Commuting - How does your Cycling help others

Okies for this thread, the question is how does your cycling help others. Beside the obvious save petrol, and promote clean air. Also looking very hott for that significant other. I am wondering if any city planners ride their bikes to work, thus promoting the bike life style, and promoting in the city. Such as more bike lanes or more bike posts. Or it could be as simple as you are a manager or building manager, and you installed more racks

1.....2.....3... Ready Get Set Gooooo bombard me with your positive cycling stories through your lofty positions at a company.....H.R. Employees get +10 points for doing something terrific for cyclists in the work place and H.R. Directors get +20 points for doing great works :D :D or if you have a good positive cycling story as well share it to :)

By commuting by bike, I save people from having to deal with my wrath. When I drive, I tend to get aggrivated easily. By biking, I calm down. Not only that, but when I bike, I'm one less car. I use less gas, freeing it up for someone else to waste their money on.

I don't have a lofty position, but my supervisor allows me to store my bike in our office. It's probably the most secure spot in the building since only the four people in our department and the big cheese have access to the room.

I have a tendency to exhaust my staff and coworkers with my energy at work. When I commute by bike, I'm a lot more mellow. I must also do it at home, because my family and housemates tell me I seem very relaxed these days.

I scan the neighborhood houses at 5am on my ride into work. I have a headlight, so if I see anything suspect I can check it out...not that I ever have.

Well...in an indirect way, us cyclists are reducing "societal" healthcare costs. One less car on the road AND (more than likely) one less person in the doctor's office?. Depending on your level of fitness (able to ride 10 miles per day, 20, 30, 50 or more etc) I believe this has some kind of impact. I have no formal studies to back me up. Oh, and this doesn't count if you are a "push the envelope" cyclist, and are in the ER once a month. :)

I also think that cyclists probably are more apt to be able to survive in some adverse events. Remember the power outage on the east coast last year? Well...driving a car to work (if you had to report to work) or having to check in on an elderly family member would have taken 2 to 5 times as long (in an urban area at least...no power...no stoplights) than riding a bike. There is some benefit to society there. I like to think that if the proverberial $hit hit the fan, and driving was not going to be a good option...I could comfortably ride a bike anywhere within 20 miles from my home and back and be comfortable doing it.

Here's one: I think daily bicycle commuting makes me a much better and safer car driver and sharply reduces the likelihood of me being in an accident. Commuting through traffic teaches you to scan ahead for dangerous situations and think about how to avoid them. You are a lot more conscious of car movement in the periphery of your vision and what's happening a few hundred meters ahead of you. When I take the skills I need to bicycle and put them behind the wheel of a car, I know I'm a far better driver.

cycling saved me from an accident. I was reading about diffrent cycling moves if a car is going to lef hook you etc. Well some one pulled out in front of me! I was able to menuver arround the ******, and she had np clue she almost caused an accident.

Two years ago, I had the big guy (me just the manger) of the gym I work for installed a small bike rack inside. Yes, I said inside! It's just 20 feet from my view. I always keep an eye on the bikes and it's a great conversation starter with other people who ride.

Before anybody says I don't need a gym membership because I ride. Cyclist benefit from weight training and they get cardio from the ride to the gym not from a boring treadmill.

Thinking of one of my wheelchair bound co-workers, I remember that not everyone can bike. When others like myself ride, the road is less congested for those who really do need to drive.

It helps keep me healthy so I can do better work on my clients as a massage therapist.

Gojohnnygo, we absolutely can use more kinds of training to improve our ride! As I work at a Pilates studio, I have received a lot of benefit from Pilates classes.

Well, I've gotten a lot of co-workers interested in cycling over the years who otherwise probably would've just bought a new deer rifle, or something. One thing I really like is that it feels "friendlier" to cyclocommute. I cut through a lot of neighborhoods to save my lungs from the main roads as much as possible, and all the old-timers and young kids wave and say hi to me, and I ding my little bell at them. It makes me happy. That doesn't happen in a car.

