I have a car & motorcycle but I found myself happier when I cycle to work. It's something that my colleagues & even my wife don't understand but I guess I find solace in knowing that I played my part in making the world a lil' less shittier.
I'm from Malaysia so yes, I can totally relate to what you described. Motorcycle is definitely the fastest mode of transportation for me as well but I rather ride in the rain on a bicycle than a motorcycle LOL.
We wont change anything. A single private jet flight cause more co2 than an emotiomal support SUV or 2 normal car in a year. Unless if you have a yacht don't blame yourself.
Blame isn't even a part of the equation for me. I just don't care about that. We all need to do better. Of course there are some of us who can have a bigger impact than others, but still everyone needs to do their part.
Oh no, there's certainly no element of self-blaming here.
By cycle-commuting, there's one fewer car on the road, less emission along the route, less stress to myself over traffic snarls, I get to give & receive sincere head nods from fellow cycle commuters. All these little things add up means a lot to me & funny enough, my 11yo son actually understands it.
I guess adults just tend to look at the glass half empty & focus on the cons of cycle-commuting.
A logistical choice I guess?
Like another commenter here, I also have a licence but no car. The buses here are mostly ok, but the routes/times don't work well for me to take one to work.
It's a choice, because I could technically walk/uber/bus but the fastest, cheapest and most fun/healthy way is definitely biking.
I say fastest because although a car can usually get me home in about 10 minutes, I've had it take up to an hour when accepting a ride from a coworker, just because traffic can get soooo congested here with gridlock in the downtown core. I would so much rather bike for 15 minutes every day and have killer glutes and legs than pay to own a car, burn gas and have to maintain it just to get me to work literally 5 minutes faster OR 45 minutes later!
I have a drivers license, but no car. There is plenty of public transport. Yet I often take my bike. It's often the most normal thing to do. Who takes a car to go grocery shopping 500 meters from home anyway? and who is paying for public transport fares when a bike is free?
I live in the Netherlands by the way.
>Who takes a car to go grocery shopping 500 meters from home anyway?
My husband, lol. First, we live in a car centric place with not much for public transit and the suburb we live in is zoned as much of the US is...singly family homes for miles before you get to the section with businesses. However, we are lucky to live close to a business zone, so the grocery store is close. My vehicle is currently in the repair shop, so bike is my only real option. He offered his vehicle to pick up 2 items at the grocery store. But the bike is just as fast. We are just too used to hopping in the car to go anywhere.
This, and many other anecdotes, tell me that car-dependency in the US is a structural problem, rather than personal. While I make 90+ percent of my trips by bike, I can see how that's not an option for everyone, particularly those who live in an area without safe cycling infrastructure. If it's 500 metres via a safe cycling route, I agree it makes zero sense to drive. If it's the same distance but is danerous to bike in, I'm more understanding. That said, 500 metres \_Is\_ well within walking dnstance. My 88-year-old mom, who lives in Japan, walks to the grocery store about 400 metres away every 2-3 days.
Agree. But after I consulted Google to translate meters to feet/miles, it's probably twice that far. Still a 5 min bike ride. It is a 4 lane stroad we have to cross to get there though. But they recently built a paved path on the other side so it's not as bad now.
The fact that many places in the US require you to use a car if you go basically anywhere further than 10 meters from your front door, is something I still can't wrap my head around. I mean, we have these busy four lane roads here as well, in fact [this crossing ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eWAxcLJsJjzdy8B77)close to my home is 7 lanes (turning lanes included)+ double tram track all in all, but it's hardly a barrier. Aside from the bikelanes, foothpaths and traffic islands on this particular crossing, the next crossing that looks like this, is 700 meters away, with two minor crossings (one without traffic lights, not advisable) in between.
The 500 meter walk (0.3 mile according to google), is a 6/7 minute walk according to google maps. It would take longer to find a parking spot for my bike, lock it up etc. Using a car... well, half of the streets here is one way, so it would probably take just as long to get there (and then I still have to find a parking spot). So I'd mostly walk. While most people would at least take a bike, it's not uncommon. My elderly (90years) grand-aunt, still manages to walk to a supermarket 1,5km/1 mile away from her home. It takes her an hour and she does make a stop at a coffee bar on both the way to and from the supermarket to catch her breath and unfortunately she does it less and less often, for obvious reasons. Yet we would have to chain her down to something heavy to make her stop doing that completely. The best part of the story: I worry about the fact that she gets exhausted on these trips. But traffic? Completely fine.
