Work: Something in between bike rides

[gaz]

On most mornings, Ken Schantz starts his 70-mile commute at 4:20 a.m. It takes him two hours 40 minutes to travel 35 miles from his home near Mount Vernon to his office in Rockville. He loves every minute of it.

That’s because he leaves his car at home.

Schantz, 62, travels by bike and sometimes rail. Occasionally, he tosses a bus ride or two into the mix.

He knows driving would cut his commute time by more than half, but what fun would that be?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...bd3-11e3-a628-7e6dde8f889d_story.html?hpid=z3

 

[jarlrmai]

I originally read that 70 miles takes him 2 hours 40 mins...

Good on this guy.

 

[ufkacbln]

There used to be a guy from the New Forest who worked in Portsmouth.

He cycled to Lymington, ferried across to Yarmouth, Cycled to Fishbourne, caught the ferry and then rode to work.

Reckoned it was about half the time he took to drive that distance

 

[400bhp]

I read about a guy that used to commute from Manchester to Blackpool 5 days a week.

My understanding of commuters in the States is that 2.5 hours isn't unusual, it's just that this guy chooses to do it by bike.

 

[Matthew_T]

I would not like to be a regular cyclist in the States. The amount of abuse you get there is much more than here. Ignorance is thriving.
And there are even police officers who believe that cyclists cannot take the lane as it 'impedes vehicular motion' or something like that. There are even states where it is illegal to cycle on the road.
America is too confusing. I would like to ride in the big hills area but not the cities, they are just too hazardous (even more so than London).

 

[400bhp]

I would not like to be a regular cyclist in the States. The amount of abuse you get there is much more than here. Ignorance is thriving.
And there are even police officers who believe that cyclists cannot take the lane as it 'impedes vehicular motion' or something like that. There are even states where it is illegal to cycle on the road.
America is too confusing. I would like to ride in the big hills area but not the cities, they are just too hazardous (even more so than London).

Have you cycled in the States?

 

[Matthew_T]

Have you cycled in the States?

No but I have seen the abuse other helmet camming cyclists there get.

 

[400bhp]

Your post comes across as fact, not opinion, which of course it is (opinion).

 

[Kies]

I would not like to be a regular cyclist in the States. The amount of abuse you get there is much more than here. Ignorance is thriving.
And there are even police officers who believe that cyclists cannot take the lane as it 'impedes vehicular motion' or something like that. There are even states where it is illegal to cycle on the road.
America is too confusing. I would like to ride in the big hills area but not the cities, they are just too hazardous (even more so than London).

London isn't dangerous

 

[Matthew_T]

Your post comes across as fact, not opinion, which of course it is (opinion).

Most of it is opinion. Its my opinion that the laws in America and road rules have taken the enjoyment of cycling away in some kind of aspect. You are always having to make sure you know the exact laws in that state which makes doing a Coast to Coast ride there quite hard (you have to avoid certain states).

I dont know why states have a 'no cycling' policy as most of the roads there are adequately wide enough to allow both cyclists and motor vehicles to share the road. The roads there are much wider than here.

 

[400bhp]

 

[gaz]

I would not like to be a regular cyclist in the States. The amount of abuse you get there is much more than here. Ignorance is thriving.
And there are even police officers who believe that cyclists cannot take the lane as it 'impedes vehicular motion' or something like that. There are even states where it is illegal to cycle on the road.
America is too confusing. I would like to ride in the big hills area but not the cities, they are just too hazardous (even more so than London).

It's totally dependent on where you are, much like in the UK.

I have an uncle that lives in one of the big cities in the states and he regularly cycles around. To my knowledge the only issue he has had was when he didn't see a chain across a path and went right over the handlebars.

 

[Matthew_T]

I'll get me coat.

 

[Frood42]

Title says of the thread says it all really.

 

[AndyRM]

I would like to ride in the big hills area but not the cities, they are just too hazardous (even more so than London).

Having cycled extensively around L.A., Chicago and New York I can tell you that's nonsense. As are most of your assumptions about cycling in the U.S.