CARBONDALE - Katherine Poulos has been trying to spend more time on her bike and less time in her car. Poulos has all the right gear: a good bicycle, a snazzy helmet and solid understanding of the rules of the road. She even has a little attachable trailer that allows her to take care of her errands with greater ease.

"I think most drivers assume I have a baby back there," Poulos said. "Maybe that is why cars give me a lot of room when they pass."

Poulos said she is trying to decide if she will continue her biking streak as a way to get to work. Depending on the available routes and traffic congestion, she may use her own leg power instead of horsepower to make the daily commute.

May is national Bike to Work Month and the week of May 16 to 20 has been declared Bike to Work Week in numerous communities across the country.

In Carbondale, the third annual Bike to Work Day will take place on Friday and a lunch will be held at the Town Square Pavilion to recognize the person who traveled the furthest on his or her bicycle that day.

Near the corner of Illinois Avenue and Walnut Street is a trio of bike shops. Inside Carbondale Cycle, 303 S. Illinois Ave., manager Choak Somkroot worked on a blue road bike. Somkroot explained the bicycle belongs to a man from Chester, who must bring it to Carbondale to get serviced.

"We could become more bike friendly in Southern Illinois," he said. "It's not too bad in Carbondale, but outside the city, it is worse."

Somkroot said he is pleased the city is making

efforts to place bicycle paths on new and expanded roadways.

There are two pending bills in the Illinois legislature that have the potential of creating better biking conditions across the state.

A bill, which has already passed the senate, would change the public policy of the Illinois Department of Transportation to better accommodate all highway users, including bicyclists, those in wheelchairs and pedestrians.

Another bill unanimously passed by the House would require Metra, a Chicagoland commuter rail service, to allow bicycles onto its trains at least during non-rush hours and weekends.

However, a third piece of legislation that has been supported by cycling groups in the state was stopped in its tracks.

House Bill 2390, was defeated in the Senate Local Government committee, after it had previously squeaked by in the House 60-55.

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, said Illinois is the only state that has a disincentive for creating bike lanes.

The controversy started in 1992 when Jon Boub was riding his bike in DuPage County. Boub crashed on a one-lane bridge when one of his wheels got stuck in a gap on the wooden bridge. Boub was injured and sued Wayne Township, the agency responsible for repairing the bridge.

The case was in court for six years and finally made its way to the Illinois Supreme Court, which split 4-3. The majority disregarded the Illinois Rules of the Road, which clearly states: "On most roadways, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other roadway users."

The "Boub" Bill would have restored some liability protection for bicyclists on Illinois' local roads and remove a disincentive that has stopped many towns and counties from adding bike lanes and routes.

Barsotti said his group thought this would be the year the bill would pass. But until similar legislation is approved, Barsotti is working on other ways to protect both motorists and cyclists. His organization, LIB, wants to create a drivers education video on how to share the road.

"The secretary of state is on board if we can get the $20,000 to created the better bike safety program," he said. "With the rise in gas prices and the health problems facing our country, I am confident that bicycles will become a popular choice. Now we just need to make sure we have safe places to ride."

nicole.sack@thesouthern.com

618-529-5454 x 5816