Biking as main transportation
Posted by ledzepfan12 on Jul 14, 2008 · Member since Jan 2007 · 675 posts
I am very seriously considering biking as my main means of transportation. I have thought long and hard about it and I know how incredibly stupid and just plain bad drivers are (that's my only major issue, the people!), but I at least want to try it out for a while. I don't plan on starting immediately because I want to get used to riding again, learn to ride alongside cars the proper way and, you know, get a bicycle. ;)b
So, basically, I'm interested in hearing your opinion on biking as opposed to driving and would you do it realistically.
I have a scooter (which gets 90 miles to the gallon), so gas prices haven't really affected me too much.
I don't drive (don't have a license; never have), and I bike to and from work (and anywhere else I got go w/o my husband). He also bikes to work though, every day. I just got my bike a couple of weeks ago, or so (waited to get one for a long time), and it only took me like 1 time to get used to it..(I was scared at first, also). We have the luxury of bike lanes on most streets..and fairly courteous drivers..but I HIGHLY recommend it...for multiple reasons. I love knowing that I'm getting at least 30 minutes of good cardio every day. It's really great. ;)b
Explain scooters to me though...I mean..why not have a bicycle? Just to be quicker? ???
My scooter goes 40 miles per hour. It's really great! http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/model.asp?ModelName=Metropolitan&ModelYear=2008&ModelId=CHF508
I can drive on the road, just like a car. It's perfect for me to drive in town. However, it cannot be driven on the freeway.
It's faster than a bike.
I live in Portland, OR where many people, sometimes whole families, rely on the bike as their main mode of transportation. It's doable but takes a bit of planning.
First thing that I would recommend is to contact the bicycling organization in your city. They will have all sorts of resources for you.
Go to a local bike shop and talk to the people there. They can tell you about bikes and give you some tips.
Right now its summer so weather isn't much of an issue but in the other seasons you need to have proper clothes for riding. i don't mean team jerseys and spandex shorts ;) I mean a good rain poncho suitable for riding, rain pants, gloves.
If you google the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, they have some good resources on their website, including safety videos about riding in traffic.
You may want to sign up with Zipcar or one of those carshares if they are in your city so that you can have access to a car for those times when you absolutely must have one.
Good luck! You can do it!
I don't have a car (the BF has one for when we need to run a lot of errands). I ride my bike everywhere. I lived in the Phoenix metro area for 4 years without a car and rode my bike 3.5 miles (one way) to work in the dead of summer. It's not fabulous, but it's cheap and good exercise. Now, I only have to bike 1.5 miles to work and it's not deathly hot since I moved to Colorado. I'm planning to ride through the winter, too, and have read up on "ice biking" or winter biking. For me, a car just isn't financially feasible right now (even ignoring gas prices) and I like riding a bike. I can get a good amount of groceries home on my basket (could get twice as much if I bought another side basket) and in a backpack.
I highly recommend it ;)b
Edited to add: I also work at a dog rescue and thus it doesn't matter if I show up to work sweaty/gross if it's hot outside. This may be an issue for those with office jobs or other careers that demand better hygiene. Just thought I'd throw that out there because depending on the length of your commute, you could get a little sweaty...
I had to say yes, if it weren't for idiot drivers. Tampa is NOT cycle-friendly! There are few bike lanes in the city and where you find them, people tend to use them as turn lanes or to go around stopped traffic that is turning left.
I had to say yes, if it weren't for idiot drivers. Tampa is NOT cycle-friendly! There are few bike lanes in the city and where you find them, people tend to use them as turn lanes or to go around stopped traffic that is turning left.
Same for the Chicago 'burbs. I biked to work one Sunday at 10am as a trial run. Distance was no problem but nearly got run over about 5 times so I dread to think what it was like in the weeday rushhour. Downtown Chicago may be a bit different as I read in paper a lot of articles about people who bike down there, but the 'Burbs forget it if you value your life!!!
Yes, I would also like to bike to work. I calculated the distance taking back roads & it's about 5 miles. I think I will have to work up the stamina for this since I don't bike at all. However, I'm more concerned about making it there alive. Bike lanes do not exist here. People don't even stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. My previous job was only about a mile away. However, I surely would have been hit by a car crossing this one intersection on my bike. It's a shame that people can't bike without taking their life into their hands.
Are their organizations that work with cities,townships,what have you, to develop bike lanes?
BTW - I've thought about a scooter as well, however most people do 55 in 35 mph & it would freak me out to be on a scooter & have someone riding my ass.
