Could/Would you walk or bike to work if it was safer ?

I'm gonna try the commute this weekend just for of it and see how it goes. I've been thinking about it long enough. It's time to put the hammer down.

Without going all political...

Cycling to work fixes numerous problems -

Reduces dependency on oil, foreign or other
Reduces CO2 emissions
Reduces congestion
Removes a deadly weapon from the road-rage prone
Reduces health care costs
Improves health, blood pressure, lowers weight, reduces risk of diabetes, ...

There are so many positives. There are negatives too, but with planning you can get around most of them.

Any other regular commuters notice how the same person who ran you off the road on the morning commute is hesitant to pass you in the dark (you are wearing a headlight, tail light and reflective clothing, aren't you?)? I often feel safer after dark and all lit up.

Tim

i will be commuting by cycle this summer, hopefully 4 days per week most weeks. a local bike shop is having a contest.
i know i will not get most mileage, but hoping to 1000+ before the contest ends on Aug. 31st. my commute is 22-25 miles R/T per day.


AWARDS: Most Mileage: $300 Gift Card - Mileage 1000+ Miles: $200 Gift Card - Mileage 500-999 Miles: $100 Gift Card - Mileage 250-499 Miles: $50 Gift Card

Living closer to work, walking, biking, etc. all have great benefits, as was pointed out above.

/Slightly political/

This is not going to happen just because we want it to, or even because the President wants it to. None of our hands are is strong as Adam Smith's "invisible hand." This will only happen if gas prices go up, WAY up, and stay there. If gas was programmed to go up, let's say to $5 in 2011, $8 in 2012, $12 in 2013 and then stay at $12 (indexed for inflation) permanently thereafter, everyone would know what was going to happen. By 2013, we would all be living closer, walking, biking, taking mass transport, driving electric cars, etc., and there would be a fully developed infrastructure to support that.

Again, there's only one hand strong enough to make that happen.

/politics off/

TCD

Biking to work

I bike to work every day (about 7 miles each way).
I disagree with the comment that biking/walking to work will never replace motorized transportation to any extent, however, this won't happen until employers provide proper change/shower facilities, and until adequate bike paths/trails are created.

My comments are in relation to my experience cycling in built up/urban environments, and do not directly relate to more rural/sparsely populated areas where benefit may not necessarily outweigh cost.

TCD said:

Living closer to work, walking, biking, etc. all have great benefits, as was pointed out above.

/Slightly political/

This is not going to happen just because we want it to, or even because the President wants it to. None of our hands are is strong as Adam Smith's "invisible hand." This will only happen if gas prices go up, WAY up, and stay there. If gas was programmed to go up, let's say to $5 in 2011, $8 in 2012, $12 in 2013 and then stay at $12 (indexed for inflation) permanently thereafter, everyone would know what was going to happen. By 2013, we would all be living closer, walking, biking, taking mass transport, driving electric cars, etc., and there would be a fully developed infrastructure to support that.

Again, there's only one hand strong enough to make that happen.

/politics off/

TCD

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It's always about economics.

I've been commuting by bicycle, 5 days a week, year-round, since 1980. It's become such that I feel safer on a bicycle than a car during a snowstorm. I have much more flexibility.

Pete_Hickey said:

I've been commuting by bicycle, 5 days a week, year-round, since 1980. It's become such that I feel safer on a bicycle than a car during a snowstorm. I have much more flexibility.

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I was hoping you would chime in.

How do you handle arriving at work sweaty and business ware?

The winters scare me. Narrower roads and darkness. Stupid drivers. How do you handle/prepare for this?

I have a relatively short cycl-commute, just under five miles each way. I can do about 2 miles of it on the Charles River Conservation Path -- which is awesome. The rest is on city streets and for much of it I poach a sidewalk line to avoid riding on the busy streets. I'd love to see safer options, especially if there's no way cars can "pass on the inside" on them.

I don't think that commuting by alternative transportation is any more dangerous than driving a auto. To give full disclosure, I have been hit eleven time on my bike, BUT I have put an absurdly higher number of miles on my bikes than have driving a car. I have not owned my own car since about 2004. I live with my Fiancé and borrow a car off my folks.

I started out commuting by bike when I worked in Wilmington (MA), and lived in Everett. Depending on how I felt I would either ride all the way, or cut the middle section out by taking the train. I did this two or three times a week. I just couldn't do it six days a week.

Then I moved to Arlington.. ..and then the car died, and I didn't buy a new one.

When I started at REI in Reading, I was still in Arlington. REI has a shower which I took full advantage of. For four years I rode year round from Arlington.

Then I moved to Gloucester for a year.... ...and I did not ride to work more than a dozen times. It was 60 miles round trip! I was strong from riding, but not that strong.

Part of it is that I am climbing and hiking a lot more so hauling my rack and crash-pads around on a bike is tough.

Now I am in Topsfield. I still don't ride as much as I used to, but I am riding a bit more.

A few sorta off topic points,
1. Living totally car free is impossible for someone who climbs and hikes. The mountains and cliffs are too far away to bike to.
2. Finding alternative transportation to work can be done by almost anyone of any age and in almost any state of physical shape.
3. "Bike" paths are not good for a fast commute from 8AM-8PM.
4. Riding in the winter is not as bad as folks think. I found that folks are more cautious when they are driving on a sheet of ice.
4.1 Studs are overrated, learn how to ride skinnies in the winter (way more stable than fatties).
5. We need a bike commuting thread (Or bike sub-forum of VFTT) to encourage and help those who don't to do so.

A little more than my .02 cents...
Joe.

