The photos attached are photos of my best/favorite bike. I recently acquired this bike from a man on Craigslist selling it for $70. However, I was hesitant to buy this bike because Craigslist can be sketchy sometimes but when I told the man I wasn’t sure I was going to buy it, he lowered the price to $60 and I knew I couldn’t resist that offer. Though used and not in great shape, this bike is my favorite bike. I think it’s because bikes I’ve had in the past were usually one’s my family has had forever and they weren’t that cool, but this one I acquired all by myself and it’s 100% mine. Also, I bought that gray crate from Target and zip-tied it on the back so I can go on errand runs and not have to worry about carrying any bags. I haven’t been able to go on many bike rides lately because it won’t stop raining but I’m excited for all the adventures I’ll get to have in the future. Overall, this is my favorite/best bike and I really hope it never gets stolen.

The use of evidence in arguments about bike helmets was evident in each of the videos, however, I felt the strongest use of evidence was in Fred Rivara’s Tedx Talk. He began by displaying a visual triangle chart and explaining that almost 800 people every year die from bicycling, 31,000 visit hospitals from bicycling, and over 500,000 visit emergency rooms from bicycling. Already, Fred is providing the audience with crucial evidence and even instilling a little bit of fear into listeners. He then goes on discussing a graph that shows 1/3 of emergency room visits from bicycling are due to head injuries, 2/3 of hospitalization visits are due to head injuries and ¾ that result in death are due to head injuries. These statistics are already demonstrating how important and necessary helmets are to bicyclists and Fred has yet to even discuss them. As he moves into talking about helmets, he explains how a series of studies were done through the Journal of American Medical Association and UW School of Medicine that demonstrated helmets effectiveness. The studies showed that helmets prevented 85% of head injuries and 88% of brain injuries. Fred used very informative evidence in his Ted talk as well as visual aids and it without a doubt enhanced his argument regarding the importance of bike helmets.

Overall, I am pretty satisfied with my performance in my S1 presentation. One thing I think I did well was having PowerPoint slides with mostly images that coordinated themselves with what I was saying. I think having visual components in a presentation is very important because it’s easier for people to follow along, it makes getting your point across more clear, and overall it makes presentations less boring. One thing I would’ve liked to do better is read less from my notes. Though I practiced many, many times, one I got up there in front of the class, I felt like my knowledge on the subject decreased which made me feel like I needed my notes more. I do feel I conveyed the information to the audience successfully and made the impact I wanted to make. I do think my delivery could’ve been better. Even though I think I covered up my intense nervousness pretty well, I still think I could’ve been more confident. I do think that this presentation helped me learn about credibility and helped me identify things that makes someone credible. This presentation has definitely helped me learn more about the ethics of public speaking. In the future, I think I will practice saying my speech in front of others more because it gives you a different sense rather than practicing alone. The few times I was able to present my speech in front of my friends, it was extremely helpful, I just wish I would’ve done it a few more times and with different people.

Outline:

1. San Francisco Bicycle theft facts
   1. 4 million dollars’ worth of bikes are stolen in San Francisco each year
   2. 1 bike is stolen every 3 hours in San Francisco
2. Things you can do to prevent bicycle theft:
   1. Actually locking your bike
   2. Invest in a good lock
   3. Locking it using a proper method
      1. Discuss method advocated by Sheldon Brown
   4. Park your bike next to a nicer bike
   5. Personalize your bike
   6. Parking in a visible spot
   7. Mindful where you lock up
3. Things you can do if you get your bike stolen:
   1. File a police report
   2. Register to BikeIndex.org
   3. Post to Craigslist
   4. Check flea markets, second hand stores
   5. Insurance claim
   6. Spread the word
4. Conclusion sentence

Write-Out:

According to an article from ABC News posted in 2016, approximately 4 million dollars’ worth of bikes are stolen in San Francisco each year.

The article also stated that 1 bike is stolen every 3 hours in San Francisco and many of them are never recovered because they’re being take apart quickly and the parts are being sold.

Though bicycle theft is a big issue in this city, I’m going to talk about some things you can do to prevent your bike from being stolen and what to do if your bike does get stolen.

So to prevent your bike from being stolen, one of the most important things you can do is actually locking your bike. Many people tend to trust the world too much and think they can leave their bike outside a store if you’re just going in for a second or just forget to lock their bike in general, regardless it’s very important to always lock up your bike if your separating from it out in the world.

Invest in a good lock. As we know, cable locks are known for not being effective and being the easiest to cut. More commonly used are steel U-locks, which are a bit expensive but in the end, is less expensive than replacing an entire bike.

