Question of the Week: Why are you or aren’t you biking to work?
Posted on May 12th, 2008 - 10:29 AMEach week we ask a question related to the environment. Please let us know your thoughts as comments. Feel free to respond to earlier comments or post new ideas. Previous questions.
To bike or not to bike - that is the question… It’s National Bike Week! Biking is healthy, it prevents air pollution, and it can even save you money (filled your tank recently?). So why aren’t you biking to work? Need more bike paths? Different policies from your employer? Government sponsorship or policies? Or are you just a couch potato?
Why are you or aren’t you biking to work?
If you ARE biking, tell us about your route and experiences!
Follow-up: Summary of the comments submitted for this blog entry.
Related: How far do you live from where you work or play? Why?
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Question of the Week
May 12th, 2008 at 11:38 am
In the summer I bike the six miles to work along the Mississippi River from St. Paul to the University of Minnesota. In the winter and for much of the year I am not able to bike because time and the weather are factors. Still we need more bike paths, government sponsorships, etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I live and work in the Baltimore metropolitan area, and would love to bike to work. However, I live 40 miles from my job! I also suffer from a lack of a good inter-county public transportation system in my area.
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May 12th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I live near downtown DC and I’m lucky my federal agency offers a big bike room and shower & changing facilities for people who want to bike to work. Not all federal agencies do, however. My friend who works at FCC says she’d bike to work if she could shower off, but agency management says they can’t spend money on showers or locker rooms for employees because it’s not in the agency mandate.
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May 12th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I don’t bike to work because I walk to work. (Actually the train does the 30 miles in the middle.) Also because my tires still need to be inflated for the spring and it’s a lot of work with a hand pump, and ‘cos I broke my toe and can’t ride my bike yet anyway. But commuting by bike is a fantastic idea.
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May 12th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I work for a local government outside of Tampa and live six miles from work. Normally I try to bike twice a week year-round (thank you Florida sunshine). These last two weeks I’ve tossed the cover on the car and biked every day!
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May 12th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Do you have any idea how much energy I expend just getting out of bed? I would expend more energy riding my bi-cycle for 40 miles, so I want to conserve my energy!!! Its all about conserving my energy. :)
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May 12th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I do not bike to work because I take children to daycare first and then go to work. It would be too hard and too dangerous to bike with them during the morning and evening commutes. On the other hand, I would seriously consider doing it during nice weather if there were bike routes.
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May 12th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I live close to work and occasionally bike but the risk imposed by heavy car traffic and the weather (especially rain) tend to keep me out of the saddle.
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May 13th, 2008 at 1:44 am
I don’t bike to work because work is 22 miles from home. I’m trying to get a job closer to home - about 7 miles away, and then I’ll bike when I can. 14 miles round trip is much less daunting than 44.
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May 13th, 2008 at 7:52 am
I bike to carpool, I bike to mass transit, I bike to my sons school. Used to bike all the way to work (18 miles) then I had kids and I stopped for two reasons, first was time (it takes me longer to bike then to carpool)so its less time I spend biking with my kids at the local park. Second and biggest reason was I now have a slight fear factor of city traffic. This never bothered me before and but the kid effect makes me feel like I need to be more cautious now. My commute is still 0 personal emissions but I do miss the carefree/carfree days of biking all the way in, plus I could do without the extra ten lbs.
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May 13th, 2008 at 8:32 am
It is simply too far for me to bike.
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May 13th, 2008 at 9:08 am
There is no safe route to bike to work. People tend to ignore traffic laws so even crossing the street from one building to the next is very dangerous!!!
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May 13th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I think it is too dangerous to cross the GW parkway on my bike. I know there is a tunnel in crystal city but I live up near rt50 and that would take me pretty far out of my way.
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May 13th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I’m not too far from work, but a healthy fear of DC drivers’–particularly taxis–lack of respect for basic traffic conventions keeps me off the streets. Bike paths would certainly help, but I do walk several days a week, taking the bus the rest, when the weather permits. Better air quality would also make it more appealing.
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May 13th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Wishful biker: it’s really not too bad. I come down from western Arlington and then downriver from Rosslyn. There’s only one point where I cross the parkway to get up to the Memorial Bridge, and then another crossing of the offramp. In both cases, I rarely wait more than a few seconds for a large opening in traffic.
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May 13th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
When I lived inside the beltway, I biked in most days. I really enjoyed it (except for the longgggg ride up through Arlington Cemetery). Now I live 70 miles from DC, so that’s out of the question. I’m in a vanpool but it’s not the same. Oh well.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I live in Columbus, OH and my employer does not provide showers/locker rooms at work. This prevents a lot of people from biking to work.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I used to ride my bicycle everywhere in Arizona, but now I live 20 miles from work in rural Missouri. They have no shoulders on most of the roads here - only ditches next to the pavement - so it’s very dangerous to ride in most places.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
It is over ten miles, some of it through a very bad neighborhood.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I’d live to bike to work, but it’s way too far, and even if it wasn’t, it would be quite a dangerous ride.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I live in Maumelle, AR and work in Little Rock. My employer does not provide showers/locker rooms at our workplace and like many, this prevents me from biking to work. Also, I am main person in the family that drops off our child to daycare each morning.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I would absolutely love to bike to work!! However the route is along a highway feeder where, although the speed limit is 50 miles an hour, most people speed through!! I would be terrified. We have talked about a scooter though. :)
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
too far (24 mi one way) and too humid in Houston. not to mention the drivers here. i take my life into my own hands driving in a car! did invest in a Prius this year… hope that helps. it has helped w/the gas bill. even on mostly all hwy to work, i am averaging 46mpg
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I very much would like to bike to work, but I don’t yet because I have to dress business formal and both biking in a suit and dressing at work are solutions that don’t appeal to me much.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I would love to bike to work but my office is 21 miles from home, over the river and through the tunnel. Simply impossible time-wise and safety-wise. I use my bike for errands closer to home and going to the farmers market. I also telecommute from home once a week, so that allows me to reduce my carbon footprint a little.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I would love to but live 20 miles from work and have no access to showers once I arrive. In our hot humid climate that would be ugly! I do walk or ride a bike to errrands on the weekends.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I live 22 miles from where I work and live in south Florida. Because of the distance and heat, I am unable to bike to work. However, I bike and walk every where on the weekends.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I bike to work every once in awhile. I have to plan my bike riding for days when i don’t have a meeting or public encounters due to the fact that my office has no shower (and yes my co-workers just have to deal with my B-O). It took about a week for certain cars to get use to my bike on a certain small but busy road (nothing like early morning honking to wake you up). Also, when it comes to cold weather I am a sissie so I almost never ride during the winter.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
It is too far (25 miles each way) and there is no safe route. I also am a single mom to 2 young children and need to be able to get to their school quickly if they are sick. But I would love to be able to use an alternative form of transportation. Congrats to those of you who do bike to work!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I don’t ride to work because I walk to the commuter train station from home and walk from the station to my office at the other end. Also, in the summer I wear skirts and dresses (which are cooler than slacks) and as I have a boy’s bike I would have to change clothes at the end of the commute. I could ride my bike to the train and lock it up outside for 12 hours, but why risk its being stolen to save five minutes?
I do ride my bike around town to run errands, including light grocery shopping.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I live in Appleton, WI. I bike everyday I can or about 180 days a year. My commute is about ten miles each way. We have no lockers or showers at work. If you ride easy all you need is a washcloth, towel and a sink to get cleaned up. No need to change either unless you push hard. If the weather is bad I use a rain suit or ride the bus. Commuting by bike is a matter of desire and looking at how to achieve the goal, not how the obstacles can stop you.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
My round trip commute is 74 miles!
I would love to bike to work if it were an option.
I live in a rural community with no bike path but would love it if there were one nearby for recreational purposes!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I live too far - 14 miles away to be exact - from my work. With Miami traffic, it would be suicidal to bike that far. I’d really like ito be able to bike though - would make me feel like I get more of exercise in my day. I currently take the stairs up five flights at work, but that’s hardly enough. :)
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Don’t currently bike to work & it’s not because of the weather - no shower facility in our leased facility. Even if we had a shower facility, which employees could use, don’t necessarily wish to take a second shower within a few hours. Many employees are interested in biking, but we also don’t currently have a bike rack or storage area.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Unfortunately…I live way too far from work. I used to bike to work every day–and I miss that. We as a culture just do not support this. That is, we could–if we wished to–accommodate more persons’ being able to do this, IF we would just adopt some flexibility/get away from the SUPER-RIGID, must be at work in that one building from 8 to 5 M-F mentality. Even in these days of technology, we insist on this rigid format. (Sorry; venting.)
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I start riding every year during Bike to Work month and then get out of the habit as the summer goes along. Then by fall, I find that I get home in the dark. Part of my decision to ride is the support I get from co-workers. During Bike to Work month, we have teams, we get supportive emails, there are even prizes. I should ride more…and maybe this year I will keep doing it.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I live in Venice, CA and used to bike to work everyday when I worked in Santa Monica (just 3 miles from my job). There is a bike path along the beach and local roads that are safer to travel on. I have recently started a new job that is 20 miles away and involves traveling on major highways through downtown LA, CA. There is no way I can ride my bike now because of the distance and unsafe roads. Public transportation is not the best in LA either. I went from only using my car to move it to the other side of the street for street sweeping, to driving it everyday, in traffic, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I am looking into getting a hybrid!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I bike to work, when I know for sure it is not going to rain. It’s about 3.5 miles one way. Cars get annoyed. There are no bike lanes on the route i take to work. Also the road is crumbling where i ride.. it’s very dangerous.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I can’t bike to work. I am a newspaper editor, photographer and correspondant. I cover as many as 8 differendt event in one day and cover as many as 150 miles. There are no bike trails or safe rods to bike on and no regional transportation of any kind. they save those luxuries for the important areas of Lake County like Gary! I do drive a very fuel efficient vehicle and use bio fuel. i also route my trips to be as gas efficient as possible. I ‘m also a paperless office at least until you get the finished newspaper in your hands and then it is printed with water soluable ink on recylcled paper. It is the best I can do with the resources available.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Unfortunately I live too far from my work place…although I would love to ride my bike to and from home…it is just not feasible. Also my employer does not provide us with showers/lockers.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Ive been biking to work for 25 yrs-commute ranging from 20-35mi rnd trip including into the heart of downtown boston, 11 months of the yr. What stops most people: #1: they think they need a bike path,#2:they need a safe place to lock the bike #3 they worry about showers and clothes at work.lots of other excuses/reasons. id say fear of traffic is by far the biggest issue.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I am a year-round bike commuter, despite living in the northeast, the land of snow and ice. I live five miles from Providence, where I work. The roads have a good shoulder, and traffic is generally very courteous. However, offices and other public work places do not have facilities to house bikes, especially in inclement weather. If bike racks were routinely provided INDOORS, I am sure it would encourage more people to ride.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
In Fort Atkinson, WI, we have a bike path that goes about halfway through town. It could be expanded to the surrounding area (Jefferson, Whitewater, etc.) for recreational biking, but is convienent for local businesses if employees live in town. I started biking to work about two weeks ago. I only live two miles away.
The problem is, many people I work with commute from the Madison or Milwaukee area, and aren’t able to bike the 40-60+ miles. But, many do carpool.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I commute to work across two counties and several cities and towns. Its all highway and it takes 45 minutes to an hour going 70 mph. The commute by car takes away too much personal time. I can’t imagine how long it might take by bicycle. Plus, I don’t know what route I’d take. Its probably a country road and I might get run off it into corn fields. I also can’t figure out how I’d drop off kids at school or pick them up from daycare on my bicycle.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I know it’s vane but I really don’t like getting sweaty before and after work…and there is a huge hill between my house and work… if I could shower at work it might make a difference.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
WOW- A lot of people who have very good reasons not to bike to work. I would like to see more of us who do ride. I live in alexandria, va, and work in DC. My bike commute is about 20 miles each way, and I try to ride at least once a week, all year long. On cold days (below 25 degrees) which I love, I try to think about the hot days (over 80 degrees at 7:00 am, but at least its humid). When I don’t ride I drive to metro and take the train in, takes about an hour door-to-door. When I do ride its takes about 70-80 minutes door to door. I find that the days I ride are the most productive at work in the morning and the evening cince I feel so good for having ridden in, and in the afternoon, I have a nice ride to look forward to. Guess I’m just lucky!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I don’t ride my bike b/c I am about 36 miles from home. We could use some more bike paths and public trans that accomodates bikes.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I started walking to work when gas reached $3.25 per gallon. I arrive at work just before 6am, and these days (on the East coast) the early morning twilight is delightful. And the afternoon (5pm) hike is great too. It’s amazing how many things you can see, at 4 mph, that were never noticed before.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I live 42 miles from work. I do bike on occassion. I ride my Harley every chance I get. Unfortunately, my work requires me to leave my office and visit clients and it is not quite acceptable to arrive on a bike sometimes.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I can’t because I live 65 miles from work. But our company is pushing the green initiative and we will be installing more bike racks for those who do live close enough.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Well, have to meet my child’s bus & drive for 25 minutes. If there were affordable housing close to my work, (I work in a suburb, live in the country) I would love to be able to do this.
Our area definitely needs biketrails, etc. and a more environmental focus. I will work for this and help as I can. :)
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
It’s too dangerous. I live close to where I work but the only way to ride a bike (without adding 10 extra miles) is on a heavily traveled narrow two lane road. The morning commute would be before daybreak which would increase the chills and thrills.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I would love to bike to work, but there are no safe routes from the suburbs into the city. Until the fat-cats decide to stop throwing money at the trafic congestion problem, thus encouraging more driving, and put more money into alternative transportation, the bike commute option will not materialize for me. YeeHaa - when will it be drive your truck to work day? Oh-yeah, that’s every day in Texas!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I currently vanpool & have for almost 4 yrs. I would love to ride my bike but it’s about 76 miles round trip to work & back home. Within Pinal County (AZ) you have minimal bike routes as well as bike lanes. There is no public transportation. So it’s either carpool, drive yourself, or vanpool if your employer contributes financially as Pinal County does. More people would ride their bikes if it was safe to do so. But currently it’s taking your life in your hands. There is no safe place to leave your bike during the day. Hopefully one day our county will be bicycle oriented.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I live to far away around 50 miles one way from work. I live in Kansas and it would be to dangerous on the highway and the speed limit is 70 mph.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I live only 9 miles from the federal agency where I am employed. I would love to bike to work but can’t because of an unnecessary no later than 900 am arrival time rule (need to take son to school first).
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
No, I don’t bike to work, 25 miles one way, down I85 don’t think you can ride your bike on interstates. I would if I could because its much more safe than riding on the country roads where I live. Its dangerous out there. Drivers have no respect for you and in some cases try to run you off the road. We do have nice bike trails in our area however, which we may take advantage of and some of our roads have bike trails along the road, but that is in the city, not in the country although there are roads designated for biking, but still dangerous. So, I’m chicken. Biking is wonderful exercise its fun and its wonderful time with the family and or friends. Thanks.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I’m retired so don’t have to go to work. But, three years ago I
started riding a motor scooter around town and now ride a
motor cycle getting 62 MPG!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I do not bike to work because there is no safe road between my home and work… also, I am horribly out of shape and would probably die! Also, it would add 2 hours to my commute time.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I used to bike to work and it was fantastic… but we moved to the ‘burbs and now I live too far. Easy access to mass transit was THE factor in deciding our new home. I don’t understand how anyone can sit in an idling car - yuck.
Thank goodness for HOV lanes and the DC grassroots phenomenon: Slugging!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
1) I walk to Metro and take it in. I don’t use the car at all, except the mile to the Metro on really stormy days.
2) It’s really too far to practically bike every day.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I commute 40 miles to work at the moment because i do not live in the area.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I only live a mile and a half from work and would love to ride my bike to work, but I use my vehicle to call on customers.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I don’t bike to work because my office is in my home.
It would be too hard to maneuver around the furniture, through the tight turns, and down the narrow halls. :)
My previous job required a commute of 45 freeway miles each way, much to far to bike.
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I bike to work because it is the only exercise I get all day. It is 9 miles each way. I really miss it when I can’t ride. The only problem is that bikes are high maintenance items. I would like a bike which did not get as many flats, broken spokes, worn gears, chains etc. It costs me about 15 to 20 cents a mile in repairs!!!
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May 13th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I love the fact that I’m able to bike to work, in our winters, because to attempt it in the summer is suicide at 110* out side. Oh would love to come to work dripping wet.
But no matter how much I love it, the roads scare me, I’ve been pushed off the bike paths by motorists, had things thrown at me by kids in they’re trucks and have had someome in a car play bumper tag with my bike fender.
So until the roads are safe for all bikers, I am back to riding in my car.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I do not ride my bike to work because I have to take my child to Daycare that is 15 miles away from my house then drive another 15 miles to work. Almost all of the drive is highway and that would be risky plus I have to be at work at 7:30 am I think I would have to leave my house way to early!!!
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I bike/commute every day, no matter the weather, from Evanston to Chicago, a 26 miles round trip, year round. What started out as a way to work out and not cut into any work or family time has turned into a passion.
My old commute via the CTA was 45minutes at best and 2 on a bad day. I can now set the pace and find that I am nearly as fast as the best CTA time (shower included) @ 1 hour. I can’t imagine wasting my time waiting for the train or bus when I could be riding.
Chicago has a great bike locker/facility downtown and trials/roads to ride making the commute that much better.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I just started biking to work to show my fellow employees that it can be done. I live 19.2 miles away. The only problem is that my employer does not have shower facilties. I make arrangements with an adjacent business.
The ride is great. I have a lot less stress when get to work and alot less stress when I get home at night. For me, that alone makes the commute by bike worth the time and effort.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
You can come up with all the excuses you want….and that is what they are EXCUSES! I bike to work because it is fun. Endorfins are wonderful things. My route takes me around a one horse town, past the goose farm, across a US route, past several water hazards, around dead man’s curve, by the big dog, on the rails to trails bike path, past the club, through town, around the potholes, across the tracks and into the secret storage room.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I have a 90 mile commute round trip. I do ride a VanPool.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I bike commute 3 to 4 days a week using a bus - bike combination.
Although San Diego can be a nice place to ride, most of the roads outside the city are not set up for bicycle commuting. I need to put my bike on a bus to get near my office, not because of the distance, but because there is no safe way for me to cross to the freeway to the north side of Mission Valley from where I live and no way safely back up a realatively minor hill to get home because of the risk from high speed freeway traffic.
Fortunately all SD buses have bike racks and I put my bike on the bus and ride past the dangerous parts of my route and bike the rest. The total mileage is about 16 but only about 8 of it is actually ridable. My company has a trasnporation reimbursement plan so I get a monthly bus pass that is good for all busses and the trolley. It’s a good combination.
When I used to work in the city itself I rode both ways easily and it was 15 minutes faster than driving and $125 per month less than paying to park at the office.
More needs to be done to have safe routes that extend to more areas outside san Diego and other cities too.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I commute 50+ miles round trip.
SC summers are WAY too hot.
Traffic too dangerous. I travel Interstate to work.
Don’t own a bike.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I bike the 5 miles to work as often as the weather’s nice, which here in WI means April thru Oct, though the higher the cost of gas, the nicer the days seem to become (for biking, that is). It’d be nice to have more bike paths, but I’d settle for some decent shoulders to get away from traffic abit. Some drivers are considerate in those sections, some aren’t; always was, probably always will be.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
I would love to bike to work, but I have a disabled 2 year old I need to get to daycare and medical appointments (7+ a week). And I live up a very large hill (the Oakland hills) which there’s no way I could bike up! Those that can bike to work are very lucky.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I would love to bike to work, however I drop my son off at school before heading to work. I would love to bike, I’m not sure I’m physically up to it yet. However, if my sons school would have bike racks like they did when I was a kid. I would venture to bike to his school and then head to work. I do ride-share though!
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I live 50 miles away from where I work
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
NO, I am nopt a couch potato. Do not bike to work, because unfortunately, I am retired. As for biking I would love to, but I do not have a sense of balance, so hats off to all that ca.
Besides being green friendly, we are also watching our wallets, with the gas prices.
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May 13th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I live in Greenpoint Brooklyn. I don’t work, but I attend alot of community meetings. I wish I could bike there but I’m just not sure of my biking skills. Especially with all the new traffic. I wish there were more signage, more safety measures, more outreach. Perhaps even classes to make folks more comfortable about biking.
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May 13th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
I’m a fair weather fan and bike in to work many days of the year. I live in DC where there is access to some pretty good bike paths, but the roads are not very bike friendly. I zip down Rock Creek Parkway and LOVE passing cars stuck in traffic… SUCKAHS!
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May 13th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I dont ride my bike to work because I take my son to school on my way to work. Right now I dont feel comfortable having my son ride 2 miles on his own bike through city traffic, hes 8 and not quite ready yet. But things are going to change soon though! I’m currently looking for a nice used tandem so we can ride together.
I’m so tired of my car. Tired of the isolation most of all. I feel like I’m an active member of my community when I’m ridin!
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May 13th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I bike to work a few days each week about 8 miles one way when the weather is nice. Here in Greenville, SC, the weather is nice for most of the year, so it works out pretty well. I could say I do it for the environment, for my health, or too save money, but none of those reasons would be true. Those are nice byproducts of my commute, but the real reason I do it is because it is fun. I love riding my bike, but with family and work obligations my time to ride is limited. By replacing the time I would otherwise spend in a car, it is like I am getting free riding time for myself.
I hope that as gas prices continue to rise, we will start to see the average size of vehicles on the road gradually decline. Sharing the road with SUV drivers who are on the phone is one thing that I never had to contend with 20 years ago when I started commuting by bike.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I would love to ride my bike to work considering I live only a few miles from work in Sacramento, CA, but there is no safe bike path….and I don’t want to die.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
It would be great to bike to work, unfortunately I live over 40 miles from work.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I have been biking to work, most days, since 1993. Reviewing the many comments from those who do not bike to work makes be grateful for the fact that it is relatively easy for me to do so. I live a little over 5 miles from my Seattle EPA office. It is rarely too cold (as in icy) and never too hot or too humid. There are dedicated bike lanes most of the way. I have a secure place to park my bike and there are locker rooms and showers in the building. During rush hour, I can still get home faster on my bike than I could any other way, but if I don’t feel like riding all the way, the busses here have bike racks. So really, I have no excuse NOT to bike–though most of my similarly situated colleagues somehow manage to find one.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Unfortunately, no, I cannot ride to work as my southern locale continues to be subject to severe urban sprawl. It is common here to live in one of 3 towns/cities in this area and commute to another for work. Planners here have focused primarily on linking them by interstate. Each city has it’s own bus system. A light rail referendum failed 2 years ago, but perhaps it fair better now.
I am unaware of any planned expansion or enforced sharing of the local roads here to accommodate bicycles, although there are many bicycle clubs that ride regularly at great risk to life and limb.
And a big factor for families is the issue that many parents must take time off to handle planned and unplanned doctor visits, school appts, and other issues not permiting one to go without a car as there is generally no alternative or backup parent/grandparent readily available at the drop of a hat.
Until there has been a major mind and economic shift in my area we will not be able to fully enjoy the health and economic benefits of riding a bicycle to work. Thanks for asking.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I do not bike to work as it is on a high traffic route and there are no bike paths on which to ride. However, I do bike to my gym for my workout. We live in Florida and sometimes weather is a factor.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I live in rural Eastern Washington. My commute is 45 miles - way too far to bike. There is also no public transportation so I am stuck driving.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
We do not bike to work because we live on the 3rd floor and walk down to the office in the lowest level. We park our car two blocks away. So we are always on foot. If we bike, it is recreational.
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May 13th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I don’t bike because its unsafe. I’d be on the shoulder of a Hwy full of semitrucks going 65 mph. If there was a bike path, I’d bike to work.
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May 13th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I ride to work every day that it’s not snowy or icy. Here in the DC area that means I ride the bus maybe 5-10 days a year, the rest of the days I’m on my folding bike or folding electric bike. We have no showers at work but I just change and clean up in the restroom during our humid summer. My bike sits right next to my desk–best parking space of all! My commute takes me through a combination of residential streets, bike paths, and bike lanes. I also frequently ride my bike on the weekends for errands and social activities. The best part about it–it’s fun!
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May 13th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I ride my bike to year round. Once a year “Bike to Work Day/Week” are great for “TV news” a person really needs to plan, work out where to park, change clothes, etc… It’s a little tricker than riding to grade school and getting discouraged! I would highly recommend anyone who want try commuting to get some basic education, here is good link: Ten Tips for Safe & Enjoyable Bicycle Commuting” by Fred Oswald, LCI #947, PE . Give cycling a try, it takes a little more effort and some flexibility but it’s worth it!
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May 13th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
We live about 9 miles from town, that is not including the fact that it is highway and we can’t bike on the highway. I live in Rice, Minnesota and we are supposed to have a light rail system. If the government would speed up things it might even commercially boost the area a lot. I used to ride my bike everywhere when i lived in Chicago, but things have changed. So unless they give people an alternative then i don’t think much will change.
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May 13th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I don’t bike to work because my workplace has no covered place to park bicycles. (Our area gets a lot of rain, and I don’t want by bicycle to rust.) No bike trails between home and work, I don’t feel safe riding on the road with cars moving past me at 45 or 50 miles an hour.
I occasionally walk to work (around 3 miles, 50 minutes). Sidewalks most of the way, though the last quarter mile is on the grass off to the side of a busy highway, which is an irritation but not a showstopper. I’m trying to overcome laziness and walk more often.
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May 13th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I don’t bike to work, even though with some effort it’s possible, because I would be sweaty by the time I got there.
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May 13th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
We cannot bike as our office is 50 KM away from home.Even our work schedule is such that we cannot take our own time to bike and reach.
Its fact that there should be some economicl speeder bikes which equalizes with the speed of heavy vehicle to practice this.
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May 13th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I live 23 miles from work, and it’s a highway with no bike trail. I like to take my dog to work and train him at lunch on the beach or in the park. I do bike on a rural road during the summer, though, and it is a great feeling!
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May 13th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I’ve been bicycling to work, often in combination with transit, for more than 14 years. At first it was just more time effective; I lived in San Francisco where both transit and driving were slow. But my health improved, I’ve saved all kinds of money (gas, parking, insurance, etc.), and simply had much more fun! And now I even enjoy the satisfaction of not contributing to climate change. Try it.
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May 13th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I used to, but I don’t since I got hit by a car biking home from work. The driver was uninsured and gave me a fake phone number, so I ended up giving away what was left of the bike to someone to use for spare parts. Eventually I would like to buy another bike, but I don’t think I would ride during rush hour traffic - people drive too recklessly to make it worth it…
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:47 am
I bike as much as I can because NYC is a great place to ride. Its exhilarating to take your life into your own hands every day. You can read all about it at my blog; http://www.bikeblog.blogspot.com. I would probably bike less if the transit system wasn’t so crowded and inefficient, Gas wasn’t 4.00 a gallon and cab drivers knew where they were going, Biking in NYC makes a lot of sense. Their are big obstacles to overcome, but the more people that ride…the better we will make this city.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I am not biking to my work. The route to my office is not allowed for biking. The route to my office is one of the main road in Yangon. But I think it is too foolish to bar like this.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:40 am
I bike to work every day, about 3 miles each way. The California weather makes it easy. My wife and I chose to live close to work so I could ride. Housing costs are higher than they would be further away, but after you factor in the cost of buying a second car, paying for gas, insurance and maintenance, biking is a steal.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:25 am
I bike to work 24 miles round trip, along the waterfront of West Seattle, and then along the downtown waterfront. It’s a great ride in any weather. I just picked up cycling again, and I love it. I do think that if we want more bicycles on the road, we need to make the roads more friendly for bicycles. The age of roads designed for automobile traffic needs to give way to a more reasonable compromise of bicycle lanes, pedestrian paths, public mass transit, mixed with automobiles, especially in urban areas. I also think the prices ,for not just bicycles, but more importantly the accessories that help making biking safer, could be subsidized by the government to help encourage more adults to get back on their bikes.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:49 am
I would love to bike to work - unfortunately I drive 35 miles one-way, from the country to the city and am unable to.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:57 am
I never bike to my college, since it is nearly 30kms. But i enjoy biking when i am appointed in deputation to neighbouring colleges by the university. But any way in India long distance biking in highways is under higher risk.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I try to bike everyday even with my wife and sons and not just to work. Items that are unfriendly to cyclists include: road design, lack of law enforcement on speeding/reckless drivers, lack of bike parking facilities, lack of dedicated funding to facilitate the building and use of bike lanes and political attitudes. The state of MO has chosen to use public funds to promote pro cycling for one week out of the year but fails to promote/support cycling for commuters 52 out of 52 weeks a year. The Complete Street legislation was quashed by the head of the dept of transportation who believes highways (which cannot be used by cyclists) is our salvation.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:22 am
I don’t bike to work as my commute is over 70 miles roundtrip,there is no safe route and I have to leave @ 5am to get to work on time as it is. Besides I vanpool with 13 other people, and feel I am doing my part.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:28 am
I’ve been biking to work for the past few years. I made a decision to buy a house near downtown Salt Lake where I work, so that I wouldn’t have to be as dependent on my car. It was a great decision. I bike the two miles to work for ten months out of the year; the other two I ride the bus. Bike commuting is great exercise. It gets you out in your community and it saves money.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I’ve been riding to & from work - 32 miles round trip - for almost four years now. The first three months after I started commuting by bike were the toughest - getting back into shape and getting the routine down. Once that happened, I had a change in mindset from ‘what excuse can I find today to drive to work?’ to ‘how can I change my schedule so that I can ride today?’ Ever since, I’ve been a 5-day a week year round bicycle commuter. Sure, there are times when I don’t ride; occassional life gets in the way and necessitates the use of a car or, more often, weather gets in the way - snow & ice in the winter (I don’t trust the drivers around here) or strong thunderstorms in the summer. I ride because I love it - the savings in gas and other associated car expenses is just a bonus.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I bike to work most days about 14 miles each way. I use the money I would pay for a week’s worth of gas or public transit to buy a $40 a month membership at the gym next door where I change and shower before work. I’m lucky, though: I live next to a bike path that gives me a straight shot into the city. The last two miles (in downtown DC traffic) are pretty scary: cars don’t bother to obey traffic laws and (especially the taxis) and can get pretty aggressive when they feel that I’m in their way and my safety might add 5 or 10 seconds to their morning commute. If my entire ride was like that, I wouldn’t ride at all.
If you want to encourage bike commuting, build dedicated bike lanes (with curbs or barriers so that drivers can’t use them as right-hand passing lane) and hand out hefty reckless-driving fines to anyone (cyclist or motorist) who disregards traffic laws.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:53 am
The second best thing after biking to work is biking home after work. No matter how busy I was during the day, as soon as I get on the bike, it’s a new day and I’m a new person… my head clears and my body comes back to life. What a great way to end the day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I would love to bike to work, but it is not possible in my area. I live in the country, I have to take frontage roads to get to HWY 41 to get anywhere. I live 30-40 miles away from work as it is. There is mass transit in the city I work in, but it does not connect to where I live. So I am stuck driving to work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I believe we need to focus on three things:
1) providing safe access for bikes- and walkers- on all roads….ie designated bike lanes on, or paralleling, major roads and highways– or at least wide sidewalks on every road.
2) locker rooms in every office building.
3) Safe bike storage at every office building
My commute is on the beltway from Virginia, past Tysons, across the Dulles Toll Road and finally across the American Legion bridge, to Maryland. Can anyone who knows the area even propose a route to navigate through the incredible car traffic, and to get across the river at that point? My only “reasonable” option is to take the Custis trail into Georgetown and the Canal Path all the way back out to McArthur Blvd at Falls Road… a route that basically doubles the mileage. Not an excuse! The ride can still be made. But I do daydream about the beltway with lanes blocked off for bike traffic only. How soon might we get to a tipping point, with gas so expensive- or hard to find- that there actually are more bikes than cars on the beltway? Fantasy? or Future reality?
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I don’t ride while school is in session because I have to drop my kids off at their respective locations. In the summer, I will be riding my bike to work more.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:05 am
As much as I’d love to bike to work, it’s an hour drive!!! State highways the entire way. And one of the most dangerous places to ride a bike in the US. I am looking for a place closer to work, though, so at least I’m taking steps in the right direction.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:10 am
I either bike 14, 28 or 32 miles to work depending on the condition of the trails (the 28 mile route) or the availability of light after work (14 and 32 are on road also using public transport). There are a lot of reasons to bike but after you start there is no rationale. You do it because you become addicted to it. The days you come into work not biking you feel like crap (relatively). I used to be a fair weather bike commuter. But that doesn’t satisfy the craving. Bike commuter paraphenalia provide the clearest indicators of addiction–studded tires that allow riding on ice covered streets, gore-tex raingear, wool bike clothes, winter bike shoes, 10-watt bike lights. So the savings from bike commuting for real junkies are negligible–I could fill my tank 5 times for the cost of the bike shoes. But there is no more euphoric way to lose 30 pounds.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:12 am
I bike about 12 (hilly) miles to work because I like the workout. It’s a great way to fold exercise into an otherwise busy schedule. I must say that what makes it possible is that my employer (EPA in Washington DC) provides access to a bike/locker room and showers.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:21 am
I live inside the Beltway. Riding a bike in this area is suicide. Not only do drivers not yield for bikers, they run them down and drive off. Same goes for pedestrians. We really need bikepaths and very strong laws protecting bike riders.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I commute by bike twice or more per week, 10 miles one-way, all year, near Boston, plus grocery shopping, also drop a kid off at school on the bike those days that I ride. I use reusable shopping bags to protect the seat and handlebars from rain, and otherwise keep the mechanicals greasy enough to withstand occasional rain (I try to skip the rainy days). Also, my bike is a cargo bike, so I can haul about 100 lbs of stuff pretty easily, and don’t lack for places to put groceries, tools, spare clothes.
Winters, I use studded tires so that ice is not such a problem, and have a generator and some home-made LED lights for the dark. There’s one big hill on the way, and it was a great workout, but I decided that I went too fast on the descent and it was not safe, so now I ride around (that adds a mile).
There are showers at work, but I don’t get that sweaty on the ride in (I grew up in Florida, so maybe I have different standards for “sweaty”).
I used to regularly commute by bike when I lived in California, pretty much quit for the first 10 years I lived in Boston, then started again, because I was out of shape, and sick of our oil war. The traffic seemed bad at first, but now I don’t mind it too much. Most of the roads are wide, and the traffic speed is usually 35mph or less. There’s lots of potholes, but I run fat (2.3″ tires) to make that less of a problem.
I lost 20 pounds and 2-3 inches around the middle, am in much better shape, and now when I drive to work and get caught in traffic I feel really stupid. I save about $50/month in gasoline and medication not purchased. I already know how to work on my bike, so my spending is purely on parts; I wear out about one chain per year (winter sand and ice are heck on chains), and after two years all the studs on my tires are turned away from the pavement.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I just don’t have an excuse not to ride to work. My employer has a secure place to park my bike and provides shower facilities. Half of my 12 mile ride is on city streets and the other half is on our Trinity River paved trail system which is wonderful. More bike lanes on the streets would make the ride safer and more enjoyable.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Like many others my commute is just too far to ride a bike to work. If I lived within a few miles of work, I would definitely ride a bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I’ve ridden to work a few times and always enjoy it and feel great the whole day. My issues stem from not having shower facilities and sometimes needing a vehicle during the day for unforseen last minute errands. I’m also freelance, so if I can’t get somewhere quick, I may lose out on some work. (though rarely)
I work in different recording studios each week or day for that matter. This makes me commute change anywhere from 5 miles to 25.
I try to ride to work on days when I know I am working alone. No one to complain about my smell. :)
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I am NOT biking to work as I live 13 miles from my job, its going to rain all week in this area of Ohio, I’m a couch potato who is 7 + weeks pregnant, and I am the parent who drops off the kids at the sitter - a 2 year old and a 7 month old, we don’t have a carrier that is safe enough to transport both kids behind a bike. I think its a great idea though!
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Sadly; 3 years ago I biked to work once per month from May to September. THe trip is 30 miles one way - Lexington, KY to Frankfort, KY. It took planning and permission from my boss. There are always biker/workers out on the main road leading to Frankfort, so biking alone (My #1 “No-No”!) was not an issue. There are no dedicated paths for bikers within either Lexington or Frankfort’s city limits, so the first and last 5 miles require strict concentration. 2 miles from my destination on July 14th, 2004, I was approaching a traffic light that had turned green. The light allowed traffic to enter exit small malls on both sides of the main road. As I entered the intersection, a black sports car pulled out from behind me, passed, and cut in front of me to enter a fast food chain. He knoced me sideways into a 6″ concrete curb, which sent me over my handle bars and into 3 years of 2 shoulder reconstructions and one knee surgery. The driver pulled back into the main road and drove off. I would love to bike more as my “green” contribution. But until we have required bike lanes in every city, we stand to needlessly sacrifice many more green supporters.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:01 am
To bike! In Cincinnati our public bus system (Metro) is allowing all bike riders to ride free this Friday for Bike to Work Day. Now THATS a reason to bike to work! http://www.go-metro.com
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am
I DOn’t bike to work because 1) it’s too far — 20 miles each way 2) I dress up for work and don’t want to ride in nice clothes 3) there aren’t bike trails the whole way 4) I work in Newark, NJ and would have to ride through unsafe neighborhoods.
I take the train to work sometimes, but usually drive. I don’t ride my bike to the train station although it is close and there are bike racks again because I am dressed in high heels and a skirt some times — not appropriate bike wear.
Hope this helps.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:24 am
I will bike when I find one made out of a sofa with refrigerator and TV attached. Likewise, it must have a large motor so I can force sissies in spandex off the road. Buuuuuuurrrrp.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I would happily swim to work, but don’t enjoy biking nor breathing exhaust fumes, and I really don’t think that breathing exhaust fumes is particularly health-promoting for me, even though I might be contributing less overall pollution.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I would love to bike to work, but my driving commute is already an hour by car. Plus I have a 7 year old and a 7 month old that I have to take to daycare before I go to work as well as pick them up afterwork. I have chosen the green method of carpooling to and from work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I’m a stay at home mom, but I bike to all our day-in, day-out “work” whenever possible. Runs to the grocery store, library, over to friends’ houses, etc. we do it on our bikes. Without separated bike lanes or bike paths, however, it really is taking a concerted effort (and a bit of bravery) to keep from jumping in the car day after day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I started biking to work about 3 weeks ago. My job is about 5 miles from home, so i really have no excuse not to take a bike. I bike 2 or 3 days a week, depending on whether I have errands to run.
I bike for a few reasons.
First of all, I bike because I can — because it feels good and I enjoy the ride, car traffic and all. It’s almost like being a kid again and I feel more energetic when I get to work.
Secondly, gas is expensive and it won’t be getting cheaper anytime soon.
Thirdly, I desperately need the exercise. I’m 30 or 40 lbs overweight and I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.
Finally, there are environmental reasons. My city has awful air pollution during the summer months. It’s a small difference, but it is a way of not contributing further to the pollution.
If you can do it, I recommend trying it. Just remember to follow the rules of the road and think like a vehicle, not a pedestrian. Stay off the sidewalk, ride with traffic, use your arm signals and obey traffic signs and signals.
And above all, be attentive.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:47 am
My commute into DC is about 12 miles each way and I ride year-round (adverse weather puts me on the train 2-4 weeks each year). Commuting is often the most enjoyable part of my work day.
Like most people my life is full of things I have to do. Commuting is one of them, but since this time also doubles are my 90+ min/day of cardiovascular exercise I have more time to spend with my kids.
If your excuse for not riding is lack of decent trails or laws - please become more active in trying to obtain these things for your community (and the Planet).
If your excuse for not riding is that you live too far from work - I hope you can use public transportation, car/van pool, or telecommute. If you can’t do any of these things, I think you seriously need to reconsider your living situation. When gas its $10/gal (and it will) will you still want to live way out in the burbs/country? Is your “space” really worth the cost of expending precious fuel to commute?
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I wish I could ride my bike to work, these are the facts: (1) It is too risky to ride a bike in the rural roads or non state roads of Puerto Rico; and (2) There are no bike pathways, neither walking trails besides state roads that will alleviate the risk of riding in the road.
Besides these situations, I’ll take some measures to make this happen.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:57 am
This is my first season biking to work, but I’m completely sold on it, fair weather or bad. Winters in Kansas can get pretty mean, but with the right equipment and preparation, it’s easy, safer and far more healthy. During the warmer months, it’s just a joy.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I bike to work in the summer months. I live 2 miles from my office and this is a small town of only 14,000, so the roads in town are relatively safe. Biking to work not only saves gas, but I feel great when I get there!
Living in Minnesota makes it rather impossible to bike during the winter months.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I’ve biked to work most of the time for the past 15 years. It’s a great way to get exercise and avoid the frustration of driving. I’ve biked in Dallas and Denver, and can say that the city does make a big difference. Denver has many marked bike lanes, designated routes, and paths that converge on downtown, while downtown Dallas is ringed by freeways and has little to no bike-friendly space downtown. The drivers are mostly not insane, but it’s just not a comfortable place to ride.
Getting to some of the reasons not to bike: I agree that sometimes you just can’t. For about a year I had to drive in order to drop off my son at day care, and may need to do that again in the future. Other people may simply live too far away. Both of these issues suggest how important the decision about where to live is. In buying a new house we are looking not only at proximity to downtown and to trails, but at schools and day care (and also retail). Being close enough to walk to such services is a good way to avoid needless car travel.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I’ve been biking to work since I got a new bike a couple of months ago. I live close enough that it’s actually faster for me to bike than to deal with traffic and ride and I live in a very bike friendly city, Burlington, VT. I love to have the opportunity to spend some extra time outside and find that it makes a difference in my disposition. I don’t know what I’ll do when winter comes but I may see if I can bear the cold and continue to bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I would love to bike to and from work, but Birmingham, AL is not a good place to do that. The roads on my route are narrow and winding, and when people do bike, people in cars create dangerous conditions passing them. I would have to be able to make other transportation arrangements for my kids. There are also severe thunderstorms in the afternoons at least once a week in spring and fall, and almost every day in summer. Last, I would need to be able to bathe after I got to work (I’m not content to bike at a pace where I wouldn’t sweat).