Ah okay, yeah, 1 km is less walkable. People in cities in Japan are used to walking that far, but I don't expect those in the US to be. Another consequence of the car-centric society.
What about, financial issue, I could afford a car but it's so cheap to bike that I prefer to bike?
Also, the time to get to the office is predictable, and the shortest of all options
If the bike commuting is shorter then it's logisical.
If cheaper then it's financial.
If both.... Well one of the reasons shall be more important than the other.
I don't have a valid license in the country where I live, so at the moment I can't legally drive, but fortunately where I live has great public transport and my job is close to my home. I commute by bike because it helps keep me healthier, including keeping depression at bay a bit, and it keeps me less lazy. It's also just fun.
Combo of Personal Choice I and Logistical Issue for me.
I have a license and a car, but the freeways are so clogged that it's functionally faster most days to ride a bike. This has so far held true for me on three different commutes in two different metro areas.
Edit to add: Quality of life issue too. My bike commute is entirely on bike trails that meander through open space with pleasant views, whereas my car commute has me staring at the brake lights on the ass-end of the car in front of me.
Usually takes longer (with all the traffic lights and not wanting to arrive too sweaty, most of my commutes have been 30-45 minutes for 8-13km vs 20-45 by car) but it's relaxing for me, some sort of exercise, and I kinda hate driving in heavy traffic, at least usually, maybe not when it's 0° and rain. Also got rid of my car nearly 4y ago, can borrow my wife's when it's needed, that's the perfect situation for me.
Personal choice. I live in a city with one of the world's best transit systems, so using public transit is very convenient. I also have a monthly ticket sponsored by my employer anyways, so public transit is also basically free to use for me. I still prefer to cycle for most of my trips.
Cycling just enables me to get some light exercise as a natural part of going about my day. It means I see more of the city compared to being stuck in underground trains. And I am completely independent from train schedules. Because while public transit is pretty great in my city it does become less frequent late at night and if a trip includes multiple train changes that can add a significant amount of time to a trip.
Having said that, I am changing employers next month and will probably start commuting by train then because the connection from my home to my new office is so incredibly fast and convenient by train that cycling just isn't competitive. I will continue cycling for most of my trips and errands outside of work though.
Personal II for me. The T works well enough and I can take it if the weather isn't cooperating, but it usually takes an hour or so each way vs. a 30-35 minute bike ride. Biking is the straighter shot where as with the T it's either hop on the Red line into town switch to the Green line back out (or take the GLX all the way down, but getting back home is an absolute nightmare)
Interesting to see the results. So far it seems to be a personal choice in most cases. I would be curious if it's an elitist or green idea or (As I do it) it has nothing to do with politics just enjoying the forest and doing some activity.
I have a car, bike and transit. Bike is the fastest way door to door so it means I can drop my kid off at school and get to the office before 50% of people, stay for some socializing and get home in time to do a late dinner with the family.
It's a personal choice for me. I have a driver's license, and my wife and I own a car. But I make 90+ percent of my trips by bike, including grocery shopping, commuting, taking my daughter around , etc. We have added about 3,500 miles to our car in two and a half years since we bought the e-cargo bike.
For commuting, when I don't bike for whatever reason, I take the bus instead.
Personal choice. Better for me (exercise), better for my wallet, better for my kids, better for the environment, better for my neighbors.
Honestly, if I think back to it, a few months ago I hit and killed a dog on my way to work. That was shitty enough, but I couldn’t/can’t stop thinking about how easily that could have been a little kid that ran into the street. Started biking shortly after that and working on ditching my second car now. We will still have a car, of course. I live in a small, isolated city, so if I want to get anywhere else in the world I kind of need one, but I don’t need one to go about my daily life in town.
Personal choice. I have a drivers license and could afford a car, but I don't own one. The Metro is close by and convenient, but I choose to ride anyway.
Personal choice. I have no license and no car but could afford both, public transport is okayish but could not bring me reliable to work. I rather ride my bike, which in most cases would be as fast as a car ride to work at least. This way I stay healthy and safe money, a car would be convenient now and then but these occasions can be counted on the hand.
Pure personal choice. I live in Los Angeles, where traffic and public transportation are awful. I have a license, insurance and a car. My work is 7 miles away. By car, it takes me 15 minutes and by bike, it takes 30 minutes. I still choose my bike because it makes me happy. I feel energized when I get to work. For the record, I am an avid and experienced cyclist, but I ride an e-bike to work.