I drag others in my department (grad sudent) in biking that wouldn't normally do so. For instance, I have arranged a 27 mil ride sept 9th in my area. I think we will have 15 ppl come, 3 w/o bikes borrowing them from me or others who have a nextra. This is a team building exercise, and a social event, all will getting in a good workout.


Here's one: I think daily bicycle commuting makes me a much better and safer car driver and sharply reduces the likelihood of me being in an accident. Commuting through traffic teaches you to scan ahead for dangerous situations and think about how to avoid them. You are a lot more conscious of car movement in the periphery of your vision and what's happening a few hundred meters ahead of you. When I take the skills I need to bicycle and put them behind the wheel of a car, I know I'm a far better driver.

That's a good one!

Well when I arrive at work I'm more calm and willing to answer people questions, instead of just telling them to RTFM. ha ha.

I teach other people how to cycle safely (through a formal training program, not just "by example" and never by being that annoying stranger who tells you what to do :D). I guess that counts.

I also help other cyclists whenever I see them, whether I'm on a bike or not. Minor repairs, directions - that sort of thing.

As a means to gather donations for the Washington Altzheimers Association - check out my signature
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Oh, I've inpsired several people to consider commuting and two that have actually started. One has also started back running and lifting weights - he's lost 30lbs so far.

thats cool :)

By commuting by bike, I save people from having to deal with my wrath. When I drive, I tend to get aggrivated easily. By biking, I calm down. Not only that, but when I bike, I'm one less car. I use less gas, freeing it up for someone else to waste their money on.

Basically what I was going to post. I'm a more pleasant person when I've been biking as opposed to driving, plus I take up a lot less room on the road and in parking lots. When people honk at a cyclist for going too slow, they seem to forget that if that person were in a car going slow, they'd be much less likely to pass them because the car is much bigger.

Well...in an indirect way, us cyclists are reducing "societal" healthcare costs. One less car on the road AND (more than likely) one less person in the doctor's office?.

A huge point.

A large number of people who use the medical system are there because of the long term accumalitive effects of a lifestyle that could have been avoided. Not all people using the medical system, but a significant group that is much larger than all those cyclists that seek medical help from accidents or collisions.

Visibility seems to me to be the best contribution. Seeing others bike commute in an easy, consistent, and safe manner makes it much easier to consider starting oneself.

By freeing up a parking space at my workplace. It may be counterproductive to enable my fellow cowoker's drive to work. But they appreciate the fact that my riding in saves one more space in the good lot.

We recently added 5 vehicles to our fleet which shrunk the available parking around the building, forcing some people to park a good distance away. When I asked my chief if this would affect my hallway parking he said "No." Best space ever!

By freeing up a parking space at my workplace.

You beat me to it.

We have very limited car spaces at work and some colleagues have to park a bit of a distance from work at times.

I not only free up a car space, I also get the best parking spot in the building. Right next to my desk. :)

Makes life easier for all the other motorists...

Petrol is cheaper (supply and demand)
Less traffic on the roads
Fewer occupied car parks

So hey, they get a faster, cheaper ride, and better parking once they get there. But still, jeez, don't they all moan about expensive petrol, traffic problems, and finding carparks!!!

I have influenced several people to start cycling and at least one, (possibly one more on the way), to start cyclocommuting. When I show up most places, I get "Did you ride today?" I think by losing weight, (54 pounds so far), and showing that the local weather is never to hot/cold/wet/windy to ride I have shown people that cycling is often a reasonable alternative to driving. I am more than willing to talk about the moneysaving and health benefits of cycling without preaching to people. I think every person I can get to ride will benefit from it. They can save money, and they can save their health. That's why I keep trying to get people riding.

My family doesn't have to put up with me complaining about my weight. My wife likes the cycling clothes.
Also, I intend for my son to become addicted as he gets older. Academics are #1 but they need a healthy activity to be partnered with. However, if he enjoys football so be it. :(

I think I make a good impact for USA and Costa Rica relationships - this is one Gringo who isn't fat and stuck in his car.