I have two strikes going against me, I live 8 miles from work and I also drive my father (who is my supervisor at work) so he would be forced to ride his bike also. Even if it was just me riding 8 miles to be there for my usual 7:30am start time, 9 1/2 hours of work, and then 8 mile ride back just holds no appeal. Add to it there is one good stretch I would have to ride through that I think would be....interesting. I NEVER see anyone walking or riding this stretch so that tells me something!

In the past I had considered maybe getting a moped, but again the fact I commute with my father means we would both need one, and the costs involved just don't really make it worth it.

Now, having said all that, if I lived closer to where I work (say about 3 or 4 miles) and did not have my father to commute with then I would perhaps simply walk or ride to work.

Brian

Jay H said:

I already bike commute but I thought I'd state that I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was safe already so I don't bike commute "regardless of safety". I bike commute because it is safe, at least as safe as it is to drive, at least in my eyes...
Jay

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I would say ditto to that for myself.

A bit of other personal statistics. Been bike commuting for two years now (16 mi. round trip). Rural 50 mph highway with bike lane on shoulder (Mass. Rte 112). Got my first pair of studs (Schwalbe Marathon Winter) and managed to commute through the winter for the first time this year. Felt safe on all but deep slush (like riding through sand).

Finally that the benefits have been remarkable. I started because 1. I'm an environmental science teacher and I wanted to "walk the talk". That's been very positive. All my students notice and respect me for it. 2. I needed a regular exercise regimen and this did it for me. That's not to say that I'm not physically active but I didn't have a schedule for workouts. I push the pace on my commutes and get my heart rate up into a workout zone. (I often think about the ironic alternative of driving the 20 miles to the nearest gym in our area, riding a stationary bike for 60 min. and then driving home.) The mental health benefits of regular exercise don't need to be restated but my temperament has improved when I can iron out the wrinkles of my work day during the 1.2 mi., 6% climb I have in the homeward direction.

I hope I can keep it up for a long time.

8 miles is a problem Brian but you can always make it longer so that takes care of that problem. You could also buy a tandem and put your dad in the stoker's seat. I rode from Bedford to Elm Street for the 6-month stint I worked in Manchester, which included a winter. The bridges are not the greatest ride, but it's completely doable. I'm pretty sure they are the same bridges you'd have to cross from Goffstown.

Tim
p.s. I rode to Lowell 2-3 times per week for 3 years - that was 52 miles round-trip. I was in excellent shape. I do 32 miles 2-4 days per week now but it's much flatter than the trip to Lowell, so on nice evenings I sometimes take the long way home.

Yes I would.
If I only could,
I surely would

I would walk or bike a mile

in anyone's shoes

for a Camel cigarette.

Actually,
I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet.

I walk all the way to work 5 days a week...and I walk the 50 yards home to.

Would you? Could you?
in a car?
Eat them! Eat them!
Here they are.

Little Rickie said:

How do you handle arriving at work sweaty and business ware?

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Cool/cold weather, I ride cold. Some people like to be warm, and worry about wicking sweat. Ride cold and you don't produce much. My commute in is mostly downhill. Shower just before leaving, and a touch up at the sink in the bathroom once arrived.

The winters scare me. Narrower roads and darkness. Stupid drivers. How do you handle/prepare for this?

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Dunno. I do have lights and reflectors, and I'm not afraid to stand up to a car. There are two rules for safe cycling.

1) Be visible
2) Be predictable.

Cars don't want to hit you. It's paperwork for them.

I try to bike commute as often as possible. During the three seasons, that means 3 to 4 times a week, 30 to 35 miles round trip through semi-rural southern NH. It's wonderful.

As far as safety goes, I used to take some numbered routes which gave me a straight shot to work. Along those, it took me only about 15 minutes longer than driving. But they were full of traffic destined for the long drive to MA, and construction and landscaping vehicles. I'd swear that I held my breath the entire time, hoping that I wouldn't get cut off, pushed into a ditch, screamed at, or hit head-on by cell phone users*. I did this for years, but hated it. Eventually I lost my nerve and stopped. Call me a wimp.

* I've never heard of an actual cell phone related bike/car fatality, but I've had several close calls. And yeah, I realize I have it easy compared with some city commutes.

Then, at the advice of some die hard bike commuters, I looked at my commute times and paths. In fact, there were relatively unused dirt roads and paths that paralleled my old commute. And if I left later, I avoided much of the traffic at choke point intersections. Cycling was fun again!

FWIW: In the winter, I don't ride if there is snow on the roads. Even on the side roads, the cars (and plows!) are just too unpredictable.


So, for me, the answer is yes. A safer bike commute has allowed me to ride to work.

When I lived in Watertown, I'd usually bike; once I took up running I eventually did bike/run Monday (leave the bike at the office), run/bike Tuesday, bike/bike Wednesday, Thursday like Monday, Friday like Tuesday. I carried my work clothes on bike days and rode in cycling clothes, ran in running clothes.

Now I walk the mile to work and need to make specific time for riding and running.

When I lived in Michigan, I drove to work (although it was only five miles) but took up cycling for groceries, etc. Even if commuting isn't a possibility, lots of trips in America are short (I forget what fraction is under 3 miles) and potentially bikeable or walkable.

Certainly changing our land use patterns would facilitate more nonmotorized transportation. I think that'll be part of the solution. NewHampshire's carpooling essentially cuts his commuting footprint in half, which is nothing to sneeze at either. To my thinking, a healthy future will involve a diverse mix of transportation options, not one "magic bullet."

Re: safety: education's an underrated component. John Allen's Cycling Street Smarts is a great starting point.

So Pete, do you concur with my observation that cars are much more polite when you're riding in the dark with lights on?

Tim