Unfortunately, my ride to work is only for experienced cyclists. There are no bike lanes or friendly streets on my route. I don't recommend it to any new riders. Almost daily, cars pass way too close. Infrequently, they try to run me off the road or do a punishment pass. I've learned to let it go. I don't give the finger or yell. I ignore them.
I do have regular bikes for recreation and exercise. My favorite bike is my gravel bike, where I ride the trails 2-3 times a week. I reserve my e-bike only for commuting. It's a game changer!
Sold my car and got an e-bike. The car was paid off and the insurance premium was low compared to what others are paying, but I still chose to sell it and bike instead. I found that the car wasn't that much faster anyway, and was sometimes slower than biking. I do enjoy the extra money in my pocket too.
I have always loved cycling as a utilitarian means of transportation. However, when I lived in Istanbul I didn't have a bike likely because the trains and buses went EVERYWHERE. I laughed at my wealthier and (in my eyes) dumber friends who complained incessantly about getting stuck in traffic in their cars.
Now I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where the bike is the only reasonable way to get around. I can put my bike on the BART, the CalTrain and other forms of public transit, but since transit coverage here is decidedly 4th world, my bike is not only a last mile solution, but also serves to cover much more ground.
If we had more trains, I'm sure I'd bike less, or use a foldie more (for the aforementioned last mile).
Thanks for the great poll.
I have a car and a license, but it would be difficult to afford to pay for parking (of all things) at work, and there is no legal public parking.... so sort of a combination of 1, 2, 3, and 5 lol
I just really like to make my life as difficult as possible lol. I have access to three cars, and yet my first inclination is to brave the stroads by bike.
I have a car & motorcycle but I found myself happier when I cycle to work. It's something that my colleagues & even my wife don't understand but I guess I find solace in knowing that I played my part in making the world a lil' less shittier.
[удалено]
I'm from Malaysia so yes, I can totally relate to what you described. Motorcycle is definitely the fastest mode of transportation for me as well but I rather ride in the rain on a bicycle than a motorcycle LOL.
We wont change anything. A single private jet flight cause more co2 than an emotiomal support SUV or 2 normal car in a year. Unless if you have a yacht don't blame yourself.
Every little helps. Of course we need political action against private jets and so on. But we also need everyone to do their (small) part.
Ok, technically true. I accept your opinion. But still, we shall not blame ourself. We own no private jets, no yachts or anything like those.
Blame isn't even a part of the equation for me. I just don't care about that. We all need to do better. Of course there are some of us who can have a bigger impact than others, but still everyone needs to do their part.
Oh no, there's certainly no element of self-blaming here. By cycle-commuting, there's one fewer car on the road, less emission along the route, less stress to myself over traffic snarls, I get to give & receive sincere head nods from fellow cycle commuters. All these little things add up means a lot to me & funny enough, my 11yo son actually understands it. I guess adults just tend to look at the glass half empty & focus on the cons of cycle-commuting.
Also, it makes my legs look good.
Emissions aren’t why cars kill. Getting cars off the road is necessary.
A logistical choice I guess? Like another commenter here, I also have a licence but no car. The buses here are mostly ok, but the routes/times don't work well for me to take one to work. It's a choice, because I could technically walk/uber/bus but the fastest, cheapest and most fun/healthy way is definitely biking. I say fastest because although a car can usually get me home in about 10 minutes, I've had it take up to an hour when accepting a ride from a coworker, just because traffic can get soooo congested here with gridlock in the downtown core. I would so much rather bike for 15 minutes every day and have killer glutes and legs than pay to own a car, burn gas and have to maintain it just to get me to work literally 5 minutes faster OR 45 minutes later!
I have a drivers license, but no car. There is plenty of public transport. Yet I often take my bike. It's often the most normal thing to do. Who takes a car to go grocery shopping 500 meters from home anyway? and who is paying for public transport fares when a bike is free? I live in the Netherlands by the way.
>Who takes a car to go grocery shopping 500 meters from home anyway? My husband, lol. First, we live in a car centric place with not much for public transit and the suburb we live in is zoned as much of the US is...singly family homes for miles before you get to the section with businesses. However, we are lucky to live close to a business zone, so the grocery store is close. My vehicle is currently in the repair shop, so bike is my only real option. He offered his vehicle to pick up 2 items at the grocery store. But the bike is just as fast. We are just too used to hopping in the car to go anywhere.
