Why wouldn't you commute by bike?

[gaz]

I find most peoples excuse is that it is to far to cycle.
Often they live closer than me.

One guy in my office tried to commute once. From Southend on sea to central London. He decided it was too far

 

[Arch]

I'll be honest and admit I don't want to commute to work. I live 7 miles from work, the roads are flat quiet neighbourhood streets, we have showers and my schedule would allow for the extra time it would take to get in, showered and dressed.

In fact one of colleagues commutes in every day almost right past my door, so I could even have a riding buddy.

I just can't be arsed with the extra effort needed to commute by bike.

Well done for being honest.

Now, we work on you....

How do you currently commute, by the way?

 

[mickle]

Go on Arch.

 

[ferret fur]

cyclists account for only 4% of road fatalities (2008 UK figures) compared with 17.1% for motorcyclists, 19.6% for Pedestrians, and 50.2% for car occupants.

Given that the avearge person cycles 42 miles a year are you sure that these stats show cycling to be safer than travelling by car. According to your figures this means on average people travel 525 miles annually by car. Seems low to me. Especially when you look at the official figures. (which show car/van occupants travel 5468 miles)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/217792/4212241/transportstatisticgreatbrit.pdf
As someone who cycles 5500 miles a year & drives about 2500 I know which I feel safer doing: Sadly it ain't when I'm on two wheeels.

 

[Amanda P]

*Whispers:* You may be on the wrong forum!

I'll be honest and admit I don't want to commute to work. I live 7 miles from work, the roads are flat quiet neighbourhood streets, we have showers and my schedule would allow for the extra time it would take to get in, showered and dressed.

In fact one of colleagues commutes in every day almost right past my door, so I could even have a riding buddy.

I just can't be arsed with the extra effort needed to commute by bike.

 

[orkneyblues]

I commute 8mls to work up here in Orkney, I try to cycle most weathers, although i got caught up in some deepish snow last winter with the bike sliding around a bit and the school bus right behind me. I don't shower although there is one available but it is a bit of a trundle from where I work, I just skoosh some deoderant on and get ready for work. I am 50 yrs old and find it an ideal form of excercise, I also play badminton 3 times a week which varies my excercise routine.
I know that the cyclist commuters are definately in the minority here probably due to the higher than normal winds we get. The local council has recently introduced the C2W scheme which is helping to attract more and more.

 

[jonny jeez]

I'll be honest and admit I don't want to commute to work. I live 7 miles from work, the roads are flat quiet neighbourhood streets, we have showers and my schedule would allow for the extra time it would take to get in, showered and dressed.

In fact one of colleagues commutes in every day almost right past my door, so I could even have a riding buddy.

I just can't be arsed with the extra effort needed to commute by bike.

Well, if its not for you, then its not for you.

Perhaps you gain enough excercise elsewhere in your life to satisfy your needs.

But, having experienced a commute of the distance I do, I would take your arm of at a offer to commute a flat 7 miles with a buddy each day.

that would be just about perfect for me to do every single day...sigh

 

[Arch]

I know that the cyclist commuters are definately in the minority here probably due to the higher than normal winds we get.

I once did a 3 mile loop on Westray, and managed to have a head-and-side-wind for all but 500 yards of it.

Mind you, that 500 yards when it was behind me was fun!

A bonus on Orkney, when the wind isn't galeforce, I suppose, is that none of the distances involved are huge.

Are you on Mainland?

 

[marzjennings]

Well done for being honest.

Now, we work on you....

How do you currently commute, by the way?

By car, every day. I know it's lazy and I used to commute most other places I lived. Reading to Henley everyday, through the Hague, through Dublin and through parts of Dorset. It was always a great way to start the day, even with flat tyres and rain. It's just now, getting up at 5am to leave for work I'd rather fall into the car and drive than ride.

 

[marzjennings]

Well, if its not for you, then its not for you.

Perhaps you gain enough excercise elsewhere in your life to satisfy your needs.

But, having experienced a commute of the distance I do, I would take your arm of at a offer to commute a flat 7 miles with a buddy each day.

that would be just about perfect for me to do every single day...sigh

I wouldn't see my commute as exercise, it's only 7 flat miles, not even a warm up. The shortness of the distance is sort of the problem, to get up, get ready, get showered at work for just 7 miles, twice a day is a lot of effort for not a lot of exercise. I perfer to drive home, get the kid fed 'n' watered and do a quick 40 after dark than commute.

I am thinking of starting to run it a couple times a week to maximise those 7 miles.

 

[marzjennings]

*Whispers:* You may be on the wrong forum!

Cycle chat or just Commuting?

I saw the thread pop up under 'New Posts' and thought I'd join in as it's a topic I'm trying to get my head around.

 

[jonny jeez]

I wouldn't see my commute as exercise, it's only 7 flat miles, not even a warm up. The shortness of the distance is sort of the problem, to get up, get ready, get showered at work for just 7 miles, twice a day is a lot of effort for not a lot of exercise. I perfer to drive home, get the kid fed 'n' watered and do a quick 40 after dark than commute.

I am thinking of starting to run it a couple times a week to maximise those 7 miles.

well, I'm sure a few riders on here would find it ample excersise. (myself included and my commute is a nice round 40 miles right now)

but I dont get it, if its not really a warm up, then why the need for showers etc, surely if you "knock out 40" each night, you could do 7 in a suit and turn up fresh as a daisy?

 

[Arch]

but I dont get it, if its not really a warm up, then why the need for showers etc, surely if you "knock out 40" each night, you could do 7 in a suit and turn up fresh as a daisy?

Yeah, I thought that...

To me, any exercise is good. I have a physical job 4 days a week, and a minimal 1.5 miles each way to it, but I'm adding in extra loops to get up to 10 a day (and I'll keep adding more) - partly to keep the calories burning, and partly to instill the discipline I'll need to tackle some really long rides training for LEL - the 'just keep pedalling' mentality. I'm way more likely to get my exercise while I'm out anyway, than to go out again in the evening....

But if that fits better, so be it. I just quibble with the idea of any ride of 7 miles not being 'worth it'.

 

[marzjennings]

well, I'm sure a few riders on here would find it ample excersise. (myself included and my commute is a nice round 40 miles right now)

but I dont get it, if its not really a warm up, then why the need for showers etc, surely if you "knock out 40" each night, you could do 7 in a suit and turn up fresh as a daisy?

Cos it's +80 in the shade and 90% humidity and just walking from the office across the carpark I risk becoming un-daisy like.

Even when I use the bike to get milk and stuff from the store, < 1 mile, it's a least a change of t-shirt when I get home.

Again it's not an excuse not to commute by bike. I don't mind the heat and I ride throughout the summer, even when it gets over 110.

Now if someone could invent some sort of James Bond type hazmat suit which I could wear over my work clothes and would keep me cool while I ride that'll be great. I've even tried to work out if I could get one of those fully faired recumbents and fit some sort of dynamo powered small AC unit, but that's a bunch of cash I don't have right now.

 

[jnp701]

inspirational commuters

I just spotted this story that interviewed cyclists who commute solely by bike, and they address all those complaints and explain how they work around them, which I found really motivational. I haven't been able to commute by bike myself yet, but these guys are making me think I should really give it a try:

http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/current-issue/features/pedal-powered/