How about less wear and tear on the roads? Cyclists save the city money by reducing abuse of the road surfaces (a huge cost for most cities). We also support local businesses b/c if you're riding you tend to find the closest place that suits your needs. Cyclists also aid local businesses by not using parking spots (if they have any) leaving those for the car dependent.

Finally we are good for public health as cyclists cause fewer fatal collisions than cars do - by this I mean that if a bike hits a car, the car's occupants are much less likely to be killed than if another car crashed into them, likewise for bike vs. bike and bike vs. ped as opposed to car vs. bike and car vs. ped.

Although I've been a cyclist all along, I stopped smoking six months ago and have a lot better aerobic capacity (there's 8kg more of me to be more aerobic, despite a 70km commute), but a much lower tolerance to exhaust fumes and people who smell like they've BATHED in some lousy eau de cologne, perfume or aftershave. Having to smell those crappy aromas is an olfactory equivalent to having headlights on high beam shone directly into your eyes. I'd campaign to have perfume wearers condemned to standing outside of buildings, with the smokers. Remember that Mel Gibson movie "What Women Want"? There's a scene where he's walking up a flight of stairs and a woman flinches away from him thinking "Whoa! Easy on that aftershave, Fella!" It's not a gender-specific thing, both are guilty.

Who cares about others... Cycling is all about MEEEE!!! :)

I help others usually in stopping for stranded motorists. I'm a pretty avid mechanic and quite handy even with my multi-tool. I am MUCH friendlier when I ride, and it shows. While helping the motorists, I answer all the typical commuter questions and also encourage them to think about cycling.

I'm also thinking about bringing a bag of apples and handing them out to the Catholic kids doing safety patrol / carpool / dropoff in front of the small Catholic School by my work that I pass. They always greet me with waves and smiles, but I'm not sure how the chaperones/teachers will accept me handing out fruits... afterall the only other people riding bikes on this side of town are the bums going back and forth between The Mission and the park.

I helped a local couple keep in shape by selling them my treadmill last night. They were really happy to get it.
Since I'm riding my bike all winter, I don't need the treadmill anymore. My g/f can't use it because of ankle problems, so we CL'd it so that someone else could put it to good use.

I don't know, and I don't really care to speculate on the question.

It is what it is, and if it helps someone out, that's really terrific — but I find if I dwell on it that puffery and self-righteousness follows close behind, so I try to just go about my business and do what conscience moves me to do, and not give it that much thought.

Well, sometimes I pick up stuff on the roads that I never would notice in a car (even if I did, I'd likely not bother with it).

Last week, I found a small crowbar. A month ago I found a knife--I was glad to get that off the road. It was bent so I just threw it out.

Besides that, I suspect I'm buggin others by being on the roads more than I'm helping them.

Oh, I'm definitely helping my lazy 16 yr. old son. He gets to take the car to school (1.5 miles away) when I ride in (6.5 miles). Goofy.

One more parking space at each of my destinations.
Stopping to help stuck motorists in winter
Providing directions to lost motorists
Slightly reducing traffic congestion

Paul

Okies for this thread, the question is "how does your cycling help others?"

Two ways I can think of. Since I'm on a bike and all the other employees drive, I'm the only one who zips around to the back door to check that its locked when leaving for home. I've found it unlocked several times. The other is that I store my Giant Stiletto at work for anyone who wants to ride it. It's great as a distraction when wrestling with a problem.

And today I went out shopping for printer ink and paper on my bike. Lots of exercise as one of the printers to be fed takes a less popular cartrige.

I imagine many of us give the ladies and gents in the cars something nice to stare at from behind ... or at least something to chuckle about.

When people honk at a cyclist for going too slow, they seem to forget that if that person were in a car going slow, they'd be much less likely to pass them because the car is much bigger.

When people honk at me I flip them off and pedal as fast as I can on the sidewalk :D.