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Chicago Suburbs, Homer Glen: I live in a beautiful suburb but people don’t even bike for recreation directly from their homes that much here. Over the years a variety of governmental bodies have made plans for bike paths within some of the power line pathways but funding them is a significant hurdle to overcome. More grants for areas like this would be a great help. The suburb I live in still has some rural qualities with some people living on larger acreages with horses and many subdivisions having 1+ acre lots. Our community is surrounded by very typical “suburban” developments while we are attempting to hang on to some of the rural and open space qualities that remain. The roads here are generally 2 lane roads with gravel shoulders there is no extra room for bikes. Almost none of the main arterial roads have sidewalks. Very few subdivisions have sidewalks. Riding or walking from my home to the gas station two blocks away, around the block to the park, or 5-6 blocks away to the library or school is too dangerous because I would have to walk or ride on narrow roads with children. I would like to ride a bike more not just to save gas but for the exercise.
We live in an automobile based society and will have to plan communities differently if bike riding is to be encouraged. Recently a large tollway was extended into our area. It would have been a perfect opportunity to plan a space for a potential future commuter railway line but I don’t believe it was even considered. Room for a bike path to be put in alongside the tollway was allowed for but not funded. Private individuals are attempting to raise funds. Personally the idea of riding a bike alongside a highway is not aesthetically appealing to me and breathing in car exhaust is not good for anyone’s health. If they build it I probably won’t use it for those reasons even though it will be close to my home. I think funds would be better spent putting in paths that connect people to places they already go to like the park, library, schools, local stores or other subdivisions.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I’ve been biking nine miles each way to work three or four days per week since last August. It is a way to get exercise and stay healthy without taking extra time out of our day.
It’s easier than I thought it was.
I lock up at a bike rack on the street with three locks and take my seat. No thefts so far.
I carry my business clothes in a bag on the back of the bike, wait 30 minutes to cool off before changing, and then change in the bathroom with a second helping of deoderant. No problem.
If the weather is bad I don’t bike. But that turns out to be quite rare, because with the right clothes a little drizzle isn’t a problem, and it only matters what is happening during the two hours I’m on the road, not the rest of the day. Even getting caught in a downpour on the way home isn’t bad, just on the way in. I now look at the radar and hourly weather graph from the National Weather Service, not just the daily forecast.
In winter, I had been getting on a train in the dark, being outside a couple of minutes from the train to work, being outside for a couple of minutes from work to the train, and arriving home in the dark. Now I am outside a couple of hours a few times a week even in winter. I wear a safety vest with flashing lights from LEDTRONICs.
Wish I had done it 20 years ago.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I bike to work occasionally. It’s only two miles with no major hills. For me, going to work also includes dropping my son off at day care. When I don’t bike to work, it’s because I haven’t been able to get us both ready early enough so that I could get to work on time.
If my employer were more flexible about my arrival time at work, I could bike more often. At the same time, the day care would have to stay open a little later, so that I could make up 5-20 minutes of work at the end of the day and still get over to pick him up.
Sometimes, as a compromise, I put my son’s tiny bicycle in the car and we park sort of near the day care. Then he rides to day care with me walking along, and I walk from day care to work (about four blocks). At the end of the day we reverse the sequence. Not a lot of gas saved, but it’s fun and introduces good habits.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:31 am
I would love to ride my bike to work, however, I have to be at work at 6am and it is a 30 minute drive mostly on a highway. It seems extremely unsafe. As gas prices keep going up, I’m not sure what to do. Scary!
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Considering the fact that I live about 20 miles from my place of employment, biking to work isn’t necessarily an option for me. I do love to ride a bike, however, but a park would be most suitable for my 4-year-old and myself.
More power to those who BIKE TO WORK, though!
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:47 am
I bike to the train, take the train about 35 miles, and bike to my office from the train station. I have a folding bike since “full-sized” bikes aren’t allowed during peak hours on the Metro North RR in CT. I used to have two bikes, one at each station, until one was stolen which prompted me to get the folding bike.
I have rain gear for the bad weather and if it snows, I telecommute. Sometimes drivers can be jerks, but I follow the rules of the road pretty strictly and I think that being predictable helps. On the train with the folding bike, many people strike up conversations with me. As gas prices get higher, the conversations have gone from “That’s cool!” to “Where can I get one?”
I feel better when I get to work and when I get home, more alert and energized. I’m also happy that I don’t have to sit in the snarling mess of traffic that is I-95 in CT. Looking out the window of the train and watching the cars stop and go and stop and go is a secret pleasure :)
I really enjoy it, its a great way to get exercise while doing something I need to do, and eating a nice meal is better than throwing all that money into my gas tank!
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I bike to work a couple of times a week during the spring, summer, and fall. I originally started last year just to get some extra time on the bike in preparation for a triathlon I was doing. Now I continue to do it because a) I enjoy it, b) it’s good exercise, and c) it’s a great way to save gas and help the environment. I have a 9 mile commute one way. About 1/2 of the ride is on a bike path. The rest is mostly on back roads that are not heavily travelled. I do spend about 1 mile on busier roads, which I don’t prefer, but it keeps my ride shorter.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:50 am
I live in Manhattan and bike to work every day - about 1 mile crosstown each way. We could use more bike lanes in NYC, especially separated from the traffic, which can be crazy and dangerous to say the least.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Driving, my commute to work was an hour (roundtrip) then I would spend my lunch hour running. So I decided to save a little cash and combine the two by cycling to work. It’s 11 miles each way and I can get it done in 40-45mins, only 10-15mins longer than by car. Add in changing time of 15mins, then its 1 hour each way for a total of 2hrs - a net change of 0 loss in time but a huge gain saving money and staying fit.
Gas hit 3.99/gallon here in Dayton, OH, so I save at least $4 per day driving. That’s about $80 a month.
And I burn more calories as well. With changing clothes and showering, I could only run 4-5 miles in my lunch hour. That burned 600-790 calories. Compare that to biking 22 miles roundtrip, I burn over 1200 calories. (Most of the time, I ride below persperation-level so I don’t need to shower when I get into work.)
Granted, not everyone can bike in due to roads, family, etc, but a lot of us who think we can’t bike actually can. I know I was one of them. It just takes a little planning…. If traffic is keeping you back, try looking for a different route with mapping sites, like mapmyride.com or Google Earth (http://earth.google.com). If distance is keeping you back, try driving part of the way or catch the bus or subway for a portion of distance. If your fitness level is holding you back, then alternate between the bike and car. If your employer’s lack of facilities is stopping you, keep a change of clothes at work and washclothe to freshen up with. But, even with all this, if you just can’t commit to cycling to work then that is fine - it’s completely your choice.
Just remember, be the change you wish to see in the world.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I would love to bike to work but it is far too dangerous! There is no bike path and drivers are insane!
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Why I don’t bike to work:
The saftey is very bad, the hilly roads are curvey and narrow with little or no berm. There are no bike lanes.
The route would be 10 miles long with some serious hills; I would need to shower when I got to work and again when I returned home, which in my case is doable.
The weather, we get all four seasons, tropically humid summers, cold snowy winters and rainy springs.
When I lived in So. Cal. with flat terrain, great bike lanes and great weather– I did bike to work. I was healthier back then!
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I do not bike to work because there is no safe way to do it. I live nearly 10 miles from work, much the route along heavily traveled roads with no shoulder or bike path. Suburban sprawl is the terrain. Once arriving at work, there is no place to safely store the bike until the end of the work day. For much of the year, the climate does not encourage such transportation, with rain, wind and various factors working against it. And it’s difficult to bike to work, then look professional, without wearing one outfit for the ride and then changing and grooming upon arrival. In the hottest part of summer, this would be even more difficult.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I live in Manhattan and very difficult to lock bike anywhere and my office building won’t allow bikes in the elevator. Also pretty difficult with traffic. On another note, very annoying the amount of delivery bikers that don’t follow the rules and bike against traffic, through redlights and on sidewalks. Would love to 5th or Park Ave closed once a week to cars - at least during 7-9am and 5-7pm.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I bike to work from time to time. However, it is an 11 mile (17 km) journey, so I often don’t have time to ride. It takes me approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to get from my apartment near downtown Columbus to the suburb of Dublin where I work. I’m lucky in that I can take mostly neighborhood streets for my route. I still think there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of adding bike trails. I would be much more likely to bike often if I had a trail to ride on that was segregated from road traffic.
On that note, I’d like to see the federal government stop spending so much money on building new roads and start building more bike paths. That coupled with more funding for new and improved public transit systems would be a huge boon to our air quality.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I live in a rural area 23 miles from work. I take the highway most of the route. I also also drop off my 2 year old at daycare along the way. So, I’d have to schlep him on the bike with all of our bags…I’d need a BIG basket and a child seat attachment. I’d be loaded down and it would be too dangerous along the rural roads with a wiggly, 2 year old on board! If I lived closer and didn’t have to drop a child off, I would bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:27 am
In my previous job I biked 9.5 miles into Boston’s South End from Belmont nine months out of the year - most of that traveling on the Paul White Bikeway that hugs the Charles River. Loved it so much that it is one of the reasons I’m looking for a new job located in and around Boston. Today my commute is via public transportation up to three hours long and too many miles to bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I would love to bike to work, however, It would take forever, and I can’t take a bike on a highway or the like. I drive 50 miles one way to work. I would however like to be able to ride my horse to work - that is cheap, comfortable and definitely interesting. But yet again, I can’t take the horse on the highway either!
I am going to start telecommuting and work from home 3 days a week.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I won’t bike in city traffic. We have some bike lanes, but even bike lanes aren’t enough to get me to bike because cars (esp. taxis) cut into the bike lanes without looking. I admire bikers who take the risk, but I can’t get myself to do it. Also, in the hot weather, with no way to shower at work, it would be very unpleasant. I walk home from work sometimes; the rest of the time I take public transportation (bus, train).
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Why don’t I bike? B/c I live in NJ and my commute is about 35 mi each way. Given the concentration of development in NJ, it is basically impossible (or at least we are told) to put in bike paths for commuting. I take my life in my hands just driving a car on the NJ Turnpike; you can’t ride your bike on it. Also, none of our mass transit systems are bike friendly. Ideally, I would love to ride my bike to the train/bus, take the bike with me and then ride from the train stop to work. However, it doesn’t seem likely. We are a car based country and the country is not likely to change unless presented with viable options.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I would love to bike the 2 miles between my house and my office, but the only routes to the Base are on highways or very busy roads that aren’t safe for non-motor vehicles. The roads are even too busy on weekends for my to bike to Base.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I would love to be able to bike to work, and it isn’t that far, but I travel on a country road into town and there are no shoulders and heavy traffic at times. Would love it if they extended the Pathfinder to our town. It is just too dangerous.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I ride 20-80 days a year to work, 22 mile round trip over roads with aggressive drivers in Atlanta. I ride less when I am pressed on time and basically skip exercising. I also tend to ride most in winter, when it is dark early and when getting home quicker does not mean more time outside to play with my young kids.
The most helpful item to riding more would be more stringent traffic enforcement - both of speeding and aggressive drivers. Most drivers are very courteous if they see you, but I can count on 1-2 aggressive ones per day. Excessive speeding is a problem for everyone, but more threatening to cyclists.
I really enjoy riding in and out to work. I find my worktime is more productive when I ride and I am generally more relaxed.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I live and work in London and cycle to work.
To those who are concerned about biking long distances, sometimes it’s possible to bike part of the journey, chain your bike up, then catch public transport for the rest, as I do when the weather’s particularly bad or I’m just feeling too tired and lazy.
Bad weather and unobservant car drivers are your biggest enemies on London roads.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I would like to bike to work but I don’t generally because (1) it’s dangerous with the traffic as there is not a bike path nor a dedicated bike lane available; (2) I have to cross a freeway to get to work; and, (3) I do not have shower and changing facilities available.
I’m hoping my next job will be more conducive to biking to work. I’m planning to be more careful in choosing where to live and work so that I can better manage my commute. Of course, cost is always a factor as is the availability (or lack thereof) bike paths/lanes, etc.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I don’t ride to work because the City of Dallas was developed without any consideration of the safety of bike users - most streets have no sidewalks [even residential streets!] and there are no arteries that have bike-dedicated lanes or spaces. There are a couple of nice North-South trails, but there are no East-West connectors. You have to drive 5 miles to safely use your bike - silly, no?
If Texas/USEPA granted emission credits to electric utilitiy companies that dedicated easements/O&M costs for power-line corridors’ use as bike trails, there would be dozens of trails - get on it EPA Region 6!
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I bike to work because its a blast, I often beat commuter traffic, it’s cheaper, and I get to have an extra burger now and then. D.C. does have some pretty good bike paths and some lanes, but there certainly could be so much more done to encourage biking such as more bike lanes, better driver training and test questions for DL classes and exams, tax credits (or CO2 offsets?) for work cyclers, and bike terminals. In Oslo, Norway and other European cities, for a minimal annual fee, you get a bike card, which unlocks bikes from terminals stationed strategically across the city for three hours. Abuse the bike or you return time (the card is registered in your name, and the system electronically tracks which bikes you loan), and you loose you right to borrow. The program is partially government funded, but derives much of its operational expense from advertising on the bikes and terminals.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I ride my bike almost every day, 6 miles each way from my home in Maryland to downtown DC. I love being outdoors, feeling the fresh air, listening to the birds, and greeting my neighbors along the way. On my bike I experience none of the frustration and tension that I feel behind the wheel. I also get a great workout, and I get to work in less time than public transportation takes me.
Expensive gas is appropriate. If the price of gas were to internalize all the costs of production–destruction of fragile ecosystems, costs of global warming mitigation, not to mention both wars in Iraq–it would be far more than a few dollars a gallon.
It is a huge sign of progress that more people are taking public transit, but more needs to be done to encourage this trend. Considering how beneficial public transit ridership is to society–in habitat conserved, roads spared, pollution prevented–municipal buses and trains should be free. Public transit also builds community and creates social benefits in putting people together in a relaxed atmosphere, rather than segregating them out into their own individual metal boxes where other commuters are seen as threats and annoyances.
Biking is a joyful alternative to spending money on gas and starting the day off grumpy. Studies show that the most dreaded part of each day, is, for many people, the time spent commuting! Every progressive city should subsidize bike lanes and greenways and do everything possible to encourage this sustainable, community-friendly form of transportation.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
If bicycling infrastructure was subsidized like the automotive world, we would have a culture of cyclist vs. the current automotive sprawl. A change in infrastructure is fundemental to getting more cyclists.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
As stated by others, I would love to bike to work. I would even ride the 15miles each way. However, there is no infrstructure to support it……i.e. no bike paths and too many higways in the way. Additionally, there is no mass trasit system such as an above ground rail in Houston. So, I am left with using a bus to downtown which I do now.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I ride a couple of times each week, 25 miles round trip, year round; have been doing this for 15 years. I am really lucky - there is a shower at work, it is a beautiful ride, and fairly safe compared to some other situations. I actually love my commute. I would like to ride more but my work schedule makes it hard (about once a week I work 7:30 am - 10:00 pm, and have to be back at 7:30 am the next day . . . ) I need a saner work schedule.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I do not bike to work for several reasons:
1. 86 miles round trip
2. 86 miles represents the shortest distance on major highways. Safer secondary roads would add another 15 miles.
3. No shower facilities available.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I live in the San Diego area and I am trying to start biking to work. Hurdles in my way are:
1) I have a dangerous intersection to cross — two lanes entering a freeway where traffic is 50+ mph and there is no way for pedestrians or bicyclists to navigate safely through it.
2) The existing bike lanes are not well-maintained, they have tree roots ripping up the pavement and most of the lane is gutter that is unrideable. They are unsafe at reasonable speeds.
3) There are no shower facilities or bike racks at my work.
#3 I can deal with. #1 and #2 are more critical. I can overcome any other excuse but my safety is most important to me. If I can’t bike safely I will not do it.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I would get killed in the Austin traffic. Not to metion it is a thousand degrees here in the summer.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I live 27 miles away from my job, BUT, found myself driving back and forth to fast food places at noon. Thought instead I could be doing something healthy. Brought my bike to work and at noon ride about 2 miles and return to enjoy a healthy lunch. My part of reducing the carbon burden.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I would love to bike to work (yes, here comes the but), but I have to traverse a large bay with no safe bike routes. To allow boat traffic, the bay outlet bridge is removed. This bridge would shorten the route and allow for safe travel, but would cut off the large boats from entering and leaving the bay.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I biked home from work last night. I have approximately a 14 mile commute to work with roughly 3.5 miles of the commute on public highways and the balance on off-road bike trails (inlcuding single track). It takes about one hour over rolling high desert terrain in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A very refreshing way to start or end the day. I typically only commute about once or twice a week as my wife and I work for the same employer (arrive to work in our VW TDI Golf) and have other commitments/activities that preclude us from doing it everyday.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I bike to work most days (not in winter) 30K each way, very functional use of my time, and a great way to get in some miles. I live in Denver, which is very nice this time of year. Some roads, some path, either way the motorists know who is in charge, so it’s all good…
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:57 am
… I do bike to work. And before anyone asks, I’m 60 and live where we have all four season, including winter. It’s easy and can be a good workout. My personal view — no matter how hot or cold, or dark or light, it’s very doable. BUT… safety counts, so only when wearing bright clothing and using good lights, and only when pavement is dry.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I would love to bike to work but I do not because there are very few bike paths in my area and the bike lanes along the roadways that do have them are very narrow. Bicycling in Southwest Florida (Fort Myers/Cape Coral area) is a death wish. We have a very high bicyclist injury and mortality rate in this area due to automobile encounters. I am also interested in taking mass transit and while the Lee County mass transit system is a great bicycle-friendly service, I would have to drive or bike (on unsafe roadways) half-way to work to catch the bus because the service does not extend to my part of the county.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I was in Amsterdam in March. Wonderful city. Bikes and trams are the rule. I would bike in Amsterdam, but not in the U.S. except on country roads. In the U.S. it is not a pleasant experience. And not safe or healthful (breathing fumes). There are few bike lanes in most U.S. cities, and by Dutch standards, they are not real bike lanes, they are not set off from traffic by curbs as they are in Amsterdam. Unless a well integrated network of wide, car-free, separate bike lanes is established, most people will not commute by bicycle — only tried and true enthusiasts and messengers will use bikes on a regular basis.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I live too far to reasonably bike to work (I know, I could move closer - school issues). Even so, I’d prefer to bike my daughter to school and then drive on from there. Sadly, the only route to school is a 45 mph 2-lane road with no shoulder and a ditch immediately next to the road. My city planned only for drivers. I do plan to choose the next house, school, and job within biking distance if at all possible (okay, 15 miles one-way is about my max) as I really miss the days when the kiddo & I used to bike in.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
To everyone who rides, cudos! Biking to work is more liberating then people think.
I live in San Francisco and currently work in Oakland (across the bay). I ride 6 miles each way to and from the BART every day, I currently don’t have a car. I typically get to work around 6:30 am. Riding is easy once you make some simple adjustments. Bike commuting early in the morning is wonderful no traffic, quiet, calm, it is a great time of day.
For me biking is not about exercise, or gas prices for me it is peace of mind. Driving is the biggest cause of stress in our lives, biking is a stress reliever.
I have been bike commuting off and on for twenty years.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I DRIVE to work because I work 18 miles away from home in the ‘burbs’. We can’t all ride our bikes. AND I live in a city that does not make public transportation a priority; that’s the way it is.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
My wife and I recently sold our only car. We now use bikes to go everywhere and do everything including work. When we hear complaining about car related issues we ask our friends, family and neighbors why they don’t consider biking. The overwhelming response is “its unsafe” and “its inconvenient”. If we put as much money into cycling infrastructure as we do into car infrastructure (or even 10%) we could improve the safety and convenience of cycling.
Ride on and keep peddling!
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I would love to be able to walk or bike to work, but we live 15 miles from town, so it wouldn’t be feasible, especially during the Wyoming winters!
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I do bike to work as often as I can. I live seven miles from work in a neighborhood that is next to a bike trail that follows the river right into downtown. It is a pleasant ride through a riparian corridor, a college campus, and a research wetland. I don’t have to deal with cars except at the beginning and end. It is great exercise - who needs a health club when you ride 14 miles a day?
The museum where I work has bike racks, lockers and showers, which makes it much easier to manage. A local bike shop owner did a workshop for us about bike commuting and we have a team competing in the Corporate Commuter Challenge during Bike to Work Week. We attended a kick off event where our Mayor and a County Commissioner unvieled a bikeways plan for our city. It is a very exciting time for bike commuting in Columbus, Ohio!
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I live about 4 miles from work in Minneapolis. Biking to work means I don’t have to pay for gas, parking, car maintenance, registration, insurance, I get to spend some time outside, get some exercise, and I get to feel rugged in the winter, I don’t contribute to air pollution or climate change. The question is why would I drive?
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I live in Arlington, Texas and work 15 miles away in Hurst. There are no good routes that is safe to bike or walk without getting mowed down. Also, there is no bus service or rail service for in between DFW area with the exception of one express train between Dallas and Fort Worth. The emphasis is cars and trucks with pedestrians as a side note (more like moving targets). Unless the laws protecting pedestrians and bicyclists are enforced and have alternative bus/rail transportation and protected bike/pedestrian routes that encompasses the entire metroplex, population will not get out of their cars.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I do not bike to work for a couple different reasons.
A.) to far and the weather in MS can extremely change at any given moment.
B.) It wouldn’t be so easy to put your children on the back of a bike everyday.
C.) In my area we don’t have bike paths, which makes things more dangerous, especially when people don’t understand that pedestrians/bike riders do have the right of way!!
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Although it is only 3 miles, it’s not worth the risk of getting killed-not enough bike paths. Of course, I wouldn’t do it even if there were bike paths. I need the car for business.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I live in Springfield, VA and work in Washington, DC ,so for me it would be too long of a trek. I do however take mass transit.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
i like bike, matter of fact i use it every day to go to university, but not in the rainy days. It’s impossible to replace the car so…..
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I live in Long Beach and bike to work about once a week. Other days, I take transit or drive my car. I’ve made a lifestyle choice to live only 3 miles from work with mostly nice secondary streets in between. We are lucky to have Bikestation Long Beach for people who aren’t allowed to park their bikes at work. We’re also fortunate to have great transit here. I don’t break a sweat while bike commuting, and I dress fairly formally for work (dresses, suits, etc.) with no need to change after my commute. I adjust my mode of transportation based upon my needs that day. It is an incredibly liberating place to be when you are not dependant (but are able to use when necessary) a car. Most drivers are pretty courteous too–although culturally we haven’t really accepted bicycling as a valuable mode of transportation. And we’re certainly not a bike/ped/transit utopia–there are many facilities/routes and education missing.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Not sure why I started commuting to work six years ago. Back then I had bought a new bicycle just because it seems that one should have a bicycle to go on recreational rides. I guess the idea of actually using that bike in a more practical way popped into my head one day and started the next day.
Now the reasons of doing it are much more obvious to me. I’ll leave it up to others to find them out.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I bike to work in Porland, OR - rain or shine. Icy conditions are about the only reason not to ride. My ride, one way, is 10 miles. I go through nice neighborhoods the first half and then pick up a bike trail the rest of the way in. The bike trail follows the Willamette river where I often have the opportunity to watch eagles, osprey great blue heron and once a sea lion hunt for fish. It’s a great ride and it helps to keep me in shape physically and mentally.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I used to ride my bike to work every day. But a friend got hit by a car on the same route that I used to take and I became concerned for my safety. Bike paths or bike lanes connecting my neighborhood with my office would make a big difference in the perception of safety for cyclists.
I also used to have a shower in my building and have since been moved to a building without showers. There are still showers I could use but they are a good 10 minute walk from my building so it starts to eat away at the available time. I think that safety and convenience are the major obstacles for me.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
No biking for me yet but I could (2.5 miles) and would if there was a safer route, perhaps designated bike lanes and access to a shower at work. 2.5 miles is not much distance but I perspire a lot with just a little activity.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
My wife and I bike 25 miles to work each day and take light rail home with our bikes at the end of the work day. The mourning ride for us is along the American River bike Trail. Not only do we get exercise, save gas but we get to see deer, wild turkeys , quail and cyote’s along the way. What a great way to start the day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
NYS road with no bike lanes — 50MPH speed limit. Would bike if speed limit were lowered and there was a wide bike land on both sides.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I thought I would bike to work when my job moved closer to home. After biking on Michigan’s roads several times, I realized how dangerous it is. The climate is conducive to biking only about 90 days of the year. Time to move South where we can be outdoors more of the year!
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I bike to work or try to 9 months out of the year. We are in need of many more bike lanes/paths to make the commute safe for riders. I have a 4 mile direct path but opt for the 12 mile indirect safer path.
I work at a facility that has over 2500 employees and contractors and a total of 4 showers 2 men’s, 2 women’s. This prohibits the number of employees that can use the facilities for biking to work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I chose to live less than 3 miles from work (in the bike-friendly city of Portland OR) so that I can bike to work as often as I can. When the weather is bad, I take the train. I feel lucky that my city has bike racks on all buses and trains, so I can hitch a ride if I’m going far.
I encourage anyone to check out a car-share program (I use Zipcar) if you are thinking about getting rid of your car, but are worried about loosing flexibility.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Knoxville, TN here. I work two jobs, and the path to them describes a nice 50 mile circle around two cities. I also cross a river which leaves me two choices for crossing, one an interstate and the other a state highway with no shoulder or sidewalk path.
Even if it were 10 miles, if the roads were of the type or condition they are in now, I’d get myself killed.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I live in a very hilly urban area, and though I live close enough to bike, I would be drenched with sweat when I arrive. As I am a doctor, that might be problematic. There are no showers available where I work to mediate the problem. Also, it snows about 5 months out of the year.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I do bike to work most days. I live about 1 1/2 mostly flat miles from work; about half my ride is on neighborhood streets, the other half on downtown Main Street. I have a couple of right-turn lanes that throw me into general traffic, but folks are mostly pretty nice. I find it most dangerous around lunchtime. By the way, I drive my kids to school a couple of miles one way, then back home and off to work the other direction on my bike. Since October, I’ve ridden about 385 miles for transportation–not a ton, but it adds up. The cold doesn’t bother me (we do get into the 20s some days); the rain does…
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I love cycling. I’m a college student with a part time job off campus. On the days that I have class, Im usually carrying so much S**T that bicycling to school is a big hassle and when class is over, riding back in the dark isn’t very fun.
On the days that I have work, I can’t bike it because Im expected to look nice (I work in an architecture firm, not your typical student job). And there is no place to shower here.
I live 12 Miles from school and work and the bike paths are kinda inconsistent. If there was a cross town express bike path or something, id feel better about biking more often. (If work installs a shower).
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I live and work in New York City; I recently acquired a fixed gear bicycle for tooling around the city. It really has shrunk the city and made life much more convenient and fun. I am very comfortable riding in heavy traffic and dodging pedestrians, but I am the minority in that regard. This exact topic has been brought up at my place of work, and majority the opposition is due to the ‘I don’t want to die on the way to work’ and insufficient bicycle parking - I know I don’t feel comfortable locking my bike to a parking meter for 8-12 hrs during the work day. Therefore, federal, state and local governments needs to be establish MORE bicycle parking and LESS car parking. We need to encourage healthy and environmentally friendly modes of transportation (bicycling) and discourage energy hungry and carbon-emission heavy modes (individual automobiles). There are a wealth of successful bicycle friendly urban areas worldwide; lets turn to our friends in the Netherlands, Japan, and France and ask them for suggestions.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I bike 4 miles to the park and ride. I take the bus the rest of the way into the city. I wear my regular work clothes. If it is hot in the morning I take my time to keep the perspiration to a minimum.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I bike to work when the wheater allows it. About 6 miles of my 10 mile commute either has a bike lane or enough roadside space not to impede the flow of traffic. I bike very defensively, but still aveage a “near miss” (cut-off, t-bone, open-door, etc) every 3 months or so. I suspect I’ll die in a road accident before retirement age, but have made peace with that. I wish the goverment got serious about curbing car usage, urban planning and alternative modes of transport.
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May 14th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
18 miles round trip not a problem but there’s a giant hill
New England weather
No bike paths, super-dangerous back roads
Lousy physical condition (willing to try it though)
No bike
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
It is too far. Round trip mileage is approximately 45 miles/day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I used to bike to work when I lived only 5 miles from work. Now I’m 15 miles and have a son that I have to pick up from daycare. It’s to far and I don’t have the time for the long ride, though I really miss the exercise and fresh air. Even without the kid, there are no good routes, I take the freeway to work and their are no bike paths that parallel it!
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I have been riding to work this week as its Bike to work week, but the main reason I don’t do it more is the time it takes. San Diego has a great bike trail system and I use it alot. a few more bike lanes would be nice (as I almost got hit this am by a driver) but I can deal. extended daylights savings has helped alot also.
The more people that ride the more drivers will have to deal with it and sharing the road will be come a much easier thing to do.
Gov tax incentives to ride to work would be great!
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I work just outside of San Jose and live in San Francisco. I usually take mass transit, however.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I live 40 miles north of Boston. I know some people who live much closer and bike in and I think they are risking their well-being; the city is not bicycle friendly.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I have a home office and the stairs make biking to work difficult. I do however try to get out for an hour or so daily.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I don’t bike to work because my house is 40 miles away from my office. However, I do van-pool with a shared ride program. My co-workers at state goverment, give me the horrified look when I tell my ride experience, many find impossible to give up driving your own car. To me, it is doing my part to protect the environment, not merely due to high gas prices. Above all, I feel I am setting up a good example to my 7-year old daughter.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I live in Northern Virginia and bike to work (3.5 miles) at least 80% of my work days. I have been hit by a car once in the last 5 years but since there is only one car in my family it is a small risk. I also don’t worry about my weight when I’m biking everyday.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Iwould bike to work if I could afford a bike built for the disabled. My legs won’t allow me to use a standard bike and bikes that are made for the disabled cost from $1000.00 to $4000.00 dollars.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I bike to work. It’s about a 13 mile roundtrip with bike paths and wide shoulders. I live in the East Bay (CA) area and drivers are generally quite considerate of cyclists (perhaps because there’s quite a few of us).
I could cut my commute down to 9 miles. However, the problem is that it’s close to suicidal to use the interstate overpasses (where the road narrows down and bike paths and sidewalks are eliminated) due to drivers talking on their cellphones, eating breakfast, searching their glove compartments, and generally not paying attention. Therefore I have to take a slight detour. If it wasn’t for the detour, I would get to work faster on my bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
First, I would love to bike to work. I don’t because I live in RI. We have some of the worst drivers in America and it just makes it plain unsafe to ride my bike to work. Moreover, the state is veritably ant-practicality anti-fitness. I have been yelled at, had soda bottles thrown at me, and have been nearly run off the road in general riding. Lastly, the NIMBYists in the state won’t allow bike trails to connect because they are afraid of others traversing from community to community by bike (horrors!!). The same thing may be applied to walking as well… just try to get across an intersection in this state without someone pushing you with a car.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I bike to work since I’ve moved closer. Its about 6 miles through some busy streets. Having a bit of a shoulder on the busiest of
these streets would be helpful, having a bike lane would be even better, bike path would be even more of an improvement, and best of all would be more attentive/considerate drivers (Or less of them).
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I take the bus in in the morning, and Denver’s RTD system lets you put your bike on the front of the bus or underneath. I just bring in some clothes to ride home in and, barring a thunderstorm, ride my bike 13 miles home. I ride in to work sometimes when the weather is fine as we have showers and I have an office I can keep my bike in, but for various reasons I prefer the bus most days. Colorado’s bike to work week isn’t until June as we are still susceptible to snow this time of year and in the spirit of having it be an enjoyable experience for all riders, they delay it until the weather is more stable.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
If it was convenient, and didn’t rain non stop (read Seattle), maybe. Otherwise, my car works just fine.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
1) I sometimes need my car during the day to conduct work. In some of those situations, I do not know in advance that I will need it. I also sometimes have early morning or evening meeting responsibilities.
2) There are steep hills on my 11-mile one-way commute.
3) There are too many roads that have no or very limited shoulders and are difficult for all but the most experienced bicyclists.
4) There are no (bicycle) parking or shower facilities at work.
5) I have gotten out of the habit of riding and might ultimately need a new bike for reliability’s sake.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I ride my recumbent bike to work when the weather is favorable. If I ride the whole 14 miles (each way) I have to climb steep hills, and cross interstate bridges that have no shoulder (dangerous). So I put my bike in the back of my saturn Vue, drive halfway to work, and ride the rest of the way.
Im able to ride on the Erie Canal path for part of my ride, and cut through residential side streets for most of the rest. There are still several blocks I must ride that are not cycle-friendly (no shoulder, no bike lane), but the combination of getting a reasonable bike ride as part of my commute, and effectively doubling the mileage on my motor vehicle, makes it a positive experience.
I cant say enough good things about the Erie Canal Tow path west from Pittsford, NY. This is how all bike paths should be designed.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I’ve been a year-round bike commuter in Lincoln, NE for the last 3 years, and I plan to continue forever. Lincoln has a great trail system that helps get around the city. We could use more officially-marked bike paths in the downtown area, and more education for both cyclists and drivers on how to coexist more effectively, but in general, things are looking up.
My commute is only 2 miles each way–when looking for housing, my family looks specifically in areas relatively close to the places we want to work and play. I ususally put in another 10 miles or so of fun riding each day, too.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I bike to work and it’s the best part of my day. Bike commuting is “bookends” and it’s great to start/end each workday with a ride.
It’s scenic, it’s great exercise, I feel terrific, it’s better for the environment, it saves money, and I get to work even faster than taking the train. I also interact with other riders and see things that I normally wouldn’t see if I was on a train or in a car.
I’m lucky to work for a company that supports bike commuters with facilities like lockers and showers. I leave some clothes and shoes at work and have shifted my morning routine. It’s so easy once you make the transition.
I sometimes ride in the rain and my wife always rides, regardless of weather. There is no bad weather, just bad gear.
We chose to live close to work so that we could bike in. I’ve spent years commuting by car and have wasted all that time stuck in traffic. I will never, never do it again.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I bicycle commute 4 days a week in the summer and sometimes in the winter too. I specifically chose a house somewhat close to work so I wouldn’t spend money on gas and waste time sitting in a car very long even when I have to drive. The commute is only 5 miles since they moved the office, it used to be 7.5. It can be a bit of a hassle with storing clothes, figuring out how to get to lunch, etc. but overall it’s absolutley worth it, I feel much more energetic and alive when I ride in and for the 35 mintues of exercise (round trip) it only “costs” me 15 mintues of time since the car ride only saves me about 7 minutes off of my commute time and it pays for my bicycles. the benefits of exercise are wounderful and studies have proven toat it is more effective than anti-depressants. Better for you, better for the economy, better for the environment, Just do it.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
In San Diego the streets are made for cars, and NOT bikes. I can handle the hills, but with minimal health insurance I don’t want to take the risk of getting bumper tagged by a careless morning driver. Even our bike lanes (when they exist) are not respected by drivers and I have personally witnessed a few car vs. bike accidents and TONS of close calls. If there were dedicated bike paths I would change my routine instantly.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I live and work in Washington DC, and I’ve biked to work almost every day for the last 8 years. When I don’t bike, I walk.
I know some would say I’m lucky to live close to work ( 3 miles ), but it’s not luck. I want to bike or walk, so I found an apartment close to my job. With luck, I’ll bike to work for the rest of my life. I love it.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I live less than a quarter mile from work, and bike it every day. I also take an exercise class that adds a couple of miles every other day. I like to ride because I like to have the flexibility of having my bike with me all the time: That way I can run over to that new restaurant for lunch, or have a couple of beers at a favorite tavern across town. Salt Lake City is mostly quite flat, has very wide streets, and a reasonably large cycling population. Also, you become more confident, more skillful, and more assertive in traffic the more of it that you do; as you become better, you notice that motorists are much less likely to take advantage of you. You become part of the traffic, rather than a puzzle traffic is trying to solve.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
One other comment, for those that say that bicyclists are taking their lives in their hands, there are plenty of things to do to make bicycle commuting safer-use mirrors, put on some high powered tailights, ride defensively, pay attention, make eye contact. I had a guy in a pickup truck pull up next to me at a stoplight out int he country one evening, he asked: “Isn’t that dangerous?” My reply was “People not getting any exercise is dangerous too”, and too many Americans lead totally sedentary lifestyles, the human body was designed to be used.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and bike to work year round(weather permitting). The biggest hazard for me is drivers. Specifically drivers on their cell phones. We need more dedicated bike lanes, outreach to educate drivers to share the road, and laws prohibiting the use of driving while operating a cellular device.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I want to add that my commute is about 15 miles roundtrip. We live in Alexandria, VA, and I commute to Washington DC via the Mt. Vernon path, a dedicated bike/pedestrian path. Less than 2 miles of my current bike route is on Washington DC streets. I’m lucky that I live in an area that has made such a commitment to safe cycling, though there are still many inconsiderate motorists, some of whom routinely (and intentionally) throw glass onto the pedestrian path.
The Mt. Vernon path is very well-used for recreation and commuting and it’s considered a very important amenity by residents.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I used to bike to work 1 or 2 times a week during the summer when I worked at motorola (about 8.5mi one way) I’d love to continue doing so at my new job but they’re missing one thing. A SHOWER! Moto had a full gym on campus so I could roll in, work out for a few, then show and walk to the other end of the .5mi long building. Unforunately, most businesses don’t have a shower, and noone wants to work with someone that is covered in sweat and reeks to high heaven in an office.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I would love to bike to and from work but I have a 48-mile round trip commute which is just too long, let alone no direct way (or bike paths) other than through Interstate Highways.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I’m a fair-weather but fairly regular bike rider in the Sacramento CA area. Not doing much different for B/W week or day. Though things may be iffy for B/W day tomorrow at predicted 100+. Ride about 5 miles to transit. Nice ride most of the time about 1/2 on bike trail though: why do all the diesel pickups & SUVs have the exhaust on the right side (while the gasoline versions usually go to the back or left)? Produces a good stinking blast while passing me on the uphill grind in a substandard-width bike lane.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I live in Albany, NY and bike in about 9 months out of the year, rain or shine. Drivers tend to have no respect for bikers, and sometimes view us with contempt, making it fairly dangerous every now and then. I think that issue needs to be addressed. Maybe with dedicated bike lanes, but definitely with stiffer penalties for driving behavior that puts bikers at risk. Other than that it’s simple, bike racks and showers. That’ll convert plenty of people.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Work is only six miles away, but the only route across a river is on a narrow freeway bridge without a bike lane. Also, no street that accesses the freeway has a bike lane.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I telecommute from home so I don’t need to bike to work. I live in Southern California so weather is great for biking most of the year. I do bike my child to pre-school and on short (less than 3 mile) errands. On the trips I drive instead of biking, the reason is due to no bike lanes and too heavy/fast traffic (unsafe conditions)
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
i bike 6 miles to work, year round in washington dc. bike lanes are sparse and i sometimes feel like i’m taking a bigger risk than i should be, because traffic is so heavy. my girlfriend, and many others would be interested in biking if bike lanes were more plentiful, but they are scared of sharing lanes with cars.
DC is NOT bike friendly.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I have been biking to work for about 10 years, in Contra Costa County, CA. I have had various routes during this time, ranging from 7 to 22 miles each way. I try to avoid, as much as possible, downtown city traffic. The problem is, that is where you need to go most of the time, that’s where people work. However, it is also where it is least bike friendly, at least around here. No bike lanes, not even the painted on ones.
What we could really use in our urban areas is what is becoming common in European cities. The bike lanes are between the sidewalk and the on street parking lane. So, you have sidewalk, then bike lane, then a curb, then parked cars, then traffic.
It would also be helpful if the traffic signals were checked and calibrated to switch for bicycles. Some do, some don’t.
However, the 1# thing that would make biking in traffic safer is if the police supported it by learning the vehicle code with respect to bikes, and enforcing it, both citing cyclists and auto drivers. Accident investigations should be done in bike/car accidents just as with regular car crashes and citations given when fault is found. We are all in this together.
I am very fortunate in that my employer encourages it’s employees to bike to work, and walks the talk by investing in infrastructure to make it work. All the office buildings that we occupy have bike parking (lockers even), and shower facilities in the 1st floor rest rooms. This really makes it logistically easy for me.
Considering what the traffic is like here in the SF Bay Area, it really doesn’t add too much time to my day to bike to work. I pass a lot of cars on the way home. :)
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Tossing out the “I’m a couch potato” factor. For me, here in Wyoming, more than 6 months of the year it’s just not possible to bike anywhere (well, I suppose it is, I always see one or two loonies out there with studded tires in the winter). This week we’ve already had snow twice, and highs in the 50’s otherwise. When summer finally hits, temps will be closer to 100… So, to arrive at work and not be suffering from heat stroke, freezing or covered in road grime (assuming you have a job where dressing nicely is a requirement), cuts the availability down to about 2~3 months.
I don’t ride those 2-3 months for 2 main reasons. Riding a bike is Horribly painful for my back and bum. This with a “fitted” (maybe the shop were complete idiots) bike, that I tried customizing with a number of different saddles and bars. The bike I own now, and is for sale now, will be the last bike I’ll likely ever own. The second reason is that I’m 2 miles from work, have an hour lunch where I Must go home (have dogs in crates), I live at the top of a hill and find that I can’t eat, much less enjoy, lunch with this kind of physical strain on either side. Note that I’m not particularly out of shape, I X-country ski in the winter, kayak in the summer, and hike year round (along with my maintenance gym schedule of 6 hours/month).