I did bike to work for about 3 weeks but I was forced to stop and start driving again.
I am getting too pregnant to be comfortable on a bike, and the weather is too hot. The more pregnant I get, the worse and more oppresive the heat feels. And the bike is now just so uncomfortable and my belly is getting too big. But mainly it is the weather, the heat is too much, I just can't handle it, it makes me feel nauseated and sick. I can't even go outside for walks because I sweat like crazy, and get dizzy, even just for a short 10 minute walk, not brisk walk, just walk. I have never known a time when the heat bothered me so badly.
I think it would be useful to post this: http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/index.htm
It talks a lot about how to ride properly (and its not the way people have usually been taught to ride a bike) and how to ride without bike lanes, alongside cars in the acutal lane, among other things. I live about 30 or so miles from work round trip and there are two ways to get there, one where I will surely get hit and left for dead and one where there's only one sort of dangerous part.
i used to ride in pittsburgh for fun and to classes during college because it was fast, cheap, and there were no meters to deal with. but now i live about 5 miles from my work, i live at the bottom of a large hill, and my school is at the top. i certainly miss biking around, and my town is bike friendly, but i would be so incredibly sweaty when i got to work... i cant imagine it would go over well with my principal.
i want to get another bike (my friend at college lost my bike!) to ride to the grocery store, where it doesnt matter how sweaty i am!
where do you live? in a city? rural area? is it flat or hilly?
No, I would not bike to work. Not because I don't know how or wouldn't like the exercise. I had surgery for scoliosis and the metal rod in my back makes it extremely uncomfortable due to the position.
I don't bike to work because the roads near my work are not real safe & I wouldn't want to sit in this freezing cold office all day if I'm already sweaty.
I do use my bike for going around town, like to the gym, post office, bank, grocery/liquor store if I just need a couple things. I really enjoy it.
I have a scooter (which gets 90 miles to the gallon), so gas prices haven't really affected me too much.
Me too! I like to bike to/from work when I can, but sometimes it's just not feasible. I bike during temperate weather, ride the scooter in less temperate weather and during the hottest days of the summer, and take the metro for the real extreme cold weather.
Explain scooters to me though...I mean..why not have a bicycle? Just to be quicker? ???
My scooter goes up to 45mph as well. I love biking, but my "commute" is very hilly, and sometimes I just can't commit to a whole cardio workout before/after work. And yes, it is faster and easier. I also don't have the means to carry as much stuff on my bicycle as I do on my scooter, so sometimes it's a matter of carry-load.
i do not drive at all (don't own a car) and pretty much bike everywhere.
i would say in terms of safety you just have to be comfortable on a bike and know how to make sure the idiot drivers are aware of you and your movements. as a biker you are obviously very vulnerable, but i take issue with people feeling that they are safe in a car just because they are surrounded by it. both are "unsafe", so to speak.
i am basically 100% for bicycles and bicycle commuting.
Wait, I don't even know what a scooter is. Pics?
I bike to work, and everywhere else. I love it. Never having to look for a parking spot is an added plus. I am fortunate to live in a place that is pretty bike friendly, but I agree with hespedal that part of it is getting used to biking with traffic.
I have a car, but only use it when I go out of town.
And ledzepfan! Thanks for posting that link!!! There is so much cool stuff on there, ESPECIALLY THE HUUUUUGE PAGE ON BIKE CAMPING!!!!! That guy is awesome.
Anyone wanna check it out and sew me some panniers? (PP sucks at sewing...)
My scooter goes up to 45mph as well. I love biking, but my "commute" is very hilly, and sometimes I just can't commit to a whole cardio workout before/after work. And yes, it is faster and easier. I also don't have the means to carry as much stuff on my bicycle as I do on my scooter, so sometimes it's a matter of carry-load.
Thanks for the explanation!
I bike to work, and everywhere else. I love it. Never having to look for a parking spot is an added plus. I am fortunate to live in a place that is pretty bike friendly, but I agree with hespedal that part of it is getting used to biking with traffic.
I have a car, but only use it when I go out of town.
And ledzepfan! Thanks for posting that link!!! There is so much cool stuff on there, ESPECIALLY THE HUUUUUGE PAGE ON BIKE CAMPING!!!!! That guy is awesome.
Anyone wanna check it out and sew me some panniers? (PP sucks at sewing...)
What link I can't find one.
after two knee surgeries, bicycling, no matter how much I used to love it, is now pretty much out of the question....
Pages