Why wouldn't you commute by bike?

[jonny jeez]

I'm becoming a bit of a bike bore and am trying to entice a few colleagues and friends to commute by bike. Each of them lives less than 6 miles from their offices and two of them live on the river (flat as you like).

I've not yet convinced them but was interested in the reasons that they gave NOT to give it a go, which were along the lines of;

Too much effort (but they spend hours in the gym each week)

No showers (I kind of sympathise as I wouldn't want to work without having freshened up)

Its Nerdy (I do understand this, as I try really hard not to be nerdy about it myself).

but the overwhelming reason given to me is:

Its too bloody dangerous!

 

[zimzum42]

Showers is a big one. I've got an interview in a couple of weeks, would be a 9 mile commute. Easy, but I would want a shower at the end of it...

 

[Moodyman]

Anything above 3 miles and I would definitely want showers.

Yes - a lot of people think it's dangerous. There's also a problem with the British mindset in that we still think of cycling as a recreational activity. If anyone cycle commutes or runs errands, people find this alien.

 

[macp]

It is dangerous I have been commuting by bike for a month now and was witness to a collision this week due to an idiot deciding to overtake me into the path of an oncoming car.It really freaked me out being honest to the point that I considered jacking it in but then thought why the hell should I !

The shower thing is valid there are none in our building but I dont find it too much of a problem with a change of clothes and a liberal application of deodorant.

 

[HLaB]

No showers is often used as an excuse but it a load of baloney IMO, there are plenty of examples of folk surviving quite fine without them.

Perceived danger is the real true barrier for most folks.

 

[skudupnorth]

Danger is a big issue but if you keep your wits about you,you can judge what most idiot's are going to do.Personally i find driving more stressfull nowadays.
Showers are not a problem,all i do is have a quick wash down in our washroom and spray nice stuff on !

 

[crumpetman]

I would have started commuting by bike a long time ago if it was only 6 miles. Even taking it really easy (so as not to build up a sweat) you could do that in half an hour or so.

But, for a lot of people it is just easier to go by car that way you can give someone a lift, stop for shopping or go straight out to a restaurant after work.

 

[Alan Whicker]

I do seven miles to work without a shower. No complaints from my colleagues (yet). I've found that the fitter I get the less I sweat anyway.

Nerdy? Well I am a nerd, so that's OK.

 

[Chrisc]

No need for showers. 15 miles in today. Quick spruce up in the disabled loo which has plenty space, own sink etc. change into office togs and all fine.
New sportwool shutt vr jersey kept me cooler than usual today, surprising difference, cooled off very quickly.

 

[mark barker]

Its Nerdy (I do understand this, as I try really hard not to be nerdy about it myself).

I think that is a big thing for many people... So many cyclists take themselves way too seriously, doing the whole lycra thing for a few miles commute. I'm sure they've got there reasons, but for the average jean wearing commuter it is a bit of a hard one to get your head around!

 

[Lizban]

No showers is often used as an excuse but it a load of baloney IMO, there are plenty of examples of folk surviving quite fine without them.

Perceived danger is the real true barrier for most folks.

1hr exercise (moderate or not) following by sitting at a desk unwashed is not nice.

I understand this as barrier others don't - good for them

 

[mickle]

It's useful to look at this question as if it were a sales pitch. The job of the sales person is to remove the objections: 'To much effort', 'lack of showers' and perceived danger are perfectly valid objections but they can be easily countered. The real sticking point is that cycling is perceived to be 'nerdy'. This is the one we bang our heads on, how the hell do we convince the motoring population otherwise? Car culture is supported by the billions that is spent on car advertising, car TV shows, transport policy/road building which encourages car use etc. It's an uphill battle and the hill seems to grow with every passing day.

I don't know what the answer is.

 

[Jezston]

I wouldn't, and in fact haven't, due to lack of showers. I think that's a very fair reason unless we are talking a light tootle for someone of fair health under three miles on the flat.

I'd be interested in knowing how you convince people of lack of danger. People use that as a barrier whereby they are simply not interested in thinking about it any more when you suggest the idea.

 

[hackbike 666]

I'm not so sure cycling is seen to be nerdy....more like eccentric.

It's not normal for me in the eyes of my work colleagues to not own a car or the fact I have never owned one.

 

[mickle]

The health benefits of cycling outweigh the dangers by a factor of twenty to one. It a perceived danger not a real one.