I’ll stick with my 60~70mpg motorcycle (ex250) or 50mpg car (Jetta diesel), buy renewable energy and purchase local produce as my input to lower my carbon footprint.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Three seasons a year, I ride from my suburban home 3 miles to the terminus of the heavy rail transit (subway) line. Sometimes I stop on the pedestrian bridge over another commuter rail line a few blocks from my house to dig the diesel behemoths as they rumble through.
I skirt the pond on the dirt path through the park beside the high school, a couple of blocks more, across the arterial street, then … into the woods, for the last mile to the subway.
Rabbits scramble into the undergrowth as I approach. Snapping turtles can’t be bothered to interrupt their egg laying right beside the path. As I ride through the tree tunnel, winged songbirds flank me at eye level. We look over our shoulders at each other.
Later, the wildlife is waiting for my return .. and in early summer, a plentiful stand of black raspbarries right by the path.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
There are no paths for bikes on my roads. Two lane, 55 MPH for about 1.5 miles, then 2 narrow lanes at 40 MPH. I live about 5 miles from work and would bike if I could, but I don’t consider it safe.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I live about 15-20 minutes outside boston. I bike to work 2 days a week, i tele-communicate 3 days a week.
I bike 1.5 miles each to the train station (weather permitting) because :
1) I don’t own a car, and don’t want to borrow my parents. I also can’t afford a car because of my $1200 monthly college loans. I also do not want to buy a car now because 2010 seems like the year electric vehicles will return to US market. So i’ll paitently
2) I WILL NOT drive a car with gas prices this high when I can ride a bike (weather permitting, short distances only).
3) It’s healthy.
4) National security.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I live 2.6 miles from my work in Oklahoma City. I would love to ride my bike to work but it is simply to dangerous. There are no sidewalks, nor any shoulders along the roadways for safe bicycling, or walking for that matter. You can barely even take a bus here, and taxi service is abysmal as well. We need a lot of work in this city to allow an alternative to cars. Nobody really seems willing to do anything to improve the situation either.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I just started to bike to work again (from Harmony to Providence, RI) . I bike in 11.5 miles and then at the end of the day I put the bike on the front of the bus and take the ride home. The only bad part is crossing over the 295 interchange with no bikes lanes and alot of traffic. That’s why I bike in at 6:00 am. I don’t ride home because of the traffic and lack of bike lanes. Also, if its bad weather or I don’t feel like riding, I just take the bus oth ways. I’m fotunate that we have showers at work and that the bus picks me up 2 blocks from my house and drops off 1/2 block from my work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
There is no safe route for me to bike to work.Believe me, I have looked for ways to take my bike and would love if I could do this 2 or 3 times a week.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I’m in St. Petersburg, FL and I live 12 miles from work. I tried biking to work one time. I was exhausted. Not that conditioning wouldn’t allow me to bike, and I would be willing to get in shape for that, it’s just too damn dangerous. Most of my trek is on the main roads. Although I could ride on the side walk, most of the time, there aren’t always sidewalks available. Cars treat bicyclist as if they don’t deserve to be on the road. And the lack of bike lanes doesn’t help. They cut you off and surpass you way too close, even though the law says they have to give you 2 feet of space. It seams road engineers have forgotten that there are bicycle riders out there and haven’t left any space for them. Until they do make it easier and safer for riders, I think I’ll take the car.
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May 14th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Even though my place of employment is about 5 miles from my home, it is not safe for me to bike (or even walk) to and from work. The vehicle traffic volume is quite large and it is intimidating at best and down right dangerous at worst to try and ride a bike in the middle of rush hour traffic riding from Duluth, Georgia to neighboring Johns Creek, Georgia.
It would be great if the federal government would help encourage local governments to partner with one another to create safe alternate commuting options like bike lanes and sidewalks that actual go somewhere and don’t end abruptly.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I bike to and from work almost daily unless bad weather or I need to run an errand that requires the car. My route in the morning takes me through some bad areas and busy roads, but I work with it since I am short on time in the morning. The afternoon route is longer, but much more enjoyable. Most of it is through neighborhoods with less traffic. On the busy roads I am often honked at and told by passing cars to get on the sidewalk. I fully support more bike lanes/paths along with public education on biking (both for the bikers and non-bikers). I wish more local governments would have ordinances calling for bike/pedestrian lanes/paths with new development. It may be hard to “fix” existing roads and developed areas, but new construction could easily incorporate it into the design.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I started commuting by bike two years ago during Bike To Work Week and I have been doing it ever since, all year long (I live at 7,000 feet and experience all four seasons). I love moving at a slower pace, appreciating the community and the changing seasons. We have a great local bicycle group and an increasingly cooperative city government (due to a lot of active citizen bicyclists). Tonight we are even having our first Bicycle Town Hall meeting. Citizens have to push to change the paradigm and make bicycling a safe alternative for everyone.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I started commuting on my bike April 1, 2007. I started out riding on nice days only. After getting used to the 10 mile round trip ride I started to ride in all weather. Suprisingly I was able to ride through an enitre Buffalo NY Winter with only a few days off due to severe wind or snow. I have found there to be lots of nice paths in the area that are great for family rides. It would help if they connected more of these paths into a more cohesive network that would allow riders to by-pass some very bike unfriendly roads. Most folks don’t realize that much of the Buffalo area is not bad for cycling. The one major limitation is that there is limmited connectivity to the Souther suburbs of the city. The Northern suburbs are well served by the exisiting bike paths.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I would love to bike to work, however, I live more than 15 miles away from work and have to go through freeway.
I would love to bike to a train station, take the train and bike to work from the train station. However, the last CalTrans train is at 6PM. I won’t have a way to go back home if I miss that.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I don’t bike to work because I take my son to elementary school in the mornings and I also pick him up in the afternoon. If I have to go to pick him up because he got injured or sick, I would not be able to make it to the school soon enough to do that.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I dont bike because I dont feel safe with car traffic. If there were a bike path to work that was physically separated from auto traffic I would defiantly bike when weather permitted.
I live in Portland Ore. which is supposed to be a bike friendly city but as long as there is such a big speed discrepancy between cars and bikes I don’t feel safe sharing the road with them.
I ride a motorcycle and am not at all scared riding that because it can keep with the flow of traffic.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Narrow roads w/o bike lanes/paths or sidewalks. There’s just no safe way to do it in morning traffic w/o the above being added.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The primary road between my home and work (FM 2222 in Austin, TX) has no shoulder and 60 mph traffic. The only alternate route that isn’t three times longer is a narrow, winding two lane road that is equivalently unsafe.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I just moved and changed jobs so I am only 1.5 miles from work so I will begin riding to work soon, but I’m surprised nobody brought up these concerns…
- helmet head affecting the way my hair looks when I get to work
- getting grease on my pant legs
- getting mud or puddle splatter on my back
These are things I think about in addition to traffic. First, I have to fix the flat tire on my hybrid bicycle.
UH2L
http://www.thingsivenoticed.com
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I both drive and bike to work. My office is about 22 miles from where I live. I normally drive to a public parking lot in a nearby town about 7 miles away, park for the day, and bike the remaining 14 miles to work. It’s surprisingly fast, taking only about 15 minutes longer than a car/train commute. In the winter this route is often too snowy and icy for me to bike easily, so I drive 18 miles to the city and bike the remaining 4.
Part of the reason I do it is that it’s much less expensive than commuting by car, and that it allows me to get some exercise without taking extra time out of my day, but the biggest reason is just that I am much happier when I’m on my bike than when I’m driving, and it takes a lot of the stress and unhappiness out of my day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I bike to work as often as I can - not only is it energy and cost efficient, but it is a great way to kill two birds with one stone (get exercise during commute time). Based on the postings above, it seems that there are a lot of hurdles to overcome to bike to work..
I am fortunate to work at EPA HQ which has both secure bicycle parking options, and several showering options (e.g., the gym, and other shower facilities connected to bike parking areas). I reside in Silver Spring, MD which is only 8.5 miles to the office, if I take the direct route. There is a longer route (15 miles) that I often take on the way home when the temperate spring cycling weather is around. The long route takes me up the Capitol Crescent Trail (http://www.bikewashington.org/trails/cct/cct.htm)from Georgetown, to Bethesda, then along the Georgetown Branch trail to Silver Spring.
Initially the logistics of biking to work were difficult. Having a wardrobe in the office was key, so that I can keep all my work clothes at the office. Once I accomplished that task, the routine fell into place. This is probably more than you want to know, but here goes: I ride in wearing my biking gear and packpack with the day’s undergarments and socks. I park the bike, head to the office, gather my business attire, then go to the gym to shower and change. From door to door, it takes me an hour in the morning.
So it is doable, and good for you and the environment. Given the latest concerns with Global Climate Change, I am also looking into outfitting my bike to be able to do grocery runs and other errands within 3 miles of home, rather than using the car. That should reduce my carbon footprint substantially…
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I live within two miles of work, with bike paths that could easily lend itself to biking to work. My issue: I have to take my four-year old to daycare each day, which is six miles from my home. I can’t manage him plus all his stuff in a basket. Additionally, I spend a portion of each day providing environmental programs to local schools. I would spend all day riding (how nice), but I wouldn’t be able to get anything else accomplished!
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
The main reason I don’t bike to work is that I live 50 miles from my workplace. If our transit system in the Mat-Su Valley (outside of Anchorage, Alaska) accomodated commuters/bicyclists better (not enough commuter vans available and no bike racks), I might consider that option.
However, I will park my car (I do commute with 3 other drivers in our carpool) at a gym close to work and bike from there. The main issue is traffic conflicts (high speed traffic along a major arterial), curb cuts, and numerous driveway pull-outs. Pretty scary to bicycle when vehicles are coming out onto an arterial or collector from several driveways.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I often bike to work when the weather is good. It is an easy 8 mile round trip to my work in the Northern Virginia area. I’m fortunate to be able to bike half the trip on a part of the W&OD trail. The rest I bike on the roadside or paths. I bike to work for the exercise and to use less gasoline which saves money and is good for the environment. I might bike to work more often if 1) My office had a place to shower, or 2) my bike was equipped with an electric hub motor. Electric hub motors assist the rider up hills, and would probably eliminate the need for a shower. There ought to be a tax incentive for them. See http://www.bicycle-power.com .
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
On Bike to Work Day, I have a team of volunteers who are counting bicyclists between 6:30 and 9 a.m. Last year (our first count) we had 1422 - I fully expect many more this year.
I also plan to drive partway to work and then bike once high school is out, those drivers are crazy and traffic is not great in one area near my house.
Bike safely all!
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I ride every day, all year long. In winter I use studded snow tires and enjoy riding in the cold and snow. Our local bike advocacy, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance, has organized a monthly meeting spot at a local Hartford restaurant where winter cyclists can go for a free breakfast before going to work. My fellow ice-bikers enjoy this from November thru March, (craziness loves company). Summer months CCBA has a monthly outdoor commuter event at the Old State House in downtown Hartford and several other surrounding towns. I am truly adicted to riding to work and feel sorry for those who are stuck in their cars!!!
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
I live 4.2 miles from work in a small town (Chapel Hill). 3.7 miles of the route is safe to bike (or walk the bike); the other 0.5 miles is too dangerous due to the two lane road being a 45 mph zone (essentially a 55 mph zone in real life) with no shoulders. Walking the 0.5 mile part with bike in hand is not feasible due to the weather supporting tick populations (with their associated diseases) for at least 9 months/year. Also on this 0.5 mile stretch, bottles and other debris are hidden in the grass shoulders, precluding a safe ride even on a mountain bike (and therefore unsafe for running in). Installation of a 5 foot shoulder/sidewalk for this 1/2 mile stretch would allow access of potentially about 1000 people into town. The DOT does not provide sidewalks. Towns fund that part, but that stretch is outside the town limits.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Hello, I am an almost daily bicycle commuter to work. As long as there isn’t any ice on the roads and bike trail I ride thru winter also. Its about 8 miles to work in the morning and anywhere from 8 to 26 miles home, depends how I feel that afternoon! I love bicycling, and I am a member of my local bicycle advocacy organization trying to get even more bike lanes and bike paths built in Denver. Have fun everyone.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
When I do bike to work, Its simply because I love biking, it’s a great stress releaser. and its only 9 miles each way.
However why I don’t do it as often as I like is because of the following reasons: No showers at work and This is Texas where it gets hot, Other family and volunteer responsibilities that require my time and a vehicle. And there is 1 small stretch of road on my commute route that I have to go on and it is literally a bottleneck and all I do is tick off the drivers.
Its a stretch of road about 1/4 mile long that is 2 lane rd with no shoulder, no sidewalk and its up hill causing me to go slower than I’d like on that stretch. Also on both sides of the 2 lane stretch is 4 lane divided rd with bike lanes, and the road is heavily traveled and unfortunately this is the only route to work. The only other alternative I’ve found is a much less stressful route but I have to trespass through private property for about 600 yards.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I used to bike to work for commutes of anywhere from 2 miles to 20 miles one way. However, I now telecommute, obviating the need for transportation past my 3-room long commute.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
When I lived in Denver I biked the 50 mile round trip twice a week and carpooled the other 3 days. Luckily there was a good bike path/trail system that made it easy. Also, folks there have a fairly good respect for bikers. I currently live in Bentonville, AR and the path/trail system is just not where it needs to be to promote a lot of bike commutin. The local govt says more trails are being planned. I hope that day comes soon. I would love to start biking in again!
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Reasons I don’t bike to work: (a) Arrive sweaty and need a shower. (b) Winters are long here so it is not safe to be riding along a major highway with snow, ice and no visible lines denoting the shoulder, very windy, can get to 20 below zero Fahrenheit, dark at 0700. (c) Carry a lot of papers home each night. (d) Run errands on the way to and from work not feasible on a bike (dry cleaning, food, prescriptions from drugstore, mailing packages, DVDs, gas for car, dinner). (e) Only about 4 miles each way so use little gas (1 to 2 gal a week).
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Right now I do not bike to work. Here are my excuses why:
I had a baby 3 months ago…I transport my son to child care, pick him up, and feed him during my lunch hour.
I am also very out of shape… but am working at building my activity level so I can hop back on the bike soon.
I am tired of paying so much for gas and would love to bike to work (which is only 2.5 miles) eventually! I have several great routes with bike lanes (or a rail trail) to get me there. I am lucky that I live in a small city (Spartanburg, SC) that is building its reputation as “bike friendly”.
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
My bike ride to work is a great way to start and finish the workday and some days its the best part of the day. My route is about 2.5 miles, through the heart of DC and right past the White House.
There are things that would make the ride even better, like more bike paths and more places to lock my bike, but the best change would be if more people biked too. Unlike driving or Metro, I actually wish I had MORE people to share the road with. More bikers means motorists are more aware of bikers and thats a good thing.
DC is such a bike friendly place, I sold my car 2 years ago and don’t regret it at all.
One thing that aggravates me is that hybrid car drivers get tax breaks, special privledges, and praise from the media, but people that go car-free get nothing. Also, since companies give parking spaces to drivers, and subsidize public transport, why don’t they give bikers some money for bike purchase and upkeep?
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I have a Question of the Century for the EPA. Now that you have quite a bit of input here, what are you going to do about it?
You don’t have to read many of the above posts to find that the biggest concern most folks have with biking to work is SAFETY. This is were government can make a big difference. DO Something!
Use that big government leverage to put riders on those Federal Highway Funds that the States all count on. Around here, you can’t get a new lane on the freeway unless it’s a Diamond/HOV lane because the Federal funds require it. Start requireing bike lanes as well in order to get that funding, and viola they will start appearing.
Getting off soap box now.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I live in Houston. Try biking in 95-degree weather with 95% humidity to a workplace without showers in a town where folks will run you over with their F-350 Dually Pickup trucks getting 10mpg. Fix those issues, and then I’ll hop on a bike the next day.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
The biking concept is a healthy one. However, in Northern VA and the route I take is not a healthy. There are no bike paths and to ride any where on the roads is hazardous to ones health and longivity.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I used to bike to work when I lived closer to work (23 mi. each way), and despite the NDE (near death experience) riding in No. VA roads, I loved it. Now I work 38 mi. (one way) and I just can’t find the time/strength to do the extra 15…
I miss it and am going to get a new job that is closer to home!
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
That’s an easy question to answer. First, I don’t have time to bike 14 miles on a two-lane highway loaded with SUVs and Trucks that give no right of way to bikers. Second, if I did have time and could do it safely, I would need a shower once I got to work and after I got home each day. Third, if would take me at least 1 &1/2 hours each way, that’s 3 hours per day wasted.
A better question would be, “Why don’t you organize a car pool to work, or why don’t we ration gasoline for each U.S. Family? The first question could cut down on the traffic, the second question would cut down on fuel demand–thus increasing supply and lowering price. The later would also reduce the number of SUVs and trucks on the roads and make car pooling more attractive to all.
Think of a better solution next time. You should have asked, Why don’t we ride a horse to work?, That’s the same kind of rediculous suggestion as riding a bike to work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I bike to work about 5 miles each way but not everyday because I have a very steep up and down hill each way. I’m getting in better shape and the hills are getting easier. Also, the winters are pretty brutal in upstate new york
I used to bike everyday when I had about a 3.5 mile flat commute. I lost 12 pounds that summer burning about 300 calories a day extra. I think that if one is lucky enough to live less than 6 miles to work and the commute is somewhat flat and not too dangerous you should strongly consider trying it. On flat roads, I don’t even break a sweat. I just keep a change of clothes at work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I am biking to work about 60 % of the time, year-round. When I don’t it’s logistics, bad weather, or other activities that prevent it.
Since I live in Huntsville, Alabama, the weather is usually OK, except for storms. My husband and I purposely moved 6 years ago to a neighborhood from which bike commuting was easy.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I bike 14 miles to work at least 3 days/wk (carpool the other days). I do it because I love it - it’s fun and challenging. There are also health and cost benefits - both for me and you - in terms of air quality and reduced use/demand of fuel. For that distance, having a shower in the buiding helps, but if I ride a little slower the shower isn’t a requirement.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Once upon a time I biked 14 miles to work. Actually put about 25,000 miles on my rump commuting as a young adult. Then my left knee said, “No more!” and that was the end of that. Not sure I could do it today anyway, because of traffic increase along my path and no bike lanes or even reminders in my suburban area. The bus works, but doesn’t help with excess girth like the bike did.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
In order of importance:
(1) I have no place to park a bike at HOME. I live in a studio apartment, and there is no space alocated in the building, we have no access to the yard, and on the street is just not safe.
(2) Biking up the avenues at rush hour in NYC is dangerous, mainly due to taxi drivers.
(3) I walk to work, so it’s even better.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I bike to work the majority of the time here in Alaska, in all seasons (I have studded bike tires for the winter snow and ice). This is because my house is two miles away on the trail system from my work, so I am lucky to be able to avoid road traffic. My work also has a bike rack in a spot with an overhanging roof, so my bike doesn’t get covered with snow during the day.
Clearing sidewalks and pathways of snow is the biggest issue I see for improving the comfort and safety of bicycle riders in my area.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I do bike to work every day, all year round (luckily Austin, Texas weather allows me to do this). My commute is only 2 miles to work so its easy.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I’ve been biking to work since 1993. I bike for the same reasons most people do, but I’m also a Gulf War era vet, the son of a Vietnam vet, and grandson of a WW vet. I figure saving a gallon of gas might save a GI some trouble someday and that GI might be my own kids or grandkids. I figure it’s my duty.
I face the same troubles that all those folks cite as reasons not to bike. Every route is different so I can’t judge anybody (except for the guy who said they couldn’t get gas for their car). But if the route is less than 10-miles, I can say that it’d be good to give it a try at least once.
I’ve got videos of my route and some co-workers too on Youtube. Pretty boring stuff if you’re looking for porn or Family Guy, so I edited it down to something tolerable. Search: “RIVERSIDE BICYCLE COMMUTE”. See for yourself– it’ll save me the trouble of having to write about the challenges.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
My wife does not like for me to run into the furniture on my way from the breakfast table to my office.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Iv’e biked to work 8 times this year - but not this week because it’s raining and my bike is in the shop anyway.
I wanted the exercise, and my 4 mile commute (mostly downhill to work) is a great start to the day. The mostly uphill ride home is a full work out. I avoid the busy streets and wend my way through three neighborhoods and a small college campus here in Dayton, OH.
It’s a blast. A little flexibility from my employer would help, though they do let us park bikes in our offices.
Dayton’s MPO has a great program: Pedal Pals, designed to match riders who want to bike to work in groups. They will also match an experienced rider with a novice to show the ropes.
Bus bike racks make getting home in the rain a little easier too.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I’m not biking to work because it is not safe. Sidewalks are for pedestrians, and even were there bike lanes along my entire route, the traffic drives 50 in a 30 mile an hour zone. As there are no bike lanes except for the last 100 feet of my ride, it’s even less safe. I’d love to see bike paths along the road with barriers to prevent autos from running me over, or a bike route around congested areas. This would require someone in city government to care. There is not enough money in Michigan city government to pay someone to care right now :)
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I don’t currently bike to work, but I am planning on doing it. I live 30 miles from my workplace, so I am getting a bike with a good electric assist. The place where I work is also installing a couple of showers for commuters. I have to plan out my route using DeLorme TopoUSA because the hill elevation affects where I would rather ride.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
My 10-mile each way commute options are: drive (~30 minutes), light rail (~50 minutes), and bike (~75 minutes). I mostly take light rail but try to bike once a week for exercise and fun. I’d bike more frequently if I had a more direct, bike-friendly route. As it is, I’ve been biking to light rail and using it for part of the trip. I’ve found no other safe way to cross a highway and industrial area. The major streets that go under the highway are the opposite of bike friendly, and due to railroad tracks in the nearby warehouse district, any side roads are either dead ends or feed you back out to the major streets. A direct bike path/route would be safer, save me time, the avoid the hassle of lugging my bike on and off the train.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I live in Miami and bike to and from work about 2-4 days a week, 30 miles round trip, year ’round. In addition to all the great reasons to commute by bike (health, environment, stress relief), I wouldn’t think of driving during rush hour in this town and I don’t like usiing our mass transit system, such as it is. The busses and trains are not especially well-maintained, and the ridership includes some real lowlifes some days (the misanthrope in me.) Miami is not a bike-friendly city, and if you are too fastidious about getting a little sweaty, well, forget about riding a bike in Miami, even in winter. But to me, the good parts of commuting by bike are well worth it….and I’m not getting fat like most of my middle-aged friends are.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I bike 11 miles (each way) to the train, then take train to work. There’s a shower at work but I usually just towel off & take a deodorant shower. I use a folding bike/keep it in my office so I know it won’t get stolen. There are ups and downs to the whole process:
UPS:
*Enjoyable and healthy (lose 2 lbs/month biking in season),
*Save $9 parking, 30 miles gas per day. Adds up quick.
DOWNS:
*AMTRAK employees often hassles me for taking my bike (though official AMTRAK policy allows folders),
*Afternoon traffic (punks) occasionally assault me with their cars when on main road (1.5 miles of the trip).
*Requires work, planning, etc.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I love to bike but it has become quite dangerous to bike in my area. Many people have been injured and killed. We don’t have enough bike lanes - and drivers don’t respect cyclists.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
My commuter bike is a clean and elegant machine. I’m the motor. It gives me great satisfaction to go 8-miles in 20-minutes under my own power. And all at the age of 37 and the same weight as when I was 21.
I’ve got a fine cross-country mountain bike — my sweet racer, I miss her so (We’ll be together again when the kids get older I promise!).
I’ve got a hot-rod fatty cruiser to roll with the kids on, get the mail, and for grocery and beer runs too.
Looking through all the comments, I seems that folks who bike are a lot happier. Happy riding All!
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I bike nine miles from my work in downtown Austin. I take the bus in, because it’s in the middle of the day and it’s hot, but I’m off work at ten at night, where it’s cooler. I still sweat through my shirt, but I can shower at home.
My route is roundabout, not the most direct way, but I avoid major car arteries for the most part by going through residential areas, which allow me to stay off the sidewalk.
I can do the ride (away from downtown is uphill) in about 50 minutes; taking the bus, which I was doing before to save money, takes about 40. Taking my car is about 20, but there are other costs associated with that.
After biking just a couple weeks, I feel better. I feel stronger. My girlfriend appreciates the difference, too. All this without having to join a gym.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I’m 58 years old, 6′ tall, and until about the first of March, 215 lbs. Oh, and I’m insulin resistant (pre-diabetic) and recovering from foot surgery (last fall). I bike to work to excercise, lose weight (I’ve lost 30+ lbs), and reduce my carbon footprint (I also heat my house with a pellet stove). In addition to biking, I power-walk three miles at lunch time.
There are definitely not enough bike paths in my area. I commute five miles each way on a two-lane rural road with no shoulder. Cars refuse to slow for me. Most move into the oncoming lane to go around me. But, when oncoming cars occupy that lane, some go whizzing by within just inches at 50+ mph.
Besides more bike paths, incentives to provide showers at work would also be welcome. As the warm weather approaches, my co-workers would probably like to see me use them.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
When I lived in Philadelphia over 10 years ago I biked everywhere. It was great and I became a fearless urban biker– so much so that I began to consider my riding style as foolish.
I now live in St. Croix, USVI and the biking is good if you aren’t afraid to share the road (no-bike lanes). My office moved much closer to my house (~4 miles) as opposed to 16 miles before. There are no showers/lockers at the new office and though the 4 mile ride is easy, I still sweat quite a bit. It was actually more justifiable for me to ride the old 16 miles each way than it is the shorter distance now. Whereas before I had a reason to sweat (32 miles a day was a good work out) now it is a hassle because I don’t get a work out at the shorter distance but I still arrive all sweaty with no where to really clean-up.
I still try to ride to work at least once a week though, especially during the cooler time of year. We are also working on getting management to install a shower and a bike rack. It seems counter-intuitive but if my office were either far enough to make it a real work out or close enough not to sweat, then I’d probably bike to work very often.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I do not ride my bike to work because I either drive or walk, but I am thinkinng about getting a bike to commute not just to work but to close by places such as the convenience or just for exercise.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I ride the train into work as my employer offsets the cost for a yearly pass to encourage ridership and to reduce emissions. My home is approximately 9 miles from the train station and my job is substantially further. I would love to opportunity to ride my bike to the train station, however, it would cost me my life because the cities I would cross into do not have consistent sidewalks or riding paths and most of the sidewalks that do exist are not even ADA compliant because they have no ramps…only hard rise curbs.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I live relatively close to work at Stanford University, and I ride my bike in daily. There are lots of bikes on campus, and while many of them are student’s, there are a number of “regulars” I see on my route to work. I mainly stick to neighborhood streets, as the main roads can be very unfriendly to cycling. Part of my ride also uses a bike path that skips a few intersections. My ride only takes about 15 minutes, and considering how far away I’d have to park a car, it’s faster to ride in than to drive. We have great bike racks at work (although I would love to have a bike locker to keep my bike out of the weather…rain tends to rust chains and wheels during the winter).
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I live in the outer suburbs of DC (in Montgomery County, MD) and commute to HQ (Ariel Rios). For the past month, I have been biking between my house and the metro once or twice a week, which is 10 miles each way. It took a while to find a route that is bike friendly and to figure out how to transition from bike to metro (would YOU want to sit next to me when I was all hot and sweaty from biking), but I finally found a good route and figured out how to make myself presentable on the Metro. I am really enjoying the biking and plan to continue riding one or twice each week as long as the weather permits. I could bike more often, but I like to run, row and lift weights as well as bike, and I do not have the time or energy to do those other things on the days that I ride my bike.
One way to make my bike commute more conveninet is to have Metro to provide more bike lockers at their stations where the lockers are all booked. When I called to try to rent a bike locker at the Shady Grove station, I was told they were all booked and the wait list was so long that it was a waste of time to go on it. (Also, the Metro employee that I spoke to was somewhat clueless, in that she chided me for only being interested in a locker at the station near my home and not being willing to rent a locker at another station where they had some available.)
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I should add one other point: Montgomery County should be applauded for putting bike paths and bike lanes next to and in some of its major roads. My commute is only possible because of the bike lanes on Shady Grove road and the bike path next to Airpark Road.
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May 14th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I ride to work at a hospital in New Haven, CT. It’s a pleasant and quick 2-mile ride, but could use more bike lanes and fewer one way streets. Notably, New Haven is becoming increasingly bike friendly, has a growing number of bikers, and has a great advocacy group (www.elmcitycycling.com).
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I live and work in Fort Collins, CO where excellent bike routes, lanes, and paths exist. I commute by bike 3-4 times a week and witness hundreds of others doing the same throughout town. Safety is always a concern when riding with traffic, but the more people that commute by bike, the more aware motorists become of their two-wheeled brethren. Fort Collins is an example for other cities to follow. They got it right!
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I bike-bus to work at least one day a week, more often during the warm months. It’s 19 miles each way, and there are no showers at the office since we downsized and sublet that part of the building. So I just bicycle home from work, depending on the weather, appointments, etc.
A couple things that would make it a LOT easier would be
1) a US tax subsidy for bicycling expenses, which would provide better equity (for those who don’t drive cars and pay to park) among commuters;
2) better law enforcement of distracted/aggressive/hostile motorists, as well as motorist awareness education (how many don’t know it’s only a privilege–not a God-given right–to carry a driver’s license?) to help improve driver behavior and ensure safer roads for bicycle commuters; and
3) more subsidies for transit (doing the bike-bus ride shaves a mere 10 minutes off my bike-all-the-way time of 1.5 hours). We need more express bus routes to AND from downtown during rush hour.
Thanks for the opportunity to sound off!!
BikeDenver.org
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I live in Atlanta, not known amongst the friendliest bike cities in the country. Biking is a priority for me & therefore I chose to live in an area where many other cyclists live and that has fairly safe routes around town. I ride 6mi each way to work 3-5 times a week. The days that I can’t bike to work, I usually drive and always include errands to/from work. I am fortunate to have showers at work, a good route and a safe place to lock my bike. The best parts about commuting is chatting with other cyclists along the way and having the security guard ask me how my training for the Tour de France is going. ;-)
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I don not bike to work because I don’t want to leave those greasy tire marks on the carpet between my bedroom and my home office.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I bike to work as often as possible. I have a five mile commute, on city streets. I take residential parallel routes and avoid main thoroughfares as they’re dangerous. I don’t use any grade or otherwise separated bike routes, but I do use designated “Bicycle Boulevards”.
I would be less likely to bike for theft reasons, but my employer allows me to store my bike indoors, keeping it from becoming one of those wrecked frames with no wheels locked to a fence or bike rack.
My motivators:
1. Health. Biking to work gets me aerobic exercise every day without requiring me to significantly alter my schedule or “make time” for exercise. It’s a convenient way to improve my health.
2. Politics. I am not consuming oil when I go to and from work, putting less money into the hands of Middle Eastern despots. I also consider it a simple memorial act for my friend Mike who was killed by an IED in Iraq, and an act of solidarity for my friends and relatives who are currently serving there.
3. Cost. I have paid for my bike a couple times over now. A motivating factor in the morning to keep me out of the car is that I’m saving close to a gallon of gas every day, since my car barely makes it out of cold-start mode on the five-mile trip.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
I do not bike to work, although I would like to. I live in Terre Haute, IN. 1) Safety - car -vs- bike = car wins.
2) I don’t want to be smelly all day.
3) Lunch - My job has me at lunches across town a couple of times a week. I really don’t have the time to travel via bike each way.
4) Rain - back to the whole smelly thing…
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I bike 5 miles each way to work at a credit union in suburban Washington state. I’m lucky to have really nice trails for most of my ride, a place to lock up my bike, and a shower. I only use the shower in the summertime — the rest of the year I just don’t get that sweaty. It’s a very comfortable and peaceful ride. I would like to get better rain gear so I can ride more often, now I spend a lot of time looking at weather radar first thing in the morning trying to decide whether to ride. If I don’t ride, I usually take the bus. I’ve even discovered that I can get to my dentist & doctor during the work day pretty easily by bike. :)
At a previous job, I used to bike 2.5 miles, park my bike, then vanpool the other 30. That was nice too, although once my headlight got stolen. :(
To top it all off…I only learned how to ride a bike 4 years ago! At the age of 29. It’s a long story, but now I am a committed cyclist.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I live in L.A., and riding a bike to work would be insane since there are hardly any bike paths.
Instead, I take the bus and subway to work every day, which is the second best thing to riding a bike!
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I’d love to bike to work, but it’s downright dangerous! I live in Pittsburgh, and the roads are narrow and drivers are not bike-friendly. Also, Pittsburgh is very hilly, and while that makes it a better workout, my morning clients probably wouldn’t appreciate me sweating buckets when I’m meeting with them!
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
My commute to my office is 2.1 miles. I live in Los Angeles, and commute to Beverly Hills. The ride takes me 15 minutes on a bicycle, and about 18-20 minutes in a car. The reason it takes longer to drive is because in a car I have to take a route that involves congestion and traffic lights I often sit through two cycles. The bicycle wins hands down, because I can take side streets that stop signs and having to make u-turns both prevent me from taking in a car.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I try and bike to work about half the time (only 4 miles). I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the winter I bike less because of dangerous roads at night, and sometimes snow. In the summer I skip on biking sometimes if it is forecast to rain heavily in the afternoon. The biggest obstacle to biking besides weather are the dangerous roads. Half the route has a nice bike lane, and half has no shoulder at all.
My wife bikes less because the roads are so dangerous - even the one with the bike path (it is very narrow and poorly marked. A biker was killed a few months ago crossing her route). So she has to bike the long way around, turning a 4 mile ride into 10.
Mike
Mike
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Well, I’ m retired from the Chicago Public Schools, but retirement has allowed me to cut down on my daily driving in so many ways! I ride a recumbent tricycle not because I am limited by physical disabilities, but because a recumbent trike allows me to concentrate on what is going on around me. Instead of focusing on balance, starting and stopping issues, I can focus on the beauty of my surroundings as well as what people driving two ton SUV gas guzzlers are doing instead of driving safely. But, seriously, folks, if you ever drove a gokart as a kid, you can relate to the thrill of riding a recumbent trike, minus the loud noise and exhaust smell. One of my trike riding buddies, is retired from the EPA no less.
Orland Park, Illinois is a major regional shopping destination, and the Village is bisected by several state and federal routes. Still, it is possible to get around by a vehicle with two inches of ground clearance. I have had people tell me that I am hard to see because I am so low, my answer is, “Can you see the lines on the road? They are even lower than I am!”. I have a trailer that I can tow behind my trike for groceries, however perishables still require a car trip. I ride year around, except in heavy rain and snow, with over 4000 miles per year on my trike. My next step up in life will be a velomobile, an enclosed human powered vehicle.
Life is better on three wheels!
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I live in Guthrie, OK and bike to work most days. I have a 2 mile commute each way. I have a few motivating factors: 1) I save money I would be spending on gas and car repairs; 2) I have a young son and want to do everything I can to give him a clean, healthy world to live in (not a traffic clogged, asthma inducing mess); 3) I believe that bicycling improves citizenship and community … plus I wave more, I have more conversations with neighbors, I stop to help people, and generally have more positive interactions with the people who share my city with me.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Over the last 10 years I have ventured out onto our rural Long Island roads (yes, Long Island does have rural areas) to bike to work on three occasions. The ten mile trip is enjoyable, the risk to life and limb because of the drivers that visit during the summer is not. I have had vehicles pass on the right shoulder at speeds well in excess of those posted. Luckily I was in a car in the proper lane, any biker would have been toast. We usually lose at least two bicycle riders a year in this area and invariably they were doing everything right, except being vehicle resistant.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I used to bike a lot in Sweden were I had access to bike paths and the roads were wider. I would love to bike to my work here in Chicago. It is not very far, but I only have a bike path part of the way and the traffic is very intense.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I ride the 10 miles to work on my electric bike. My main problems are the hills (hence the e-bike), the 55 mph speed limit with on and offramps (and this isn’t even a freeway), and the lights that won’t turn green for bicycles or even motorcycles.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I do bike to work, about 8 miles each way. It would be 6 but I go out of my way to find streets with bike lanes.
In my opinion, the lack of bike lanes and bike paths is the main impediment to commuting by bike. I have enough experience cycling that I know what to expect from cars and can keep pace with them on smaller streets. For a newbie, the experience of pulling into the middle of a car lane at 10mph with cars bearing down behind you is absolutely terrifying. Even if there are little yellow signs that say “share the road.”
Bikes and cars simply cannot share the same lane — there is too much of a size and speed discrepancy.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I bike to work and to do errands most days. I live a small town in the midwest (population 25,000), but it’s astounding how horrible traffic is here. People run stop signs, don’t look before they pull into traffic, and intentionally cut cyclists off even though there is plenty of room on most streets. We’re working on a plan for bike/ped paths, but a useable product is years away. The paint needs to be put down NOW for bike lanes on streets.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I live in Key West Florida and I bike everywhere, including to work. It’s easy for me because I live so close, but it’s amazing how many people who also live close don’t bike because they are lazy or don’t want to sweat. In South Florida I think sweating is a badge of honor. I have two big baskets on my bike but I still could use more storage so I would love to have an extra cart on the back of my bike. Being able to bicycle everywhere is the main reason I love living here and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Check out “Return of the Scorcher” for a great 30 minute film on the virtues of the bicycle. Available at greenplanetfilms.org.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I do not bike to work because I am not a morning person and if I tried to tangle w cars in the AM I would be killed pretty quickly. I also have a neck injury so cannot move my head quickly, as would be needed when riding a bike as a commuter, without risking more serious permanent injury. And I carry a lot of stuff for work and my volunteer work. I take the bus and the Metro and walk. I don’t want to be made to feel guilty for not being a svelte young thing anymore with nothing on my mind but biking.
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I work too far from home; but anyway I don’t have a bike and there are no routes for bikes in my area.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I would love to bike to work. I live in El Paso, TX and the weather here is perfect for year-round bicycle commuting. There is only one thing that keeps me from commuting. NO BICYCLE LANES. I live on the Westside and to get downtown I would have to ride on a major thoroughfare with no bike lanes which would be very dangerous. By adding bike lanes the city could relieve congestion on the roads. It seems that El Paso government is mostly talk and not much action.
What can the EPA do to help?
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I used to live in the Wash/DC area for 16 years. 10 of those years I biked to work in NW/Foggy Bottom from Bethesda, Falls Church, and Old Town Alexandria. Once at work, shower facilities were readily available at my agency or at a local fitness club when I joined the real world and started working in the private sector. Now, I live in Denver, CO. There are numerous perimeter bike paths in the suburbs, but literally nothing in the city. Commuting East and West through the central section of Denver via on street bike lanes is a very hazardous proposition. Very few bike lanes are marked, many routes signs are missing, and drivers are not respectful of cyclists’ safety! A shame since the climate in Colorado is very conducive to outdoor activities.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I ride to work at Purdue University, only 1.6 miles from where I live. The route is on city roads that have bike lines, and on two campus bike paths. I don’t ride in the winter but I try to ride as much as possible the other 9 months of the year. I would ride more often if I could park my bike in a shelter or locker so it would not get rained on. Covered bike parking at work would increase my bicycle commuting by about 25%. So far, Purdue has not seen the light about bike lockers or covered parking.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I live in Portland, Oregon, arguably one of the most bikable cities in the US! I’m a fair weather biker, and my biggest obstacle is fear of getting hit by a car or bus. My second biggest obstacle is being organized enough to find my bike gear, gather work clothes that can handle being packed and still look OK when I get to work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I bicycle commute in San Diego 3-4 days a week, (moto commute if not by bicycle), about 8 miles one way. @ Martin 4:44, I go through Mission Valley, what minor hill are you talking about.
I understand most peoples concerns about traffic, but after riding/commuting and getting around 90% by bike, you come to realize that if you operate attentively and like a true road user it can be done. This means taking the lane when there is insufficient room to pass. Being sure you make eye contact with drivers.
And so to the EPA who may be reading this. Get tough on GHG emmissions. Label them as pollution as they should be. Provide economic incentives for people to ride/walk/combined transit. Tax emmissions, credit cycling.
Thanks for asking the question, now do something with the answers!
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Generally speaking, I don’t bike to work, but then again, I no longer drive, either. The 27 mi. from Long Beach to downtown LA is not the problem, but the roads and neighborhoods are. I can go about 7 mi. on the bike path before it heads away from where I want to go. The rest of the way is on highly congested streets, with no bike lanes, and several “not so good” neighborhoods. I occassionally make to trip on weekends, however, when the streets weren’t as crowded and then return home on the train to avoid the neighborhoods in the darkness. Most of the time, I take the train to LA, and then rollerblade the last few miles. I get about 10 min. of walking and 25 min. of rollerblading per day without needing a shower or change of clothes - and rollerblades are easier to stash than the bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I’ve occasionally biked to work, but it’s unpleasant and dangerous in the outer suburbs of Raleigh, NC. There aren’t many bike paths (and those that exist are designed for recreation rather than commuting as they really don’t go anywhere) and the traffic lights are worse than useless as they tend to direct auto traffic towards pedestrians trying to cross on crosswalks. We have beautiful weather and I’m sure many would take advantage of bike commuting if it weren’t so unpleasant and dangerous.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I don’t currently bike to work because I’m a stay at home dad. But we have been riding our bikes to drop my oldest off at school. We also do our shopping by bike, w/ two little ones in the trailer and my 5 year old riding the 6mile round trip. Also all short trips are by bike-convenience store, parks, bank, etc. I choose to live this way because I’m sick of the car-centered culture. It’s so much nicer not to feel guilty about polluting, saying hi to the neighbors everyday, being healthy, and going slow enough to notice things.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I train-bike sometimes. I’d bike more with infrastructure improvements such as bike-friendly lanes, tunnels, & signals, bus train taxi storefront racks, bike storage at my residence, mindful steetsweepers who clear bikelane debris, incentives for company (electric) cars for workday appointments.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I live in the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. area, and for me it’s mostly a lack of safe cycling routes. Many roads have no shoulder or bike lane, and that’s a problem even if the speed limit is low. I am fortunate enough to live close enough to D.C. that public transportation is realistic, but the financial incentives to sprawled development have created an extremely energy-efficient means to handle population growth.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Like Brett I live in Pittsburgh. I do ride to work at least once a week, sometimes more depending on other factors. My commute is ~ 15 miles in each direction. The biggest problems I face are fast narrow arterial roads with no good low traffic options. Pittsburgh is an old and very hilly city, and in many places the side streets do not parallel main roads, or involve significantly more climbing. If I had a reasonably direct lower traffic option for my commute I would ride 5 days a week year round. As it is, the stress of dealing with heavy traffic and the additional time it takes limit me.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I would love to do it. Actually, I feel envious of people who live in cities where their mayors or public works officials are sensitive enough to provide a path or at least a sidewalk for pedestrian and/or bikers to share. This is not the case in the San Juan Metropolitan Area of Puerto Rico. It is interesting however because if there is a place where lightening up the trafic needs urgent attention is precisely here. It is indeed very unsafe venturing to ride a bike in this part of the world. Can federal government agencies that provide financial resources to build roads and to watch pollution levels in the Island “persuade” local government officials to get busy at creating at least a testimonial bikers route were people wishing to go to work by bike can begin to do it?
