Advocacy - Facts and Figures

[All uphill]

I am a supporter of a local cycling campaign, and am keen to give local people and organisations the facts about cycling safety, comfort, health benefits and costs.

At the moment I am looking for any data about the impact of weather on cycle commuters. Do you know of any data I can reliably refer to about how often a year round cycle commuter would get wet or have to deal with frost in the South of England?

Thanks in advance.

 

[snorri]

Calling @ianrauk

 

[mjr]

This is an old chestnut. I seem to think it's 12 times a year for rain.

https://cyclingfallacies.com/en/8/the-weather-isn’t-right didn't have a useful source.

https://realcycling.blogspot.com/2009/01/hard-rains-gonna-fall-but-only-12-times.html cites "Bike for All" but in a way that made me think it didn't cite its source, even before it changed, which I confirmed at http://web.archive.org/web/20060412125705/www.bikeforall.net/content/bike_for_work.php

https://www.independent.co.uk/clima...-been-a-better-time-to-saddle-up-1219882.html says it was Transport for London that made this estimate. https://news.hackney.gov.uk/dont-let-winter-stop-you-cycling-with-hackney-cycle-pit-stops/ makes the same claim. http://www.ironmate.co.uk/cycling-work-tips also says this is about London.

The original may be https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2004/june/on-your-bikes-get-set-go but it doesn't say where they got it from. There is a phone number if you have time...

Frost should be easier (for me, it would be "how many days was the air temperature at the nearest weather station rising but below 4°C at 8am"), but will be very location-sensitive.

 

[All uphill]

Thanks @mjr lots to go on there.👍

 

[T4tomo]

no help, but anecdotally remarkably few. I used to commute virtually everyday into London (cycle train cycle) and as I had showers and lockers at the office I did it rain or shine. It was only 8-10 days per year it was actually raining at "commute" time, even if it had thrown it down during the day.

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks @snorri
Over the past few years of cycle commuting in SE London I did note theamount of rainy commutes.
I'll dig them out later

 

[ianrauk]

Just found this I posted in the Tales from the commute thread.

2012 X 45 Rainy commutes
2013 X 39
2014 X 45
2015 X 35
2016 X 30
2017 X 31
2018 X 53
2019 X 60

These figures are 1 ride ie either to or from work.

 

[mjr]

And for completeness, how many miles is that commute at roughly what speed? London area?

 

[matticus]

And for completeness, how many miles is that commute at roughly what speed? London area?

It's only time that matters.

I think the "12 day" figures you referenced upthread assume a 30min trip? (that's from ancient memory - not actually clicking your links, sorry!)

 

[mjr]

It's only time that matters.

I think the "12 day" figures you referenced upthread assume a 30min trip? (that's from ancient memory - not actually clicking your links, sorry!)

That's ok. It isn't in those links anyway!