep in your backpack. Hit the Passport's "stop" button to get off the bus and into class.

Take the highway/freeway to get to class

California State University, Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840
USA
CSULB Maps, Parking and Traffic Information

Campus Directory(Click to enlarge)
Bellflower Boulevard and the main entrance are on the left. The visiting information center is a drive through. It will be in the far right lane on Beach Drive.

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Freeways to CSULB

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From Pacific Coast Highway heading South
Take PCH to Bellflower Boulevard. Make a left. Next, turn right on Beach Drive. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.

From Pacific Coast Highway heading North
Take PCH to Bellflower Boulevard. Make a right. Next, turn right on Beach Drive. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.

From the 405 heading South
Take the 405 to Bellflower Boulevard. Exit Bellflower (South). Get into the left turn lane. Turn left onto Los Coyotes Diagonal. The first right is Bellflower Boulevard. Next, make a left onto Beach Drive. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.

From the 405 heading North
Take the 405 to Bellflower Boulevard. Make a left on Beach Boulevard. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.

From the 22 heading West
Take the 22 and merge onto the 405. Take the 405 to Bellflower Boulevard. Make a left on Beach Boulevard. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.

From the 605 heading South
Take the 605 and merge onto 7th Street (North). Make a right onto Bellflower Boulevaard. Make a right on Beach Boulevard. The visitor information center will be on the right hand side.