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I bike to work nearly every day of the year, including during three months of what can be harsh, cold, snowy and icy weather. Bike advocates here in Madison, WI have worked long and hard with our traffic engineering and other departments, and citizen commissions to develop a beautiful system of bike paths, bike routes (on quieter streets), and a (less-desirable) system of bike lanes (generally on streets I consider to have unhealthy levels of car pollultion).
My wife and intentionally bought a house within 3.5 miles of our downtown work sites, even though the short-term cost was higher than living farther away. In the long, run, though, it is a bargain. (We soon found out it is also on a designated residential street bike route.)
Bike commuting allows us (my wife also bikes to work frequently, or rides the bus in winter; and our sons have often biked to school rather than walk or take a bus) to live up to our commitment to minimize our ecological impact, and to speak through direct action of our opposition to human folly related to energy use, including respiratory illnesses, obeisity, and the ongoing occupation of Iraq.
We save thousands of dollars every year by leaving our one car in the garage, and by not needing a second car. Though our family income is pretty average for Madison, we have been able to afford many types of trips and other experiences that some families with higher incomes cannot afford.
BIKING MAKES LIFE BEAUTIFUL!!!
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I do bike some to work. Things that would get me to bike more regularly would first off be better safer routes. Bike lanes and bike paths would make it much more attractive to bike to work. If the government would offer an financial insentive of some sort that would also be a great encouragement.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Hi folks. This is Jeffrey Levy from the EPA blogging team.
We’re amazed and delighted at the number of responses so far. Keep ‘em coming!
We’re discussing how best to use your good thoughts, and we’ll update you here.
Thanks!
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I have been biking 5+ miles to work every day for over 7 months now. I donated my car to the Veteran’s Administration, and we’ve been a one-car family for over half a year now. I’m feeling great, saving a ton of money, and am doing my part for the planet. I’ve also recruited several friends to bike as well. While every little bit helps, skipping your morning commute does more to shrink your carbon footprint than simply changing lightbulbs or turning off your computer monitor. Add in the health benefits and financial savings and you’ve got an all-around good deal.
My one problem is that I just switched jobs and the new employer doesn’t have an acceptable bike rack. I’m forced to chain my expensive bike to a fencepost that doesn’t have any security and is exposed to the elements. I’m still working this aspect, but I’m not going to let an EXCUSE stop me from doing something I find so enjoyable.
– Daniel Lunsford
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
3.5 miles each way, half of it on a trail beside SF Bay, and parking space at work is a mess, so who would possibly want to drive?
No shower at work, so I have to pace myself to keep the BO down.
There is one clover leaf freeway crossing which a lot of car drivers think should be their exclusive domain. An increasing number of drivers do seem to be accommodating of bicycles, though.
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May 14th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I have wanted to bike to work for years, for environmental reasons and because in my experience walkable/bikeable places are by their nature far more pleasant to be in than car-dependendent ones. Until recently I lived in a place where I could bike to the store and library, but not to work. Now I live where it’s an easy, safe bike to work. Biking to work is just my normal commute and takes no thought or willpower. I’m far from athletic, but my normal 10+ bikes trips a week have gotten me in better shape than I’d been for a decade-plus previously. It is just great. We should be diligent in retrofitting communities on a large scale so more people have this option.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I bike to work ~9 months/year ~2 days/wk. It’s 15 miles each way. 10 of those are on a MUT (multi-use trail). 5 miles are on a treacherous stretch of road with lots of rush hour traffic, scary drivers, and no shoulder.
Those 5 miles are sometimes too daunting and I don’t ride.
I don’t ride ~3 months/year because it’s too dark and cold.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Hey Jeff,
Glad to hear someone is reading these. As I wrote earlier, the EPA as well as other federal agencies (I know don’t expect much until next January) have such potential to improve the playing field for alternative transportation modes.
Regulating GHG emissions as pollutants. Getting the House and Senate to pass Complete Streets policies. People will really change if they have the opportunity.
Energy prices are never coming down, everybody could use more excercise and all that other feel good biking jazz.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I’ve been in my current job for 10 years, and have always ridden a bike to work. (Because of this, our family of 4 needs only one car.) I bike to work because I live in a bicycle friendly town — Chico, Calif. The city has done much to accommodate bicycles. We have a far reaching network of bike paths, there are numerous bike lanes, and there are public bike racks on every block downtown. There are so many people commuting by bicycle in this town, that cars are used to bikes and share the road with them. Bicycles fit in easily in Chico. Also, the city has done a fair job of controlling sprawl, so most people are close enough to town to commute by bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I tend to have reasons that might be considered excuses, but here they are: I don’t bike during the winter months due to hazardous conditions and personal safety (snow, ice, etc). During the summer I work long shift up to 14 hours, and need to be on a 15 minute call back for emergencies. This leaves the spring and fall which are my favorite times of year… I do so when I can, but have not since moving to Great Falls, MT. I plan on doing so in the future for to continue a healthy lifestyle, and to conserve on the every high fuel prices.
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May 14th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I bike to work, about 15 min each way. However, I flat AT LEAST twice a month due to the glass and debris on the sides of the roads. Some of the cities in the Bay Area (CA, USA) are now contracting out their street cleaning. Those contractors don’t do the sides of the road well… Menlo Park and East Palo Alto: I’m talkin’ to YOU!
(Yes, have complained and who knows if it did any good; I still get flats, but it’s still worth it. I’m a whiz at changing a flat now!)
Also, big kudos to Caltrain for having the bike cars. Yes, that means they have fewer seats for sitters and it probably costs them more, so we bikers really do appreciate it.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I don’t bike to work because I work at home.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I live in Rochester, NY. I do not bike to work not because of the distance, which is ten miles, but because the road that I would have to ride on is one of the most dangerous roads we have in the area. I do not feel entirely conformable when I drive it. Also, we have no facilities for a shower or anything like it so I can be presentable for the job. There used to be, but when the sheriff’s office moved out they removed it to save on money.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I have a 35 mile one way commute on the freeway. I have done the ride once fully, 45 miles on surface streets and once with the bike to the train. The lack of a unified public infrastructure, buses & trains, makes the journey very long. I would ride my bike everyday that would not be hazardous to me (rain) if there was a better unified public transportation system.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
No safe continuous bike lanes between Silver Spring, MD and downtown DC
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
My bike commute is 15 miles in one direction. I am lucky in that the majority of it is on a rail trail in the area. I don’t typically bike both in and out but will do one or the other by driving in with the bike on the rack, riding the bike home, riding in the next morning and driving the car back that evening. I also have showers at the office. I have to dress business professional and just carry everything I need with me that day including a towel. It just takes planning. I started commuting because I could and because it was a good way to get miles in once I started riding again. The gas savings has been a pleasant side effect.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I bike to work once or twice a week. It’s 25 miles round trip. As my fitness level increases I expect to ride more often. About 1/3 of my commute is on bike paths. About 1/4 is residential and the remaining is industrial. I shifted my commute times so that I don’t have to deal with really heavy traffic. Where there aren’t bike lanes, traffic is pretty accomodating so I consider myself lucky. Still, some of the bike paths are in serious need of maintenance and traffic lights don’t recognize me as a vehicle. My goal was to get my bike commute time down to 45 minutes each way. That adds an hour to my travel time, but then I don’t have to spend an hour at the gym. We have showers at work. However, the bike rack outside is pretty sketchy so I bring the bike inside (which really isn’t allowed) and leave it in my cubicle. Ironically, they installed kiosks for smokers but won’t do anything to improve the bicycle parking security. They’ve set aside premium parking spots for electric vehicles but they don’t promote carpooling or bicycle commuting. In an ideal world, I would be able to do my entire commute without having to worry about cars. People talking on the phone while driving really scare me when I’m riding my bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
When I need to go into the city of Tucson Arizona I bike-bus-bike to get there (about 10 miles). I get a good cardio-vascular workout getting to the bus line, put my bike on the bus rack, ride for 8 miles on the bus, take my bike of the rack and can go anywhere in the metro area faster than I could in a cab.
Its cheap, I get exercise, I don’t create as much pollution or congestion, I experience a tremendous sense of freedom and its fun!
If there were a “bikeway” into the city, I wouldn’t even need the bus ride. The routes into the city are not bike friendly, in fact they are quite dangerous. Transportation planning needs to include bikeways so that the THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE who would ride if the bikeways existed…. could.
Thats my humble, but why are we not doing this already?, opinion!
Its a matter of national security, health and sustainability for crying out loud!
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May 14th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I don’t bike to work because of my 19 miles communte. Its not time efficient and unsafe in heavy Houston traffic!
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I ride 2 miles through a shady urban/residential neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL.
I started for the health benefits, and somewhat to save on gas.
I continue because it’s FUN! Rain or shine I love it. On days when I have to take the truck, I get really bummed out. Even if it cost me $4 per 15 miles (like my truck), I would still ride my bike.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I love my bike. i ride it everywhere I have the slightest opportunity to. Still, I have to have a car to ride to work. Why? Because I fear for my life. We need more greenways and bikepaths/lanes. If we had a mandate to add a measly 6 feet every time we updated a road, that would be enough to have a 3 foot bike lane each way, which is all it would take to get a whole lot more of us biking EVERYWHERE. I hate my car and want to kill it. I wouldn’t mind biking even in rain and winter’s cold. Give me 3 feet of path, and give it a barrier on roads with a 45mph limit or higher (where cars go 60 anyway), and I would do it in a heartbeat.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I am 45 years old and I work at home promoting life saving nutritional products (I’m on the web). I just sold my car because I didn’t use it enough. The nearest large store is 4.25 miles away and I bicycle there regularly and everywhere else in town (even in cold Montana). The biggest reason people won’t ride bicycles as transportation is the lack of knowledge of the general public that cyclists have the same legal rights to roads as motorists. We have the right to the full lane on the roads. There needs to be a question on every drivers test in the country asking “Do bicyclists have the right to be on the road taking up the full lane?” If the motorist gets it wrong then they are corrected. In time everybody would know cyclists have the same rights as motorists.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I have biked to work in both San Francisco and Washington DC. My current commute (DC) is about 25 miles round trip. I ride about 2-3 times a week with a break during the winter. I will ride in the rain but not if I have my computer with me.
Drivers exhibit all kinds of behavior from accommodating to hostile. My experience tells me that the more bikes that are on a route the more considerate the drivers become. I love bike lanes but trails that are shared with pedestrians.
I ride fast so a shower on the work side is a must. I would love to have an employer who provides a locker room and indoor bike racks. I have always joined a gym and figured out a safe place to leave my bike.
I love starting my day with a ride; it is the best thing in the world.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I have a fear of biking because I have read about the many deaths of people on bikes. Our so called bike paths are narrow and on even more narrow roads. I used to ride and have a beautiful bike covered in dust, just waiting to be ridden. I have ridden in other states and not felt the fear I have here on Long Island. Hopefully this can improve.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I ride ~ 3 days a week when it’s not raining (which a lot of the time in Sacramento)
I’m fortunate to have a shower at my office.
The ride is about 9 miles each way, 14 the long way through some parks for more fitness.
I’d ride everyday, but i frequently have meetings across town that are tightly scheduled, and I don’t want to show up sweaty for them.
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I’ve been commuting since 1991, commuting at least 7 miles each way to work since my highschool day. In Southern California, there’s no excuse in getting off one’s butt, get on the bike, and ride not only for the health reasons, but also to prevent our necessity to increase funding to third parties for petroleum reservoirs searching. We’re facing quite a bit of gas price increase as it is already. How about investing a month of gas refills on a good bike, and cycle to work if you’re living within 10 miles of your work place. That’s only two hours of exercises that you already spent going to the gym. I battle through heavy rain, and 60+ mile head wind. Each day is a new day of challenges. The only reason why I can’t ride every day because I need to be home to watch my kids as my wife goes to work as a graveyard shift nurse. My pet peeves are those bastards who drive like they own the roads, trying to run me off the roads although they have 15 feet of clearance between the curbs and the lane markers.
How about some government incentives for those who put forth the efforts. Those who ride are busting our chops and lungs to get to work in the worst of conditions, yet gain nothing but frustrating expletives from fast drivers, while the ones doing all the driving getting all the incentives.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Where I work there is zero automobile parking. My choices are bike or streetcar. Unless the weather is VERY bad I take my bike because it is cheaper and more fun.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I just started biking to work this year. I’ve now biked in four times and am enjoying it quite a bit. It’s great exercise and I’m saving a gallon of gas each day (30 miles round trip). Plus, it only takes me 15 minutes more than my usual half hour drive.
There are a number of reasons I haven’t biked before this (and why it is still a little difficult). First, there are absolutely NO bike lanes, or even consistent sidewalks where I live (Avon, IN: near Indianapolis). Second, my work place doesn’t have any locker rooms or bike storage locations. Right now I’m changing clothes in a bathroom and keeping my bike in a cubicle. Third, people aren’t exactly bike friendly and aren’t used to seeing bikers and knowing how to treat them.
Things are going well so far. I just hope I can keep safe.
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May 14th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Safety reasons mostly. There are few bike lanes on the roads. The bike paths do not lead to my job. I have had a lot of friends that have been injured by riding on the road, even in off hours….
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
It’s a great idea if you live in the city…But I don’t…so… It is too far (about 14 miles), I have to drop my son off, I have to use my car in my work, it is not very safe riding a bike down winding roads with little visibility, would take too long to get to work and back to pick up my son (If I did this I would lose work time)…but I do drive a small car that gets really good gas mileage. In my situation it is about the only option, trust me if there was a better option that wouldn’t cost me half of my paycheck, I would do it…
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I do not bike to work because there isn’t enough done in my city, Merced, CA, to ensure the safety of cyclists. There also need to be bike lockers to make sure that the bikes are safe when we get to our location. Also, I had someone break into my garage and steal two of my nice road bikes and when I called the police they never showed up then when I finally did get to file a report they never contacted me about anything. It just seems like no one cares about bikes in Merced.
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Suggestions for government incentives:
1) subsidize “bike cars” for trains/subways (and run the subsidy for a minimum of two years, to see if it takes or not).
2) subsidize street cleaning. I’ve seen the most outlandish crap on the road, never mind all the broken glass and jagged metal bits.
3) subsidize wireless communications, so that all the telecom companies that tear up our roads and leave long tire-snagging cracks in the asphalt, will go out of business.
4) require a harder-to-get license for any car larger than a Camry. Toughen licensing in general, at least up to European standards (I hear that they are more strict, I could be wrong).
5) enforce/encourage highway standards. Here in the northeast, it seems like every little town has a road department, and it’s “hey kids, let’s stripe a road”. There’s one intersection in Lexington where it looks like they striped it for a pair of 8-foot wide lanes — each is completely filled by a 6-foot-wide car, and me, with no air between us OR the stripes.
6) change the at-fault rules — lacking clear evidence to the contrary, the heavier vehicle is always judged to be at fault. Gives large cars an incentive to drive carefully.
7) change to pay-at-the-pump auto insurance; that would add a dollar or two to the cost of each gallon of gasoline, yet it’s revenue-neutral (money you would have sent to the insurance company) and by making the cost of insurance more direct (and making it impossible to dodge paying for insurance) it’s actually economically more efficient. It gives people an immediate incentive not to drive their cars, not the deferred incentive of maybe-I’ll-note-my-mileage, maybe-I’ll-tell-the-insurance-company, maybe-they’ll-give-me-a-proportional-reduction.
8) lots of PSAs, reminding people that (a) we’ve actually got more rights to the road than cars (so I have heard — has to do with right to free movement), (b) a person on a bike is another empty parking space, (c) a person on a bike is not driving up the cost of gasoline, (d) a person on a bike cannot hurt you; they have chosen to get around in a way that presents very little danger to other people, and (e) that pedal to the left of the gas pedal, it slows your car down, even to a stop, and it can be used to enhance safety whenever the road looks too crowded. On the you-should-ride side, (f) as dangerous as biking might seem, not biking is more dangerous — years of life lost to bike accidents are paid back many times over in deaths from heart disease, strokes, and diabetes avoided, and (g) you can save money, not just on gas, but also on medication avoided, and (h) almost every person I know with “bad knees”, does physical therapy that includes cycling (either for real, or stationary).
9) Fix the frapping mass transit. Whenever it hits 80% of capacity, add service. If the bus is full, if the subway is full, if the subway parking is full, there’s no incentive that will put more people on the bus or subway — it’s full, or darned unpleasant. People on the bus/train are people not on bikes, and busses/trains can fill in when the ride is too long, or the weather is too bad, or when the tire AND the spare are both flat.
There’s my suggestions, I’m sure that they’re mostly regarded as too radical, but sooner or later enough people will notice that the status quo (sending piles of oil money to Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and spending military money and lives in Iraq — and converting corn, which we could be eating, into fuel, even though that barely breaks even after accounting for the energy cost of fertilizer, cultivation, transportation, and refining) is nuts. (I’m deliberately ignoring global warming, I think there’s enough good reasons to burn less oil without arguing that point.)
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May 14th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I commute 4 miles each way within New Orleans, LA. The biggest hurdle is getting over the interstate. If I choose, I bike along the bayou or through City Park.
It feels right, living in a city built before the automobile’s hostile takeover of our urban spaces.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I bike to work because it helps me feel more connected to my community, it makes me feel good, and it helps me stay in shape without taking up much time out of my day. Additionally,
That said, it takes courage to take to the road on my little mountain bike every day. I have plenty of sympathy for those who can’t make themselves do it–it’s scary
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
California drivers are so frighteningly unaware that I’d first leave a suicide note before pedaling my way into doom.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
I bike to work year round in Seattle because it combines exercise time with my commute time, only takes a few minutes longer than car or bus for my 7 mile trip, saves money, conserves gas, lessens air pollution and global warming, is fun and more social than driving, and gets me out in the weather. When traffic is all tangled up due to a ball game or accident, I just pedal right on through. Bicycles do not slow down car drivers. Bikes open up space that would otherwise be another car in traffic, and bikes add a “free” extra lane of traffic on many streets.
it helps that we have bike parking and a changing room at work.
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May 14th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
i’ve been at it every single workday [except maybe 15 or 20] since feb. ‘07. 13.5 mi RT in anchorage, alaska. all kinds of weather and temperatures, mostly fairly moderate. i knew many others who were doing this here for years, but always had a lot of irrational fears about it. once out there, it’s fantastic. i wouldn’t go back to driving if you paid me. i still have a couple cars but mostly stay out of them. i drove 4,400 miles in ‘07, down from 13,500 in ‘06. my goal for ‘08 is 2,000 but may end up with a bit less. i got a new bike, with 29 inch wheels, gears only on the back, no suspension and a steel frame. i think this will be the perfect winter commuter for the conditions here. the city of anchorage is writing a bike transit plan, so maybe they will invest in more bike lanes and better connections of existing trails. my commute is a mix of roads, trails, sidewalks and parking lots.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:15 am
I live in west central Fort Collins, CO and work on the north side of town. The traffic is too heavy on the street for biking in my area and there aren’t many bike trails available to travel north and south here. Going east to west is a different story simply because most of the trail systems follow the streams and the Poudre River which run downhill (east). My husband works on the east side of town and is riding his bike to and from his job everyday along the bike paths. Although the traffic is bad here, the open spaces and trails are great. The City passed a 1/4 cent sales tax several years ago just to pay for trails, open space, separators and regional conservation easements.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I’ve been bike commuting to/from work about 120 days per year, year round, since 1994. That was the year the company took the company cars away which was the best thing they ever did for me. My commute is about 8 miles each way, mostly on a combination of neighborhood streets, trails and the local Air Force base. I have it pretty good. The base provides me with a locker (for regular bike commuters) and a nice shower. The bike racks are not so great but adequate. I have friends that will give me a ride home if the weather gets bad. Even though I live and work in a large town (pop. 310,000+), I rarely run into traffic or nasty drivers. The city is doing a decent job with creating bike routes and trails to get around. My ride is a Cannondale T1000 road touring bike with fenders, big lights, pump, rack and panniers. It’s a sweet commuter. I love riding because of the obvious money saving reasons but also because it clears my head in the morning, gets the blood pumping, and helps with the weight control. I also think I do some of my best thinking while riding. And it feels good. Yeah, it’s a great way to get around. - Tom, 55, Aurora, Colorado
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:25 am
I do bike to work for several selfish reasons. It makes me feel good, Edorphins beat caffine for a day starter any time. I get to take out the frustrations of a stressful day on the pedals rather than the family. I makes me feel like a kid over and over and over again.
Policy - A higher percentage of fed transportation dollars need to be targeted to non-motorized transportation.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I bike to work 4 days a week (telecommute the 5th). It’s 14 miles each way, and I made the switch to full time bike commuting in part because there is a dedicated, fully separated bike path for 10 of the 14 miles. I can take a shorter, less hilly route on city streets when I need to save time, but mostly I ride the MUP because it’s pretty and much more pleasant.
Some people groused when the path went in a few years ago (alongside a newly built freeway) - why spend the extra $X million on a path no one will use?
After all no one will ride bikes when they can drive! It got built anyway, and LOTS of people use it. I see many many commuters like me, as well as kids riding to school and people running errands. When people have a safe way of riding, they will do it. You shouldn’t have to be a hero or a daredevil to ride a bike!
I actually look forward to my commute. How cool is that?
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:30 am
After I finished my degree in Geophysics, I worked near Palo Alto, and was able to get around on my bike using abundant, well marked, bike lanes. Since Palo Alto is extremely expensive, I followed the $$$ and ended up in Houston, which is a biker’s nightmare! The main streets have NO bike lanes or street parking… the right hand lane is right next to the curb. Side streets usually end at main streets, freeways, or railroad tracks, so you’re usually forced onto the main streets anyway. I work for a small company that leases space in a building without showers (which are necessary in the humid climate). Houston’s infrastructure is designed only for cars, or better yet, big SUVs. Most people here consider bikes to be toys for children. I heard that there is one suburban school on a busy highway without sidewalks that does not allow children to walk there! You must have a ride!
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I enjoy riding to and from work, it’s relaxing. I save a lot in gas mony. It’s 12 miles each way. The draw backs are, 1- rush hour in Barrington is tough, so I don’t ride when I work 9 to 5, 2- sholders are too narrow and still have a lot of winter debre on them.
I think if the goverment would offer a tax break for comuting by bike more people would be doing it.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:59 am
I ride 15 miles each way to work, 4 or 5 days per week. I’ve been doing this commute for 21 years (I’m 50 years old ). I am very fortunate in that I have a designated bike path that starts one block from my house and ends where I work. About half of the trip is on a bike path that is completely separate from the roadways. The rest of the route is in striped bike paths on the shoulders of heavily traveled roads.
It’s a wonderful way to start and end the day plus I get about 2 hours of good aerobic exercise in every day. No downsides!
I pity the thousands of single occupancy vehicle drivers I see every day. Poor suckers don’t even know what they’re missing.
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May 15th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Easy, no bike lanes in my area.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:07 am
I dont bike to work, because there is no bikpaths in the San fernando Valley in Los Angeles. I would do it, if there was such a thing.
I hope someday the goverment sometime sponsors a bike riding program.
thanks
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:09 am
I bike to work when the weather’s nice. Of course, I live just 2 miles from my place of employment.
The city (Provo, UT) has a lot of bike lanes, too, so that helps.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:43 am
Last year I cycled the 2 miles to work every day. The route was through leafy backstreets, road side cycle zones and designated cycle paths. Traffic was generally very considerate when it crossed the route. Average speed 15 mph going, 20 mph returning (downhill mostly!). This in a town where roads are still laid out in small English village formation. The authorities have been exceptionally supportive of cycling.
And then there are small goods vehicle drivers. Aggressive, urgent, and anonymous. No records are kept of their movements/deliveries so no chance of tracing them when they knock cyclists down and leave the area. They don’t even carry identification if you do stop them. Providing vehicle registration details doesn’t help the van owners find out who was driving, so they say. The owners of the van on this occassion; the largest supermarket chain in the country.
I work from home now. Journey time 12 seconds. No emissions.
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Everyday I ride 30 Kms to and fro to the college, where I am working . I Enjoy bike riding. Other advantagess are less fuel consumption and thus less pollution
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:32 am
I have been biking to work, mostly any weather, for the last 11 years. Round trip is 22 miles. I am a high school teacher who attempts to disuade his students from ever taking their road tests. As you can imagine, my failure rate is close to 100%.
Traffic in this part of NJ is ok going to work as I am on the road well before sunrise. The ride home can be pretty unpleasant if I catch rush hours. I share thye road with 2 lanes in each direction of traffic. Speed limit is 40.
John
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:38 am
After the cuts at Ford I took a job about 100 miles from home so I have a long commute. I’m working on moving closer but the housing market tanked so I drive the 200 miles a day. When I move close to my new job I probably won’t ride my bike because the roads are not set up for bike traffic. We need more bike paths in the cities and in the roads to get into the cities.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I live out in the country. I would feel OK about the ride through town, but getting to town leaves me exposed on a few busy roads for the first part of the journey.
I really don’t trust early morning drivers. I don’t feel they are expecting to see someone on a bicycle that early (even with appropriate blinking lights, etc.).
My own safety makes the obscene gas prices worth it.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:32 am
I am an avid cyclist, riding 20-30 miles every day. Unfortunately I live 75 miles from work making riding to work impractical.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:38 am
I do not currently commute by bike, even though I’m an avid cyclist for many years and have commuted by bike in the past. I live in Louisville, Ky; but I work in Jeffersonville, IN, across the Ohio river. There is only one available bridge for crossing (the 2nd Street Bridge). There is no shoulder, has a high (18″) sidewalk, it carries heavy traffic, and a cyclist commuting was recently killed by a van, the driver of which “didn’t see” the cyclist.
If the Big Four bridge project is ever completed, it would give a bike and pedestrian crossing from the north side of downtown Louisville to Southern Indiana, allowing commuting from both directions. A West-end crossing is also needed.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:39 am
It is far and dangerous
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I would love to bike to work. However, my 16 mile route to work doesn’t have any bike lanes, and if it did, my fear of being run over would keep me from trying. Not only that, I wouldn’t be able to shower when I got there.
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Iam NOT biking because the temperature in Phoenix, AZ around this time of the year is starting to get to 100+ Degrees and stay there day and night. It is just not the type of weather that is condusive to bike riding.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I would love to bike to work, even during the winter months I would consider it. The only thing holding me back is the lack of bike lanes or adequate shoulders on the roads here in Maine. When I lived in Burlington VT they had a very extensive bike trail system which made commuting via bike quite easy. Here in the Portland Maine area, proper bike lanes are few and far in between and I just don’t feel safe on the roads.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:19 am
I ride every day. It took me nearly a year to ‘train’ the local drivers in Houston NOT to honk every time they passed me, eventually they learned I follow the same rules they did. For many drivers bicyclists seem to be viewed as dangerous and they don’t know what to make of us. I ride at a steady pace and find I don’t need to shower when I get to work as I’m actually less sweaty than when I walked from the parking garage, the air passing by as I bike actually cools me. Houston has 90 degree days and is usually humid. With traffic and parking/walking from the garage, the 7 mile ride takes less time to bike than to drive.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:30 am
I live 36 miles from work. Biking is not possible at this distance. Summer temps in south Texas are in the upper 90s to 100s with very high humidity. This is not a great place to commute on a bike.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I would enjoy riding my bike to work, unfortunately there are no roads safe enough to ride a bicycle on. On top of that you get the crazy commuters who pay no attention to a cyclist trying to save energy.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I am not biking to work because, at 20 miles down interstate highways, it is just too far and dangerous.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I live in Laurel, MD, between Baltimore and DC and I work in Baltimore. It’s about 22 miles from my house to my work place. I’d live to bike to work, if only we had a nice bike path along Route 1, or some other way. I never drive to work, instead I use public transit (the Marc), and I scooter (yes, on a Razor scooter) between my house and the train station - unless it’s raining too hard or it’s really cold. My husband bikes 5 miles each way every day to/from work. If it’s not raining too hard when he need to leave the house, he’ll bike. There are no showers or lockers, but he carries he’s own clothes and washes up in the men’s room. There’s a great feeling when we realize we haven’t driven the car the entire week.
Car-less commuting can be done, but we could use more infrastructure.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I do bike to work occasionally. But combine early morning, low light conditions, having to ride a busy street and a plethora of drivers who are either too concerned with sipping their frappucino, trying to dial their cell phone or just not paying enough attention to notice a cycler in the right-hand lane and it creates a less-than-safe condition.
The most frustrating part is that my city has nice bike trails, but they don’t extend anywhere that commerce operates; they serve only the local parks.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I am lucky that my employer does offer locker rooms and showers, but the roads to work aren’t exactly bike friendly. Getting some more bike paths in the area would make a huge difference.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I and several of my co-workers would love to bike to work in Institute WV. There is a lack of bike paths to large work areas in our state. If safe bike paths were available I’m sure more people would bike rather than burn fossil fuel.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I would ride my bike to work if not for the danger of riding on the highway during the rush hour. (There is no bicycle lane)
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:02 am
It’s 20 miles one way; 7-8 months a year the temperature is a beastly 85-100 degrees; bicycling doesn’t work with heels and suits and there is no place to shower and change; and bicycling on the highways or through the gang-banging neighbourhood could get me killed faster than any air pollution.
I used public transportation growing up — until I moved to the U.S. my senior year of h.s. It was efficient, safe, and readily available. No public transportation goes from Dallas to within perhaps 10 miles from my office. This country has been obsessed with cars and highways, and has neglected other infrastructure.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Thanks for the prod….
I have been meaning to bike since I live about a mile from work. We do run into afternoon thunderstorms routinely since I live in Southwest Louisiana. A beautiful day can turn into a deluge in the afternoons. We never know. Rain suits work, however. Just have to watch out for the traffic.
Thanks again. Biking it is!
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I am in Cincinnati and bike to work once or twice a week depending on weather and meetings. We have a flex time program which allows me to avoid cycling home after dark in winter. My trip to downtown is 8 miles with a 400 ft difference in elevation, downhill in the morning. There are no bike facilities, so I am riding with traffic. After 20+ years and a course in vehicular cycling, I am comfortable with this. My place of work has indoor bike racks for secure parking and shower facilities. RIDE ON!
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Reasons for not biking to work:
-My Co-workers do not like the smell of my armpits.
-There’s no shower at the office.
-Many people here are driving like morons– which seems too close for the adjacent bike lane.
-Hills, Rain, Snow, commute time, etc.
-My Co-workers do not like the smell of my armpits.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I would love to ride a bike to work (I would save lots of money on those spinning classes I never go to)….but although I live less than 6 miles from work, is too dangerous to ride since motorist have no respect for cyclist, the sun in Puerto Rico is too harsh for someone who is required to wear suits and the weather is too unpredictable. Still, if there were bike paths, I would try.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I bike to work 11 months a year in Boston.
I have a dutch “grannny” bike with skirt guard, enclosed chain and fenders which allows me to ride in dress clothes (including skirts and heels). Riding upright I can see and be seen in traffic.
I don’t have a shower at work, but I have a washcloth and some purell to clean up when it’s warm.
I’ve commuted in Houston, Milan Italy, Salt Lake City and rural Missouri. I think a lot of it is perception- when there’s a critical mass of bikers, on the streets, drivers get used to seeing bikers, and more people feel comfortable riding. A positive cycle.
For those who can’t commute to work, try running errands- short trips of less than 2 miles are often faster on a bike than in a car once you factor in parking.
Hopefully high gas prices will lead to an increased demand for safe bike facilities.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:45 am
I have an 11 mile commute and bike when the weather’s good, pretty much daily mid-April through October. In the past I had a 2.5 mile commute and rode year-round. We have bike racks and showers here which makes it much easier. That being said, much of my commute is on streets in poor condition (Cleveland winters) with much car traffic. Having a more bike friendly route would certainly be more enjoyable.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I bike to work 8 miles each way in the Boston area, year round. The only times I don’t bike is when it is pouring rain or snow, then I hop on the commuter rail. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of dressing for the job and having an option to change when you get to work (and maybe a shower for hot summer days). If you layer properly biking in winter is very possible, you actually generate a lot of heat and often end up sweating. The traffic is very manageable if you ride defensively and pick quiet side streets or wide streets to ride on. In rush hour the cars go slow so you can ride along with them without any problem. I also have the flexibility to time my ride at the tail end of the commute, when traffic eases up. My only occasional scary moments are when people get in and out of cars, swinging their doors open without looking. In over 35 years of bike commuting (since riding my bike to middle school) I have never been in an accident. It helps a lot to have bike lanes, in that respect Cambridge MA is setting a good example. There are many bikers around Boston, which also helps because car drivers are more used to them. Safety in numbers!
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I live in NYC and I bike almost 11 miles each way to work. I have no access to showers and I have to leave my bike chained up on the street. I make it work.
I couldn’t deal with traffic on the bus, delays, my Metrocard burning a hole in my wallet, lack of exercise, contributing to pollution…..the list goes on and on.
And I love it.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I can’t afford to get killed biking to work (wife and 6 kids, single income family). There are no trails or sidewalks, or even a shoulder on most roadways in SC and NC. It’s extremely dangerous to ride a bike around here. I would be willing to bike up to 5 miles to work, and if there were safe trails or bike paths (like Boulder, CO) I would have strongly considered chosing a house within that radius, instead of 18 miles away from work. Since I have to drive, it does really matter that much if it’s 1 mile or 20.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am
- No shower at work
but most importantly : I’d be sure to be killed within the first week. It’s only five miles, but all on heavily trafficked roads with narrow shoulders.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I want to live to be an old man. Getting squashed by drivers too involved with their Starbucks and cell phones to pay attention where they’re going would preclude me making my goal.
Otherwise, I’m all for it!
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I travel over 40 miles each way to work so biking is not an option. Also, my company does not provide shower facilities for the women.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I live in Brooklyn, NY and commute by bicycle to school and work in Manhattan. My commute to school, Hunter College, is a little over 10 miles each way. I go out of my way to ride on the Hudson River Bikeway and through Central Park, paths separated from car traffic. Work in downtown Manhattan is a 5 mile ride.
The things that prevent me from riding are ice in the winter, lack of a safe place to lock my bike, reckless drivers (safety), and sometimes sweat if I need to look nice. It would be nice if my employer had indoor bicycle parking, a locker room, and showers.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I’d love to bike to work — I only live about 3 miles from my office — but there are no shower/changing facilities in the building. If there were, I’d happily do it… Of course, I’d have to get a bike! Details, details… :)
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:45 am
A 25-mile commute, a lack of shower/changing facilities, and a dangerous route - even in a car - are my reasons. I’m hoping that my employer would look into other options, like allowing employees to work from home.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I bike to work every day, all year long, from north Brooklyn to downtown Manhattan, and every day I wish there were national campaigns to educate drivers on how to avoid killing bicyclists. Many drivers seem genuinely shocked when I complain that they have opened their door in front of a cyclist or turned right in front of us. Such principles are not difficult to teach and should be part of every communities’ public service system, comparable to not drinking + driving.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I live in NYC and commute year round by bike, about 18 miles a day. I do it mainly for the health benefits but also appreciate the environmental benefits. The biggest obstacle my fellow employees have is bike locking accommodations at work. After that, its probably the danger of riding with traffic shortly followed by facilities to change and shower.
I get a great deal of joy from commuting by bike but i’ve done a lot of work to figure out the logistics.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:07 am
I live about 15 miles from work and would love to bike in even thought my employer doesn’t have showers/locker room. I wouldn’t mind changing in the bathroom and a little sweat never hurt anyone. The only problem is that I would have to cross the Alabama river and there is no bridge with ample shoulder to make this safe. That being said, when I go back to school this summer (Mississippi State) I will be about 2 miles from campus and bike in every day. When in Starkville, my car moves a max of twice a week (church on Sundays and heavy rain are my two reasons).
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I bike to work year-round, because a bike is the best, least expensive, most enjoyable and most convenient way for me to get around town in Madison, WI. Even in the winter (and Madison does have winters), biking is good, except in the most extreme weather. I spend most of my workdays in a climate-controlled, windowless room, so it’s good to experience the real world for a while when I go outside.
My commute is about 2.5 miles, half of it on residential streets without much traffic, and half on a bike path that goes through a park and along the lakeshore. In the spring and fall I can see migratory birds in the lake — ducks, loons, coots and sometimes a bald eagle or two.
Right before I get to work, there’s an elevator that takes bikes from the lakeshore to the top of the hill where my office is.
It’s pretty nice.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I used to bike to work, but now I live up a large hill — it’s 3 miles straight up. So I *could* bike to work, but I wouldn’t have the energy to get back home! I carpool or bus instead.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I would be likely to invest in biking to work if it were safer to do so. In Atlanta, you defy death daily just to drive to work in anything smaller than an Abrams.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I love to ride my bike to work. When my office was less than 15 miles away in the same city as I lived I biked often to work in the summer. It can snow this time of year in Colorado (raining today). My my company closed down it’s office and moved 75 miles one way away so a car is the only option I have today.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:40 am
It took some practice to get over the little intimidations, like finding a route, figuring out how long it takes, getting over changing in the work bathroom, but I really enjoy riding my bike to work. I ride about 7 miles and it only takes me 15 minutes longer each way than driving and just as long as riding the bus. If I have any errands to run though I am more likely to take my car.
I also got myself a better road bike - a cheap one, but it is sooo much easier to go distances on. Also key was getting bike bag so that my back didn’t hurt when carrying a backpack. Another thing that helped was a County class I took on safety so that I felt more confident about how to be seen and make turns at intersections. The class gave out helmets, pumps, reflectors and lights so I was all set!
I keep bring food and clothing when I drive to keep in in my cabinet at work so that I don’t have to worry about bringing extra weight or forgetting a belt.
Other intimidations included weather and the darkness of winter - which I overcame by learning to load my bike onto the bus.
The benefits? I save time by not needing so much extra exercise time, save money by not needing a gym, and have a morning pick me up that is better than coffee!
My work lets us arrange schedules for our convenience if we arrange the schedule a week in advance but it would be better if they were flexible for spur of the moment situations - like a leaky tire.
I love Tucson bike paths! There are special crossing lights made just for bikes and peds - I think they are called Hawks, or Toucans or Pelicans that help bikers feel like the road is for them too. We also have great maps for bikers. I moved from a small town so I thought I would be intimidated, but found out that the city has really made it easier. I do wish that grocery store parking lots and entry ways were safer though!
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I bike-commute just about every day. 10 to 15 mile round-trip depending on the route I pick. If I lived farther away I would probably consider a “park and ride” scenario. The number one reason for not riding I hear in my workplace is fear of traffic. This is kind of depressing since my community has perfectly reasonable designated bike routes through much of the city. Peoples eyes glaze over as soon as I mention that I ride a half mile “out of my way” to get to a safe route.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Lots of people mention a shower as an issue. I used to think the lack of a shower would be a problem. Then I read some websites, followed some advice, I found that it isn’t.
You just wait 30 minutes or more to cool off, use fresh deoderant and baby wipes if needed, and change into fresh clothes in the bathroom, including a fresh undershirt.
The shift to business casual helps — slacks, a shirt, and an undershirt are easier to carry in a bag on the back of a bike than a full suit. If you have to wear a suit, you can still bike commute, but you’d have to keep your suits in a closet in the office.
I wear either blue jeans or cargo shorts for the ride in, ensuring I will not forgetfully arrive at work without a belt.
To what extent is the lack of a shower not a problem? At this point if one were provided, I still wouldn’t take the time bother using it. I’d just shower in the evening like I do now. I just wish we had a handicapped stall so I had more room to change.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:47 am
24 mile round trip between Claremont, CA and Rancho Cucamonga along streets, bike path, service road beside a channelized creek and even dirt paths. Previously used to commute in Los Angeles on streets and one short section of bike path. Two to three days a week typically for the past 20 years. It is usually cool enough in the morning that I don’t sweat that much and work is casual enough that I can bring what clothes I need each day, towel off in the restroom and I am ready (and energized) for work.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I bike about 5 miles each way in New York City year round. No showers, but I can bring my bike into the office, and change into work clothes. Anyone on the fence should give it a try. You might be surprised that traffic is more manageable than you think-just be smart and careful. The benefits to your health-mental and physical, not to mention the environment and your wallet are substantial.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
I bike to work mostly because I enjoy it. It is consistently one of the best parts of my day. I live about five miles away and have a variety of safe routes to work. It takes only about an extra 5 minutes to get there on a bike. The days that I do not ride are days when I have go out of town, or the weather is awful.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:52 am
My husband bought me a bike for Christmas - the only new bike I’ve ever owned, and the first one I’ve ridden in at least twenty years. I’ve gone on one bike ride so far but do plan to bike to work at least once a week. There are hills, and I’m not very confident yet. But the big problem is my laptop - I have to remember to leave it at work if I’m going to bike the next day, and it has to be an evening when I don’t need it at home. So I’;m working on that.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I live in the Houston suburbs, but to bike to work I’d have to drive through downtown and be committed to biking over 30 miles a day. In this Houston heat (already getting over 90 daily), and working in an industry that is constantly worried about money showers/locker rooms aren’t provided. Plus my job requires I travel locally and is deadline oriented. I can’t imagine carting my laptop with me on my bike in searing heat over 60 miles a day…
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I do bike to work. It’s 4 miles one way on a bike path and quick, easy (easier than subway too), money saving and provides exercise all at the same time. Signed NYC Metrocard bike(r)
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I live in San Francisco and work in San Rafael, 20 miles north across the Golden Gate Bridge. The bay area has a ton of bike paths and I actually ride almost the entire 20 miles on bike lanes or lonely sidestreets with almost no cars practically the whole way. I can also take a ferry for part of the trip when I don’t want to be such a sweaty mess when I show up to work. I have been biking to work locations around San Francisco for 15 years and I would say the only thing that has prevented me from biking every single day would be the lack of showering facilities in most small to moderate sized work environments.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I bike year round to and from work because i am a grumpy A hole in the morning and riding bikes seems to make the world okay. Whether its a chilly 15 degree morning in the Salt Lake valley or a blistering 105 degree afternoon, I am still outdoors. experience the world for what it is. Relish in it! Its healthy, its cheap, its rewarding, and most of all its fun.
