The daily commute to work can be a drag. Pouring dollar after dollar into the gas tank only to idle through a snarled traffic maze and face the same predicament on the return trip home can wear on a person. Saving on gas money and avoiding traffic jams are two of the reasons many people bike to work instead.

May is National Bike Month and last week commuters across the country participated in Bike to Work Week, an annual event promoted by the League of American Bicyclists that encourages commuters to try biking to work. Mayor Michael Nutter and other bicyclists rode through the streets of Philadelphia beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 15 to celebrate National Bike to Work Day.

Upcoming National Bike Month events include a Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 20. Starting at the steps of the Art Museum at 6:45 p.m., the seven-mile, police-escorted ride through Center City is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 miles per hour and remain silent during the ride. According to the website of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, “the ride aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.” For more information on the Ride of Silence and other bicyclist events in the area, go to http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/events/bikemonth.

Also coming up in Philadelphia on Wednesday, May 27 is a commuter race staged by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. Three commuters: a bicyclist, a car driver and a transit rider, will race to determine who arrives first to a destination in Philadelphia when commuting four miles or less.

While the speed of a bike may be a motivation for some bike commuters, avoiding parking fees and gas prices are motivations for others. Giving up a car altogether could save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars each year on car payments, insurance, licensing, registration, gas, parking, maintenance and repairs. The environmental impacts are lower, as you aren’t burning oil or gas when you ride a bike and fewer resources are needed to maintain bike paths than to maintain roadways. In addition, biking will help you burn calories and work on your muscle tone, and it’s a convenient way to squeeze in your daily workout. Working out becomes apart of your daily routine as it is a necessary function, rather than something you must motivate yourself to do.

For commuters who live a considerable distance from their places of work, public transportation can assist. SEPTA passengers can attach up to two bicycles to the front of most busses, as well as bring them inside cars on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Subway lines during weekends, holidays and off-peak weekday hours. For more information, including tips for loading and unloading a bike onto a SEPTA bus, go to septa.org/service/bike_ride.html.

While biking to work has many benefits, few daily commuters are on board. According to the United States Census, in 1990 .41 percent of journeys to work were by bicycle and in 2000 the number dropped slightly to .38 percent. However, the American Community Survey, a nationwide survey by the Census Bureau designed to provide communities a fresh look at how they are changing, found the number rose slightly to .5 percent in 2007.

If you’re interested in biking to work, you’ll need to make a few investments. First, get yourself a bike. You can use an old beater or invest in something top-notch. A ten-speed road bike, a single-speed cruiser or a 21-speed mountain bike, whatever you choose will most likely cost much, much, much less than a car. Next, buy a helmet. Make sure it fits correctly. You’ll also need a lock and you may want a bike rack for attaching your belongings to the back. Look at a map and plan your commute ahead of time. Decide how you’ll freshen up when you arrive at work. Can you wear your work clothes on your commute? Should you leave a change of clothes at the office or should you pack them with you every day? Figure out the details ahead of time so you won’t be left wearing a sweaty shirt and sneakers in the office.

Also, look into the bike laws for your area. For Pennsylvania bike laws, go to http://www.dot.state.pa.us/BIKE/WEB/bikelaws.htm. For bike laws in New Jersey, go to http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/regulations.shtm.