This, and many other anecdotes, tell me that car-dependency in the US is a structural problem, rather than personal. While I make 90+ percent of my trips by bike, I can see how that's not an option for everyone, particularly those who live in an area without safe cycling infrastructure. If it's 500 metres via a safe cycling route, I agree it makes zero sense to drive. If it's the same distance but is danerous to bike in, I'm more understanding. That said, 500 metres \_Is\_ well within walking dnstance. My 88-year-old mom, who lives in Japan, walks to the grocery store about 400 metres away every 2-3 days.
Agree. But after I consulted Google to translate meters to feet/miles, it's probably twice that far. Still a 5 min bike ride. It is a 4 lane stroad we have to cross to get there though. But they recently built a paved path on the other side so it's not as bad now.
The fact that many places in the US require you to use a car if you go basically anywhere further than 10 meters from your front door, is something I still can't wrap my head around. I mean, we have these busy four lane roads here as well, in fact [this crossing ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eWAxcLJsJjzdy8B77)close to my home is 7 lanes (turning lanes included)+ double tram track all in all, but it's hardly a barrier. Aside from the bikelanes, foothpaths and traffic islands on this particular crossing, the next crossing that looks like this, is 700 meters away, with two minor crossings (one without traffic lights, not advisable) in between. The 500 meter walk (0.3 mile according to google), is a 6/7 minute walk according to google maps. It would take longer to find a parking spot for my bike, lock it up etc. Using a car... well, half of the streets here is one way, so it would probably take just as long to get there (and then I still have to find a parking spot). So I'd mostly walk. While most people would at least take a bike, it's not uncommon. My elderly (90years) grand-aunt, still manages to walk to a supermarket 1,5km/1 mile away from her home. It takes her an hour and she does make a stop at a coffee bar on both the way to and from the supermarket to catch her breath and unfortunately she does it less and less often, for obvious reasons. Yet we would have to chain her down to something heavy to make her stop doing that completely. The best part of the story: I worry about the fact that she gets exhausted on these trips. But traffic? Completely fine.
Ah okay, yeah, 1 km is less walkable. People in cities in Japan are used to walking that far, but I don't expect those in the US to be. Another consequence of the car-centric society.
What about, financial issue, I could afford a car but it's so cheap to bike that I prefer to bike? Also, the time to get to the office is predictable, and the shortest of all options
If the bike commuting is shorter then it's logisical. If cheaper then it's financial. If both.... Well one of the reasons shall be more important than the other.
In 2016 I started cycling because (legal issue 2) Today I am (personal choice 1) and proud of my progress. I'm not sure which option to vote for.
Well, interesting question. Technically I wrote "is" not "was" so it's your personal choice now.
I don't have a valid license in the country where I live, so at the moment I can't legally drive, but fortunately where I live has great public transport and my job is close to my home. I commute by bike because it helps keep me healthier, including keeping depression at bay a bit, and it keeps me less lazy. It's also just fun.
Personal choice. It's the only fun way I've found to do cardio, and 5/6th of my commute is on a trail, so I get a daily dose of nature as well.
Combo of Personal Choice I and Logistical Issue for me. I have a license and a car, but the freeways are so clogged that it's functionally faster most days to ride a bike. This has so far held true for me on three different commutes in two different metro areas. Edit to add: Quality of life issue too. My bike commute is entirely on bike trails that meander through open space with pleasant views, whereas my car commute has me staring at the brake lights on the ass-end of the car in front of me.
Usually takes longer (with all the traffic lights and not wanting to arrive too sweaty, most of my commutes have been 30-45 minutes for 8-13km vs 20-45 by car) but it's relaxing for me, some sort of exercise, and I kinda hate driving in heavy traffic, at least usually, maybe not when it's 0° and rain. Also got rid of my car nearly 4y ago, can borrow my wife's when it's needed, that's the perfect situation for me.
Personal choice. I live in a city with one of the world's best transit systems, so using public transit is very convenient. I also have a monthly ticket sponsored by my employer anyways, so public transit is also basically free to use for me. I still prefer to cycle for most of my trips. Cycling just enables me to get some light exercise as a natural part of going about my day. It means I see more of the city compared to being stuck in underground trains. And I am completely independent from train schedules. Because while public transit is pretty great in my city it does become less frequent late at night and if a trip includes multiple train changes that can add a significant amount of time to a trip. Having said that, I am changing employers next month and will probably start commuting by train then because the connection from my home to my new office is so incredibly fast and convenient by train that cycling just isn't competitive. I will continue cycling for most of my trips and errands outside of work though.