Second note: Bicycles are part of a lifestyle. Do not blame not riding on unsafe roads or a myriad of other excuses. Sacrifices have to be made in order to create change. For example, I purchased a house last month in a neighborhood that hosts a pedestrian/bicycle lifestyle (traditional downtown neighborhood). I sacrificed a 1/2 acre lot and about 1500 sq ft of home (not to mention 3 hours of commuting a day, high blood pressure, and dependence on my car)to live a healthy life . Riding bicycles is the benefit you get from living a auto-independent lifestyle, not something that should be forced once a year while the weather is nice. Rethink the way you operate. How you circulate throughout your daily life is inherent in the way you dwell.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I ride to work. Sometimes. When it’s cold I’m now a sissy. I rode to class every day for 4 years (minus 1 when my bike was stolen and another with a foot of snow at 8:00am) during college in Iowa. When I ride to work though, I have to shower when I get to work and when I get home. It definitely eats up my day.
My wife freaks out every time I do ride to work because there’s a one mile stretch of 4 lane road with on/off ramps and 50-60 mph traffic. I’m forced to take it because I’d otherwise have to ride 6 miles out of my way for the nearest bridge. I stick to subdivisions the rest of the time with no problems.
Slower traffic, bike lanes, and respect for bikers would help the most. It sucks that the only way to gain the attention of drivers is to get out there and ride on the streets. Bike trails in Fort Wayne, IN are less useful to me. They tend to go no where particularly useful.
I do wish my employeer had a nicer shower facility, mostly a closet to store a week’s worth of clothes instead of just a locker.
People are most influenced by money. Directly. Saving money on gas isn’t a direct enought relationship. A gauge in the car that indicates $/miles rather than miles/gallon might help, but the best way would be to reward people for NOT driving their car to work. Have the employer charge for parking with a device like an I-pass. No device, no entry. Or go the other way and pay the bikers $5/day they ride in. Motorcycles and scooters get $2.50/day.
After money, culture is the next big hitter. The area, city, and employer have to be committed to the increasing ridership. Bicycle or helmet discounts and bike lanes are the places to start.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I live in Denver and for the past couple of years I have been trying to bike more to work. My job is such that on a given day I usually have to be at 2, sometimes 3 different locations in the city. Last year I biked to work April through November. When the weather got cold, I mostly wimped out.
A few months ago I bought a public transportation pass (I got it through work, it’s payed for by a payroll deduction and discounted so with the tax break it only costs the equivalent of about $13/mo in “after tax” dollars). Denver accommodates bikes on buses and light rail, and I find the combination of a bike and public transportation to be synergistic- I can use the bike to quickly get to and from public transportation routes with frequent service, so I almost never need to wait more than 10 min for a bus or train (usually less than 5 minutes). With public transportation I can travel longer distances more quickly than on a bike, and I don’t have to worry about sweating out my “business casual” work clothes.
I use a older mountain bike for commuting (no suspension) and to make it more commuter friendly, I swapped out the knobby tires for more narrow slicks (they roll much more efficiently) and put on fenders so I don’t ruin my clothes with wet road grime on rainy days.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
We did today b/c it’s BTW Day in San Fran. The weather is beautiful and I felt there’d be safety in numbers for me, my wife and two toddlers. If there were bike lanes for more of the route downtown, I’d consider it everyday, tho I’d mourn the loss of my transit subsidy.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I live only 4 miles from work, but the road from my house out to work is VERY busy. It basically turns from urban street into a suburban highway after about a mile. I feel unsafe even in the bike lanes. I wish the bike lanes were farther away from the road and the speed limit for traffic was slower.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I work for EPA in San Francisco, and I’m fortunate to live just a few miles from our office downtown. I’ve been riding to work for several years, and I love it. It’s greener, faster, cheaper, and better exercise than driving or taking transit. I’ve got some good bike lanes to ease my ride, and there’s convenient bike parking in our building’s garage.
I’m even able to drop my eight-year-old daughter at school in the morning using a trail-a-bike, which I leave at her school before continuing my commute into work. She can help pedal her third wheel as we pass the cars lined up at the school for dropoff.
San Francisco is a great city to cycle in, with a very active bike community that is well organized via the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. There’s still more work to be done to make cycling in the city safer and more viable for people, but lots of progress is being made.
I can’t ride every day — transit is a better option some days, and I still haven’t figured out a good way to ride when my daughter has cello class. But it’s a great way to get around, and it sure beats dragging a ton of metal with me around the city. I recommend trying it!
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I am paying a big mortgage on a tiny house in Berkeley, CA, so I can ride my bike (or walk, if I have extra time) to work and to drop my daughter off at school. When we bought the house, the idea of buying something bigger farther away didn’t even enter the equation–there was no way I was willing to drive a car on the freeway every day to get to work. That’s crazy making, and you all know it! Meanwhile, I get exercise, spend no money on gas, and get to avoid the ugly, heavily trafficked main streets.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I don’t bike to work because my neighborhood in San Francisco has lots of bike thefts and armed robberies. Riding a bike is like asking to get shot and mugged.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
1. I don’t own a bike.
2. There are no bike routes in my area.
3. The road is too dangerous for bikers.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
In NYC I bike from Brooklyn to Manhattan for work over the Brooklyn bridge. A recent accident has pushed me back on the subways though.
Problems:
1. Cars in bike lanes. Primary violators are delivery trucks unloading and NYPD cars - they seem to think rules are for regular people.
2. Ignorant motorists. Ever been doored? It hurts. It’s why I’m not riding for the next few weeks - I can’t hold onto the handlebars with my bruised and cut up hand.
3. Pedestrians. It’s amazing how people walking around the city seem to think it is acceptable to be completely unaware of the traffic around you. This is particularly a problem with tourists, especially on the Brooklyn bridge. They just walk intot he bike lane without looking to take pictures.
I won’t even get into the problems with bike commuting in Indianapolis. Without bike lanes and with motorists on cell phones driving massive SUVs its life and death.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I am unemployed right now. Aggghh!
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I don’t ride by bicycle to work because I work late and I would be on the street, alone, at 11 p.m. in a really bad part of Detroit. But, during daylight hours, I do ride in when I can, if I can be back home before dark.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I work at a state facility and I would not mind biking to work if there were ways in which bikers are safe from motorist. Also, in the spring to summer months how would I be able to freshen up before returning to the office. I definately do not want to sit next to someone with sweaty shirt pits and musty pants all day. If my job had a shower /locker room for employees to freshen up than biking to work is very feasible.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I ride to work because it’s good for my health, it’s good for the environment, it saves money and it feels good. However, my ride is only about 2.5 miles (I wish it were a little longer) and on roads that are not too busy. I realize others may have more difficult conditions to deal with.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I live in the Metro Detroit Area suburbs. I have biked to work on occasion to my office (24 miles one way- it can be done). They have a shower, which is nice. Michigan, in general, is not bike friendly. there are no marked bike lanes or signs. If there are, they are not connected nor very direct routes. Until gas went so high, it really irritated people to see others on bikes. Now I am working at a clients office (45 miles one way) and can not bike due to the time commitment. In general, with no decent bike lanes, I do not trust the general public talking on cell phones and texting while driving enough to risk my life to save a few dollars. Particularily since I have two small children that need me to stick around for a while. Please take all of this information and do something effective with it! A few trains would be nice in Detroit too!
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May 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Colorado. I am biking to work, 5 miles one way. I can’t take the straight boulevard “bike route” because they just are white lines painted on the street and cars don’t care and/or despise all 2-wheeled losers. Instead I take a longer route thru neighborhoods and fields. I can cross 2 railroads thanks to someone who cut openings in the protective fences. I am forced to use my mountain bike to ride this route, which is much slower than a road bike. All in all, I ride my bike because I really want to, but the incentives and amenities are non-existent or ridiculous.
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May 15th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
With blessings of Californian weather (even the odd scorchers as we have in San Francisco today), a basic bike lane network, access to showers, and fellow motorized road users who are mostly used to the presence of bicycles, how can I not bike my commute?
I ride for health, for a faster commute, and to play my small part in keeping the Arctic a little cooler for those threatened polar bears.
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May 15th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I live in West Hollywood and my office is just two miles away in Beverly Hills. There’s only a difference of about 5 minutes between biking and driving, which can go in favor of either transportation mode, depending on the day/time/nearby events. The main reasons I choose to bike are for exercise, saving fuel, and making the effort to contribute less to pollution (especially since the car barely gets to optimal operating temperature by the time I get to the office!). Deterrents to biking here are the masses of inattentive drivers who are talking on phones/using Blackberrys, reading, eating; buses, construction vehicles, and people waiting for parking spots which consistently block the designated bike lane forcing me to enter the lanes of traffic or onto the sidewalk (which could earn me a costly fine); the extra exhaust I inhale along the route (which likely cancels out the “healthy” exercise aspect of biking); and having to clean up when I do arrive at the office. On hot days, I may consider taking the bus instead. Overall, Los Angeles DEFINITELY has a long way to go in becoming a more bike-friendly area.
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May 15th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I don’t bike to work because there are no decent bike paths to get into Hartford CT from points west; Hartford has painted bike lanes on some of the access roads, but that is just a waste of paint–vehicles ignore them, so riders risk collisions, and anyway, who wants to breathe exhaust fumes while biking?
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I don’t ride my bike to work because I live 20+ miles from my place of employment. If I were willing to increase my housing expense by 3X or more, I could live a lot closer, but still would only be able to ride a bike for a short period of the year when the roads are not snow/ice covered and when the temps are at least above 40. Even if I had time to ride the 20+ miles to/from work and the weather conditions were acceptable, I probably would not because I need to be able to respond quickly if an emergency situation were to arise with my kids. BTW, no public transport is available in SW ND, not even in the largest town in this corner of the state. A lot of folks here ride one person to a vehicle, mostly because duty hours are incompatible. Even when people start work at the same time, there’s a high probability they will get off work at different times depending on the focus for the day. Too bad - I don’t know how the problem of public transport or car pooling can be addressed in rural areas such as this.
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
My work starts at 7 am… that means I have to leave early like 6 am to get here on time and I would need to shower, etc. Too much maintenance. However, if my employer is willing to be flexible with my work schedule, then it would be way too great.
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I live in Los Angeles, and surprisingly live only 5 miles from work (a rare situation for LA). I bought a bike about a month ago. Originally I bought it for exercise because I was tired of running. Once I found out that my office had a shower, I jumped on the opportunity! It takes me the same amount of time for me to ride my bike to work as it does for me to drag along through traffic in my car (LA traffic is horrible!).
I love riding in… I feel healthier and I am saving so much money on gas! In fact, my fill-ups are far and few between now, that the rising gas prices haven’t hit me too hard! I ride in at least 3 days a week now, and some weeks everyday.
There are some downsides to my biking commute though. I do not feel completely safe among the chaotic and often distracted LA drivers (too many people talking on their cell phones and not paying attention!). Plus, inhaling all the smog from the cars on my ride is not so pleasant. I wish LA had more functional, cross-town bike paths, I think people would really use them! Los Angeles is in dire need of more bicyclists and less cars on the road!
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I bike here in the northeast to my job at an environmental agency Mon-Fri year-round (about 9 miles round-trip) except in heavy rain or snow because of visibility/safety issues. We are fortunate in having a shower, a casual dress code and secure bike parking at work, some of which we’ve had to ask for.
And after five years of talking to a brick wall, my town has finally gotten serious about becoming bicycle-friendly.
For safety concerns, I’ve found safety can be maximized by wearing reflective vests or jackets, using a bright halogen or LED headlight and taillight, and choosing a bike-friendly route. I use my bright LED headlight in flashing mode day and night, and even during the day it drastically cuts down the number of motorists who will cut me off. Frequently a route one block away makes the difference between a busy street full of agressive, rushed drivers, and one with no traffic. I use a route home through a local park with a pond and a waterfall, although I sometimes have to wait for crossing ducks!
Bringing a change of clothes suffices most days. I have had comments during the peak of summer from non-cyclists when I get in the elevator with my sweaty bike jersey, but they can hold their breath for a few minutes.
I have lost 15 pounds (and counting) from biking, am in the best condition I’ve been in years, and have saved myself a few thousand $$. Not to mention saving about three tons of CO2.
Sure, there are the occasional obnoxious motorists, but they are offset by the rides in the cool spring air, the chats with fellow cyclists while motorists beep their horns at each other, and looking good enough to wear spandex.
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I’m not biking to work because people on Long Island have no clue how to share the road! There are oblivious and adverse to giving pedestrians or bicyclists any priority or respect. Not to mention the fact that there are no bike lanes on main roads or shoulders that would make it an even slightly safer ride, for pleasure or commuting. Until drivers learn what the hand signals mean (aside from the obvious one) and accept that they do not own the road, I will not be able to bike to work. I wish I could!
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May 15th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I would love to bike to work, but 38 miles each way is a little too far for me to bike. Plus many trucks in Massachussetts actively try to run bikers off the road. That’s a little too much excitement for me.
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May 15th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I live 27 miles from work and would bike 3-4 days per week if a safe route was available. All of my available routes in Houston have bike speed restrictions (10mph) or when there are accomodations for bikes they are on streets narrowed to accomodate a crumbling litter filled bike lane.
There are plenty of possible corridors to create car free commuter paths (bayous, flood control properties, power line corridors) but it seems like there is no incentive for the city or county to create them. Also, when they are built they tend to by too narrow for serious commuters and leisure users to share which causes conflict and the speed restrictions for bikes.
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May 15th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I don’t bike to work because I don’t think it is safe to ride the streets of Hartford. If there were bike lanes and a greater acceptance of biking as a means of transportation I would. There are adequate facilities for showering and bike storage at work. The problem is the roads and the drivers.
I do bike most weekdays after work and most weekend days but never in Hartford. So I drive to work with my bike in the car and drive from work to a suburb where it is safer to ride.
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May 15th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I bike to work to save money. I only live 3 miles away from work, and here in Southern Oregon, it doesn’t get all that cold, and only snows one or two days a year, so I can ride all year long.
I save over $40 a week just by parking the car and using the bicycle for errands and commuting.
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May 15th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Everyday, I travel 10 miles each way to/from my job in the downtown loop, Chicago. No showers-so I bring washcloth and sprays. Since there isn’t a bike lane into the loop, it is very dangerous. The cabbies and drivers do not care and are often aggressive.
Things I want implemented:
-my tax dollars going towards bike lanes in every part of every city
-in order to pass a drivers test, people will have to know how to share the road with cyclists (until more bike lanes) Mandatory!
-mandatory penalities for hitting cyclists. At least fines of $5000 for hitting a cyclists, and at least $20,000 for killing a cyclist. Mandatory! They lose their home, car or whatever if the can’t pay!
A bike program, supporting the construction of bike lanes, would be another way to get the country in shape and help get us off oil.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
There is no feasible bike route for my 15 mile commute into Jackson, Mississippi. Otherwise, I would bike to work almost everyday.
Maybe safe bike routes should be part of future energy and health policies.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I would bicycle to work if the roads would have bicycle lanes added. My preference would be paved (asphalt) lanes near the edges of the right of way. All major roads should be so equipped. They could also be utilized by pedestrians, roller bladers, etc. Europe is way ahead of us in that regard. A person can travel virtually the entire continent by foot and they do. The sixteen mile commute I have in far suburban Chicago is, out of necessity, primarily on major roads. During the rush hour periods the roads are jammed with traffic, including an inordinate number of trucks that are paid by the load. Some of the roads are narrow enough that following vehicles cannot overtake a bicycle without swinging into the oncoming lane. I do commute during the summer months by motorcycle but that is only because I can maintain the speed of the traffic. A crash course in vehicular courtesy may possibly help, but probably not much.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I would be road kill on nearly every route to work. The safest way I’ve found, which still scares me a bit, is 16 miles with no showers at work (a bank) or a gym nearby.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I am starting to bike more to work (its only 5 miles from my home to downtown Minneapolis). As more and more people are out there biking it feels safer and drivers are paying more attention! The area buses now take bikes but I haven’t tried it yet. We have lots of bike racks, lanes/trails, but probably need more bike facilities with showers. I’ve never tried biking in the winter but there are over a 1,000 folks that do it regularly here.
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May 15th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I would like to bike to work, but I have children to drop off and pick up before and after work.
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Need more bike paths that are PAVED to ride on to feel safer and bicycle signs on the road more than just the natchez trace…
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
My commute is 18 miles one way through the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. I have three main reasons for not biking:
- The distance (and time) involved
- The (significant) hill on which my house sits
- The traffic congestion in the SFV
Having an electric-assist bike would help with the second point, but until I move closer to work (or get a job closer to home), I won’t be commuting by bicycle.
But I’m on the lookout for a highway speed, 60-mile range EV!
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I bike to work about 4.5 miles one way in Madison, WI.
I take lightly traveled bike route roads with good shoulders and bike paths. I wear a brightly colored jacket so I am highly visible. Drivers are used to people on bikes.
Government can do a lot to encourage bike travel by putting in bike paths and bike lanes that connect business districts with residential areas. I am lucky to live in an area that has put some serious effort into being bike friendly.
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I do not bike to work because the commute is 52 miles EACH way.
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Have biked to creeks fishing age 7, paper route 7-9th grades, dental school, grad school, 15 of 20 Navy years. Only had one car vs 2 for 10 years saving $7,000/yr for about $70,000 says AAA. Favorite commute: Rock Creek DC, beach roads in Puerto Rico,to public transportation in Japan, and VERY appreciative of Tallahassee’s growing bike lanes. HATE any roads over 30MPH without bike lanes. Best benefits: Save money, can eat a LOT and still look trim, reduce pollution. If more people biked we’d have reduced taxes and no more wars for oil…..
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May 15th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
After Katrina, I rode my bike to work for 3 weeks. It was only 3 miles, but the roads are some of the most heavily travelled, worst shape, zero shoulder in the city. Couple that with the Mississippi summer heat and humidity, going back and forth 4 times a day (to let dogs out at lunch) and still trying to dress for a business environment-it’s just not practical. I wish it were.
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I work for the EPA in San Francisco, and early numbers I’ve been gathering from fellow employees gathered from today’s scorching Bike to Work Day (and incidental Spare the Air Day) are:
31 participants, who have cumulatively ridden 272.4 miles, reducing the office’s carbon footprint by nearly 47 pounds, as measured against the most likely alternative to the bicycle for their ride today. I repeat these are early numbers, it’s worth giving these results some thought with respect to our planet, and what one day could achieve if sustained over more of the year.
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
I have wide open bike paths, showers at work, and a very nice bike. I’m and avid mountain biker, and work isn’t too far from home. I still don’t bike to work.
That’s because at the end of most days I’m too damn tired to face a bike ride home. I’m never sure when I’m going to be done with my day, and I put in long, hard hours at work. I ride my motorcycle when I can (48 mpg). But other than that, I’m waiting for green technology to catch up with my lifestyle. Give me an all-electric vehicle, or a hybrid with 40+ miles of all-electric range before the engine kicks in. Then I’ll do my part to be green.
So pretty please put some pressure on the automakers. Pretty please give incentives for buyers to purchase electric vehicles. Help me get a nice Phoenix SUV that I can put my bike into. That way I can take my bike to work in the only way that is clean and saves energy while still matching my lifestyle….
In the back of an electric car!
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I would love to bike everyday from Santa Rosa to Petaluma (California), which about ~18 miles. But I’m not fit enough yet, the routes between the two towns seem really dangerous (backroads where people often exceed 70mph). In fact traffic moves slower and there are bigger shoulders on teh freeway, where bikes aren’t allowed.
That said I’m trying to mix bikes and transit (buses) to commute but there are only two slots for bikes, and those are often full by the time the bus gets to my spot. Which means I would have to immediately rush to find a spot to lock my bike where it’s not going to get ravaged by theives, or wait for the next bus. When that happens I’m more likely to ride back home and get my car.
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May 15th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
There are a few reasons for not biking more.
1) Not enough trails or bike lanes. Cars are not very attentive and it is dangerous to bike on the road unless you are very familiar with car wrangling. A large hazard is a bike lane that exists for a while, the suddenly cuts off without any exit for the cyclist mainly because the road is too dangerous for a bike lane there. Why dump the cyclist into the dangerous section rather than provide a detour to those that are willing to take a slightly longer route to be safe?
2) lack of safe locations to lock the bike, or lack of ability to take the bike inside. Many offices and stores do not allow bikes to be taken in their shop, but they do not provide adequate and safe bike parking. I do not carry a chain to lock my bike, I prefer to take it with me, as I can not lock the seat and handle bars etc, and have seen those stolen before. The fully enclosed bike lockers are the best choice, but they are not common.
3) Length of time it takes to bike. During commute hours, it takes me 30 minutes to drive, and 45 minutes to bike. This does not seem like much difference until you realize 10 minutes is just stopped at lights. If there were more free running trails (without lights) or paths that did a side along with the freeways that we could go without the 5min wait at a stop light, this would increase the time significantly. BTW, it takes me 12 min driving non commute hours. Since I have a flexible job, it is hard to justify a 45min ride when i can get there in less than 15 min…
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Forgot to mention the large amount of glass in the roads and lack of cleanup. Most accident sites do not sweep up the glass, most streets have debris and broken bottles in the road that do not get cleaned up for weeks. This should be a required procedure. Perhaps ways to report areas that need cleaning
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May 15th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I don’t. I wish I could. I wouldn’t need my gym membership or auto insurance. I don’t though, for two reasons. First are the roads. There aren’t even shoulders here, much less bike lanes or bike friendly lanes. I have bicycled to pick up groceries, its a short but dangerous ride. Second is access to showers at work. I can’t ride 15 miles to work and be a sweaty mess at work.
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I live and work in Sacramento, CA. I moved closer to work because I got tired of the commute. Once I got closer I realized that I could ditch the car and ride my bike. I only live 3 miles away. I love passing cars backed up in traffic.
I decided that I shouldn’t have to live 2 hours of your life each day driving a lightweight tank at high (and snail slow) speeds in the middle of a mass of distracted, tired, angry commuters.
You can’t avoid death or taxes, but you CAN replace some car trips with bicycling. Try it!
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I would love to bike to work however, I live in north Atlanta and they are NOT bike frindley in very many places. I live only 8 mi. from work however, it takes me 45 min. to make my daily comute. Of course there the days I’m training and go for an AM swim and leave @ 5:30am. Ug!! The pool is also within biking distance as well as work from the gym. More bike lanes and paths would be great.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
If there was any safe place to park my bike here, I would bike to work. I work for the city of new york and they are telling everyone to bike to work, but there is no where to put your bike once you get there!
And, we need MORE bike lanes - REAL bike lanes. Look at Denmark, the Netherlands, the new bike program in France - we’re light-years behind!
We need employers to be REQUIRED to provide bike parking, or allow employees to bring bikes inside.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I live in the Allentown, PA area. There is ONLY one reason I do not ride to work. There is no SAFE bike path for me to take and the people on the roads early in the morning are not kind to bikers. Too much effort has been put into making major highways pass through every part of town and there are NO pedestrian crossings for these highways. I have one co-worker who has been commited to taking the bike for the past 3 years and has already been hit 4 times even though he dresses in ultra bright clothing and prides himself on safe biking. There’s just too many cars with people who are all late to work who think it’s your fault that they didn’t get up 10 minutes earlier.
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May 15th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I commute from Marin County to Oakland’s waterfront district. They do not allow bicycles on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
It would be terrific if they would run a commute ferry from Marin (Larkspur) to Oakland (Jack London Square) but they don’t.
I’ve tried circumnavigating the bay (ferry to S.F., Bart to Oakland) but the schedules don’t sync up well — instead of a 40 minute car ride, it’s about two hours by mass transit.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I would love to bike to work, but there is not sufficient pedestrian friendly atmosphere (inatentive drivers) and a basic lack of infrastructure coupled with no place to shower as it is excessively hot in Phoenix, AZ. I applaud the people that open businesses that allow you to park your bike safely, shower and even get bike repairs and tune ups! What an amazing idea! As Phoenix grows, I know that it will continue to be more pedestrian friendly. I personally would love to ride my bike to work daily! I look forward to new infrastructure and more driver education and empathy for biker’s safety.
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I bike to work on dry days (no rain) 5.5 miles in the northwest Atlanta area. I do this to save on gas, to commute cleanly, and most importantly to stay active and healthy. I don’t want to dress up my road bike with fenders and panniers so I run (4 miles) to work when it is wet out. My area needs better bike friendly roadways. Cobb County is working on it again. Hopefully with gas prices rising, more interest will be generated and it’ll stick this time.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I recently started biking to work a couple days per week. Here in Indianapolis, we have less than five miles of bike lanes in the whole city, so bike commuters must use the regular road. It takes creativity to find safer routes, and I made the effort. But most Hoosiers are lazy and come up with the most amazing excuses. We are addicted to oil and frankly I hope gas prices continue to rise to teach us all about our wasteful ways. Americans don’t care about themselves or the environment until it hurts them in the wallet.
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May 16th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Here in Ann Arbor, there’s transportation infrastructure and culture developing, but something that would definitely help is employer support. Showers would be great, but I understand that they’re not possible in every workplace. Lockers would be a welcome addition, but showers would be fantastic. A spot to lock up indoors or bike racks that are sheltered from the elements would be great too.
I understand that there are some minor financial incentives available to employers and/or employees, but that’s not what convinces me. Convenience is one of the most compelling reasons to ride in an urban environment, but it needs to be convenient at both ends of route - not just in between.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I don’t bike to work right now because I can’t find a good route that doesn’t go through areas with extreme traffic congestion making it a difficult and dangerous bike ride. More bike lanes would certainly help, as would better city planning to make biking a higher priority.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:44 am
I am not bike commuting currently, because I live in Los Angeles. Driving a car turns ordinary human beings into raving lunatics, with blood lust in their hearts. They value their commute more than they value my life. Traffic enforcement in this town is a joke, and everyone knows it. A cyclist who is hit by a car is treated like a problem instead of a victim in this country, like rape victims used to be, (and sometimes still are). So I would love to park my car and ride, but I do not wish to be yet another dead cyclist. Teach drivers to share road, and I will ride again.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:47 am
For the first time in four years, I’m biking tomorrow, riding 6 miles to go the 4.5 miles I drive to work. Why the extra 1.5 miles? So I can avoid the massive traffic construction at Jefferson and Lincoln (8 lanes each way) by taking the bike path that runs along the storm channel called Ballona Creek. ‘Course, this route has recently been closed because, by moving bikes away from cars, they’re also away from the observation of any police, so high school kids have been mugging cyclists, stealing cellphones, ipods, sunglasses, gps units, anything that’s not nailed down. An exciting start to the weekend.
Why bike? Cause it’s ONLY 4.5 MILES!! And at $4 / gal, even at Costco, my non-Republican conscience can’t take it any more.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:31 am
So we all know that everyone is not able to bike to work, but some just don’t think they can! The big picture is what can we do to help. Hybrids are great but public transportation is better. I think one thing we loose track of is how we choose where to live. I used to bike 30 miles door to door with (2) 7 mile 10+% grades but I am a cyclist and not everyone can or wants to get up at 4:30AM to ride for an hour and a half. I recently decided to think about what was important in my life so I am now looking for a job closer to home. Better and maintained bike paths would help those who can’t or don’t like to ride in traffic. I like the idea of bike paths to schools. We are teaching them to be the next leaders, why not start young. I hope when I have children I can ride with them to school on my way to work or at least feel safe that they have a path to ride on. I love to ride and hope this trend really catches on. Also incentives for people who commute would benefit, discounts at bike shops, tax brakes, etc. I’m not an economist but know that there are people out there that can crunch some numbers and make things beneficial for those making an effort. Love be to all that ride
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:16 am
i do bike to work. once in a while.
its 15 miles each way.
two reasons why i dont do it all the time.
the roads are poorly maintained. lots of cracks caused by roots, trash and debris. i have to really concentrate on not riding over something that could puncture my tires. the shoulder could be wider and better maintained
the standard of drivers here is very poor. i have a near death incident just about every time i ride. people in parked cars opening their doors randomly, people in driveways just backing up, people not seeing you tikk the last second etc etc etc
thats it.
although there is a bike path that runs most of the way to work, i avoid it because it has way too many stops at intersections. im not a stop go stop go biker. i want to go go go, so if im out for a saturday ride i might just take the bike path. if im on my way to work, i ride with the cars.
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I ride to work because I like it. I travel 8 miles each way along a combination of suburban and urban streets and state and city bike trails. I’m 50, grew up in the era of the (first) oil crisis, and didn’t own a car until I was 30. I have cycled and/or taken public transit most of my life. Oh, this is Wisconsin, and I bike most of the winter as well.
I think it reveals something about our country that we need to treat bicycles as some special form of transportation. As if we were all born with Escalade keys in our tiny little hands.
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:35 am
I would like to see more rural mass transit and/or bike paths. During the summer the motorcycle will be the transport of choice. 52 mpg is better than 17 mpg for the 24 mile round trip. Remember KEEP THE RUBBER ON THE ROAD AND RIDE SAFELY!!!
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:38 am
With a 65 mile one-way commute, it would take me just a wee bit too long to bike to work and on roads and through traffic unfit for cycling. Instead, I work at home as often as possible - much more efficient than cycling anyways.
Please, please, please, someone spend money on the rail infrastructure! I can actually take rail almost door-to-door, but between Amtrak and city transit, gas costs would need to get into the $8-$10 range to make commute by rail cost effective over those distances - that is figuring gas costs only since a rail-only commute wouldn’t eliminate my need for a car and insurance and other costs are relatively fixed. If gas taxes were set high enough to cover all highway related costs, train travel would be cheap by comparison.
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:20 am
I commute by bike 2x/week. My route is 22 miles each way. The distance I ride is just about the most anyone can realistically do on a regular basis. It takes me 1 hr 15 minutes. I have to be at work at 8:15 AM, so I leave at 6:30- 6:45 AM . I am fortunate to live in an area that has little traffic, and even then I’ve been hit twice.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:39 am
I live in southeast Michigan and I would love to bike to work. However thanks to auto industry lobbying and our wonderful Michigan government, there are many much less painful ways to committ suicide here in southeast Michigan than biking to work.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I live in Central Ohio and I bike to work occasionally, but I am a bit of a wimp. When there is a threat or rain or temperatures drop below 35 degrees I drive.
I am fortunate because I live 3 miles from my office and my employer provides indoor bicycle parking and showers. When I do ride, I extend my ride home so I ride 3 miles in and 25 miles home.
Another issue is that I ride city streets and rural roads (rather than bike paths) and I do not like riding in the dark. This limits the months that I commute by bike to 9.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:59 am
We do not bike to work for a number of reasons. Off shift jobs mean traveling during the dark hours–unsafe on a bicycle. The 24 mile distance each way to and from work means too far to bicycle daily without a direct safe bike route. The varying prairie climate prevent regular bicycling–snow, ice, heavy rain, strong winds, and so forth. Even though we live in the country, it isn’t safe on our “country blacktop” to even bicycle the three miles to the nearest town or six miles to the next town even for fun or to pick up a few groceries to carry in a backpack like we used to do as kids. There is absolutely NO speed enforcement on this road, and several private and commercial vehicles frequently run over 75 mph on this 55 mph road, filled with many curves as it passes from county to county, and carrying a lot of cross country traffic ranging from farming vehicles to semi trucks. Some drivers take great offense at a bicyclist blocking “their” road, and run you off on purpose and throw insults AND objects.
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May 16th, 2008 at 9:18 am
I ride occasionally but would prefer to ride the majority of the time. I have an 8-9 mile hilly commute on moderately busy semi-rural roads. There are a couple dangerous intersections and one stretch is favored by high school kids but otherwise it is relatively safe.
There is hope of a bike path getting built in the next couple years that would go straight through a relatively flat valley and would be a huge boon. My office has showers and I can bring my bike into my office.
My main constraints are time (biking takes me 30-45 minutes while driving takes less than 10) and convenience (hot days, cold and icy days I go for the car).
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May 16th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I do not bike to work because I live 45 miles from my job. I travel
90 miles per day round trip and it is expressway all the way. It is
too dangerous with so many transfer trucks traveling the expressway daily. It would be nice and less expensive if I could with the rate of gas these days. I have considered a motorcycle which some of my coworkers already have. If I lived in the city where I work I would probably bike on days when the weather is nice but for now I will continue to commute by car.
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May 16th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I live 26 miles from work. I did bike to work the other day. It would be much easier if I could bike to the train station in my town, ride the rails to a train station much closer to my workplace and continue biking to my office. There is a rail line that runs through my town and into Houston, TX. It passes within 5 miles of my workplace. Amtrak used to use this route. Not anymore. Why not? I have no alternatives.
So MY question of the week is where are all the forward thinking government officials? We had a similar problem (high gas prices, gas lines, etc.) back in the early ’70s. Where were the forward thinking government officials then? In the pocket of big oil?
Gary R. Newton
Navasota, TX
USA
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May 16th, 2008 at 9:41 am
This year I am not riding my bike to work as I am now a Field Service Engineer. That means I have to haul a large array of parts and tools to clients who could be anywhere from Pittsburgh PA, Cleveland OH, Morgantown WV or points in between. However as soon as I can, I ride to work. As often as I can.
Grocery stores, corner markets, wherever else I ride my bike.
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May 16th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I live in Queens, NY and bicycle to work nearly every day. Its faster than driving and more pleasant than taking the train. The downside is the lack of bicycle routes and dangerous / reckless auto traffic.
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I’ve been cycling to work since 1992, every day, rain or shine. At various times due to moving or changing jobs, the one way distance has been as little as 2.5 miles and as much as 17 miles. For the better part of four years my round trip distance was 35 miles, five days a week, throughout the year.
I can tell you lots of reasons why I bike to work, but I have to start out with the most important reason for me: I simply enjoy riding my bike. My current round trip distance is only 15 miles, and to be honest, I really miss those other 20 miles. I will always bike to work. Now, the other reasons. Without a doubt, I ride to work so that there is one less car in the parking lot at the office, one less car owned in my family, one less car on the highway in between the two points, and one less reason why extra lanes and new roads need to be built. I’m also riding to work every day because I’m in training. I’m in training to be old. When I’m older,
I don’t want to be immobile and stuck on a couch. I still want to be active. I also ride to work every day because there are lots of people that would also ride to work but for real reasons simply can’t do it. In a way I’m riding for them.
rob hawks
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I used to ride 5 miles each way through LA rush hour, rain or shine, to work at my retail job. Now I’m self-employed, so my “commute” varies wildly, from 6 miles round trip to take care of my mother to 40 miles round for meetings with a business partner; also many 12-14 miles RT to downtown for meetings and purchasing trips. All on bike. Light wool clothing handles sweat well even in LA summers.
I ride because it doesn’t wear out the earth compared to other modes, especially driving, and also because it keeps me in contact with the life around me, rather than isolating me. The health benefits are in my mind too, but mostly I ride for environmental reasons and to be able to live economically and unencumbered, exepriencing life in the world more fully without using that lovely world up.
To know more about my ereasons you might go to my bicycle commuter resource website at http://www.bicyclefixation.com .
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I bring my daughter to preschool either in the bike trailer or trail-a-bike then ride the 9-mile round trip to work pretty much every day, 8 months of the year. Winter can get too cold for the kids, but i do ride many of those days too. I chose to live close to my job so i would have the option of riding as much as possible, and we do many of our daily errands by bike too.
I’m in Saint Paul, MN, and the biggest thing we need around here infrastructure-wise are bike lanes that actually connect in a cohesive grid. There are many areas of town that are bike-friendly, but there are places where the lane or the path simply ends, and stretches where there are no shoulders or room for cyclists. I don’t hesitate to take the full lane as needed, but beginning cyclists would simply not ride in those places, severely limiting their mobility around town.
Infrastructure aside, the biggest single impediment to increasing cycling is inconsiderate drivers. The need for bike lanes and dedicated bike paths is purely due to car traffic being impatient and greedy in their road use. If we all truly shared the roads, we wouldn’t need to build anything bike-specific. Since that never seems to change, we build.
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I would love to ride a bike to work. However, an almost 50-mile commute on an interstate and rural highway make it virtually impossible. When I lived where a bicycle commute was possible, I rode my bike to work whenever the weather permitted. I enjoyed to ride and arrived at work feeling refreshed and energized. The ride at the end of the day gave me a chance to unwide and meditate. Many people in this country, especially in rural America, are environmentally concious and want to do their part to reduce energy consumption and its associated pollution. However, distance and infrastructure are limiting factors.
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May 16th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I live 18 miles away from work and generally take the commuter bus that I pick up five miles from my home. Several people who normally ride the bus do the 18 miles by bike from spring through fall at least to get home. Riding to work in the heat may make them and their co-workers a bit uncomfortable–not all office buildings have shower facilities. I’ve thought about it and may give it a try when I am in better shape. I do admire the few who take their bikes to work on the bus and ride them home.
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May 16th, 2008 at 11:10 am
#1 reason: inattentive drivers! I live in the PNW & gave it a go one year (from May to Oct), approx 5 miles each way. Too hairy, especially w/ big commercial dump trucks ( had to go by a quarry) and big SUV’s blasting by. Most drivers are courteous and even over compensate, but there are an angry few that just don’t want you on the road. Ultimately decided it’s just not worth getting maimed.
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May 16th, 2008 at 11:25 am
I live in Queens, and work in downtown NYC.
I love biking to work, and do so two to three days a week in the warmer months (and take the subway the rest of the time). It’s true that there’s not enough safe bike paths, and drivers are rude, reckless and selfish– there’s something about being behind the wheel that makes folks willing to risk others’ lives in a way they’d never do otherwise. But it’s still the best way to commute, and is great for my psychological health as well as my physical health.
Ironically, due to various odd obligations, this week I’ve not only not biked once, I actually had to rent a car to drive out of town yesterday. (I drove cautiously!)
But, next week, I’ll ride every day to make up for it.
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May 16th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I bike to work because I want to get a bit of excercise, and typically do not have time to get to the gym. I have a reverse commute, so I can use BART (commuter train) as part of my commute. Ride the whole way is not an option at this point. It is 26 miles and some of the “bike routes” that make up the best route to work are not very bicycle friendly especially not during morning and evening commute hours.
I also bike to work and use transit to lessen my impact on the world. The last time I drove the car, it was to move it for street sweeping. My wife and I share one car, but because we both bike commute or carpool almost every day, we often don’t even drive the car once during the week.
We are expecting a baby and have already found ways to accomodate moving the family around without a car. Not being a parent yet, I am not sure how well it will work out, but I know we are going to try.
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May 16th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
When I can (about 3-4 days per week), I bike to work in Oakland, CA. Most of the route is on 4 lane streets so I bike in the middle of the right lane so everyone sees me with my helmet which has dayglo orange stickers on it.
At one point I get to bike around a lake (Lake Merritt) on a temporary (soon to be permanent) 2 way bike lane. I see many bicyclists on the way. Many have no helmets, which I find distressing. There are many traffic lights along the way and, though I follow the rules of the road, many bicyclists blow through the red light or stop and wait as though it were a stop sign until the coast is clear. I find this equally distressing.
Drivers honk at me to move over and I simply wave as though they are saying hello. One bicyclist said to me (as he passed me on the right), “you should hug the parked cars closer.” I guess he’s never been doored! I love biking and hate other forms of exercise. I hope that we can educate all drivers and bike riders as to the rights and responsibilities of all who use the roads. I also would like to see fewer cars because of environmental reasons and road repair costs (from MY tax dollars).
If an overweight middle aged out of shape woman can bike 2.1 miles each way, anyone can. BTW Oakland is very hilly!
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May 16th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I have been a bike commuter since 1987. Why? I am an environmental scientist, and I know better. It is quicker than driving. Parking is free. It is really cheap. It is great excercise (physical and mental).
My bike commute has varied over the past 20 years depending on my job. I have had 15 mile round trips to the office, two mile round trips to mass transit hubs (railroad station), I commuted on an eBike for a year and a recumbent tricycle another, a trailer for groceries, and now I have a bike with advertising signs for my wifes business that I park at prime locations for people to see. 100+ year old technology, it is great.
Every month of the year introduces new treats and new hazards. Being prepared is key to having a positive experience.
Good luck!
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May 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I would love to bike to work, BUT I live about 20 miles away. I also have a family and work a 10 hour day, so by the time I would have to leave for work (by bike) and by the time I get home, there is not much time left for family. Unfortunately, there is also no good point in between to park and ride in from there.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I don’t bike to work. I could because I’m lucky enough to have an off-street path that takes me most of the way. I’d still have to deal with idiot drivers once near downtown though.
Major reasons I don’t:
1) There are no showers or change facilities at work. I could join the health club next door for $25 a month and change there.
2) There are also no secure areas to lock or store a bike. I’m not spending coin on a bike reliable and accessorized well enough to commute on (racks, lights, etc…) only to have it ripped off by some tweaked out meth-head or homeless drunk downtown.
