Lazy Bikers

[TwoWheelsDC]

Like Justin, I get a lot of people saying things like “wow, you ride to work? good for you!” Unfortunately, I don’t really have the time to break it down for them:

Commute time by car in ideal conditions: 25 minutes
Commute time by car in normal conditions: 30 minutes
Commute time by car in bad conditions: 45-75 minutes
Extra time for exercise: 40 minutes

Commute time by bike in ideal conditions: 30 minutes
Commute time by bike in normal conditions: 30 minutes
Commute time by bike in bad conditions: 30 minutes
Extra time for exercise: 0, commute is exercise!

Commuting cost for car (round trip, gas only): ~$2
Commuting cost for bike: $0

[KelOnWheels]

Seriously. I can get to work and I don’t even have to put on PANTS first.

[Mikey]

on rainy days I wear my pajamas under my rain gear for comfort and warmth. Nothing better than riding to work in your PJs!

[Steve]

What a great post. I think it has a lot to do with the perception of cycling as a fitness activity, which to a large part is self imposed by the cycling community. The result of this is that people think it is hard and requires great fitness. I know that’s why I got into cycling…my knees hurt from running and I wanted to stay fit. But over time you start to understand that to get a great workout out of cycling usually requires hours on the bike (road bikes especially, I know fat wheel bikes can be must harder), because they are TOO efficient. So in reality, most rides don’t require a ton of effort, and can get you places really easily. It is safe, reliable, and cheap, and while it’s not the greatest workout ever, it at least has a positive health benefit. Probably more than the physical health benefits are the mental health benefits associated with being out of traffic and congestion.
This post just really hit home as I was just talking with my brother in Cincinnati about their terrible bike infrastructure. He jokingly called me “green” and I had to admit that my love of cycling doesn’t come from any sort of environmental concern, even though it makes me happy that cycling has a positive impact there. I just think many times it is the best form of transportation. It’s as simple as that.

[thucydides]

Getting people to think of bikes as utilitarian tools — rather than merely for recreation or fitness — is one of the biggest obstacles to increasing cycling in the US. It’s virtually a given in many parts of Europe. That said, in many respects I don’t see cycling as lazy. Instead every time I consider taking a utilitarian trip on my bike I have a conversation in my head. Can I get there from here efficiently and one piece? Work, sure. My kids’ schools, sure. My doctors, yep. Harris Teeter? A bit tricky but sure. Target? Hmmm. Home depot? Ugh. Once I get there what can I do with my bike? Work? My office. Harris Teeter? Well, I’ll lock it to this fence dealie. That kind of works. Doctors? Okay, well there’s that post over there. Hey who the hell stole my bike…. In other words, far too often I find the lazy way out to be not biking because of biking unfriendly roads, the ridiculously sparse amount of reasonable bike racks, and theft. Sorry to be so curmudgeonly.

[Arlingtonrider]

With a good U lock and a cable, I’ll go to pretty much all bikeable locations without worry. I switched to a different Target location that is easier to get to by bike (Potomac Yards) than the one I had been going to by car. My big obstacle used to be how to carry the U lock and cable easily, but now that I ride with a pannier almost all the time, that isn’t a problem. Home Depot is still not a bike destination for me (nor is REI, sadly), but Ayers Hardware has a nice beer garden next to it. . The challenge I face sometimes is finding a good (safe) route to places, but there are a lot of tools that help, and the trail system is good.

I just wish they had a counter on the Bluemont so that my trips to Ballston and Clarendon would be counted!

[Tim Kelley]

@Arlingtonrider 37181 wrote:

I just wish they had a counter on the Bluemont so that my trips to Ballston and Clarendon would be counted!

Which section of the Bluemont do you ride? I thought I noticed one by Kensington I believe, and another one up by Buchanan. (I’m not sure about the latest install schedule, but I thought there were some slated to go in there)

[Arlingtonrider]

It’s been a little while since I’ve ridden it. Will try to check it out next weekend. Maybe I just didn’t notice them. I was looking at an online map of where the counters are yesterday and was surprised not to see any shown for the Bluemont, at least on that map.

[Tim Kelley]

@Arlingtonrider 37187 wrote:

It’s been a little while since I’ve ridden it. Will try to check it out next weekend. Maybe I just didn’t notice them. I was looking at an online map of where the counters are yesterday and was surprised not to see any shown for the Bluemont, at least on that map.

You were reading Mark’s article? The links to the BA page in there are out of date–we’re waiting for an overhaul of data from the County planners before we can do a major update. I think we’re up to 27 counters all over the County.

[Arlingtonrider]

Yarp. That probably explains it. Glad to know that!

[Arlingtonrider]

Tim,
I just got back from a ride on the Bluemont. Someone from the county was testing a counter near Buchanan Street. He said that that was the first counter to be installed on that trail (presumably the only one right now). I was glad to be off from work today and able to help him check it by getting counted.

[Tim Kelley]

@Arlingtonrider 37207 wrote:

Tim,
I just got back from a ride on the Bluemont. Someone from the county was testing a counter near Buchanan Street. He said that that was the first counter to be installed on that trail (presumably the only one right now). I was glad to be off from work today and able to help him check it by getting counted.

A distinguished looking gentleman with a nice beard? That would be David Patton and he is the County planner in charge of the counter program.

[dasgeh]

@Arlingtonrider 37181 wrote:

Home Depot is still not a bike destination for me (nor is REI, sadly), but Ayers Hardware has a nice beer garden next to it. .

It’s a good point that bikeability changes where I shop. Just today I bought Xmas lights at Cherrydale Hardware instead of Home Depot because I can bike there. (OK, it’s also one block from my house – the bike was almost unnecessary. But in the spirit of the article that started this thread, I biked, because I was too lazy to walk).

[Arlingtonrider]

I thought I recognized that distinguished looking gentleman! I would have visited with him for a minute or two but I was riding with a friend who was waiting for me to catch up with him. Cool that he was out there! Please thank him for all the good work.

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