After the streets of Bowling Green emptied due to the end of finals and the departure of students, National Bike month gave them a reason to fill up again – with bikes.

Friday, May 15 was Bowling Green’s bike-or-walk-to-work day, which is part of National Bike month. The League of American Bicyclists started bike-to-work day in 1956 on the third Friday of May, according to their Web site. They wanted to create a new healthy and safe alternative to driving for commuters.

Part of bike-to-work day in Bowling Green involved Grounds for Thought cafe giving free coffee and doughnuts to people who commuted to work on Friday via bike or foot.

Nick Wray, a worker at Grounds for Thought, said there were various people in the cafe throughout the day for the promotion. But he said he thinks most of them already bike or walk, and did not ditch the car just for the free coffee and donuts.

‘The people in here [for the promotion] were people that probably walk or bike to work every day,’ Wray said.

Grounds for Thought has been doing this promotion for many years, Wray said.

‘I think it’s a good idea for the obvious reasons, just being healthier and being better for the environment,’ he said.

According to Thomas Vanden Eynden, a Bicycle Safety Commission member, biking to work 50 percent of the time can burn up to 60,000 more calories and save $1,200 in automobile transportation expenses every year.

‘I think it’s just in general a smart thing to do,’ Wray said.