Why wouldn't you commute by bike?

[GrasB]

Interesting point about 'continental' commuter/utilitarian cyclists is the ones I get to talk to are surprised at the distance that british commuters/utility cyclists actually cycle in one go. Yes they do more cycling but it tends to be lots of little bits.

For me no shower would be a deal breaker for commuting in, but then again that's due to the sort of intensity that I'm riding at.

 

[Mark_Robson]

I do a five mile commute and I find it refreshing and a great way to wind down.
There are a few guys at work who occasionally commute but I am the only one who uses a road bike and I am the only one who wears lycra and cycling shoes, and trust me I have had my leg pulled about my attire from day one.

I've been called bendy, freaky, nerdy and a poser all in the same day, but I take it in my stead because it's purely banter and it's amazing how quickly you become yesterdays news.

I try to encourage my colleagues to cycle but the usual excuses are, it takes longer and therefore makes for a longer working day, it's too much like hard work and the favourite is, what's the point in having a car if you don't use it.

 

[Arch]

Whoops. My new office has an en suite bathroom, complete with bidet.

At the Eco Business centre where Velo Vision is based, there's a disabled toilet/shower room that is actually bigger than my bathroom at home!

We don't have a shower at St Nicks, but then we don't even have flushing toilets! (we compost). At the end of the day at the moment, my ride home is what cools me down after a sweaty day of physical work...

Some people just never will cycle. Remove or negate one excuse, and they'll find another, and so on, until they are forced to be honest and admit to just not wanting to, or being lazy or whatever...

 

[GrasB]

... I am the only one who wears lycra and cycling shoes, and trust me I have had my leg pulled about my attire from day one...

There was one guy who used to have a few less than kind words about what I wear when cycling to work, he fancied him self as a bit of a fast cyclists. Then one day he tried to keep up with me & a friend as we took a leisurely paced quick ride to Cambourne (Cambridgeshire, not Camborne, Cornwall) along the old A428 he failed miserably

 

[gavintc]

The excuses I get at work are too dangerous and too hot. The danger one is interesting as drivers in Naples are 'interesting', but they seem to respect cyclists and I rarely get a problem from drivers. As to hot - well we have excellent showers next door to the office and it is not too bad commuting first thing and in the evening.

 

[fossyant]

Some people just never will cycle.

They won't exercise also !!!!

 

[brokenbetty]

It's completely accepted where I work - everyone knows someone who cycles in. We do have nice showers though. The cycle to work scheme has made a difference as well....boys do like to have some kit to compete about

 

[Willo]

It's the done thing in my office (I work in London) and judging by the number of cycles at my local station in Kent each morning it's the done thing down here too. Not sure whether it's down to increased awareness of environmental issues, the push through C2W schemes (as with brokenbetty, it's had a big impact in my office), cost saving (car and parking costs), fitness or inspired by British success at the Olympics etc. I don't know but deffo not nerdy in my parts.

For me personally, showers at work are a must. I can also understand the danger thing or simply the fact that cycling in heavy traffic is simply not that much fun IMO. My commute is just to my local station, going on a scenic route on mostly quiet roads at around 6 in the morning ending up at the station. While I probably would cycle in busy, central London, it doesn't have the same appeal and I can understand others' fears, particularly if inexperienced.

 

[zimzum42]

Some people just never will cycle. Remove or negate one excuse, and they'll find another, and so on, until they are forced to be honest and admit to just not wanting to, or being lazy or whatever...

Isn't that fair enough though?

Personally I cannot stand the thought of taking a train, I hate the damn things, tube or national rail. It may be perfect for some journeys, but I'll come up with all kinds of excuses not to use one.

People should always be able to say that they just simply don't want to ride a bike to work...

 

[Bayerd]

I just tell them that cycling saves me 35min of commuting time every morning, which I can spend sleeping, and another 35min in the evening, which I can spend drinking. That is one extra night of sleeping AND one extra night of drinking time per month.

Furthermore the drinking is free, because I use the money I would have spent on a travelcard.

Well, if that doesn't do it, nothing will....

 

[abbie]

My husband was adamant cycling would be dangerous, it was too far and I would smell.

I do 7 miles, 6 of it flat and although hot when I arrive I freshen up in the toilets, change my clothes and defo am not stinky.

Coming home I tend to hammer it a bit more though as I don't worry about sweating so much but take it steadier on the way in.

I don't think it's seen as geeky, another staff member cycles sometimes and our local beat officer, neighbourhood warden and some course leaders cycle so bikes are a regular fixture in the office. It is definitely seen as eccentric though, people can't understand it when you have a nice car at home.

 

[al78]

Isn't that fair enough though?

Personally I cannot stand the thought of taking a train, I hate the damn things, tube or national rail. It may be perfect for some journeys, but I'll come up with all kinds of excuses not to use one.

People should always be able to say that they just simply don't want to ride a bike to work...

Which is what it is about, really.

If someone has no interest in cycling whatsoever, they are not going to start cycling to work if they can help it, full stop, no matter how much you counter their excuses. The fact is that for most people cars provide rapid transport sheltered from the elements which is exactly what people want. Think of it from that persons point of view. Why should they go out fully exposed to the wind, rain, insects, turbulence from passing vehicles etc when they can travel in comfort in a climate controlled environment in their car?

In contrast to you I enjoy using trains, find them more comfortable, often cheaper and not much difference timewise to driving. I can never seem to drive more than about 40 miles without hitting congestion, so opt out of it whenever possible.

 

[HLaB]

The excuses I get at work are too dangerous and too hot. The danger one is interesting as drivers in Naples are 'interesting', but they seem to respect cyclists and I rarely get a problem from drivers. As to hot - well we have excellent showers next door to the office and it is not too bad commuting first thing and in the evening.

My cycling in Italy is limited to 1 week in Sardinia; safety wise I found that 99.99999999999999999999% or more of drivers gave cyclist plenty of respect to cyclist IIRC correctly there was only 2 less than perfect overtakes from 2 alfa romeos that seemed to be racing. Based on that limited experience of an Italian Island, I'd say there was almost no danger unless you count the cyclist loosing control of the bike them self.

 

[gaz]

In my office quite a few of us cycle. It's certainly not looked at as nerdy.
Some of my colleagues in my department might call me nerdy, but thats down to my setup.

 

[zimzum42]

I can never seem to drive more than about 40 miles without hitting congestion, so opt out of it whenever possible.

I try to drive at night, especially long distance...