3) No bike lanes downtown. I’d be in the lanes with rush-hour traffic and metro-busses. And legally can’t ride on the sidewalk in a business district.
4) Weather. Sudden changes will foil a commute plan. I could take lite rail partway (but they don’t allow bikes on the train) and switch to a bus (that does have bike racks–go figure).
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I bicycle for many reasons. I am an environmentalist. I like to hear the birds during my journey. I like the feel of my body as it pushes me forward under my own power.
I am able to carry my paperwork, computer and other needs in my panniers. I have fenders and lights that help to extend the ability to use my bicycle as an everyday means of transportation and recreation.
I am also able to use public transportation to link my longer trips. Overall the bicycle saves me money, lessens my carbon footprint, and helps to create a more cohesive community.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I bike everywhere. I have a car, but never use it. I’m trying to devise a way to haul my music gear on my bike to practices and gigs. Presently another band member picks me up because my car is uninsured since I don’t drive it. I think a lot of people see bike commuting as involving special clothing and getting sweaty and it’s just not true. I don’t get any sweatier on a bike than I do walking around unless I’m riding really fast, but that usually means I have the air cooling me off so I still don’t sweat much more. You can wear normal clothing for biking too, but merino wool is my fabric of choice. If you do sweat it wicks it away and it won’t stink like polyester bike clothes do. Plus merino wool is great in hot or cold weather as it really helps regulate body temp. Bike everywhere. It’s liberating. Traffic sucks, but there are resources for learning how to navigate traffic safely. Look it up on google.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I bike to work 3 days a week, all year long. I am blessed with a flexible schedule at work, a wife who only works part time, a great rails-to-trails path for 1/2 of my 10 mile one-way commute and an employer that provides a secure bike locker facility and a locker room and showers.
I started bike commuting 2 years ago. Winters get cold/tough and I generally cannot keep up the frequency I desire, but spring/summer/fall are great. My main reasons for bike commuting are exercise and my enjoyment of cycling.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I ride 12.5 miles each way at least a couple of times a week, building up to more as summer approaches. I ride through the middle of Arlington TX, from SW to NE. There are posted bike lanes in some parts of the city, but mostly in ridiculous locations so I don’t ride any of them. There are far better streets to use. My commute is pretty uneventful except for the occasional angry redneck. It is ALWAYS an angry redneck who has something to say about me using his road here in TX.
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May 16th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I commute 7 miles each way, 5 days a week x 52 weeks / year. A SoCal location helps, but I like riding in bad weather also. I carry my work clothes, laptop and lunch in rear panniers; waterproof covers on wet days. I change when I get to my office - in a stall in the rest room. No showers here.
Route - hilly. City streets. Suburban version of rush hour. I ride in the street and take the lane at intersections or where the lane is narrow. It’s plenty safe; drivers are considerate.
Sometimes I carpool with my wife on a tandem bicycle. We put panniers on and do our shopping on the way home.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I bike 2.25 miles to work everyday.
I avoid the $200 annual parking fee and I’ve filled up my car only once in the past 6 months!
Need I say more?
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I don’t commute to work via bike because:
1) no facilities at my place of employment to change or store the bike
2) no safe route (either no designated bike lane or an actual path separated from car traffic)
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I love to ride and do so almost every day. Unfortunately I live in Houston and the available routes to work include roads that would be suicidal to cycle on.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Since I’ve been working at home (freelance writer) and remodeling our house, and with Alameda being so flat and compact, I don’t get enough exercise from running errands on my bike. (Getting off the island to Oakland or San Leandro is hard with our antiquated and limited bridges and tubes, a big reason I do not ride farther.
I used to work in Redwood City, 7.5 miles from home in Palo Alto, and was in much better shape with two-a-day workouts of 25-35 minutes each. I miss those days, when I weighed 145 (not my current 168-170)…
Yesterday I took my bike on an AC Transit “O” transbay bus to SF, where I ride to choir practice from the Transbay Terminal, returning on the 10:00 p.m. “O” bus. I didn’t have to navigate the traffic jam on the Bay Bridge and saved time over driving.
We’re moving to southern California, where the bicycling infrastructure for commuting is much more limited and the roads far more dangerous, but the weather is warmer and drier. I will be a “pioneer” again….
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I ride to work, 12 miles each way, everyday in that (too) short period between the last snowfall and the first one of the next winter. For two reasons: first because I love the freedom you can only get from riding a bike, second because when strapped to a car seat stuck in traffic, I feel like a prisoner!
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
the place i work at has a bike rack.
i am saving money, avoiding high gas prices and costly repairs on my car.
my town has everything i could need. the internet has everything else.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I bike to work every day. I chose to live and work in San Francisco partially because I knew it would be possible to live without a car. Most of the time, car drivers are very patient and courteous. For better or worse, there are many bad cyclists in SF and I guess car drivers have just learned to give cyclists a bit of room. Every once in a while there are some aggressive and impatient drivers that do dangerous stuff. As usual, cab drivers are amongst the worst - they constantly exceed the speed limit. The worst aspects of biking in San Francisco? The police do not enforce speed limits or ticket cars parked in bike lanes. Also the road surfaces are uniformly terrible - the city has let the roads fall into a terrible state of disrepair..
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
When I lived in California, I was a regular bicycle commuter. Since moving to New York, the combination of losing eight months of good cycling weather and extensive public transit system have convinced me to commute almost all the time by subway. Now the bike is more for recreation and shopping.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I bike to work in all seasons, every day 3.5 miles, from Northern KY to Cincinnati, OH. Most of the route is on urban streets. The reason I bike in is primarily because it’s fun, but I’ve also saved hundreds of dollars on parking and gas–not to mention the fact that I get to work quicker by bike than I would by car or bus.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
37 mile 3 times a week during daylight saving time. My employer has showers and lockers, nice bike rack in the covered executive parking area. I ride through beautiful parks along the way, one of them Valley Forge, i love my ride. Sure i have to get out of bed an hour early, but i see some beautiful sunrises.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I just started biking to work a few weeks ago. My 7 mile route is mostly (save about 1/4 mile on a scary no shoulder street) neighborhood roads and the W&OD trail. My office has bike racks and shower facilities (it’s LEED certified), so I’m pretty lucky on that front. However, I picked where I live to be closer to where I work, and to have access to public transportation. Our house is smaller than the McMansions in the exurbs, but it’s worth it so that I can make choices like riding to work instead of sitting in traffic for hours on end.
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I RIDE 13 MILES ROUND TRIP 4 TO 5 DAYS A WEEK. WAS HIT ON PURPOSE ONCE, WE HAVE GOOD ROADS AND TRAFFIC IS SOMETIMES HEAVY. 85% OF THE TIME DRIVERS MOVE OVER, THE OTHERS THERES NO HOPE. THE BIGGEST REASON I RIDE? IT’S FUN, AND THE BONUS IT HELPS KEEP ME FIT AND KEEPS MONEY IN MY POCKET-NOT THEIR’S.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I ride to work 2-3 days a week. It’s 3.5 miles door to door. Here in the suburbs of NYC, drivers tend to be reckless and oblivious, and I almost never see anyone else on a bike during my 15 minute commute. I’m the only one in my office who rides to work. The hilly topography here is an impediment to getting the masses on bikes around here, but once you’re in decent shape it’s no deterrent.
My place of employment doesn’t do anything to facilitate bikes as transportation. Our isolated location in a municipal DPW building off of a highway means that leaving the building to go get something for lunch isn’t an option.
A lot of the barriers to getting people to ride to work or school are due to our historically screwed up land use policies and transportation policies. These policies no longer serve us now that gas is $4/gallon and the planet is heating up. We’re better off here in the NY Metro than in the Sunbelt, but cars still rule the landscape everywhere, and until that changes, all you can do is ride defensively.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
2 reasons: No showers at work and this is a must living in Houston. Also, drivers here are very unfriendly cyclists and the few bike lanes we have are absolutely horrible which increases the safety risk.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I bike and live in Chicago. I bike to work and school in all of the seasons and have done so in several snow storms. Since moving to the city proper I have never driven a car to work.
Chicago has some bike lanes that are helpful, unfortunately motorists don’t always remember that people use them and they are also in the door danger zone. I have only personally had problems with the former and have narrowly missed the latter several times.
I can definitely see why some people would be scared to bike, some drivers just are not very good at sharing the road (same goes for some bikers). There are fines for both bikers and drivers who don’t share nicely, but the cops A) don’t care enough and B) when they do care they have a bias against people on bikes.
But biking to work has its advantages. I get there much faster than if I would drive or take public transit. I get my exercise everyday. I rarely, if ever, worry about finding parking for my bike. I never have to pay for parking. Overall I’d say its worth it.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I bike to work every day (about 8 miles round trip) unless there is snow or ice on the road. If that’s the case I walk and take the bus. I live in Denver. Part of the trip is on the bike trail and the rest is on residential streets. I’m exploring routes for a longer ride home - because it is so much fun!
Before I moved to Denver I lived in Baltimore. In the morning I would take the light rail part way then bike the remaining 4 miles to work. Then I would usually ride the 18 miles home. I would only do this comute from April through October.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I love biking to work… in the summer. The other 75% of the time, it’s snowing, and I just don’t have it in me to bike in several inches of the stuff.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
My bike has been my primary commuter vehicle for the past two months and I love it! I moved within two miles of my office and have a handful of low-traffic, back-road routes to choose from. In the time it usually takes me to walk to my car (parked in a free street parking area) I can bike all the way home.
Drivers have been surprisingly accommodating. Nevertheless, I wear my helmet, stay close to the edge, and display a flashing red taillight whenever I ride. On the more dangerous stretches I switch to the sidewalk.
Last week I was surprised to see another bike commuter walking her bike off the office elevator. I think people are starting to get wise to this healthy, fun alternative to driving.
Mark Turner
Raleigh, NC
http://www.markturner.net
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I don’t even own a car.
I live in Fremont, CA & bike four miles each way everyday, rain or shine, to work. We have bike lanes which make it fairly safe. I’m an aggressive rider and am not afraid to merge into traffic to make left turns. I keep my bike in the break room, but we have two racks outside. When I was in the USMC and living in Vista, CA I was riding 14 miles each way through some nicely hilly terrain three days a week. I find it funny that folks worry about showering since I’ve yet to “need” a shower after riding to or from work. The breeze will usually keep the sweat evaporating until you get to work, then you can simply towel off your face or whatever and go. Heck, I even wear my work clothes on my commutes unless it’s raining. I work retail, so if I stunk I would hear about it.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I try to bicycle to work as much as possible. I cycle to work for the health of it…physically and mentally for myself. Healthier on the pocket book and to save wear and tear on my car. As the bicycle/pedestrian transportation planner at the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization I also have to consider walking to work. I live three miles from where I work so I do walk and cycle as often as possible. Barriers to having a perfect route includes lack of sidewalks on a busy local street when I am walking. My shoes get dirty or if I have sandles on my feet get dirty. Stray dogs follow me too far and probably never get home again…but being stray they don’t have homes, anyway. As far as cycling…it is a great route and the motorists usually share the road with me without problems. The stray dogs think the wheels going round and round on a bicycle are made to be eaten, so they make the ride a little less enjoyable than when they are all sleeping in the shade during the hot part of the day.
All in all, I enjoy riding to work but because of the dogs do not ride after dark; which limits the times I ride to work since I would have to leave just before light to get to work on time. But during the long days of summer….I’m a happy cyclist.
Thanks for asking.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I usually ride twice, sometimes more, per week to work. 20 miles one way. I ride on a fairly major road in the Dallas, TX area. It can be tough but I know it’s great for me to be doing it, so I keep rollin’ on.
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May 16th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I have been commuting by bicycle in Pittsburgh, for the most part, for over 20 years. It began with my 7 mile each way daily commute to classes in college and continued when I became employed. Most recently, I have moved to a location that would make my commute too long for the time I’d wish to spend on some roads that were less than ideal. I have compromised by driving part of the way and biking the rest. My daily commute, in all weather, is still about 7 miles each way.
At first I rode mostly because I despised riding the bus. I could ride in to school quicker than the bus could get me there. There were the health benefits. Saving money. The sense of being in control of my transit. As jobs changed I became less concerned with the money I was saving not paying for gas and parking or even bus passes and retained the powerful sense of being in control and keeping myself in shape.
From commuting I graduated to long distance recreational riding on the developing Great Allegheny Passage and in the MS150 bike tour. I have joined over a dozen trail advocacy groups and have traveled across the state and to neighboring states to ride trails. I will spend a bunch of money on gas to travel to these trails sometimes so I can wreck the cost-saving benefits of continuing to commute (at least partially) by bike.
I would commute more if the roads were more conducive. Pittsburgh has just one real bike lane. There are some other unmarked bike lanes but they don’t take you anywhere. They just take you around several parks. Pittsburgh is improving but it needs a lot more infrastructure to even approach bicycle friendly. And living in the suburbs I have few choices for getting just about anywhere: take a car or ride bike too narrow roads with high speed and inconsiderate drivers. Any sort of shopping would require riding on even more dangerous roads.
http://dergeis.livejournal.com
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I bike 16.6 miles everyday it isn’t raining, otherwise I usually drive but I’ve started to take the bus to avoid getting soaked. My employer does not have lockers, showers or bike racks. In fact the office building prohibits bikes indoors but I bring it in my cubicle anyways. My route is sketchy urban/suburban terrain in Nashville, TN with no bike lanes or bike signs but most drivers are cautious and aware. The best way to get more people on bikes is to bike yourself and demonstrate how easy it is.
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I would bike if I wasn’t risking my life. Suburban Philadelphia can be a dangerous place for bikers due to lack of bike lanes or even pedestrian walk-ways.
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I’ve been biking to work for the last 7 years because it’s so darned fun - and b/c I always feel like I’m getting away with something by beating traffic, saving money, and staying in great shape.
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I bike to work as often as possible. I’m fortunate that my office has indoor bike racks, and a shower/locker room. Without the shower, I don’t know if I’d be able to bike in because it’s 11 miles in, and toweling off in a sink probably wouldn’t cut it.
I’m also pretty lucky in terms of my location. A good deal of my commute is on bike paths/bike lanes, and there aren’t any sections where I feel threatened by motor vehicle traffic.
I’ve lost 40 lbs since I started commuting by bike a little over a year ago. I’ve also save countless dollars on gas, and when I bike in, I have no stress. It’s the perfect way to start and end the day.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I would love to ride to work. The 40-mile distance each way would be great training and help balance my M&M habit. The distance isn’t even the issue… there just isn’t a route between home (Irvine, CA) and work (Torrance, CA) that is efficient and safe enough.
Suffice it to say that if it was even slightly more convenient I would.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I bike to work 2 or 3 days a week. My biggest problem is the disjointed bike paths. They go for two blocks and then end, only to start three streets over. I have seen future city maps with plans to link these up. I hope they get the funding.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
I bike to work for a number of reasons; chiefly, due to the current prices for a gallon of gas, but also because it reduces the amount of pollution going into our air, it saves wear and tear on my car and it helps to keep me fit and healthy.
I have a 30 mile one way commute, so I have to drive half way, park the car and then ride the rest of the way in. The roads I take leave a bit to be desired; they take me through some pretty industrial areas, so there is a lot of debris on that causes flats, a lot of tractor-trailer traffic and few to no shoulders. We don’t have locker or shower facilities at work, but I am able to clean up pretty well in spite of that. I’ve asked my coworkers if they notice any kind of an odor and they’ve all told me that I’m fine.
Aside from the flats, there really are not a lot of drawbacks to it so far. As a matter of fact, I’ve been really happy with bike commuting. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the reactions of my coworkers as well. I expected most of them to tell me how crazy I am, but the ones who have asked me about my commuting have told me that they admire me for doing it and seem very curious about the whole thing. I’ve even had some of them tell me that they are thinking of taking it up as well.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
According to many of the responses here, I live too far to bike (19 miles one way). But I do anyway because I don’t want to wake up one morning 50 and fat (or frail). They keep talking about showers at work, but until we get one I ride a very moderate tempo in, and then hammer home the long way.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Twenty-five pounds of materials and equipment (including a French horn, which is an unbalanced and awkward load on a bike!) to haul up several steep hills, plus the need to look professional at the other end of the ride without benefit of showers or changing facilities - as a freelancer I can’t just waltz into the nearest office building and ask to use the shower.
In March, however, I started running 95% of my errands by bike, thereby cutting my gasoline consumption in half. Lots of local bike lanes and a driving population that is used to seeing cyclists makes it easy.
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I am taking a job in San Francisco, but living in the East Bay. There is no way to bike from the East Bay to SF, even though it would be a really short ( ~ 10 mile ) commute. If there were a bike path on the west span of the bay bridge, I could do it (once the new east span is open).
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May 16th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
7 miles one way, with one mile that is hazardous to my life. To avoid it I will need to travel an additional 8 miles, opps same deal there, 2 lane bridge with no room for me. Farthur downstream to a bridge I can cross, Nah! to far. Thank you GDOT.
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I ride to work everyday. In about 18th months I’ve missed two weeks. One week was vacation and the other was from a mountain bike injury.
I have a 45 minute BART ride and a 15 to 20 minute bike ride to work. My bike ride is only 5 miles one way.
Don’t own a car so my wife and I either walk, ride a bike, or borrow a car. We might borrow a car twice a month for times when we cannot bike/BART to a place.
Only about a quarter mile of my bike ride is hazardous because there is no bike lane on a freeway overpass. I will not ride on the sidewalk! The route I take is the one 511.org has laid out as the designated bike route in the area I work.
I life to ride and ride to life…
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
FYI: Annual report of San Francisco bicycling. An example of indicators, questions, measures, and methods to assess bicycling in your community.
http://www.sfbike.org/download/reportcard_2008/SF_bike_report_card_2008.pdf
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May 16th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I started bike commuting 7 years ago primarily as a way to loose weight (because I wasn’t willing to give up the calories). I’ve lost about 40lbs in the process and keep it off to this day. My bike commute then was 6 miles each way. I started on my old Mt Bike with smooth road tires. Now I’m riding a very nice road bike. I commute between 2000 and 3000 miles in a riding season (which generally covers May to October, think daylight savings time)
Now I continue to bike to work and the benefits keep piling on. It saves me a ton of cash in gas these days, I estimate about $10/day. I maintain a high fitness level for my age…41. I don’t get frustrated in rush hour traffic. And it’s good for the environment.
I rode all Winter one year through rain, sleet, darkness, and high winds. That was worthwhile in that I now know that I can do it, but don’t really want to.
My bike commute today is 15 miles each way (and 800 feet of climbing each way) and takes between 45 and 55 minutes depending on how energetic I feel and the prevailing winds. Traffic congestion doesn’t even enter into the equation. When I do drive (usually only during inclement weather) the drive time is only about 10 minutes shorter than riding, and sometimes longer. In essence, I get almost two hours of intense cadio workout every day and it only cost me about 20 minutes of my time. Completely worth it.
Some days I’ll take the long way home and make it 25 or 30 miles.
My current route covers everything from miles of rural farm land (with sweet bike lanes) to suburban sprawl. I choose my routes based on the presence of good bike lanes but don’t necessarily choose to stay off busy commuter arterials. In general I’m moving about as fast as rush hour traffic when I’m in the city, am I feel comfortable in traffic.
I’ve only had one serious accident while commuting when a small car turned left into a nearly invisible driveway through a hole in line of traffic waiting at a stop light. I hit the car at 23mph square on the passenger side of the hood. My bike was totaled but somehow I managed to land on the other side of the vehicle cushioned by my backpack and walked away with only minor scratches and bruises. These days I don’t go quite as fast when skimming by lines of traffic especially when approaching any kind of driveway. Live and learn.
My current employer does not provide any kind of shower facilities. My previous employer did. At first this bothered me, now it doesn’t so much. I work in the technology industry where dress code isn’t highly restrictive. I can carry everything I need in my backpack (clothes, small laptop). A sponge bath or unscented baby wipes is all I really need to get through the day. Most of the profuse sweating happens on the ride home anyway.
After years of riding I’ve finally convinced my wife to take it up to. She does not ride to work as much as I do, but she’s become a very strong rider, lost a lot of weight, gotten into great shape and even managed to launch a side career in modeling and is starting to compete in triathlons. Sweet. Biking has all kinds of benefits.
Keep on biking….
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Recently I found a new job that is 1.5 miles away from my home. With the rising cost of gas(eventhough I drive a car that get 35+mpg) I decided to ride my bike into work everyday. It’s working out really well, I’m exercising and saving money.
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I alternately bike and walk to and from work when the weather permits in Chicago. I grew up in the city without a car, so I was never indoctrinated into car culture. I started commuting by bicycle when I was 17. I worked at an ice cream store and saved my money to buy my first Trek bicycle. I stayed in the city through college and got around via public transportation. Although I did get hit by a car and broke my collar bone, I have been successfully riding my bike for the past 18 years.
Once out of school, I moved downtown and bought a small condo. Parking was too expensive, so I continued to walk, bike or take public transportation to work. Whenever I changed jobs, the commute was an important factor insomuch as I did not even interview for jobs that required that I purchase a car. When I need a car, I rent an I-Go car, which is a great service started here by the Center for Neighborhood Technology.
The current job I have pays well and I am able to bike 3.5 miles to get to it. I save a ton of money, and that money has gone into my retirement account. I now have $45K saved- and that has not been on even a beer budget. My co-workers and the upper-level people at my work know I commute by bike and I have gotten slack for it. I really don’t care. I know who is foolish and who is wise! Being environmentally aware was never something I professed or got on a soapbox for, but these issues were brought to my attention when I was a teenager by magazines like Utne Reader and public radio and television.
I also once saw some native americans on some public access channel talking about mother earth and how the balance of the world changed when man discovered oil, and culture instead revered masculine, power hungry forces instead of the feminine, nurturing forces. They spoke about man trying to dominate nature instead of live in harmony with it. On a deeper level, I feel they are right. They managed to live in the Americas for centuries without destroying the land or the species that live on it. How sad that in 100 years, we have gone from 6,000 varieties of apples to less than 10. We don’t grow enough vegetables in this country to feed the people of this country the USDA recommended amounts. We spend millions on roads and pennies on bike lanes.
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May 16th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I ride to work every day, rain or shine, and have for over 15 years with few exceptions. If I don’t ride, then I walk or take the bus. Saves a lot of money, great exercise, no pollution, fun! But more needs to be done to require Complete Streets in every community, get bike parking required, sweep bike lanes, plow trails, and get others who don’t share in the joy of bike commuting to at least respect our right to use the road.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I drive to work, but bring and leave my bike at work to use errands and lunch whenever possible. I rode my bike the entire way on BTWD and will be trying to ride the whole route twice a month.
More bike lanes!!! Better bike-friendly intersections would be a big help.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I started riding my bicycle to work 2.5 years ago when gas prices first went above $3.50. I ride 21 miles round trip. I have discovered I feel better and enjoy riding. I ride in the dark, in the rain, in the cold, in the heat and with the proper prep it is no problem. I have now gone 7500 miles. Oh! and by the way I am 59 years old.
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Here in the Sacramento, CA area, we have a nice bike trail that runs along the American River. My commute to work is 11 miles, most of which is on the trail. It takes me the same amount of time to drive as it does to bike, but I have to factor in an extra half-hour or so to account for bike parking and a shower at work. When the weather is nice, I’ll bike to work whenever it’s practical. But those days with 7am meetings mean I have to leave the house at about 5:30am. Ugh!
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May 16th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I’d like to. I live only 5 miles from work - but the streets of Atlanta are positively inhospitable to cyclists and our elected representatives refuse to even pay lip service to the problem. If you don’t drive a 7,000 lb SUV - you don’t count. The feds exacerbate the problem by providing federal funds to construct HOV lanes. HOV lanes only encourage more use of cars and trucks and divert money from alternative transportation projects.
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I bike and transit to work exclusively. Since I don’t own a car, I pretty much bike or use transit everywhere. I do belong to a carshare, but I use it mainly for heavy loads and the few trips that can’t be made by bike or transit.
I only bike a mile each way, because BART won’t allow my bike on the train during commute hours. You can bring anything else on BART–large suitcases, strollers, wheelchairs, even small carts–but not a bicycle. So I pay an additional $45 a month for a bus pass to get the rest of the way to work. This is annoying and expensive, but there’s no way around it at present except to take the ferry, which is twice as expensive as BART and adds an extra hour to my commute.
The mile from my home to BART is done in the early morning, and is fairly pleasant. Few cars are out and I can make the trip in about ten minutes.
The mile from my BART to my home is frankly fraught with danger, if I take the main roads, and slow and slightly dangerous if I take the side streets. There are no safe, direct bike corridors that cars do not use, and I have been threatened with assault on the side streets on occasion.
I like biking, and I do it by choice, but I don’t expect the average person to put up with the things I do on a regular basis. Until and unless bicycles are treated as legitimate transportation instead of recreational, or the lunatic fringe, people will do as they always have and stay in their cars.
I pay taxes just like everyone else, and I’m doing my part to make my city a better place. I deserve decent facilities just like everyone else.
Safe bike corridors
Safe and secure bike parking
To have my complaints treated as legitimate by law enforcement, not to be told that “I didn’t see it so I can’t do anything about it.”
Equal access to transit. CalTrain can do it, so can AC transit. What in the world is BART’s problem?
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I don’t bike to work because bicycles are not allowed on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. I wish there were a bike lane all the way across so I had the option to use it.
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May 16th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
I live in Wichita, Kansas which is decidely NOT bike friendly. No bike lanes and hardly any bikers on city streets. Automobile drivers have no consciousness of bikers on the road. A very dangerous place to ride to work.
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May 16th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
been biking to work, year round (in Wisconsin!) for nearly 20 years. Why? Why not? I used to young (50 now) and didn’t have a car until I got married but it easy, relatively fast (same as the bus for a 5 mile commute - besides who’s in a hurry to get to work?) and, as somebody said, “you get up, go for a bike ride (see the birds and the lake and smell the flowers) and when you’re done, you’re at work!”
Honestly, it’s way less hard than you think. Even snow and cold are not as bad as you imagine, a couple layers (sweatshirt, long johns and a windbreaker work to nearly zero … then you put on the good long johns) and a good pair of mitts and it’s not a problem.
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May 17th, 2008 at 1:19 am
I have a 5 mile ride (so 10 mi total commute). I started after moving a month ago. I bike 2 our of 5 days — the days I don’t have client meetings. I wish I could bike every day except I am a bit too sweaty by the time I get there. So, I guess it is lack of a shower at my facility that stops me from going more.
Also, I can’t stand pick up and SUV drivers who think they own the road. But that doesn’t stop me. Actually, it is fun to have a car honk at you and, if you were doing everything correct, stop in the middle of the land and stand there.
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May 17th, 2008 at 2:08 am
I ride more in the summer, less in the winter, but when I don’t ride it’s for a couple of reasons…
* the roads in my city really aren’t designed with cyclists in mind, and this seems to be a conscious decision on the part of the city transportation commission because neighboring cities are far more bike-friendly
* weather around here isn’t conducive to riding in the winter for all but the most dedicated
If you want more people to ride bikes more often, fix the infrastructure! Nationwide! Why don’t all federally-funded limited-access highways require bike lanes to be built in the rights-of-way with dedicated and isolated ‘on’ and ‘off’ ramps for cyclists only?
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May 17th, 2008 at 4:08 am
I bike to work regularly.
Sadly, my office (local government run utility company) doesn’t seem to promote this despite claims to endorse sustainability and being the foremost company involved with water conservation efforts. It is funny, because there are programs with prizes for people who carpool (whoo, they cut down half of their fuel consumption… I cut down all of mine)
Thankfully, my commute is very short. I ride just shy of a mile to the bike rack for my office, then walk another 3/8 mile from there through two buildings to get to my cubicle.
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May 17th, 2008 at 7:58 am
I’m amazed how many people choose to live so far from work. 70 miles one way? This is why we are all overweight. We’re sitting for hours or public transit or in our car, then 8+hours at work!
I take my kids to school, then drop the car off and then ride my bike to work. I save 10 miles a day that way. My job is 5 miles one-way.
Re-think why you need to shower. Most offices are highly air-conditioned and you dry off within 30 minutes or so. Bring a fan to work. Keep clothes at work and wear those more than once! Since you are air-conditioned, you most likely don’t sweat all day at work. I have it on good authority that I don’t stink. Most people don’t.
Start thinking of solutions.
Peace.
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May 17th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I started commuting over a year ago to get into better shape and I enjoyed cycling. I am fortunate that I have access to a locker and shower at work. If there were none, I would think that it would be too much of a hassle. My commute is 15 miles each way. When there is no snow on the ground it is mostly along a canal trail. In the winter when the roads are clear, it is on the roads from the East side to the West side of the city. I use a VERY bright taillight when I commute on the roads and I have not problem TAKING THE LANE if the situation warrants it.
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May 17th, 2008 at 9:42 am
I would love to bike to work and be a great example for my high school students, but their are no bike paths in the area, and it would mean a little over 1 mile on the interstate (which is also illegal!) If Great Falls, Mt would put in just a few more bike paths, I would gladly bike to work (when the snow was not flying!)
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May 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am
It is amazing to see how fear is so powerful in our community. So many people believe that their own communities are dangerous.
Why not change that? It is a proven fact that the more people bicycle, the safer it gets for bicyclists. So not bicycling because it is too dangerous only makes the problems worse.
We cannot build or legislate ourselves out of psychological problems.
And so many people use their kids as an excuse as well… But kids love to bicycle. In Portland, Oregon where I live I know many people who take their kids to school on bicycle. Yet so many comments on this blog use children as an excuse…
Why are we all so scared to go outside? Take back your streets! When did the cars become more important to community than people? Do not be scared to cross the street. Your kids will be just fine if you can’t get to school in 5 minutes to rescue them.
About 40,000 people a year are killed using these “safe” automobiles in the United States alone. You are not as “safe” as you think in your car. Walk and Bike. You will be happier. Don’t let fear run your life.
I see lots of excuses, and lots of people who found ways to beat those excuses. It can be done!
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May 17th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I live in Colorado Springs, CO where we have 5 military installations and I bike to work as often as I can. I think it’s the most patriotic thing you can do, let’s reduce demand for Middle Eastern oil by reducing the amount of it we buy!
I live about 4 miles from work and have biked at least 3-4 days year round for the last 20+ years. It makes cents too!!
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May 17th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Two months ago my wife and I put our bikes in our SUV and rode to Carmax. we sold them the car, got our bicycles out of the back, and rode home. We have been riding them to work, to the grocery, to restaurants, and everywhere else we need to go. Do we miss the car? Not at all. One remarkable change we felt was so much less stress that comes from fighting traffic while you are cooped up in your steel coffin removed from the world.
we both agree with VR. YOU CAN DO IT. You can take back your street, take back your city, take back your life. It requires change, and change is aways the great unknown. But take the first step, and you will know a great freedom that will make and enormous difference in your life.
Yes, it’s easier when one lives in a city as we do. Atlanta has a subway system we can use when we need to carry a lot of packages. And we can walk to many places we need to go to for the “trivia of life” - cleaners, doctors, dentists, and such. But monday through friday I hop on my bike and ride a 40 mile round trip to the office, and my wife goes 25 miles. Every day has a little adventure to it, especially when the weather is bad. But adventure is what makes life interesting, and ultimately, worth living. And we know each one us is one less car on the road.
People, YOU CAN DO IT! It takes a change in your life, but it is worth doing. It might be the one thing that saves our country, and ultimately, our planet.
RIDE A BIKE!!!!!
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May 17th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I live in Columbia, Missouri and I ride my recumbent trike to work every day. I am lucky to be in a bike friendly city. I can’t complain too much. I just wish that road intersections would be smoother.
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May 17th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I ride a bike to work every day. Enough people do that here so that it’s only somewhat dangerous, though people do get hurt and killed by careless drivers.
Car culture dictates that driving is a necessity and right. Our infrastructure is car-centered so in many places it’s pretty darned dangerous to ride to work. Dangerous drivers are allowed to keep driving and believe that cyclists should be on a sidewalk somewhere, out of their sacred path of speed and consumption. I am not sure I could ride as much as I do if I lived most places.
I love my ride. My cycling is a patriotic act. I’d love to see a movement towards independence and health.
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May 17th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I try to bike to work 2-3 times per week, weather permitting. My one way commute is 17.5 miles. I’ve found a route that except for about a mile, there is very little traffic. Seems as though every one is hot to take the freeways. It takes me about 1 hour & 15 min, and although there are no showers at work, I find that baby wipes and wet paper towels make me presentable. Of course, no one comes into my cubicle on bike commute days for the first couple of hours. And, this might all be a moot issue since my employeee has announced that my job is going to Argentina at the end of the year.
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May 17th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
It’s 2.5 miles to work. No brainer. But it is on the sidewalk. Wish we had bike paths like when I lived in Amsterdam , NL!!!
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May 17th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I bike to work every day, and I try to bike for as many errands as I can. However, I live in Burlington, VT and everything I need, including my work, is within a few miles. There are some decent bike routes here, but were my commute longer the degraded state of the pavement on many roads as well as traffic would seriously discourage me from biking. Urban planners and regional planners definitely need to consider bike traffic.
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May 17th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I ride my bike to work primarily for exercise. If I can’t ride to work for whatever reason, I get up at 4 AM and walk for an hour. Biking to work means I get an extra hour of sleep! But seeing as it’s only 8-1/2 miles, it seems awful wasteful to run my vehicle for a trip to work. I’ve been riding for the last 4 years, getting more conscientious about it all along.
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May 17th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I bike to work
13.5 miles one way
over poorly paved but fairly flat
rural farm roads
starting at 11:00 p.m.
it takes between
45 and 55 minutes
depending on the wind mostly.
On the return trip
it’s daylight
and I experiment with the route
looking for variety
but it’s safe to assume
the round trip is a minimum
of 26 miles.
I began bike commuting
last June when fuel prices hit $3.00/gallon
and kept at it till December.
I picked it up again in March.
I’m 43 and average height for my weight.
I have never been a fitness aficionado,
don’t even watch sports on television.
I shower before leaving
dress for the weather
and change at work
after toweling off.
I can keep my bike in my cubicle.
I could lock it up outdoors
but would prefer to keep it
out of the weather.
Theft is not really an issue
where I live/work.
Biking at night has never
been a problem
Full moon or new moon
fog or rain or not.
The roads have no lights
It’s very rural here.
I wear a reflective vest
have two flashing red tail lights
two battery powered headlights
plus a lamp on my helmet
and reflective tape on the bike.
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May 17th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
1) I’m 50 yr old and have had as many broken bones as Evil Knievel, so the arthritis is severely painful.
2) In Houston the traffic is fatally dangerous to and the motorists are arrogantly indifferent to bicycles.
3) In Houston, it ain’t the heat, it’s the humidity and there’s no shower at work.
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May 17th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I would but my employer doesn’t provide a protected area to store or lock my bike while I’m working.
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May 17th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I used to bike to work 100 miles a week until I was hit by an idiot in a truck that didn’t like bicycles on the same road. Then while I was recovering from the wreck my job went to India, so now I don’t work any more.
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May 17th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
It is 35 miles to work in Houston. There are no showers at the office. I sweat big time. I am normally at work by 7 AM. I do not ever ride in the dark. It would take me about 2 hours each way on the bike. It takes me 45 minutes in the car. I am 59 years old and I bike 200+ miles a week for fitness and pleasure. All the biking is done on Houston and Texas roads. If I lived 10 miles from work and had a shower I would ride to work.
The traffic and drivers are not a problem. I have never been hit by a car, in over 40,000 bike miles in Houston.
I do not need or want multi use bike paths. People walking there dogs and kids are not a good biking environment. I do not want bike lanes that are just a painted stripe on existing roads, they just collect garbage. If the government builds bike lanes they expect bikes to use them, car will expect bikes to use them, the government will pass laws requiring us to use them. Reducing our freedom.
If the government want to build roads with 6 foot shoulders that would be a help.
Keep the government out of my life.
I love to ride.
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May 17th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I would love to ride to work, but I have several things in the way:
- I have to be at work at 6:15am or so. Given that it’s 25 miles one way, I would have to leave home by 4:30am.
- The roads I travel are extremely bike unfriendly, especially in the dark. One section is four lanes with no shoulder with a speed limit of 45 mph (so of course everyone goes 55) and horrible if not nonexistent lighting.
- There’s no good place to lock up a bike once I get to work. I work at a government facility and can’t take my bike inside the fence and into my office, and I can’t lock it up to the fence either.
The saddest thing about this is that I work at a Department of Energy facility, and there’s little incentive or encouragement to actually save fuel.
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May 17th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I only bike to work once or twice a year for a couple reasons. One is I live 31 miles from where I teach and I start teaching at 7:30 am so most of my ride would be in the dark. Secondly I have to carry from school to home and back many papers to correct along with many files of documents to review and work with in both places. That and wanting to spend some time with my family including an eleven year old son leaves me with little spare time. If I lived closer like 10 to 15 miles I would seriously consider it.
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May 17th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The last two miles into downtown is a mix of University and office worker traffic, six lanes of hurtling metal, exceeeding the speed limit by 20 mph or so. No bike lane. That means I get up early enough to get to work before the rush. On the other hand, a shower and a change of clothes at work means I’m more freshly turned out than coworkers. As I live 30 miles inland from Ohio’s North Coast, I wimp out during winter weather. (It’s a 6-mile commute each way.)
Started riding a recumbent trike last September, with a combination of strobe lights and flag for visibility. Found drivers don’t know what to make of me, and give me a wide berth. Because the trike looks so unusual, I get a lot of feel-good feedback, toots and high-fives, which is probably good for the biking community in general. Someday the city fathers will designate a “recumbent-only” lane for us boomers.
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May 17th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I ride to work about 7 miles each way from Saint Paul to downtown Mpls. I do it because it is fun and much more relaxing than driving to work. I have been riding a bike to work for 30 years, averaging about 125 rides per year. I don’t commute if there is a lot of snow on the streets, or if I have an after work activity.
It has become much easier to ride a bike to work. There are bike lanes on Summit avenue, and the Midtown Greenway and LRT bicycle trails get me almost all the way into downtown. Downtown traffic is manageable. You just need to understand the rules of the road. For those of you who are afraid of traffic, please consider one of the classes offered by the League of American Bicyclists. They used to be called “Effective Cycling” but I believe the name has changed.
I don’t currently have a shower at work. So I take it easy in the morning, and keep some baby wipes at the office. I could join one of the down-town health clubs, but it hardly seems worth while.
I strongly agree with with those who say “you can do it”. there are people in my office who take the bus to work (using the bike racks on the bus), and then cycle home. Others drive part way, and then ride the rest of the way. When I began bike commuting it was rare to see another rider on the road. Now there “heavy traffic” on the greenway. So literally hundreds of our fellow citizens are proving that “you can do it”.
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May 17th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I have always lived within a couple miles of work. I have been riding to work for 30 + years. 9 months real solid, 3 months…well when the ice and snow is not around. It take 5-6 minutes to drive and 8 to ride.
Why ride?
Health, Fun, Different than “normal”, let’s me eat cookies for a break (or donuts ),
It’s the best way to get to work. and home.
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May 17th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I try to commute the 11 miles to and from my home at least twice a weeek but it is rough biking in the Motor City (Detroit). I am lucky I have a gym with showers and a secure location to lock up my bike. Another big help is the SMART buses. If I have a flat or it suddenly starts raining or snowing I can use the bike rack on the bus (They are being filled up more frequently with the price of gas!)
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May 17th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Why don’t I? I’d love to. I’d bike to work all year round except for bad conditions weather wise of course. Problem is, the roads are just not safe. My company also lies on a highway, US route 1 & 9. Although bikes are not illegal on it, you’d be risking your life everyday, more so than a regular ride. Sure it has a wide shoulder, but the road is jam packed and cars are constantly pulling into and out of other businesses along the way. So they have to do it fast and asking them to wait or even to lookout for a cyclist is just not going to happen. It’s dangerous enough, traveling that road in my car every day.
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May 17th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Round trip to work is 32 miles. Takes an extra twenty minutes each way to ride. But then again I don’t have to go to the gym.
Bottom line?
Costs me $4 to drive to work.
Costs me 2100 calories to ride to work.
Hmmm… Spend $4, or spend 2100 calories. Tough choice. (Not!)
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May 18th, 2008 at 12:30 am
My commute to work is about 10 miles most of it is on a divided 55 or 65 mph not limited access highway. I can drive, bike or bus. The bus stops are inconvenient from my house. I used to bike that route. However multiple cyclists hit and killed on that stretch of road every year. Once there is a bike path separate from car travel I will bike again.
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May 18th, 2008 at 2:41 am
I commute by bike 9 miles. Working in a plant where all they need is my skills and for me to be happy and healthy. Since I may take varied routes by bike I actually feel like I live in my town rather than taking the interstate around it. My travel time is more consistant day to day and is only ten minutes longer than the best case driving. If bicycling is placing onesself in harm’s way, I don’t view the decision as naive or stupid, because the consequenses of our gluttony is dire, it may be heroic.
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May 18th, 2008 at 6:20 am
I ride to work about 2-3X a week, and have for many years. Originally this was for fitness, but now an additional plus is I am saving $6/day on gas. I am lucky because I have a shower at work and also have a uniform laundry service. My commute is 14 miles each way. What is needed to encourage more bicycling commuting are wider roads/bike lanes, and public education of drivers. The drivers are very impatient and resent the presence of a bike on the shoulder of the roads. “Share The Road”.
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May 18th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I just started biking to work. It is 5 miles one way. it takes 20 minuets as opposed to 12 in a car. The drive is actually a shorter distance because I use bike friendly roads. My job doesn’t require I take a shower or actually change my clothes after that brief of an excecise. Some days do require I use a car for errands ( picking up children from school) so on those days I drive.
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May 18th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I live in Charleston SC, and i do half my commute on bike. i’m on again / off again about ut because we do not have a safe way to cross the river.
i have the choice of either attempting to ride against traffic on a sidewalk too narrow for two people to walk abreast on (and is it the ONLY sidewalk), or struggling up a bridge with traffic going 55 mph or more in the breakdown lane that has shoe-sized holes in it for rain drainage.
