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One year of cycling to work

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Re: One year of cycling to work

#51

Post by hycaria »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #19
jordache wrote: post #7

that short of a commute? that's a no brainer for cycling to work.

If anything, it's a little bit short. At that distance, IMO it's more convenient to just pedal slowly while wearing cotton to avoid the hassle of having to shower at work. 10km or so is about perfect IMO. Long enough that it's worth the hassle to get sweaty and have a "real ride", but short enough that you still do it on days where you have a packed schedule. But even better is a 2km commute. Walking is by far the mo…

I have 2km and walk but I'm contemplating if I should use my old bike...

Re: One year of cycling to work

#52

Post by deathanatos »

dominotw wrote: post #23
lj3 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cycled every day for 7 years all over the San Francisco Bay Area without ever once being hit by a car or getting a door prize. I didn't run red lights and I maintained situational awareness at all times. And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available.

> And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available. to avoid getting doored? Wouldn't this slow the traffic.

I do this to "take the lane"; essentially, if I'm in the middle of a lane, there is some reason why I want that lane — usually my own safety due to some other hazard, or perhaps I'm going to make an upcoming left — and I want/need drivers near me to essentially give me the same respect they'd give a car.

Typically, the idea is that I would like drivers behind me to not pass me in the same lane that I'm in — that is, I'm trying to avoid having a driver do the typical half-assed job of passing by trying to squeeze their SUV in the same lane as me. (i.e., if you want to pass me, use another lane, not this one. If there isn't another lane: tough, I'll be out of your way ASAP — I don't like having a car behind me any more than a driver likes having a biker in front of them.)

> Wouldn't this slow the traffic.

Sometimes, yes. For me, most of the routes I take the car traffic moves at approximately the same speed or slower. If there's a huge speed difference and traffic is much faster, I'll usually avoid left turns and use a crosswalk to "turn", if I think that's safer. (Which has its own tradeoffs: one has to be very careful and ensure that drivers in the lane next to you are going to actually stop at the crosswalk before you enter it. Just because the light is red hardly means anything, and a lot of drivers will overshoot the stop line if they don't think anyone is going to be in the crosswalk when they do so.)

Re: One year of cycling to work

#53

Post by deathanatos »

lj3 wrote: post #15
zawerf wrote: post #3

Getting hit by a car within a year is an anomaly right? He brushed it off as his "only accident" like it's supposed to be more commonplace.

I cycled every day for 7 years all over the San Francisco Bay Area without ever once being hit by a car or getting a door prize. I didn't run red lights and I maintained situational awareness at all times. And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available.

I also bike in the SFBA. I also drive there, too.

> I didn't run red lights

Thank you. As both a biker and a driver, I appreciate this. Too many bikers don't do this, and I've witnessed too many close calls for those that don't. I've been heckled by other bikers for stopping at red lights, so I know that sometimes this can be a pain to actually stick to.

Re: One year of cycling to work

#54

Post by hobofan »

dominotw wrote: post #23
lj3 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cycled every day for 7 years all over the San Francisco Bay Area without ever once being hit by a car or getting a door prize. I didn't run red lights and I maintained situational awareness at all times. And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available.

> And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available. to avoid getting doored? Wouldn't this slow the traffic.

Sure it slows traffic, but it's not really the bicyclist's fault if the bicycle lane is filled with unloading delivery trucks or the city planners made it too narrow.

Re: One year of cycling to work

#55

Post by 4509 »

vivan wrote: post #24
reti wrote: post #17

I cycle around 3 times the distance he does daily to and from work in London. I've been doing this for 5 years. It's probably fair to say I take more days off than he does though (I leave the bike at home if going for a drink). I suppose the same could be said for any form of regular exercise, but it makes such an improvement to how I feel when I get to work, and my general well-being. The pollution in London has alw…

I live in London and I'd love to cycle to work, but the infrastructure (for my route) just isn't there. And for people who aren't experienced cyclists, it is even worse as lack of confidence actually leads to more accidents.

