Commuting - Do you commute when your sick?

Because I took my new-bike-to-be out for a test ride yesterday and I was out of breath at 3/4 of the way around the block! I figured it is just because I am breathing through my mouth because my head feels like a brick. Sooooo....

do YOU commute when you are under the weather?

Depends how heavy the "weather" is.

A cold doesn't effect me but this winter I had a flu virus so vicious, I ended up in hospital In retrospect, I probably should have stayed off the bike for a couple weeks.

If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work.

If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work.

+1

Except for the bronchitis I got this winter from the nasty inversion and resulting bad air. Just couldn't breath or ride for about a week.

I'm the same -- too sick to ride == too sick to work. However, riding in the winter does, in my opinion, improve your immune system so you don't get sick as often and/or recover more quickly.

Absolutely, but I would say (just for variety's sake): well enough to work = well enough to ride. It's a good test.

If I am well enough to go to work, I am well enough to ride to work.
If I am too sick to work, sometimes I still go for a ride. ;)

I rode with a cold a few times last year. That's about as sick as I get.

Same, if I'm too sick to ride, I need to call in. I was sick about a month ago with a bad cold for a week. Only one of those days I had to call in. But the rest of the days I rode.

I think it is good though, I always end up feeling a bit better after the ride. Sure, it takes me a good bit longer to make the trip, but its all good as long as I leave a little earlier. And it gets some endorphins flowing and I feel better for a little while.

If I am too sick to work, sometimes I still go for a ride. ;)
Hey... me too. No point wasting a whole day lying on the couch.

When my sick what?
OK, end grammar nazi mode.

If I'm contagious I work from home. This is not due to not wanting to ride, it's because I don't think it's right to go in and get everyone else sick.

If I don't think I'm contagious, and I'm feeling well enough to work, I'll ride.

If it is bad, I take time off work but after a bit I start to go stir crazy so I have to get out and ride. I can only sleep so much when I am sick!

If it's just a head cold, I often find that a gentle ride gets the blood flowing and the snot loosened up so I'll feel a bit better.

I think the old roadie rule of thumb is "Above the neck: ride. Below the neck: stay in bed."

The only time I went without biking was when I had this viral infection and I could hardly move from room to room in the house.

Don't drive and IMO taxi is too expensive (even though I had family that worked at a taxi company)

So for me, if I'm too sick to bike, I'm to sick to go out.

i ride to work when sick with a cold, even a bad cold. but, like many have mentioned abov, if i am soooooo sick i can't move i will stay at home. in general though riding is always way, way better than my other transport option - the bus. i could do with taking more sick days than i do. but i will take it easier, and just kinda get to work and back instead of adding extra distance etc.

If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work.

For me, I'd modify this to say "If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to go to work," because my alternative is public transit, and that's as tiring as riding the bike -- often more so, plus it can mean being on my feet longer, standing around in the cold longer, etc. Driving might be different, but it's not an option for me.

If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work.

+1. That doesn't mean I won't get on the bike and look for a bite to eat later in the day. Usually if I'm that bad off, I'll order out for a pizza or something.
Ernest

Like others if I am to sick to ride I work from home. No reason to get everyone sick.

Except for the bronchitis I got this winter from the nasty inversion and resulting bad air. Just couldn't breath or ride for about a week.

My wife had that this year, and the inversion really prolonged her agony.


If it's just a head cold, I often find that a gentle ride gets the blood flowing and the snot loosened up so I'll feel a bit better.

I think the old roadie rule of thumb is "Above the neck: ride. Below the neck: stay in bed."

Yeah, when I have a head cold, a cold ride actually allows me to breathe through my nose. But if it gets to my lungs, I'll stop riding for a couple days (and probably stay home from work, too).

Depends on how sick, if it is a mild cold, headache or something no real problem, I just take it slower. Today was my first day back on the bike after three weeks because of pneumonia, first two off were because of the illness and the third was because of the very decreased lung capacity, and cold rain. If you don't feel comfortable don't ride, if you think you can go for it, but take it slower.

For me, I'd modify this to say "If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to go to work," because my alternative is public transit, and that's as tiring as riding the bike -- often more so, plus it can mean being on my feet longer, standing around in the cold longer, etc. Driving might be different, but it's not an option for me.

I agree with this. I'd feel far worse being on a train while sick than riding my bike while sick.

If I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work.

Not me.

All last week I had a bad head cold + allergies. I have athsma and it comes out when I am sick and exhert myself. I love biking, but I like breathing even more so when I'm sick I drive. I feels good to be back on the bike, though.

These days, when I'm sick, my asthma usually kicks in. When my peak flow hits 300 or less, I am off the bike for a while. It's frustrating but what can you do?

Fortunately, I guess, I'm usually just sick of work.

I haven't missed a day of work/cycling in 12 years due to being sick, that last time was with a 104F fever, and even if the boss had a million dollars to pay me, I wasn't coming in.

If it's just a head cold, I often find that a gentle ride gets the blood flowing and the snot loosened up so I'll feel a bit better.

I think the old roadie rule of thumb is "Above the neck: ride. Below the neck: stay in bed."

Worked for me this week. After the ride to work and the ride home for the next few hours I could breath and my head felt lighter.

I agree with the old roadie rule of thumb, except sometimes it should be "Below the waist: stay in the bathroom." On those days I would probably telecommute anyhow if I felt compelled to work.