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May 18th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I would love to bike work but I am a PM for a construction company and am on the jobsite at 6:00 and wind up having to pick up supplies. Wish I could bike to work, what a way to start the day!
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May 18th, 2008 at 10:20 am
When I can shower after the bike ride before seeing patients and when I can get my pressed and starched uniform to work in nice condition I will consider biking.
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May 18th, 2008 at 11:27 am
These green initiatives like biking, electric vehicles or public transportation (buses, trains, subways) always go with the assumption that we all live in big cities where these things would be appropriate and available.
The fact is that just as many of us live in small towns and rural areas where these things are either pipe dreams or are so limited in their availability so as to make them suitable for only a few (comparatively).
Long commutes are common.
Bike lanes and bike friendly drivers tend to be few and far between.
Some areas of the country can get so hot, humid, buggy, etc. that biking is an alternative only if your workplace has shower facilities, which most don’t. Biking in the snow can be interesting too (yeah, we don’t all live in SoCal).
Alternate fuel sources are pretty much to be found only in in isolated areas besides the big cities.
Many of us have children who need to go to daycare or be taken to school (imagine that!).
As long as the proponents of these things continue to be blind to these facts and assume, just like this blog, that laziness, lack of bike paths or a simple employer/government policy change is the answer, then there will not be any meaningful progress in the green movement.
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May 18th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I live and work in the Baltimore area, and I too would love to bike to work. However, safety is a primary concern for not doing so. I ride about 60 miles per week for fun, but get this: I have to transport my bicycle on my car 10 or more miles in order to find a bike path or a road with a decent shoulder.
Recently, Eastern Blvd and Route 40 (Pulaski Hwy) in eastern Baltimore county have been labeled bike paths or bike “friendly”. Has anyone honestly attempted a 15+ mile commute on these roads? Give me a break. I would love to see our governor bike these roads at 7:00am on a Monday morning. No shoulder, debree-filled road, small sidewalks if any, and posted traffic speeds of 50+ miles per hour. I am sorry, but installing signs on the road that say, “Share the road” doesn’t magically turn these roads into a safe means of transportation for bikers.
Lack of showers or pressed clothing are certainly an inconvenience and for some a deal breaker. But safetly while riding is key to this movement making any headway in Baltimore.
Our governors love to inject the save our children’s future message into every speech they make… drive less; bike to work, think of the impact that this will have on our children’s future. Ok. The safety issue must be addressed here, or my children may not have a future because their father will likely be killed or mamed along the bike “friendly” roads of Baltimore County. Think about it 18lbs bike + 180lbs dad vs 4,500lbs SVU factor with a speed differential of 30 mph. It is just not worth the risk. Sure, I can try to figure out a way to move closer to work, but in this crazy market I’m not sure that it is an option for quite some time.
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May 18th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I can’t bike to work due to the commute (18 miles each way) and the # of highway changes during that period.
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May 18th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I ride my bike three miles to work. When it’s light out (usually my commute home), I ride on the multi-use path. It’s the most direct route between home and work.
When it’s dark, I turn on my headlight and blinky tail light, put on my reflective vest (like the ones construction workers wear), strap some reflectors on my legs, and take the street.
I roll up my work clothes (skirts and sweaters work great for this!), pack a lunch, and stick everything in my panniers.
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May 18th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I am a dispatch engineer for an ethernet provider. I am on call 24/7/365. Required to be able to be onsite anywhere in my market in 2hrs or less.
Plus my building does not have *ANY* facilities. Showers, Locker not even so much as a bike rack in the garage.
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May 18th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I live in the Seattle area and I hate biking when it’s raining so I don’t ride much for about 4-5 months out of the year. When it’s not raining, I try to ride 2-3 times per week. My round trip mileage is about 32-33 miles depending on where I go for lunch. I’d like to ride more often, but with school right after work 3 days/week I’m too pressed for time if I ride.
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May 18th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I bike to work 1 to 3 times a week despite the logistics of having to catch a bus to get me over a mountain pass that is a step away from suicide to ride over (very narrow tunnels). Unfortuanately the bus racks are often filled so then I have to motorcyle in. The riding includes 9.5 miles of city routes one way. The ride time is 55 mins bus door to my locker and my MC ride time is 25 minutes from helmet on to my locker. I ride for the world as well as riding for ME! All this occurs on Oahu, Hawaii what many consider paradise, for lots of things but not biking! Mediocre at best. We lead the nation in per capita pedestrain deaths. Now that is a sorry comment for paradise.
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May 18th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I recently changed jobs to one within 8 miles of my home. I rode to work last Friday for the first time in about 8 years and once my children get out of school I plan to make it a habit at least 3 times a week.
I ride my bike because I can, I don’t like paying high fuel prices, I want to give my tired car a rest, its good exercise, it relieves stress, etc…… maybe its just the right thing to do
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May 18th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I just started riding my bike to work last Tuesday. It is 24 miles each way and it takes me about 2:45 round trip. But I work from 10:30 AM until 8:00 PM so it is much easier for me to do than the average person. Since I live near DC there is alot of traffic but I leave at 9 AM so it is not too bad. I live in Germantown, MD and work in Bethesda, MD. I have changed my route somewhat since I first started to stay off the high traffic roads going home at night. The distance does not bother me as I average 175-200 miles per week anyway. I earned the nickname ” The Animal” while vacationing in France several years ago and I am a mileage junkie. The main reason I ride is because of the high gas prices and to stay in shape year round.
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May 18th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
My commute is 24 to 38 miles a day, depending on extra distance added for pleasure. Both home and work are on hills, so there is at least 1400 feet of altitude gain each day. My goal for bike commuting this year is 150 days; I managed 140 days last year. The route is safe enough, especially as I go to work at 5 am before traffic picks up We COULD use a shoulder on that remaining third of a mile of road where there has not yet been development to pick up the tab, of course…..
Bad weather is my main inhibitor - I do not like riding in rain or worse, nor do I consider it totally safe. Wet roads add greatly to the bicycle maintenance requirements. Mass transit is not practical here. I ride a long recumbent bike that is not allowed on transit, and the bus route that ran near our home when we bought the house 30 years ago was discontinued six months later, never to reappear.
My main annoyances stem from the unequal availability of support for alternative transportation. There are subsidized bus passes, but attempts to extend similar benefits to bike commuters have failed in Congress. I must buy an employee parking permit at full monthly price for those days that I do not ride.
My employer, a school, does provide lockers and showers in the PE facility, but it is closed between school terms = which means over a month between summer and fall terms. The school’s heart is in the right place but funds are limited.
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May 18th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I ride to work 16 miles each way and I use my bike for running errands around town (Hanover Pa). The town is small enough to easliy get around. For me it’s easy, but I understand people’s concerns about traffic, road conditions, etc.; but you start with what makes you feel comfortable and good and build off that. Start with one small errand. Got myself a bike that could accept a rear rack and bought some bags off Ebay and I was ready to roll. Check out Commutebybike.com for some ideas or your local bike shop.
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May 19th, 2008 at 2:42 am
I bike to work, and have for the past two years. When I moved from LA to Denver, I specifically chose the neighborhood I would live in based on its proximity to bike paths and to where I would be working/going to school. I have seen a lot of comments saying they can’t bike to work because it is 40 miles. Of course, but this is a chicken and the egg argument. When you selected a residence 40 miles from where you would have to go every day, you ruled out all means of travel except automobile, or possibly a train if you are lucky. Your choice dictates what is available to you, and for me, my priority was being able to ride my bike whenever, and wherever I wanted.
Make more strategic choices if you want to bike and/or avoid relying on automobiles and cheap gasoline. I did and I’m so much happier for it.
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:04 am
I bike to work for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one is that it is, sadly, the best way to beat traffic in LA. I generally ride a combination of subway and bus in the morning, taking my bike with me and then riding back home. It’s a 12 mile bike ride followed by a subway ride, but it’s the fastest way to get to North Hollywood from Santa Monica in the evenings. Sometimes I beat traffic by an hour or more.
I also bike for health reasons, trying to lose weight and stay in shape. It’s a way to use my commute time productively so that I don’t have to go to the gym (it is always so hard to find time for that).
I also like saving money. My family is one of the few one car families in LA, and this saves us a small fortune each year through a combination of reduced depreciation, reduced insurance, reduced maintanence, and reduced gas expenses. This makes it easy to justify spending money on the bike.
I also like the bike, because it gives me some “me time” in a much less stressful setting than driving. When I get to the end of the ride, yes I’m tired and sweaty, but after five minutes in the shower I feel energized, relaxed and ready to go. Five minutes after driving, I’m still tense and irritable. I’ve been doing this for over a year now, and every now and then I do commute by driving, and it seems so much worse now that I’m not used to it.
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May 19th, 2008 at 5:39 am
I commute to several different hospitals each week as well as grocery shopping/errand running. I bike to as many places as I can and only use my car for long distances and places where my SUV is necessary. I love biking because it allows me to enjoy life. I “live” every day through the things I see on my commute and the way it makes me feel. I feel strong, healthy, and I enjoy the sights and smells of nature. I would be lying if I said I only did it for the environment. Yes, it is a bonus but it isn’t the real reason I commute. I love the way it makes me feel.
My longest commute to work so far is 20 miles and fortunately has the largest hunk on Platte River Trail. My other commutes are not as fortunate and I have to battle with “bike routes” on narrow streets where there is on-street parking (placing the route either directly in line with the parked cars, or in their door zone). If a route is dedicated to being a bike route there absolutely shouldn’t be allowed any on street parking. I do believe Denver has a wonderful variety of bike paths, however I don’t feel there are enough nor are they placed strategically to make commuting an option for everyone. More paths would take the fear out of commuting alongside cars.
I would LOVE to see more commuters out there and less cars. I would also like to see more bike education not only for cars but for fellow bikers. Too often I have seen (my other major peeve besides on street parking) bikers without a single light on their bike, wearing dark clothes, and sans helmet. I see them riding on the sidewalks on a perfectly safe street and many times riding on the wrong side of the road. The number of cyclists who blow through stop signs is jaw dropping. These are the cyclist who give bike commuters a bad name! I have more near hits by law breaking cyclists than I have by cars. A bike hitting you at 30mph hurts no less than a car hitting you at 30mph.
As far as businesses/employers: I do not see a lot of encouragement, at least in my field of work as a nurse, to assist commuting. Finding showers and a place to securely keep my bike is often a bit of a headache.
The other thing I would like to see is more availability to lock up your bike safely at stores and companies (work). I have seen Boulder’s storage lockers which you can fit your entire bike into them. People are scared to spend a decent sum of money on a bike only to have it stolen from them. Encourage commuting by providing “parking spots” for bikes as they do cars. Make it safe- lighting, covered or secured spaces/lockers, etc. Ecourage businesses to provide a shower facility so we don’t have to use wipes and be self conscious that we are sweaty or stinky. There is so much improvement that needs to be made but I think we are headed down the right track. I have some wonderful ideas for the ultimate bike-friendly community (mobile assistance for flats and other breakdowns, businesses that have not only shower facilities but a bike “check” similar to that of a coat check where you can even get simple bike maintance done while you are at work, miniature grocery or farmers markets alongside common bike trails, etc) but I think it may be years in the making.
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May 19th, 2008 at 7:37 am
There isn’t a bike trail that I can use and the roads are unsafe for bikes.
I work in a rough area. There is no way I would bike alone there.
Once I get to work, there are no free showers.
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May 19th, 2008 at 8:10 am
I live in Orlando, FL. Though the city has embraced the cycling community, there is still much to be done. I work nearly 20 miles south–in Kissimmee–and the bike trails/lanes between the two cities are intermittent. What’s more, the muggy Central Florida humidity makes shower facilities a must.
Summary:
More bike lanes / bike trails
More connectivity between exisiting bike lanes / bike trails
More shower facilities (entice private sector to install facilities)
More bike parking needed (needs to be codified in local ordinances & building codes)
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May 19th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Too much traffic in Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta on roads with no biking consideration. I would LOVE to bike to work if I just saw a few others on my route. Maybe I just need to see that others do it before I put myself out there.
If there were bike lanes on the majority of my trip I think I would give it a shot alone anyway. I don’t really care about gas prices - I want to ride to work for my health benefits.
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May 19th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I would love to bike to work but there is not a bike path and only an interstate that crosses the Missouri River. Supposedly there is a plan to do this but not money in the DOT budget for at least 10 years. I am referring to the Boone Bridge that connects St. Charles and St. Louis counties in Missouri. I would also take public transportation if it was available for this route.
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May 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I biked to work when I was on detail to Crystal City. I tried to bike to EPA HQ and it was so scary to ride my bike in morning traffic in DC. The drivers were not very friendly! I would take the path along the Potomac River from Virginia and I would cross over Memorial Bridge and that is where it became scary. There wasn’t really a good route from Memorial Bridge that wasn’t encumbered by barricades near the memorials. There is also not a solid, safe bike path along Constitution or Independence…..and the traffic!
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May 19th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I live in Charlotte, NC and the roads are very dangerous for cyclists. Bike lanes have been added to the street design guidelines, but most roads don’t have them. The bike lanes that do exist are cluttered with trash, gravel and debris. More street sweeping would help. Greenways are a nice option, but they are fragmented and don’t really go anywhere just yet.
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May 19th, 2008 at 9:55 am
The primary reason I do not bike to work is because I live 25 miles from my job, which I think is a bit too much distance-wise, at least for me. Instead, I take the bus. I have considered riding the 1 mile to and from the bus stop, but unfortunately, there’s no bike paths to do so, and there are no bike racks available within my apartment complex to keep my bike on when I’m at home (although there are some at the bus stop :) ). More secondary concerns about riding include the weather (but I could work around that) and trying to ride in work clothes (bus I could change once I get to work, I suppose).
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May 19th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I have just started biking to work this spring. The 5 mile one way commute is good exercise and I often extend the ride on my way home. I have showers and a place to store my bike at work. I’ve been rewarding myself with $1 for each one way trip (~the money I save in gas). I plan to invest this money in warm weather commuting gear to encourage myself to get out on the cold mornings once fall and winter show up again.
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May 19th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I bike to work often because I am a pedestrian-bicyclist coordinator for our Council of Governments and would be a complete power if I did not. I live 12 miles from work, I’ll drive one day a week to d/o and p/u clothes, toiletries and other supplies, then ride to work on a variety of bikes. I am also a certified bicyclist instructor with the League of American Bicyclists and provide education and understanding to those looking to commute on bicycle. With some planning and understanding, its easy.
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May 19th, 2008 at 11:46 am
The risks seems too great for the rider. Car/truck drivers aren’t ready to share the road yet. Many drivers are angry, agressive, blow through stop signs, signals and do not look for riders and pedestrians on the roadside or at intersections. I rode a relatively safe route to work, 3 miles each way, for 6 months in 2006 and enjoyed it most of the time. Then one day, my life flashed before my eyes when an inexperienced 16 yr old driver pulled in front of another driver who totaled his truck trying to avoid hitting me as I waited at a stop sign. I am thankful he missed me and I have only tried to ride to work a couple of times since then.
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May 19th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I ride in to work most days, about 4 miles each way, moderately hilly, about 1/3 bike paths and 2/3rds roads. When I started about 9 years ago, I did 2 or 3 days a week, and stopped during the winter, but now I do pretty well at going year-round (we are in Central Pennsylvania). I’ve found that wearing the right clothing and having a good set of lights helps get me through the winter. Most of the drivers around here are pretty accommodating, but in general if I ride in a confident, predictable fashion, and stay alert, I don’t get into any conflicts. The main reason I started riding was to get into better shape, but now that gas prices are through the roof, it’s nice only filling the tank on the car every two or even four weeks.
Here’s my wishlist:
- A better-connected network of bike paths that don’t have frequent driveway crossings
- Bikepaths that get cleared of snow and ice in the winter
- Wider, well marked shoulders, especially on higher-speed roads
- During freshman move-in at the big state university in town, teach the students how to ride safely, and how to drive around bicyclists safely
- Teach local law enforcement what bicyclists’ rights and responsibilities are on the road, and have them actually prosecute a few of the “but I didn’t see them” vehicular homicides that we have (I’m sure motorcyclists can appreciate this one). Maybe make sure all of the beat cops spend at least some of their time patrolling on bicycles!
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May 19th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I ride to work as much as I can which is about 3 days per week for the last 17 years. Scheduling is my main inhibitor to riding to work every day. Many times my work schedule starts and ends too close to my next activity to travel the distance by bike. My commute is 16 miles each way and I can traverse it in an hour. Weather comes in a close second as a deterrent. In Cleveland, cold rain, snow and icy conditions are regular from November through March and an hour ride can feel like an eternity. I do not ride in active snow due to visibility. After the snows, the already narrow roads are narrowed more by snow plow piles. I believe this could be helped by designing roadways with enough width to accomodate both bicycles and cars while keeping in mind the local weather’s effect on lane width. I detest bike paths/bike lanes and belive that separate facilities propogate the belief that bicycles do not belong on the roadway. We can co-exist if the roads were properly designed.
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May 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
About a month ago, I started biking to the bus stop about 1 mile from my house, putting my bike on the rack on the front of the bus, riding a public bus 21 miles to the city that I work and then riding my bike the remaining 3 miles to my office. Bus fare is only $1.
I have bus/biked 13 of the last 21 work days…. and plan to continue doing this when ever the weather, and my schedule permits.
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May 19th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I live 45 miles from work. That’s a bit far to ride on city streets. An off-street trail or transit that went to my work place would make it more feasible.
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May 19th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I bike to work 3.2 miles each way in a small midwest college town. Some people tell me they won’t bike because it’s too dangerous compared to the bike-friendly city they are from. It is true we lack good bike routes and there is a lot of antagonism from drivers. People who lives outside of town say it is too far. The weather is always a good excuse not to ride–too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, rainy & windy in the spring. It gets dark early in the winter. The hills in the area are kind of tough.
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May 19th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I currently do not ride to work but have a goal to try to ride to work at least once this summer. There are a number of obstacles to overcome, however. I’ve figured out a relatively safe route, but am still working on parking and freshening up.
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May 19th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I do not bike to work due to the long commute and heavy traffic. I live in north Tampa & work in St. Petersburg. I try to bike whenever I can outside of this though.
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May 19th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I commute 10 miles round trip everyday M-F rain, shine, what ever. All small errands are done by bike unless it is simply too dangerous to ride (mandatory highway use, rush hour on 55 MPH streets, etc…)
I simply love riding my bike. I have a car, and I love to drive it too, but firing it up to go five miles makes no sense. Living close makes it easy, but I planned my life that way. Close proximity to Grocery, Work, University, etc…
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May 19th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Its pretty convienent for me to bike to work. I bike 10 minutes to my train stop in Bellmore, NY. Fold up my bike (about 10 seconds to fold my Dahon Speed 8), hop on the Long Island Railroad, and unfold my bike at Penn Station. It’s about a 20-25 minute ride on the West side greenway to my office in Lower Manhattan. Much more relaxing than taking the subway. I do this everyday except during heavy rain, or if there’s snow or ice
I bring my work clothes, so I don’t have to worry about getting them dirty. There are also showers in the gym at work if it’s a really hot day.
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May 19th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I bike to work when I’m not working from home. I find that I’m always in a good mood after starting my day with a ride. Much more so than when I take the crowded bus. In talking with others about bike commuting over the years I have found that fear of traffic is the number one concern. More dedicated bike lanes seem like the best solution to that problem. I’ve also encouraged friends to take urban cycling lessons offered by a local bike shop. Perhaps the EPA could promote these kinds of classes and evaluate how best to teach urban cycling to the timid.
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I bike along the shore of lake Champlain 16 miles round trip. I started two years ago when mycar was in for repairs, now I do it every day I can. 3 to 5 days per week, April 15th to November 15th. Its great not to have to work out when you get home from work.
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Unsafe Roads, No shoulders or bike paths. I would love to be able to ride to work again. Colorado was a great place for biking to work, even if it meant climbing Cheyenne Mtn, or getting a speeding ticket on the way down (yes - on the bike). Living in Virginia sucks for bicycle riders. It is totally unsafe to share limited, heavily traveled, thoroughfares with only a white-line’s width for the shoulder. Add evening commuters distempers and it does not make for a good situation. I hung up trying to bicycle commute in Virginia long ago.
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I bike to work every day, rain or shine. I do not use a car unless I am going far out of town, such as driving 300 miles to visit my parents. Grocery shopping is done using a trailer. I have biked over 1,900 miles so far this year, mostly in commuting - some recreational.
I do it for so many reasons… it has become the most important part of the simple lifestyle that I enjoy. I do it because I believe strongly in self-reliance. That is what this country was founded on; self-reliance is patriotism, and I believe that reliance on oil and cars destroys that self-reliance. I do it because it makes me stronger, mentally and physically. I do it because it makes me feel happy and connected to my community, rather than the impatience and isolation caused by driving cars.
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May 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I live in minneapolis and bike out to a suburb about 8 miles away. The season for me runs from March to November, based on how icy the roads are, ideally biking 3/5 days a week. The major problem isn’t cold; (which can be dressed for), but humidity in the summer due to the lack of showers. The ride itself is great, about a third of the ride is past two lakes and is often quicker and less stressful than driving in.
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May 19th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
When I lived in Austin, TX, the maximum I reached was 1000 miles of commuting in one year. My commute was 6 miles one-way; so that means I biked roughly 83 days out of the year. The only way this happened was that my employer had a locker room with a shower on site. The limitations are: too hot in the summer and too dark in the “winters” when I left in the evening, around 6-7pm. The route was NOT bike friendly (narrow 2 lane, 40mph), but I avoided rush hour(s) and it was very bumpy so not many cars.
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May 19th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
After my car broke down, I decided to get rid of it and just bike and take public transit. Of course, I only have a 4 mile commute to downtown, and living in Portland means that there is a huge community and government support for it.
I have calculated that I have saved about $8,000 from not owning or driving a car.
Plus, I stay in shape and its a great way to meet girls!
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May 19th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
I have been commuting everyday that it is possible. Have only missed 12 days since 1/2/08. My ride is 5 miles, the last 1.5 up a steep grade. Return home taking in extra miles most days. It’s great, and cheap.
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May 19th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I tried this year to bike to work. The plan was for me to bike to work part of the way for three days. I did one of the three days.
Reasons that it didn’t work out well. Monday lots and lots of rain. Wednesday did the ride no problems. Friday off of work went camping.
The reason for partial ride time is that I live 20 miles one way from work in a very rual area. No transporation unless it’s a tractor, horse etc.
Second reason is that my job is very hectic and I never know when I’ll be asked to stay late for some project. Hate riding home in the dark.
I’m pushing for three days a week during the summer we will see if I can do it. One is better than non and part way is better than none. BTW my car is a Prius…
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May 19th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I guess I ride because I still can. I have a 6.5 mi commute, hilly, a snowbelt in the winter that takes me 7 minutes longer to ride than to drive. So, why not? When my kids were little (~’94) I came to realize that the way people live in Europe will be the way the next American generation will be living… fewer showers, drastic cuts in electricity use, and biking. I decided to be an example. I am also sick of being addicted to a product made mostly by a culture that treats their women as property and have been fighting among themselves for the past 3k years. I also kinda like Alaska the way it was in the ’70s. I bike. To ‘heck’ with big oil. Z
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May 19th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I live about 7 miles from work and would like to bike to work. Unfortunately the office park where I work cannot be reached safely by bike. Despite the fact the the office park has at least a dozen buildings and hundreds if not thousands of workers, there are only two roads which I can take to work. One is a windy back road with almost no curb. Cars frequently travel 45+ mph on this road. The dangers of the road are confirmed by a road-side memorial to someone who was killed on the road. My other choice is a busy two lane road which while safer is still too dangerous (in my estimation) especially at rush hour.
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May 19th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I currently bike to and from school. It is fast, and I have relatively safe routes. They can be hard to find, though. http://www.mapmyride.com helps me find safe routes across town–new cyclists in new areas always ride on the wrong streets to safely get from A to B. It takes time to meet other cyclists and learn where the best routes and paths and back roads are. Being able to see where other people choose to ride is helpful to know where it is safer and faster.
I will be commuting 25 miles each way over the summer. I am choosing to bike that far for fitness and enjoyment reasons. The only reason I am considering this particular insanity is that 20+ miles of the route are on bicycle paths (both on road bike lanes and separate bike paths). This large percentage of paths make it worth living where I will live and will keep me happy, healthy, and safe. The fact that my employer offers showering facilities also makes this feasible.
There is no reason towns cannot create more “bicycle thoroughfares” while intelligently parallel freeways, rivers, and city borders.
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May 19th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
The traffic is dangerous.
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May 20th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I usually commute 3-4 days each week from my home in Brookline, MA to my office in Needham, MA - the distance is 7 miles, but I usually take a longer more interesting route. I prefer riding my bike to work because it is more enjoyable than fighting traffic in a car, it’s a good work-out, cycling is fun, it’s good for the environment, and arguably more economical than driving. My office is fortunately very bike friendly - there are showers, a casual dress code and a safe place to store my bike. Several colleagues also commute via bicycle. I would commute every day but there is usually at least one day each week when I need a car for special errands, the weather is really awful, or I’m feeling too tired to ride. The greater Boston area is bike friendly if you know where to ride. I think it’s the best way to get around if you have the right facilities to help manage things.
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I’d love to bike to work - love biking - but there are several reasons not to do so:
Too much traffic and too many dangerous intersections
The city I work in is circled by one of two rivers, plus several canals, and one must cross one of several a bridge to enter the city. The bridge closest to me is steel grid and riding a bike across is impossible. This is also the bridge that goes between the University and the students’ dorms, so the pedestrian walkway is heavily used and out of the question for a biker.
Bike paths along the river are not completed yet. They’ve been in the works for years with portions complete but the segments have not been connected yet.
No place to park my bike one I get to work.
I’d like to give kudos to the town of Daytona Beach, FL who have installed bike racks on the front of their town buses. I saw several people using these racks which allow them to use public transportation for part of their routes and tote their bikes along with them. Perfect!
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I have biked to work in the past, on occasion. Unfortunately, my options are: the long, round-about, poorly lit bikepath which crosses many busy streets and includes several under-road underpasses that are normally inhabited by kids out smoking or homeless people; or the horribly narrow bike lane along a busy street that is notoriously unsafe. Plus, my bike is in need of repairs. Other excuses include: an evening class in another part of town, needing to get son from school on time, lack of knowing a better route.
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:12 am
While I would love to save the fuel (and the cost of the feul) - I do not own a bike. For somereason everyone I see riding a bike in my area does not use the bike paths the county has provided. Riding in the street - interfering in traffic is not the safest way to get to work in this area.
My company does offer incentives for car pooling which is nice. Unfortunately, I work two jobs so even car pooling with other employees is not possible.
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:48 am
I currently bike to work, 7 miles each way. I am lucky to live in a cycling-friendly community (Gainesville, FL) where I have access to bicycle lanes most of the way into the office. My main concern is safety - we seem to have a few motorists who despise cyclists unfortunately and they appear to enjoy using scare tactics such as yelling and driving in the bike lane to try to intimidate cyclists.
Its much more enjoyable to ride a bike than drive a car in our college town. You feel much more alive pedaling a bicycle than being inside the confining space of a motor vehicle. I also ride for health reasons, environmental reasons, and economic reasons. Its a win-win-win situation!
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I was a bike commuter when I lived in Atlanta, working 4 miles from my residence. Since moving to the Nashville area for family reasons, however, I now work 30 miles away and bike commuting is impractical.
I do work for a large corporation with multiple locations and I am trying to transfer to a branch closer to my house to allow for biking to work.
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I’m working on it. Here’s why I don’t bike regularly:
1. Logistics of packing a change of clothes and showering.
2. Lack of familiarity with bike path route — it’s mainly off the streets I normally drive on.
3. Fear of expert bike commuters not being welcoming of a beginner.
4. I don’t know how to fix a flat.
5. Did not learn to ride a bike as a kid, learning as an adult is challenging.
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May 20th, 2008 at 11:57 am
What a perfect question. Bikes are just ideal for commuting to work or hauling Saturday’s shopping back home. And they are terrific in winter too.
Bikes? Maybe 4% of people could use them? And no one can really afford the risk to life and limb when you share the road with 4,000 pound cars. Stupid question folks.
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May 20th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I don’t bike to work in the warmer months because I don’t trust the drivers I would have to share the road with.
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May 20th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I’m in NE Ohio and don’t bike for a few reasons. 20+ miles by bike each way, country roads with big ditches and unfriendly drivers (for the half closest to home) and somewhat busy streets and unfriendly drivers for the half closest to work. We have showers on-site, so that isn’t necessarily a problem. The potholes in many of the streets are additional obstacles to safe cycling (to me). I know of others who cycle regularly (in all kinds of weathers). At this point in my life, driving to work is a price I “have to” pay. Better mass transit and more-friendly bike rider environment could help convince me otherwise
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May 20th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I’m not biking because the roads do not have wide enough shoulders (or any in some places).
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May 20th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
My company is great - we all get flex time, and there are showers/locker rooms to clean up and change in. So you would think that we all take advantage of this and bike/walk to work, right? Nope. Like too many of us in the DC metro area, the commute is too far (35+ miles each way). Walking to public transportation isn’t even an option since the Metro doesn’t go into my region of NW DC, and the buses would add another hour each way. Too bad. However, a lot of us use the flex time given by our (great!) employer to try to take “power walks” either during lunch or before/after work, and we use to showers/lockers to clean up afterwards. At least we have that!
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May 20th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I’ve always thought I lived too far away (20 miles) and it would take too much time to bike to work. This summer I found a creative solution. In the morning, I bike 3 miles to the bus stop, put my bike in a bike rack on the company-subsidized (free) bus, ride the bus 14 miles to my plant, and bike 3 miles to my office. Leisurely pace, so no showers needed. In the afternoon, I change into my cycling clothes and bike the 20 miles home along scenic rural backroads in Tennessee. When I get home, I can relax because I already had my daily workout. Green, economical, and healthy - a great combination.
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May 20th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I cycle (in addition to riding two trains) to work because:
1. Forget insurance, gas, and upkeep–parking a car was just too expensive; I save a ton of money.
2. The cities in which I bike (Davis and El Cerrito, CA) are relatively dense, well-planned, and mixed-use, as opposed to a poorly planned, auto-centric suburbia.
3. My communities promote cycling, cycling facilities and amenities, and cyclist education.
4. I can take my bike on the trains (Bay Area Rapid Transit & Amtrak).
5. Cycling is immensely enjoyable.
6. I can be ‘lazy’ and fit, not bothering with an exercise regimen outside my commute.
7. Where I work, other people cycle: there is a supportive community, and more drivers are aware of cyclists, so it’s safer for everyone.
8. I feel more in touch with my community (an unexpected side effect), instead of insulated from everyone and everything in a metal box.
9. I’m more in touch with my body and health, more attentive to my surroundings, and more energetic (and thus productive).
10. I try to do the right thing, and I could not justify driving when my bike is so much more energy-efficient and non-polluting.
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May 20th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
It is worth noting how many people point out that the distance they live from work or the busy streets as the limiting factor. We have spent the last half century ripping apart our communities and rebuilding them around the automobile (read the Geography of Nowhere for a more eloquent description of that). And even if these distances are not an issue, very few cities have reasonable bike facilities. And even the ones that are renowned for bike facilities are woefully lacking. And even if that were better, most car drivers are unable (whether via ignorance or malice) to treat bicyclists as rightful users of the road.
However, I have commuted by bike for over a decade and spent 5 (wonderful) years without a car. It certainly can be done, the main obstacle is getting up the gumption to do it. The more of us that are out there, the better it will get.
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May 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I do ride, even though Kansas weather is unpredictable at best. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t. My employer has showers, but I don’t often need them. I usually ride in in work clothes except for a t-shirt, then change tops in the bathroom. The direct road to my office isn’t bike-friendly, as seems to be true for a lot of people; the trick is to explore the back roads and stop thinking like a car. For me, it added a mile and a half to my one way trip, but it’s worth it to not dodge highway-speed traffic. Like everyone else, I deal with road rage and drivers who think I should be on the sidewalk. Additional bike lanes or wider lanes as well as an active driver education program would really help.
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May 20th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I don’t bike to work- I bike FOR work! Instead of joining an expensive health club, I signed up as a driver for a newly formed bike delivery company. The company, New Amsterdam Project out of Cambridge, MA, utilizes human-powered cargo carrying bicycles (actually tricycles) to deliver goods to local individuals and businesses. I signed up for two mornings a week delivering pies for a local bakery. I’m saving on greenhouse gases by replacing a van, getting great exercise, having fun, and getting paid!
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May 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
When I lived in Chicago, I biked to work in the summers and walked to work in the winters. One problem was that there were no showers at work. Some days I think I was a little sweaty. Plus, the hi-rise did not allow me to bring my bike up the elevator…even the freight elevator. I think it should be allowed.
Now that I live in LA, my job is just too far away. An hour drive as it is. Also, I go thorugh some not great neighborhoods which I wouldn’t want to do on my bike.
I owuld love to be able to bike to work again. It was an automatic hour of excercise each day.
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May 20th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I am a regular bike commuter in Sitka, Alaska, which earlier this month became Alaska’s first town to win a Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists. I ride all year, including the winter when we have a lot of issues with snow and freezing rain (the biggest problems are with the freezing rain, which sometimes leaves streets slicker than skating rinks). Some bikers use studded bike tires, but I ride without studs (and I only dumped myself once this past winter, and that was on a day when I couldn’t walk even with YakTrax over my shows).
Sitka is a compact town located on Baranof Island, with a population of 8,800 and only about 15 miles of road from one end of town to the other (we’re not connected by road to any other communities). Most people can take care of all their commuting within a two-mile radius of downtown, so it’s very easy to ride a bike or walk to get everywhere, it’s almost quicker on the bike because bikers don’t have to scrape the ice off the windshield and warm up the engine. Gas prices over $4 a gallon help get people on the bikes (other than a couple of times a year when I need to haul stuff, I haven’t driven since gas was $2.50 a gallon).
I ride in my work clothes, though sometimes I wear heavy-duty rain gear. I keep a towel, extra deodorant and a spare set of clothes at work, just in case I get splashed or break too much of a sweat.
We could use better snow removal in the winter, especially since bikers get forced into the gutters where all the debris collects, and there are times when I’d like to see drivers give bikers more respect. But our average speeds are low (rarely more than 35-40 mph), so bikers aren’t as big of an issue as they are at highway speeds.
On a personal note, I weigh 325 pounds, have pretty bad asthma and Type 2 diabetes, so I need the exercise I’m getting from my daily bike rides. I’m not losing any weight, but I can crank out a 20-mile ride without problem and my cholesterol levels, blood pressure, glucose levels and other key health numbers are much improved since I started biking to work. I also get at least three or four miles of walking in each day.
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May 21st, 2008 at 9:29 am
Even though our semester has ended, I share my “bike to work”/ meetings etc. I’m a functional biker and ride whenerver possible the 4 miles from my township home to our city based college. I cross and skirt major routes (15 N) use a “bike” path (also used by walkers, runners, skaters) along and on a dike system. I follow Lycoming Creek from my house to near the mouth of the Susquehanna River. There is a short sidewalk sequence also. Morning and afternoon work traffic and school buses are part of the road/street sharing, crossing 2 bridges. I’m agressive. I wear a helmet, bright clothing atop; have front and back bike lights-blinker, and use hand signals. An adequate bike lock and rack, tree or pole is used. I observe much wild life, sometimes dodging Canadian geese. Sunglasses are a must for early am and late pm travels (7 and 4). Rain, ice and extreme fog are deterents. Public transportation is most always available within a block. At least that affords an opportunity for some fresh air.
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May 21st, 2008 at 9:39 am
I would love to bike to work, however, my two kids simply would not fit on my bike.
I have thought that I could leave my bike at a local company that is 15 miles from work and bike from there after kid drop off is accomplished. But then I have to face the realities that truly keep me off of the roads on a bike. Those realities include the fact that:
An average car weighs in at a little over a ton, an average bicycle weighs in at 30 or 40 pounds ?? An average car on an average road moves along at 45 to 55 mph. A bike averages 15 mph. Most roads are not designed to accommodate both safely. A minor collision when you are surrounded by a ton of car does not usually result in an irreparable injury, on a bike it could be deadly.
People in today’s work a day world are always in a hurry.
Many of us (including myself) are not coordinated enough to ride a bike in such an environment safely.
I know many bikers believe it is the responsibility of the automobile driver to be courteous to the biker because the biker is at the disadvantage and is doing something wholesome and good for the environment. That however does not change the fact that the world is spinning at a very fast pace and most employers do not give credit to employees who are late either because they were held up due to slower bike traffic on the way to work or because they themselves biked to work.
When the Department Of Transportation includes bicycle traffic in the standard road design which should be inclusive of a separate lane on ALL roads, then it may be safe for those of us less coordinated individuals to bike to work. Until then, I prefer the safety of my car.
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:15 am
I would seriously be jeopardizing my life by biking in San Antonio streets. My city would rather build restaurants than bike lanes. As it is, I have to drive to the city limits I order to bike in the outskirts of town. My employer also does not supply showers nor changing rooms.
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:42 am
I ride to the office 3 to 5 days a week. I use to ride 2 hours each way (about 35 miles) on a combination of road, bike trails, and Cleveland streets. My employer had full locker room and it was great. Now I am about 12 miles from the office (new job) so I get up early and take the long route to the office riding through the national park, shower, eat my oatmeal, and I am still there before most of the lazy bums.
Life is definitely good !!!
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:53 am
I’m a 56 year old woman. I bike to work 2 or 3 days a week. It’s 8 mi each way. I do it for the exercise and to reduce my GHG emissions. I am incredibly lucky that almost 7 mi of my route is off-road bike paths (I live and work in Minneapolis). That makes a huge difference because the biking is fun. It minimizes dangerous or rude encounters with cars. I give Minneapolis huge kudos for having such a great system of off-road bike paths. The main reasons I don’t bike more are needing a car for meetings or just not having the time (I’m probably slow, but the 8 mi takes me 50 minutes).
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:58 am
A couple of added notes - a big thing for me was getting a crank-forward bike (sort of a cross between a regular bike and a recumbent - mine is a Rans Fusion), because I had problems with a pinched nerve between my shoulder blades on the regular bike that made it so uncomfortable I’d stopped riding. My new bike is comfort personified.
Also having showers in our building makes biking possible in summer. We’re in the warehouse district and it’s probably a class C building but luckily they put in showers for the yoga center a couple floors below us.
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May 21st, 2008 at 11:06 am
I am an international bike commuter for about 1 day a week. I travel from El Paso to Cuidad Juarez, Mexico. From my house it’s about 38 miles round trip with a large climb at the end so it’s daunting at the end of a long day. So sometimes I drive part way and ride from there.
It’s fun and causes my engineers and endless supply of amusing comments on my bicycling garb.
I have talked a few similar minded folks into riding in with me occasionally.
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May 21st, 2008 at 11:46 am
After reading many of the comments, it saddens me to hear about so many “bike unfriendly” routes to work. Put some pressure on those elected officials to support a growing trend. I feel very fortunate that Mpls-StPaul is very bike friendly, and getting better all the time, although we’ve got more work to do in the surburban infrastructure.
There are so many reasons… I’ll divide them up into two segments…
Primary Reasons..
Fresh air, great scenery, birds chirping in the AM vs Dirty Roads, Freeway, aggressive drivers, and belching exhausts??? What’s not to love about that tradeoff?
Fitness - Let’s see… I could drive home in my car, then drive to the club, work out, then drive back home .. ORRRRRRR… get a great enjoyable workout in while I commute.
Side Benefits…
Loving my mother (Earth)
By now, the daily gas savings = appox cost of morning coffee & lunch
Gotta love that camaraderie with the fellow bikers
Many more, but I’ve gotta get back to work…
C’mon non-bikers…. JOIN THE FUN!!!! Start small and build. See ya on the trails.
mark
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May 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
As a kid I lived for a brief time in Copenhagen, Denmark, where over 40% of the population bikes - it was quite the inspiration for my family. Here in Minneapolis, we don’t have quite the infrastructure to support bike commuters, but I love biking to work anyways. I like being outside, I always arrive at work feeling alert, relaxed and rejuvenated, I skip the stress of early morning commutes, it helps me relieve some green guilt and feel good about myself and what I’m doing. Um, and working as an environmental activist certainly provides some motivation…it feels hypocritical to drive alone to work. If everyone biked just one day a week, they can save over $100 a year and prevent over 800 lbs of carbon dioxide pollution! It’s a great way to make a real difference.
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May 21st, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I bike to work for a variety of reasons:
It combines my workout with my commute saving me time.
It’s actually the fastest way for me to get to work during rush hour.
I feel good about the fact that at least while I’m on the bike, I’m producing very little green house gases.
I’m also from Minneapolis and the bikeways and bike lanes mean I spend very little of my 6 mile trip in any kind of traffic. Traffic jams have no effect on me. I arrive to work relaxed.
The few miles I put on my car as a result of riding my bike means it’s going to last longer and I spend less on gas and maintenance.
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May 21st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I just recently started biking to work. I bought a bike that has an electric assist to help me up the hills. It has been a real eye opener. I work for the National Climatic Data Center. It is sad to see all these posts from other federal agencies that supposedly back alternative transportation but won’t spend a very few dollars to provide showers and proper bike storage. My agency is following suit I guess. My building has around 1000 employees and two showers one for men and one for women in its tiny workout center. We have two bike racks that hold 8 bikes total and do not even have an awning over them.
Furthermore, the roads in most towns are anything but bike friendly. The government should require states to use a portion of their highway funds for bike paths. Bike paths are much cheaper to build then roads due to the small amount of weight they carry. They could also start an add campaign telling drivers to be happy when they see bikes. Every bike you see is one less car to create the congestion you will have to wait in. Another good idea would be to have a police officer ride a commute route on a bicycle with his partner in a nearby car to ticket the aggressive drivers that make it such a danger to bike to work.