You should also lock your bike using a proper method. One popular method that was encouraged by a famous bicycle expert, Sheldon Brown, suggests locking just the back wheel to the bike rack, using a U-lock so that its positioned somewhere inside the back triangle of the frame. As seen in the photo.

This method is liked because it locks the back wheel and the frame, even though you’re technically not locking up the frame.

Though this is not the only way to lock your bike, it is a popular and useful method.

Another strategic move is parking your bike next to a nicer looking bike. Unfortunately, you will never be able to 100% secure your bicycle, but you can at least make your bike look less appealing to a potential thief.

You can also personalize your bike so that is becomes more recognizable. Its less likely for a thief to steal it and it if does get stolen, it will be easier for people or police to recognize it.

Parking in a visible spot is also important if your nearby to your bike. This is pretty self-explanatory but if someone tries to mess with your bike, you’ll be able to easily see and confront them.

Lastly, be mindful where you lock up. Stick with designated bike racks that are cemented in the ground opposed to headless parking meters, sign posts, or chain link fences.

If unfortunately, you follow all these guidelines and your bike still gets stolen, here are a few things you can do.

First, report the theft by filing out a police report with the bike’s serial number or photos you have. You may think it’s pointless but stolen bicycles are sometimes recovered to the police department and without any documentation they can’t be returned to their owners.

You can also register with BikeIndex.org which is the most widely used bicycle registration service in the world. According to their website, they, “ensure that law enforcement, bike shops, individuals, and everyone in between has the information they need to help reunite you with your bike.” It’s simple, secure, and free.

You can also post that your bike was stolen on Craigslist in the bikes section for possible information or tips.

You can check local flea markets, pawn-shops or other second-hand stores. Any place that sells used bicycles is a potential place your bike could’ve ended up.

There is also the option of filing an insurance claim. Sometimes stolen bicycles are included in home insurance policies so it doesn’t hurt to check.

Finally, be sure to spread the word to your friends, family, and followers on social media so that they can be on the lookout for your bike too.

So although bicycle theft is extremely common in San Francisco, and is sometimes inevitable, I hope hearing this information was useful and will benefit you all at some point in the future.

Sources:

https://bikeindex.org

http://www.welovecycling.com/wide/2015/11/20/first-steps-what-to-do-when-your-bike-gets-stolen/

http://www.complex.com/sports/2012/06/10-ways-to-prevent-your-bike-from-getting-stolen/

http://abc7news.com/news/san-francisco-police-target-bicycle-chop-shops/1471296/

Comment on rehearsals:

I chose to do voice memos of my rehearsals because I feel I am able to perform more naturally as opposed to video rehearsals. Through my experience, I found it took a lot of trial and error to be happy with my results but I also realized that if I mess up, it’s possible and okay to keep going and work with it.

• I have two ideas for the credibility assessment presentation. The first, could be investigating the credibility of Lucy Martin, who is a former pro cyclist and is discussing if it necessary for women to get a women-specific bike. The second option I could be investigating is the credibility on helmets and helmet laws. I read somewhere that the bicycle helmet law was defeated in Denmark because “the overwhelming evidence is that enforced helmet laws lead to very much less cycling, particularly for utility journeys and amongst young people.” I’m not sure if I could easily apply one of the credibility concepts here but I thought it was an interesting topic. The credibility of both options could be looked into further but I feel investigating the credibility of a human may have more to work with.
• For an idea based on my own personal interests, one option could be investigating bicycle thievery. I read from an article online that the San Francisco Police Department estimates that 90% of bike thieves are drug addicts, and bicycles are considered a form of street currency. I researched further and I found a very interesting story https://www.outsideonline.com/1922671/who-pinched-my-ride?page=all The man who got his bike stolen here in San Francisco went on a full investigation by himself really and I thought the story and the conclusions he came to were very interesting. Another possibly topic could be looking into the world of walking your dog alongside bike riding. I don’t know how much information is out there on this topic or what there really is to work with but I find both things very interesting.
• Lastly, for an idea based on my academic or professional interests, I thought further researching bicycle safety could be interesting and marketing efforts that encourage helmet wear. Or, I also found an article discussing an app called Biko. It originated in Colombia but the app works by logging every kilometer that you walk, jog, or cycle and then a point in collected. And depending on how many points you have, you then choose the offer or promotion you want from local businesses. Biko’s mission is to encourage urban cycling by offering users rewards for their physical activity. I’m not sure how exactly I can relate that with my academic or professional interests but it’s definitely worth exploring.