BRouter might find you a better route

http://brouter.de/brouter-web/#zoom=13&lat=51.5097&lon=-0.12...

Re: One year of cycling to work

#56

Post by unicornporn »

trevyn wrote: post #46
unicornporn wrote: post #34

I'm at my 12 year of every day bike commuting. Before I commuted 10 km each direction, now I'm at 6 km. If I have activities after work, I ride to them too. So my total ride length is a fair bit longer than what my commute is. The public transportation network here in Stockholm is good, but wouldn't even consider cramming myself into a packed subway train or bus. Even at this time of the year when it's -5 degrees cel…

Have you gotten in accidents?

I've fallen thrice (that I can remember). Two of these times was when I was stupid enough to ride on ice with slicks. The third time I tried to pull some fancy trick up a curb (just stupid). So, I've scratched my jeans. Other than that: nothing (touch wood). Nowadays I run studded tyres in the winter and they're crazy effective.

I don't recommend riding without a helmet or hövding, but this article gives you some insights into the risks of riding a bike in cities: https://www.vox.com/2014/5/16/5720762/stop-forcing-people-to...

Re: One year of cycling to work

#57

Post by EastLondonCoder »

Interesting to see comments about bike commuting in Stockholm and London since I tried it in both cities. Commuting by bike in Stockholm is a breeze even if you are biking in parts of the city with lots of traffic. Its also a beautiful city which adds to the experience.

I have tried to commute by bike in London but its to scary for me. I think it would be fine if you can find a path through residential areas, but for me thats impossible. Biking in the central parts of London I feel that a slight lapse in concentration could end up with a very bad accident.

Re: One year of cycling to work

#58

Post by VyseofArcadia »

izym wrote: post #28
VyseofArcadia wrote: post #26

Getting home at 17:00? I don't even get off work until 17:30, and if I'm lucky I get home before 18:30. Even cycling I'd only shave maybe 15 minutes off my commute, and if I'm really lucky I'd make it home alive. I wish I lived somewhere with more sustainable work hours and bike-friendly traffic. I'm totally drained when I finally get home.

When do you get in though?

8:30. My hours aren't all that terrible, but after burning the candle at both ends for the better part of a decade of grad school, I'm a little worried about burning out.

Re: One year of cycling to work

#59

Post by ibdf »

I have a short commute to work, only 2.2 miles each way, but I have been doing it for the last 2 years every workday, under any conditions. From the very beginning I told myself, no excuses. I also realized that if I wanted to stick to it, I would want to be comfortable and not miserable, so I bought gear for the rainy days and winter weather, and a nice backpack to carry everything I need. I live in a big city, so driving and parking is always a challenge... it's nice not to worry about it where to park and how bad is the traffic.

Re: One year of cycling to work

#60

Post by darklajid »

I commuted by bike (6km one way) in Tel Aviv, Israel and it was awesome. Great route, bike lanes/parks and a (tiny, but who cares) shower in the office. Did that for one year straight, just like the person in the article.

Now I'm living in Singapore, a city that has a traffic problem and tries to reduce the cars on the streets. You'd think they would welcome bikes, but riding a bike here sucks. Big time. It's basically unbearable.

There are no sidewalks to speak of on a lot of roads. Often the sidewalks are divided in two segments of different heights. Tables will be on the sidewalk, garbage bins will block it.

Riding on the road - the norm in my home country - is discouraged by every local I've met, both bike fans and car drivers. You can ride the bike in this city, sometimes, in some places. But it's a pain in the rear to use it for commutes and a very, very bad experience around the central part of Singapore. Park connectors/outward regions are fine, but the traffic infested center is no place for a bike, which is quite sad..

What I'm trying to say is: I agree that the article describes a great way to live, something I dearly miss. I believe that this isn't possible for a lot of people though, in spite of the benefits it would provide to them and their surroundings.

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