They could also put some more money into our mass transit system. I went to Europe for three weeks and never stayed in any town for more than two nights. The only time I road in a car was to get to a remote farm from the small town that we had taken the train to.
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May 21st, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I bike to work because it’s much cheaper than owning a second car, it keeps me in shape, it doesn’t pollute, and it generates a lot of conversation. Plus, I enjoy being a little different. I’m not sure I’d be as motivated if everyone else did it.
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May 21st, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I ride my bicycle to work and most other places for Earth, my health, and to save money. I only started commuting by bike in July; in August I sold my car. Losing a car payment and other expenses associated with a car allowed me to go from working full-time to part-time. My husband still has his little pickup truck, but he bikes to work several times a week, and our son rides his bike the mile to school, so as a family we do a pretty good job of keeping driving to a minimum.
I just changed jobs, so my commuting plans aren’t set in stone, but my plan now is to bus to work and bike home. My new job is 10 miles away and I’d be terribly sweaty by the time I got to work if I rode the whole way, and I don’t feel like taking a shower when I get there.
My old job was 5 miles away and had no showers. On hot days I’d just change all my clothes, undies included, and wash up a little and use deodorant and powder.
This past week my bike was in the shop, so I rode the bus or drove or was driven to and from work. I felt really isolated from the outdoors and it wasn’t pleasant.
Mindy
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May 21st, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Why don’t I bike to work. The commute to my present employment is over 100 miles. (I’m trying to be a CNA nurse assistant at the local hospital, which would be a 1.5 mile commute.) When I have used the bike for errands on a regular basis it has been an absolutely positive and transforming experience. The only thing I’ve felt somewhat uneasy about is bike security.
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May 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pm
I own a store 3 miles from my house. I bike commute 2 times a day (round trip) for 9 months a year. Most of the time I TAKE A 20 mile loop through the country or hammer through the hood on the way home. I live north of Reading Pa. Twice a week I drive a 3/4 ton gmc to pick up product. (8 mi/ gal.) At $4/ gal. I figure every mile on the bike gets me $0.50. Plus a hard ass.
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May 21st, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I live in Denver and definitely bike to the hospital all summer for work and I’m striving to bike during the dark cold days of winter. We’ve got pretty good bike lanes for my route and the Hospital has an indoor bike room with shower facilities!
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May 21st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I’ve been bicycle commuting to work ever since gasoline hit $2.50/gallon last summer. I’m a little spoiled–my commute is 4 miles one way, and I have a bike trail for 90% of it. I’ve seen major health and financial benefits this past year…and feel I’m more productive at work and at home because of all those endorphins pumping through my body. I do own an SUV that gets less than 20 mi/gallon, but I find myself making less and less trips with it each month. I’m thinking about selling it soon. So far in May I’ve only had to fill up once! I’m proud of that. And part of me feels great that I’m doing my little part to stick it to the oil companies.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
I have a 9 mile round-trip in NW Austin that I try to do most weekdays. Good for my health, the environment, and my wallet. My route requires me to either take control of a lane on a 55 MPH multi-lane feeder for a short ways or enjoy the shoulder on a 65MPH Farm to Market road turned “freeway”. I’m sure that folks used to walk on the Farm to Market road, but that is prohibited now that it has become a “freeway”. Pedestrian’s must walk miles out of there way or cut through unmaintained private property. When we grow a small road into a larger/faster road, we need a new route nearby so that cyclists, pedestrians, and slower vehicles have an alternative travel choice.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 10:31 am
There are many reasons I bike to work, but one not so obvious reason is that it is really a time saver. Even though my 9 mile round trip takes about twice as much time as driving, because I get aerobic exercise that would otherwise take nearly as much additional time, it actually saves me time. Also worthy of note is that I have a convenient bus ride home if the weather turns inhospitable, allowing me to ride many more days than I would otherwise. Good public transportation provides a synergistic benefit of allowing other non-driving modes to be more attractive.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 11:17 am
I bike to work 3-4 times a week. To help with the dangerous traffic near my home, I drive the first 1/4 of the way in (it’s about 10 miles one-way to work) and then bike the rest. A good ride of about 7 miles each way. The short jump in the car saves some pretty scary intersections and hills! :) FYI - the Cleveland, OH bus system has bike carriers on every one of it’s buses, and allows them on the Rapid System! I don’t use the bus now, but have in my former job, and it was great! Also, the Metroparks is the route I use, simply fantastic!
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May 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
I bike home from work 9 miles everyday in Miami, which is one of the most hostile cities in the country. Despite the viciousnes of the Miami drivers, my commute home is my favorite part of the day. How many drivers can say that?
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May 22nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
After reading some of your comments I was amazed to see that some people thought 10 miles to far to travel by bike. My journey to work is 16 miles not once using a cycle path. I also have to wear a shirt and tie at work but that’s no problem you just pack your bag in the morning and even after an hour(which is the longest its taken me) hardly a crease. After a wash and spray with deodrant nobody would know.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I would love to ride my bike to work. I live in another county and travel 25 miles each way through 15 miles of 4 lane highway then the remaining of 42 stoplights in heavy traffic with no bike access. I do however, walk on breaks (weather permitting) and do ride my bicycle when I return home (weather permitting) Indiana weather can be brutal.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I’ve been biking 6.5 miles each way to work in Dallas since January. I understand what those of you with kids are saying — I take mine to daycare (a mile away) and then return the car to the garage before hopping on the bike. I’m sure people laugh at the spandex, but I am so much happier (and generally safer) on the bike than in the car it’s ridiculous. Also, I don’t have shower facilities at work, but it’s not a problem. Baby wipes and deodorant and I’m good to go.
As for traffic, Dallas is rightly famous for big hair and big cars (Hummers outnumber Priuses about 3 to 1 if my daily sample is correct), but I do about half of the ride on a trail, and then ride backroads most of the rest of the way. It ain’t perfect, but I can stop faster and see more from the bike, so generally, I think I’m actually safer than I am in the car.
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May 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
My town of Sitka, Alaska, experiences 8 months of dark, rainy weather. The state highway on my end of town does not have a separated multi-use path. There are shoulders, but no lines painted at all on the road, and no bike symbols or signs. Last year the road stripes were painted, but the lowest bidding contractor was apparently using inferior products or techniques. The stripes vanished within a month. The state has promised to paint some lines soon. I’m surprised they leave themselves vunerable to lawsuits, as an accident in these conditions could be blamed on no lines, no marked shoulders. There is 18 wheeler traffic from two barge companies, and there are loaded dump trucks from two gravel quarries, as well as traffic from the ferry terminal plus smaller businesses and residents. The speed limit where I live is 45. Under these conditions, I am not comfortable riding my bike year-round. In fact, I’m only marginally comfortable during the 4 months of brighter weather. American city, state and federal governments, need to be working together to make our towns not only walkable and bikeable, but pedestrian and bicycle FRIENDLY.
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May 23rd, 2008 at 9:47 am
I live in Austin, TX and have been riding to work for two years since I moved here in 2006. I love the freedom of not being tied to a car for means of transportation. We have a baby on the way and my wife has chosen to be a stay at home mom, so I figure that me riding my bike helps with finances. My route is just 5.5 miles, but it is enough to get me energized every morning to teach my classes at Johnston High School. I get to experience the weather everyday and feel healthy in the process. I have many friends in the city who also commute and it gives us a sense that we are walking the walk and sticking it to the major gas companies. I am trying to convert my wife, but she is a slow case. I think that the gas companies are helping me with my wife. To all those that ride, be proud and lets take the roads back from the evil machine, just like Europe had decided years ago!
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May 23rd, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I biked to work because of several reasons, I had chronic fatigue for 5 years, I was able to beat it and want to create a health buffer to prevent its easy return, I believe it builds community to bike, less pollution, sometimes you have to lead and be an example and after 15 months of commuting every day (last 5 months solid) I shows me
what needs to happen in Tucson and everywhere for that matter. We have to reform our culture away from the destructive cheap fuel infrastructure and make it safe and cost effective to use bikes, walk,
or use public transportation. We all need to do what we can
That is true governing by the people. Do not expect government to mandate change, we are the change.
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May 24th, 2008 at 1:34 am
I don’t bike to work, because the cars scare the crap out of me. That’s the only reason. I take a combination of light rail and the bus instead, which makes me feel slightly better about it. But yeah.. traffic is scary. Bike lanes are great, but I will never feel comfortable that close to cars.
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May 24th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I don’t bike to work because there are no bike lanes. Give bikers their own space and I’d probably do it.
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May 27th, 2008 at 12:03 am
The lack of bike lanes are a problem in all of North Carolina. Trails are good and may be viable for this area, but clean bike lanes would really help. A trail generlly moves slower than paved roads that are more direct. Many people do not like riding on the side of the road with cars and that is a valid concern. I ride about 3500 miles a year on the road and I avoid congestion and rush hour. I think with bike lanes, better awareness, and less anger, the number of commuting cyclists would improve. I also feel that as the price of gas rises, there will less cars due to car pooling and bikers and the roads will begin to get safer for cyclist. For commuting to really increase, safety in congested areas and during rush hour will need to be addressed by our city and highway planners. Only then will non-cyclists look at bike commuting as a real alternitive to thier car.
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May 27th, 2008 at 2:03 am
I ride my bike to work just about every day — 13 miles each way — bike paths take care of about 1/2 the distance, the remainder is on roads that are, in general, very poorly maintained. The lack of maintenance on side streets is pathetic.
To the people that want bike lanes or who are “scared” by cars — take an effective cycling class — or the abbreviated version now offered by the League of American Bicyclists — and you won’t be afraid of cars and you *definitely* won’t want bike lanes — bike lanes are a scourge on bike commuting:
All the road detritus is swept by cars into the bike lanes
The bike lanes are rough and uneven, more poorly maintained than the roads themselves.
-and-
The bike lanes are UNSAFE — they encourage the worst habits for cyclists and drivers — right turns from cars that cut across bike lanes, parking in bike lanes, bicyclists who make left turns from a bike lane in the far right of a series of lanes, and more…
My best advice is to ride your bike like the vehicle it is, on the right in general as a slow-moving vehicle, but in the lane appropriate for the direction you need to go, obey traffic signs (yes, even the stop signs) and if the lane is too narrow to allow a car to pass either take the lane or stop and pull over to the side to allow the car to pass if you are moving dramatically slower than the speed limit and the lane doesn’t widen any time soon.
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May 27th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I’ve been regularly biking 10 miles each way in the south hills of Pittsburgh PA for over 12 years. It is definitely not for everyone, but is usually the high point in my day. I’ve identified 25 outstanding reasons to commute, and interestingly, saving money isn’t one of them. Getting a chance to be a kid again, is.
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May 27th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I bike to work when the weather and my schedule for the day make it doable, usualy one or two days each week. I live just over a mile away so sometimes I bike home for lunch. There are segments of bikelanes that are very nice, but where there are no bikelanes it can be dangerous. Even with a 30 MPH speed limit a school bus came right up behind me and blasted its horn when I was at 20 MPH. Drivers in Springfield Mo are still learning to share the road, but with more and more people biking conditions should improve.
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May 27th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I am a perfect candidate to ride my bike to work since I am only a few miles from my house. One of the major problems in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area is the lack of infrastructure to support biking. My commute has many large trucks due to the shipping ports and people love SUVs down here so it is a bit dangerous.
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May 27th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I have bicycled to work in the past (34 miles RT in Tucson, AZ) but there is such poor infrastructure for cyclists that I grew tired of the dangers with cars so close. Often there are not even bicycle lanes or shoulders of any type in an area of town with the largest employer. It’s simply preposterous that we are so car-centric… even in an area with phenomenal weather and a relatively flat landscape. It would be beneficial for the US to take a stronger look at urban planning in European cities and learn from the successful aspects of public and “alternative” transport.
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May 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I ride the train and bike the rest of the way to work everyday. The biking part is 17 miles (RT). I love it. I do it because it is fun, good for my health, good for the Earth, and saves money too. I live in Mt. Juliet, TN and work in Nashville, TN. Sometimes I ride the whole way on my bike (24 miles one-way). Bikes are a great way to get around.
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May 29th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Yes, I bike to work–every day! Why should I pay for gas and parking? I’d rather enjoy myself, hear the birds and feel the breeze, say hello to my neighbors, and get some exercise on my bike! I feel good about what I’m doing–not polluting, not using non-renewable oil, but clogging the streets and taking up a parking space.
All the excuses are lame–Too hard? Not so–most people live within five miles of work. Too hot? Too cold? Dress for the cold, wash off in the restroom in the summer when you get to work.
Too dangerous? Not so–relatively safer than driving, in fact, especially if you follow the rules of the road and stay off sidewalks unless the streets are really busy. Ask another biker to show you how and start having fun every day!!
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June 1st, 2008 at 3:53 pm
About twenty years ago I decided to work out of my home. My business is in advertising and media production. I ride my bike on errands whenever I have the time (usually). I am eight to fifteen miles from most of the places I need to go. I have reduced my vehicle usage to two or three times a week. There is no regular bus service in my residential area. There are no trains whatsoever, which is a shame. I hope one day we will have both rail and bus service available. Life is good.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
I bike to work, 6 miles each way, year-round, in Buffalo, NY. I strive for 3 days per week (other days a car is needed for picking up/dropping off kids), and have acheived a 55% average over the last 6 years (#days bike to work/total days going to work).
Equipment and clothes are readily available to bike in almost any weather - winter biking is GREAT!
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
I love to bike to work when I can. I ride mostly in the spring and fall, when the weather, daylight and ozone levels are most bike-friendly in NYC, where I live and work.
But the key question isn’t whether or not to bike to work (which just isn’t a pertinent question for most people, for lots of reasons). It’s whether there are ways to lessen the environmental impacts of one’s commute, regardless of the travel mode used.
I’ve been writing about this lately over at NRDC’s blog, which you can access at: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/rkassel/.
And, if you want to see my recent article on bike commuting in NYC, check out http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/Environment/20080527/7/2534
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
It is virtually impossible for me to bike to work. First, the only route available is the Interstate highway. Second, I live over 20 miles from my work facility. Third, I often must travel from site to site during my work day and lastly, the city of Memphis, TN is not bike- ready as there are limited sidewalks w/in the Metro area. There is no bus route into my suburban area, so there are limited choices.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:15 am
I live in central Illinois, it’s 12 miles to work with traffic moving at 65 mph and no bike path.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:17 am
You do the math (based on one-way trips):
Public transport: bus ($1.00) + Metro ($2.35) + Metro Transfer ($0) + walk ($0) = 50 minutes minimum.
Bike Ride: 13 miles via safe bike trail ($0) = 1 hour (including cool-down and shower)
Drive: 7 miles ($1.00 in gas) 10 minutes, parking ($0)
For some, biking doesn’t add up, and I live in Alexandria, VA, within 3 miles of downtown Washington DC (I work Arlington - Clarendon).
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 am
I drive 32 miles to work. No carpool opportunity or public trans. I have been cutting my descretionary driving as much as possible and making greater attempts to carpool for social events it saves gas and parking fees. It has been much easier than I thought and I am drastically increasing my walking to places that I previously would have driven to. The pub trans system in LA is not conducive to get from A to B easily. The bike infrastructure in LA is not good but I am working with bicycle groups to help turn this around.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
Because it is six miles of steep hills and heavy traffic on a 2 lane rural highway.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:22 am
I live in Baltimore City and I bike to work and love it, as long as its not raining. If it is raining, I find alternate transportation (usually mass). I bike from Fells Point to Charles Village. It’s about a 6 mile ride, give or take depending on route.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:22 am
I used to jog to work until mgnt decided that company showers should not be used in the a.m. to prep for work; then new office moved almost 50 miles from my address, mass transit is in infantile stages (Atlanta suburb), no one in my community going my way (that I’m aware of…?). Atlanta’s drivers love their cars.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:24 am
I bike 11 miles to work each day. It think it is a myth that people have the biking will take a long time. My commute only takes 10 minutes longer by bike (only because I shower when I arrive). I get a work out in during a time when I am usually sitting on my a## in my car. When I arrive I am as awake as if I just had 3 cups of coffee. I save money on parking $6/day. I save money on gas ~$5/day. I am lucky that I live right on a bike path that goes into Minneapolis. Minneapolis has excellent bike trails but we need more. Although, I am concerned about my environmental impacts. It is 5 or 6 on my incentives for biking. More trails would provide even more incentive to bike other places. The North/South axis of trails in the western suburbs is less connected than the East/West. I would definately donate to a fund to increase the number of bike trails or bridges over intersections.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:28 am
I would’t last a week biking to work before getting run over, maybe a motorcycle :)
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:29 am
Some city and states are bike friendly, yet far to many are not. I live in Iowa in the Quad City area and flat out it seem that Iowa has all in all forgot about the bicycle. As a former Pro bike racer it is very sad to this. I am sure many may remember that a shoulder use to be available to ride on, not so any more, rock has taken the place of cement. There is just enough room to ride, but if there was you bet I would be biking to work, even in the rain….
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:30 am
I live 6 miles from work, and I would like to bike to work but the bicycle lanes are very limited or non-existent on the route that I travel. My safety is very important if I am to commit to ridding my bike.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
I do not currently bike to work becuase I do not have to go anywhere for work. I work through my own home as a breeder, sales person, and an independent contractor. Before this I was working about 50 miles from my home. I was unable to bike to work becuase I did not have time to get there efficiently via a bike. I also did not have the money for a motorcyle. With a kid, two adult dogs, and now eight puppies (as mentioned above, I am a breeder) to tote around, my automobile budget pretty much prioritized a van. However, next year my goal is to get a motorcycle. Since it will be a secondary source of transportation, I can lower my budget a tad and get a payment deal instead of buying one cash. Unless, of course, I find a nice one at an affordable cash price. I won’t know until then. Although motorcyles do expend a gas budget a tad, the expenditure is minute compared to toher forms of transportation. For a motorcycle our looking at a 75mpg average.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:46 am
I and my husband are retired, however we do as much as possible in as few trips as possible. I am 71 he 83 and live about on average 20 mile from everything. We even take our recycle only when we not store a thing more.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
I travel 64 miles each way (128 miles total) to work every day, between Albuquerque, NM (where I live) to Santa Fe, NM (where I work). Biking in ABQ is dangerous and I would not do it. Besides, biking in 90-95 degree weather all summer is not exactly appealing. It strikes me that more often than not, state government business is primarily conducted at places other than the most populous, cost-efficient, centralized and logical locations. For instance, in New Mexico, many, many folks travel every day from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to work. Millions are being spent on light rail as a result. Why not just move all the non-political positions from Santa Fe to Albuquerque?
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:52 am
We need more bike paths!!! I would not feel safe; even though I live in a fairly small community the traffic can be heavy at times. I would have to pass a major interstate on and off ramp with two truck stops–sometimes that is dangerous from behind a steering wheel.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
I like to bike to work when the weather is allowed. However, most city designs and developments have never considered this and green. They are all designed for cars and even not for public transportations. In addition, it is very dangerous to bike to work at most time and places since there is no place for biking. If we do not change this culture and habit, we will never be able to go green.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I’m disturbed by the impression on this board that anyone who doesn’t bike or drive a Prius is a lazy self-absorbed moron who deserves to pay $4.30/gallon for gas. Biking to work is not an option for me. I have three small children who have to first be dropped off at day care, one of whom has special needs. This also means that anything smaller than a minivan is out of the question and I also have to drive 80-150 miles each way approx monthly for specialists that are not available where we live.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I’m too old and fat to take up bicycling. However, Seattle has an excellent mass transit system and where I live depends to a great extent on where the nearest bus stop is. I have used mass transit to get to work for almost 20 years and it’s the perfect solution for me.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I normally can’t spare the extra time needed to bike to/from work (i.e., time to get bike ready/’geared-up’ in the morning, extra commuting time versus routine Metro/walking, and time to clean up/shower/dress before work).
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I live 9 miles from work and have tried it on a bike once, and may again, mainly for the exercise. It took an hour, compared to 25 minutes driving, and summers in Houston get dangerously hot, but I don’t have a problem with that. The big problem is that, even though the City of Houston has created a “bike lane” in the street, I bike on the sidewalk and this makes the 9 miles very tiring. I use the sidewalk because the “bike lane” is an absolute farce. All they did was narrow the existing auto lanes, paint a stripe by the curb and put up some signs (and re-design/re-build the curb inlets for a smoother ride - which, by the way, was very expensive). The bike lane lane is narrow - it’s directly adjacent to 30 - 50 mph traffic (limit is 35 - 40 mph) - it can be blocked by parked cars (not too many) - and it stays full of debris. When I do have to go out in the road, I’m too nervous of the traffic and get back on the sidewalk as soon as possible. Anyway, getting up down and around on the sidewalk is what makes it so tiring and slow - I’m not even sure if it’s legal, but I refuse to bike in that ridiculous “bike lane” - and I assure you I’m a relatively experieced cyclist. What I want to tell you, EPA - is that they used federal “ISTEA” money for this and IT IS AN ABSOLUTE FARCE - A BOONDOGLE! - A PATHETIC APPEASEMENT TO SILENCE THOSE DESIROUS OF REAL BIKE LANES!!! PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, EPA!#!!@!!!!
PS I do intend to write our mayor, but the road to hell is, quite unfortunately, nicely paved with good intentions. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.
PPS Germany has made a good effort to provide (relatively) safe bike lanes for its citizens - you could check with them for ideas.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
My husband and I work 30 miles in opposite directions from where we live. I drive 30 miles south, he drives 30 miles north. 30 miles is too long to bike, plus it’s not safe to bike on the roads where I live. Would be good if there was some public transportation. There is none.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I wouldn’t mind biking to work, but it’s not very practical at this time unless I moved closer to work and had the approval of my employer.
Here are my non-lame excuses, Bob Boyce:
1) The commute is fairly long; about 11 miles. It’s pretty heavy traffic and some brutal hills. I wouldn’t really mind that, though. But what I would mind is the second reason.
2) No shower at work. I’m sorry, but washing in the bathroom sink won’t cut it. I sweat like death, too. Once I start, forget about it. It’s going to take arctic breezes and an act of God to stop it.
3) I travel often (many miles) for work in a company vehicle and have many things I need to take with me to/from work. Yeah, I can see it now. Piling my laptop, briefcase, manuals, and equipment on top of my bicycle. As a safety manager, I see this as perfectly safe and practical. Maybe I could attach a sidecar. Put some nifty plastic, orange flags and reflectors on my bike….a few playing cards flapping in my spokes…maybe a headlight…a backing alarm. Choice, man! Also, I’d have the dilemma of deciding whether to keep my car at work or at home.
4) It’s a free country. Well, almost…we used to be. Anyway, that’s another story. I should be able to drive anywhere I want, when I want.
5) People need to read more. I’ll try to leave it at that. Don’t believe everything you hear from alarmists. The sky is not falling. Get information from folks besides Al Gore and the Sierra Club.
6) In a collision between a bike and a car, I’ll take the odds on the car every time.
Actually, Iowa is pretty biker-friendly. Most cities and town have paved bike trails. In fact, there is a bike path that goes all the way from Cedar Rapids to Waterloo (probably 60 miles of trail).
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June 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I live about 5 miles from work and commuted 2.5 hrs yesterday to play. I bike commute less than “I should” and the primary reasons are: consulting career were every minute has to be accounted for and annual goals exceed 50 hrs a week, new family and dangerous “6-ways of death intersection” near the office. The play commute has to do with earning potential of metro areas and passions colliding but playing locally is increasingly interesting with a new family.
End of the day a progressive gas tax (say $1-2/GAL) to fund infrastructure, general budgets and aligns US fuel costs at the pump with the majority of the world would discourage our perceived dependence on cars and lead to an awakening w.r.t bicycle commuting. The health benefits (physical and emotional) to individuals and the community (less particulate and noise) is wholly under valued by our culture. Obviously, northern states make for a great challenge to bicycle commuting but in college in Boston it worked for me - hint hint - suit and tie offices are bad for the environment on many levels from bicycle commuting to dry cleaning (carbon and toxics for what?).
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June 2nd, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I bike to work whenever there isn’t snow on the roadways, parking lots, or anyplace along my route. In 2007-8, about 5 months worked out for biking, 7-months of snowy, cold, lake effect weather. I live north of Duluth, MN and work in Superior, WI. Distance (one-way) is 23.7 miles. Bike is a 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter, 48mpg.
I would peddle, if pratical.
Why can’t I purchase transportation that gets 80+ mpg in the U.S.?
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June 2nd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
The word “danger” (or “dangerous”) appears 102 times in responses so far. Didn’t check on “not safe” or “unsafe.” And the previous poster just mentions that a car would win in a car-bike collision.
That and the distance from work seem to be the two main factors. I live 11 miles from work and do a bus-bike combination each day. Sometimes all bike, sometimes most of the way by bus.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Living 32 miles from work outside the Cleveland area on a schedule of 12-9pm doesn’t help. I would love to bike to work on good days, but it’s not an option, especially leaving so late at night. Public transportation isn’t an option either, I’m traveling from south west of Cleveland to south east, and nothing (time efficient) is offered unless you’re closer to the city. On the other hand the one thing I can do is one day a week I change my shift and carpool with a 1st shift employee. It’s only a little but I am trying!
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June 2nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I cycle to work every day. It’s a 50 mile round trip commute, but the route from Carlsbad to San Diego, California is beautiful, I meet lots of great people, it gives me my endorphine boost and provides a great base for the weekend hammerfests. My employer has a gym onsite, so I get to shower before work. :-)
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June 2nd, 2008 at 7:44 pm
As a person working two jobs (one close to home and one a mile away), I ride my bicycle to both places. Not only is it good exercise, but also it requires no fuel consumption.
On days if it is snowing or raining outside, I utilize the bus system.
With a bike as my only use of transportation, I believe that biking to work is a very good thing.
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June 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I am fortunate. I bike 8 miles to the light rail station, put the bike on the train and get off less than 2 miles from the office. Good roads all the way. I do this 2-3 times a week, weather permitting, work from home the other days.
Those of you who are far from the office, consider a hybrid commute using transit in the middle.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 am
I bike to work summer and winter. I have done so in the last three states where I have lived. Through college and law school, even on days where I was in school and working on the same day. I am now an attorney, and ride to work.
There is always a way - find it.
Live near your work, or work near where you live.
It’s all about values.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 8:26 am
I work two jobs. My full time job (40 hours/week) is 20 miles away (round trip) and my part-time job (24 hours/week) is 100 miles away (round trip). By working two jobs, I’m making about the same as I did in 2000 working 1 job. For my full time job I try to ride my bike to the bus stop, take the bus near my full time job, then bike in. That is about 6 miles of biking/day and I save about a gallon of gas every day I bike/bus to work. I have occasionally biked home but I have to be brave since there are no bike lanes and it is dangerous sharing the road with most motorists. In addition, the condition of many of the roads are bad some I’m glad I have a mountain bike to handle the terrain! Biking to my part time job is out of the question. Even if I could bike that far, it would take forever and there aren’t any good routes. In addition, I work 12-hour shifts so it would be dark part of the time. I don’t think I would even make that commute on a motorscooter!
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June 3rd, 2008 at 9:05 am
I have always chosen to use a fuel efficient car for my commutes for over fifteens years. My car is twelve years old and gets ~ 35 miles/gallon. Currently, I communte approximately ten miles to my office. I would bike approximately 30% of the year if provided safe routes in the way of bike paths. Our cities population is ~ 100,000. Bicyclists are very active in developing greenways, which include bike paths. However, we have gotten a late start and there are not enough paths.
Perhaps, in five to ten years we will have the infrastructure that will allow me a safe ride to work. I do take advantage of the beautiful parks and greenways by biking on my weekends.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 9:59 am
I do not bike to work because I live 50 miles from my job. The last job I had was only 5 miles from home, but the company moved the plant to Guatamala, lost my job. I live in a mostly rural area in Northwest Florida and the good paying jobs are at least 40 to 50 miles away. Fortunately my husband still has his job close to home. Don’t want to move because we have owned our home & property for 25 years.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 10:56 am
When I can, I ride my motorcycle to work. When I was younger I had two horses and it was cheaper to buy the land 15 miles from town than to board them where they got kicked and injured by other horses. Bicycling is not a safe option because most of the routes to work are traveled with high speeds, by people in a hurry and resentful of bicycles in the way.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I live in the SF Bay area and work four days/week. About 8 months out of the year I ride my bike twice per week to work. I walk and take the subway the rest of the week and the other months of the year. Driving and parking is prohibitively expensive thankfully. I also ride my bike or walk to almost all of my shopping/errands. I’ve been working to slow my life down enough where this is pleasurable instead of stressful. One tank of gas so far has lasted us (2 persons) 5 months!
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June 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I bicycled 7 miles each way year round between two jobs, home, and school in Agora Hills, CA, but they had bike paths. My wife bicycled 5 miles each way in the Midwest in all weather except snow and ice on country roads. I bicycled when I lived two miles from my job in the Midwest, year round in snow, ice, rain, you name it, on well lit, though very busy, city streets, working night shift. The company provides showers, locker rooms, bike racks, and strict security to even enter the parking lot. I live 24 miles from work now, as we wanted land and barns for livestock and garden, and that sort of property isn’t available in town, but there is no bicycle legal route to work that doesn’t include the interstate under 35 miles. I will not bicycle on the “legal” routes any more, either, as people have run me and my wife off the road on purpose repeatedly, I was knocked off the road by a car on purpose, and I T-boned into another car where the driver looked right at me, waited, then backed out right in front of me. My wife was almost T-boned in a similar incident, but she is distrustful of drivers and wary and dumped the bike over just as soon as the woman hit the gas pedal to pull her stunt–no T-bone, but still plenty of road rash and almost backed over by the woman in her hurry to get out of there. We were following the rules of the road and “taking my full lane” and “making eye contact with drivers” as some have said here and we have ridden bicycles for years–some drivers just don’t want bicyclists on “their” road. I no longer commute by bike, because it is not safe, proven by multiple experiences, where we now live. Like the license plate wrappers used to say, “Don’t be dead right.” We try to compensate by growing and preserving much of our own food now, consolidating trips by picking up things after work in the city, and driving older vehicles that average 35 to 42 mpg, in good condition, that don’t leak oil. I am searching for a street-legal scooter to reduce fuel costs even more, but at least gives me enough speed to more safely travel with automobiles. We would love to bike again–go after more drivers who injure or kill or “play with” bicyclists, do some real enforcement of the rather hollow “3 feet of clearance” law, do some real enforcement of speed limits–bicyclist running 25 mph versus SUV doing 75 mph who’s getting their kicks running one of us “annoying” bicyclists off the road or is too busy on their cellphone to watch their driving isn’t much of a contest.
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June 3rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I do ride to work on a bike at times. The trouble is when the temperature is over 115° and the afternoon wind is blowing against me. It is like standing before a blast-furnace. The summer dust storms are also lots of fun (not). If it comes down to one item why I don’t ride more, it is the wind. I can deal with the heat, but the wind just sucks the life out of me.
-Somewhere in Arizona
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June 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I don’t work outside the home, but my husband’s job is about 10 minutes away by car. With gas prices going up he is going to start riding a bike to work and use the car only in times of bad weather. As a senior and valuable employee he was granted this location years ago. And as a senior citizen he feels this is a forced good.
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June 4th, 2008 at 2:47 am
I use to bike to work but know it is rare. The reason is that I have a 4 year old and we do not have a safe way to ride to either place we work. I simple bike lane, along a 5 mile section would make it safe enough to tow my son, but the other road to my husbands place of work would need 6 miles from town. All new road construction project should be required to have commuter safe paths.
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June 8th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
There are new bike paths everywhere along the streets here. But they are far too narrow and motorists often do not respect them. Bicycling to work around here is like taking your life in your hands.
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June 9th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I bike to work almost exclusively. I also do a majority of my errands around town by bike. Even though my town is not bike friendly I feel that motorists have to get used to seeing bicyclists on the roads doing things correctly. My monthly gasoline costs, even at $4.00/gallon is less than $50.00. In May 2008 I drove 92 miles and biked 397. It does take some advanced planning but it can be done.
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June 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I’d love to ride to work - however, house prices and apartment rent forces me far outside the distance to my job that would allow this to be practical.
Add in on-call hours, and occasional late nights..
I’m fortunate I’m able to take the MBTA ‘T’ service and commuter rail, but for those days I’m going to be home late, I have to take my motorcycle, as the commuter rail service becomes much less frequent in the evening/night
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June 9th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I would bike to work. I ride for pleasure and exercise more than 8 miles. It is only 8 miles to work, but I would most likely be hit by a car on the divided highway into town and I would need a shower by the time I got here. It is 95 degrees here today.
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June 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
i ride to work 16 miles each way and have worked to overcome many of the obstacles that are mentioned here, but the one thing i can’t overcome is darkness during the winter time. every possible commuting option has me riding along one of two busy highways at some point with really no way to get around it. even with lights, i don’t feel safe along these highways in the dark.
short of moving closer to work (and believe me i have considered it), i don’t know how to fix this. a bike path would be nice maybe
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June 11th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Would you mind if I asked a few questions? What type of bike do you ride with what accessories?
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June 16th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I do ride to work, at least 3 days a week. It is 18 miles round trip in the south Louisiana heat. I do it for health/exercise reasons as much as for gas conservation and environmental reasons. As New Orleans is getting more bike paths and gas prices rise, I am finding drivers here to be more cognizant & tolerant of bikes.
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June 24th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Using the concept that time==money, instead of wasting 2+ hours a day peddling and showering, I can put that time to good use by working an extra hour. That more than covers the cost of gas for the trip, and I still save time and money by driving.
Even if I couldn’t work that extra hour, having those 2 hours to do things I WANT to do is much more precious to me.
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Golf Southwest Florida…
Thanks for creating this blog. I thought it was a very interesting read. It is so interesting reading other peoples personal take on a subject….
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I am biking to the bus that takes me to work again after stopping for over a year. I started again in the heat of summer because the gas prices are so high, although I was planning on trying it again no matter what. I had to quit riding because the bike rack on the bus could only take two bikes, and there wasn’t enough room. It seems fewer people are biking now; possibly because it is extremely hot outside. I really enjoy getting the excercise of a few miles each day. Now that I am back at it, I feel much better.
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July 4th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I have to disagree with Tom. My commute is 17 miles each way and I ride my bike - takes 57 minutes to go to work and usually 1:03 to return home. I get 2 hrs of cardio exercise each time I ride. The endorphin rush helps put me in a good mood when I arrive at work and the exercise helps me clear my mind of work issues/hassles on my way home.
I live in Arizona, where the temperature in the afternoon often exceeds 110 in the summer. My return trip is slightly uphill and against the prevailing breezes, so I have no sympathy for the weenies who whine about adverse weather/traffic conditions.
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July 4th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
mpb, my commute is 17 miles each way. Most of my trip is along S.R. 87 (the Beeline Highway), where the posted speed limit is 65 mph. While it seems dangerous to ride along the Beeline, it is actually the safest part of my commute. There are two reasons: a wide paved shoulder with a rumble strip between me and traffic, and no intersections. Most accidents occur when bicycles/motor vehicles cross paths.
I too, ride in the dark in the winter - I use Nite Rider lights, which are expensive, but produce very bright light and the batteries last long enough for me to get to my destination.
Over many years I have ridden in many areas (Pa, NJ, Ca, Co.) under every conceivable traffic condition - it takes experience!
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July 18th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
at this point, it’s still weather permitting. my ride is an easy one, so no horror stories, but weather can make it dangerous, especially at rush hour. cars still don’t want to asknowledge bikers. municipalities need to make more of an effort to combat this and encourage more than just recreational biking
htttp://www.gatheringhome.com/
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July 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I am not buying gas this summer; I filled up on the 20th of June and I still have plenty. I have a 25 mile round trip and I have been stretching it for more ride time. I have lights, bags, fenders and my bike weighs over 50lb loaded up. I get up at 4:30am to leave by 5:30am so I can be to work before 7am. I have built in a generous margin and I think that is one of the keys to the commute. I ride in the rain, the heat and even with a hangover. I’ve made a lifestyle change. With the money that I save from not buying gas, I’m going to buy a winter commuter. With the muscles and lungs that I get from riding every day I will push that machine through the snow and sub-freezing temperatures of the before-dawn-winter commute.
I got a child carrier so that my wife and I can take our baby with us. After my wife gets stronger she can tow our son and I will get a trailer for hauling groceries.
A couple of points:
1) it’s not as dangerous as you think.
2) it’s not as far as you think.
3) add up how much you pay in gas for a year. buy a utility/commuter that costs that much.
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July 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I bike from home to a Washington DC Metro Station, a bit more than 2 miles each way. I rent a bike locker from WMATA. For pennies a day, the locker it is a great way to secure the bike and protect it from weather and other risks.
I bought my last tank of gas two months ago - and the gauge still reads almost full. I’m happy to be burning fat instead.
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August 13th, 2008 at 4:59 am
I found this post and all the comments to be truly inspiring. Both the positive comments, and the less positive ones ;-) because both inspired me to do something and take action.
I don’t currently have a bike, and the roads between work and home are dangerous, plus there are several huge hills to negotiate. But I have decided - out of next month’s pay packet I will go bike shopping and commit to cycling to and from work until Christmas. Then I’ll review the situation and see if it is working for me.
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August 21st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I bike to work every time I can. It is actually much more enjoyable then going to work in my hot (meaning warm) car. Also, it can serve as some exercise for the day.
Karnpatel
http://www.squidoo.com/agreenlife
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August 27th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I think a lot of the excuses people use are that they are scared of traffic and they don’t want to be sweating before work. This is the typical response I get from most of my readers at http://www.greenfitnessworld.com. I have been fully committed to greening our fitness and what better way than to ride a bike. Although alot of the materials used to make bikes are not green themselves they do however help to reduce carbon emissions.
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September 1st, 2008 at 10:49 am
During early spring and whole summer I usually use my bike to go to work. I think it is very healthy and I just like it.
For greater life without smog.
–
Anna Kolesnik
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September 1st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I think a lot of the excuses people use are that they are scared of traffic and they don’t want to be sweating before work.
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September 3rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I drive 4 hours a day to get to and from work. Beacuse my family hasn’t been able to sell our house, I’ve had to do this commute for over a year. I would LOVE the opportunity to bike to work, but biking ~150 miles a day just isn’t practical. I barely see my kids as it is! And BTW, our family spends ~$500 in gas every month. I’m very jealous of people who even have the opportunity to choose between a bike and a car- you don’t know how lucky you are!!
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September 19th, 2008 at 2:04 am
I live and work in the Baltimore metropolitan area, and would love to bike to work. However, I live 40 miles from my job! I also suffer from a lack of a good inter-county public transportation system in my area.
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December 9th, 2008 at 7:03 am
As a cycling coach, helping 1,000’s of novices become lifelong cyclists, the factors that help people ride are:
1. Gaining handling, aggressive driver and awareness skills. Showing assertiveness/expert handing, not reacting with anger, staying alert are very effective. Outwardly firm/friendly, inwardly noting license plate/witnesses/details about the violator. Get out your phone as soon as it’s safe to do so, or get one from a witness.
2. Riding with others. Alone many of us feel too exposed to the real and imagined risks. Cars are typically nicer to even small groups
3. Dismantle all hurdles step by step. My program is built in 4 stages:
a. Motivation/Cycling-mindset (feeling part of the solution, learning to enjoy and be great at spotting/avoiding hazards),
b. Trip Planning (clothing, lights, parking, route, time management, etc),
c. Bike Handling (detailed rodeo from start stop, feather/emergency braking, crossing slippery surfaces/RR tracks, emergency turns, looking back while riding straight etc ),
d. Repair essentials - as indicated by the student’s riding goals.
Final point. The rate of car trips continues to outpace the increase number of bike trips. Facilities are great. Real-world, no-jargon, empowering education is an urgent missing link, as the more there are of us devoted to living all the benefits bikes give us, the wider the door opens for those just a bit less pioneering than ourselves. This goes double for kids and their families.
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December 31st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Well 12.2 Miles is a bit to much for me to ride in the morning and well I feel I’m putting my green energy to work in other area’s of my life. I drive a greasecar that run’s on straight vegetable oil and I’m very conscious of recycling and energy use. Besides that my family business has been recycling office furniture for over 25 years. The tons of waste that we’ve saved from the landfill is immeasurable. I think making good use of our waste is one of the single most important things we can do to benefit the environment.
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February 10th, 2009 at 2:16 am
I really like to ride my bike to work but since stopped due to not having a place that I can keep my bike. I cannot afford to have my bike vandalized or stolen. If my work place had a safe place to keep my bike than I would do it more often.
The other issue that I have is that I tend to get a bit sweaty and need to change before I begin work. This is often too time consuming and just a real pain in the neck. I think this problem could be fixed by getting an electric bike or possibly a conversion kit so you can turn your existing bike into an electric one. For example http://www.electricbicycleconversionkits.net
My town has an extraordinary amount of bike paths to travel on, however I don’t think this is the case everywhere else. Cars can be very rude and abusive to bike riders which can be a bit of a turn off.
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February 17th, 2009 at 9:51 am
I bike to work when the weather is above freezing! I have found that it is not only good for the environment but my well-being. My ride is about 15 minutes. In the morning, the fresh air pumps me up and gets my juices flowing and on the ride home chills me out. Riding my bike to work has opened my eyes to the positive effects of exercise and fresh air. Plus, I save money! While the exercise is important for my state of mind, I find the fresh air to be a real energizer. I’ve taken it a step farther and also, purify my indoor air quality to get clean, healthy air in my home.
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February 20th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I like riding my bike but I would have to get 3 hours less sleep per day to ride to and from work. It would also require a shower after my rides thus depleting more water from our water supply. I might buy more bottled water though once I get to work which would help drive the economy taking money from the hands of OPEC and putting it in the hands of bottled water companies. I wouldn’t need to get a loan to keep my car working if I ride my bike every day to work though as my car should last infinitely longer if I don’t travel on the weekends and my wife buys all of the groceries with her SUV. We do have loans that help us afford her 13 year old vehicle.
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