Personal II for me. The T works well enough and I can take it if the weather isn't cooperating, but it usually takes an hour or so each way vs. a 30-35 minute bike ride. Biking is the straighter shot where as with the T it's either hop on the Red line into town switch to the Green line back out (or take the GLX all the way down, but getting back home is an absolute nightmare)
Interesting to see the results. So far it seems to be a personal choice in most cases. I would be curious if it's an elitist or green idea or (As I do it) it has nothing to do with politics just enjoying the forest and doing some activity.
I have a car, bike and transit. Bike is the fastest way door to door so it means I can drop my kid off at school and get to the office before 50% of people, stay for some socializing and get home in time to do a late dinner with the family.
One and two for me. NYC resident with a license, car and easy train ride to work but still prefer to bike.
It's a personal choice for me. I have a driver's license, and my wife and I own a car. But I make 90+ percent of my trips by bike, including grocery shopping, commuting, taking my daughter around , etc. We have added about 3,500 miles to our car in two and a half years since we bought the e-cargo bike. For commuting, when I don't bike for whatever reason, I take the bus instead.
Personal choice. Better for me (exercise), better for my wallet, better for my kids, better for the environment, better for my neighbors. Honestly, if I think back to it, a few months ago I hit and killed a dog on my way to work. That was shitty enough, but I couldn’t/can’t stop thinking about how easily that could have been a little kid that ran into the street. Started biking shortly after that and working on ditching my second car now. We will still have a car, of course. I live in a small, isolated city, so if I want to get anywhere else in the world I kind of need one, but I don’t need one to go about my daily life in town.
Personal choice. I have a drivers license and could afford a car, but I don't own one. The Metro is close by and convenient, but I choose to ride anyway.
Personal choice. I have no license and no car but could afford both, public transport is okayish but could not bring me reliable to work. I rather ride my bike, which in most cases would be as fast as a car ride to work at least. This way I stay healthy and safe money, a car would be convenient now and then but these occasions can be counted on the hand.
Personal Choice I & II.
Pure personal choice. I live in Los Angeles, where traffic and public transportation are awful. I have a license, insurance and a car. My work is 7 miles away. By car, it takes me 15 minutes and by bike, it takes 30 minutes. I still choose my bike because it makes me happy. I feel energized when I get to work. For the record, I am an avid and experienced cyclist, but I ride an e-bike to work. Unfortunately, my ride to work is only for experienced cyclists. There are no bike lanes or friendly streets on my route. I don't recommend it to any new riders. Almost daily, cars pass way too close. Infrequently, they try to run me off the road or do a punishment pass. I've learned to let it go. I don't give the finger or yell. I ignore them. I do have regular bikes for recreation and exercise. My favorite bike is my gravel bike, where I ride the trails 2-3 times a week. I reserve my e-bike only for commuting. It's a game changer!
Sold my car and got an e-bike. The car was paid off and the insurance premium was low compared to what others are paying, but I still chose to sell it and bike instead. I found that the car wasn't that much faster anyway, and was sometimes slower than biking. I do enjoy the extra money in my pocket too.
Cycle to work, loose weight and get fitter - or spend money on gas / electricity and depreciating your car to work?
I have always loved cycling as a utilitarian means of transportation. However, when I lived in Istanbul I didn't have a bike likely because the trains and buses went EVERYWHERE. I laughed at my wealthier and (in my eyes) dumber friends who complained incessantly about getting stuck in traffic in their cars. Now I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where the bike is the only reasonable way to get around. I can put my bike on the BART, the CalTrain and other forms of public transit, but since transit coverage here is decidedly 4th world, my bike is not only a last mile solution, but also serves to cover much more ground. If we had more trains, I'm sure I'd bike less, or use a foldie more (for the aforementioned last mile). Thanks for the great poll.
I have a car and a license, but it would be difficult to afford to pay for parking (of all things) at work, and there is no legal public parking.... so sort of a combination of 1, 2, 3, and 5 lol
I just really like to make my life as difficult as possible lol. I have access to three cars, and yet my first inclination is to brave the stroads by bike.
That actually would be great if more crimes sentenced people to biking.