So why doesn't everybody (who is able to) do it?

[Nigeyy]

OK, new job, now 8 miles to work, instead of 24 miles. I used to do a "full" commute once a week, and 2-3 other days park the car halfway and do a "half" commute.

Started a new job a couple of weeks ago. Now, I will admit to the fact I'm incredibly lucky in that I need to only take 9 turns in total to get to work, and the roads I'm on are fairly conducive to cycling -reasonably flat, nice wide roads for the most part And don't get me wrong, I won't cycle when it's icy or snowy. But....

it's so blessed easy and pleasant. I mean getting home only takes 10-15 minutes longer than driving the car (which I still have to do for picking up the kids once a week). I get home in such a good mood.

Yes, I appreciate I'm really fortunate with proximity and the roads I have, but still, I just can't believe there are people who don't do it. There's a person at work who lived 3 miles from work -perfectly physically able mind you -but never cycled, walked or ran into work once. I just don't get it -maybe petrol over here has to increase to UK prices? I don't know.

 

[gentlegreen]

It took me until I was 27 to do it - I was brought up as a pedestrian and bus user until I got my first motorcycle at 17.
I thank my lucky stars that I couldn't afford to fix my M/C in 1987 ....

Took me another 20 - odd years to fully realise what I was getting from doing it and doing more than just commute.

8 miles might well have defeated me to be honest. I'm very lucky in that I don't remember being particularly knackered by my 4 miles - but then there was one hill I walked for 13 years....

No one I knew was a cyclist and the small motorcycles I mostly rode were very effective transport on the less congested roads back in the late 70s / early 80s ...

I think people probably have a lot less excuse with the Internet, and with environmental and health issues to the fore ..

 

[Zoiders]

Imagine if you will that you have been made redundant from a previously well paid job, your last job maybe had lockers and showers or you didn't have to work shifts in all weathers, maybe you had a desk to work at and no one watched you every minute of the working day, maybe you had flexi time and a proper salary and a pension and you didn't have to clock on within a minute of your shift to avoid having your temporary contract terminated over the phone by the agency on the same day. Maybe you don't work an 11 hour day and only get 30 minutes for lunch during which you have to spend 20 minutes walking through the enormous retail distribution warehouse that labour replaced your real job with just to get to the designated lunch area - so placed just to stop you talking with each other and getting organised as a union during the lunch break.

Never make assumptions about the working conditions of others.

 

[markharry66]

True add to that some people actually prefer to sit in a shitty box on four wheels and pay through the nose to do it. I get all the time when are you going to get a car

 

[the_mikey]

All sorts of reasons. I feel a lot more could be done to empower people to be able to make that choice, improved attitude towards cycling on the roads, secure cycle parking, proper wash/change facilities, incentives for landlords and new housing build to provide safe and secure areas for storing bicycles, civillised working hours, and an acceptance from employers that once staff leave the place of work, what they do between then and the next time they show up is none of their business, or in other works enforced work/life balance. Not everyone is able to make those choices, either down to the conditions they work in or the conditions they live in or both.

 

[lukesdad]

[QUOTE 1496043"]
Some people simply don't like riding a bike, it's a life style choice.
[/quote]


....and some are just to lazy.

 

[XmisterIS]

There's a person at work who lived 3 miles from work -perfectly physically able mind you -but never cycled, walked or ran into work once. I just don't get it -maybe petrol over here has to increase to UK prices? I don't know.

In one of the places where I work, my team has to open up - we're the first in on the day. The key held in another building that is about 300 metres away. I work with someone who will get in the car, drive to the other building, pick the key up and drive back. I kid ye not.

 

[Ellis456]

Laziness and ashamed to ride a bike/jog(why do people care what other people think?)

 

[Digital_Cowboy]

OK, new job, now 8 miles to work, instead of 24 miles. I used to do a "full" commute once a week, and 2-3 other days park the car halfway and do a "half" commute.

Started a new job a couple of weeks ago. Now, I will admit to the fact I'm incredibly lucky in that I need to only take 9 turns in total to get to work, and the roads I'm on are fairly conducive to cycling -reasonably flat, nice wide roads for the most part And don't get me wrong, I won't cycle when it's icy or snowy. But....

it's so blessed easy and pleasant. I mean getting home only takes 10-15 minutes longer than driving the car (which I still have to do for picking up the kids once a week). I get home in such a good mood.

Yes, I appreciate I'm really fortunate with proximity and the roads I have, but still, I just can't believe there are people who don't do it. There's a person at work who lived 3 miles from work -perfectly physically able mind you -but never cycled, walked or ran into work once. I just don't get it -maybe petrol over here has to increase to UK prices? I don't know.

I think you're right about the price of gas thing. There was a story in the news down here in Florida not too long ago about a gal looking for a "fuel efficient" car for her "terribly" insurmountable commute. It was all of 8 blocks one-way. The thought of either walking or riding a bike never crossed her mind.

 

[gentlegreen]

The alarming thing for me is that I work somewhere that is making more and more provision for cyclists and my colleagues are all very well educated - many to PhD level (unlike me) - and I'm not aware of anyone taking their cue from me over the past 20-odd years - even though they mostly became colleagues in their late 20s, early 30s and live roughly the same distance from work.

Perhaps they think I'm a particular physical type suited to this form of exercise - though that seems highly unlikely - and I'm sure quite a few of them spend many hours in the gym pedalling like mad but going nowhere...

To be honest, for much of the past 23 years, I myself accepted the general consensus that I had chosen an eccentric form of transport - as suited an eccentric - and just lately I've wished I didn't have to share my "cycling city" with quite so many wobbly n00bs. ... that's actually a very big a lie, it's the flush of Cav-inspired boy racers that p*ss me off the most - the ones who think the Bristol to Bath path is their personal race track and who presumably won't carry a bell for weight reasons.

 

[Digital_Cowboy]

True add to that some people actually prefer to sit in a shitty box on four wheels and pay through the nose to do it. I get all the time when are you going to get a car

I've gotten that a few times as well. Where the bloody hell did this idea come from that in order to be a total adult that one "must" have a car?

 

[gentlegreen]

I was once asked that by a chain-smoking colleague with photos of his Ford Granada on his office wall, who once commented "I thought you were going to die" one day as I passed his window after my 4 mile, several hundred feet commute in my early 30s.

He retired a year or two before his 60th birthday, and was found dead in his garden within months.

I hope to undertake multi-week cycling tours all over France when I retire - when I'm not tied-up growing my own veggies or learning to surf....

 

[Ellis456]

I get that comment a lot also "so when are you getting another car?" eh I DONT NEED ONE!, *look of confusion* from them.

 

[gaz]

Some people simply don't like cycling.

 

[Moodyman]

Laziness;
Poor cycling infrastructure;
Low confidence of their own fitness;
Terrain;
Lack of shower facilities at their destination;
Dealing with autumn and winter;
Perception – danger from cars;
Perception – you cycle if you can’t afford a car;
Perception – cycling can only be enjoyed by kids