Commuting - A Cyclist Manifesto . . .

Is bicycle commuting for everyone? I used to think so. Then after about 9 years of urban commuting, I am changing my mind. I have stopped trying to encourage others to bicycle. My thinking now is that it is only for the few, the proud . . . The Bicycle Commuter. Only those who are fit of body, sound of mind, and sturdy of heart, those with skins thick enough to brave the wild urban frontier, those who hear the call of the wild (. . . SUV driver), who have the courage to blaze new trails (. . . on pot-holed narrow streets). The weak of heart need not apply. Yes, the new frontier is populated with uncivilized savages, lawless, without regard for the lives of others. These savages roam the land, polluting God's green earth, yeah, even taking the scalp of the unwitting bicycle pioneer. Herds of mechanical beasts stretch as far as the eye can see, to the setting of the smog-enshrouded sun. Will you head the call, brothers and sisters? Do you have what it takes? If so, take up your bikes, and reclaim what is rightfully yours! It is your destiny!!!

Hahahaha.......yesterday I felt I was the prey. I felt that, countless of times, the motorists would impede your progress. I was going up this 3% grade roller. Huge traffic as usual around 6 PM. I was going up on the right side of the motorists. All of a sudden, a mini van decided to block my path by taking up the right side. I saw it comming like my hatred for these lower life forms built into my DNA. :) I swinged to the opposite on-coming lane (residential street BTW) and went about my business.

Hey well written post, thank you. I ask that question alot too. I have friends who see how fast my girlfriend and I get around, how convenient the city is by bike but still wont try, either scared of bikes, or cars. But then I ask another question: If all the people that I think should be riding bikes, rode bikes, what would that look like?i.e. China proportion bike commutes. Cops might actually enforce laws and notice bikes. Ecologically everyone should ride, or take mass transit, or live next to where they work. I guess I am having too much fun as the lone nutjob amoungst the sweatya$$ed cagers.

Oooh, a Manifesto!
I'll be right back at it as soon as the snow melts and the black ice patches disappear.

What can I say? My mind wanders on the 40 minutes into work . . . . If I fancy myself a pioneer braving the savages and hunting buffalo, doesn't seem so humdrum.

Hahahaha.......yesterday I felt I was the prey. I felt that, countless of times, the motorists would impede your progress. I was going up this 3% grade roller. Huge traffic as usual around 6 PM. I was going up on the right side of the motorists. All of a sudden, a mini van decided to block my path by taking up the right side. I saw it comming like my hatred for these lower life forms built into my DNA. :) I swinged to the opposite on-coming lane (residential street BTW) and went about my business.

If you were a vehicular cyclist you would not have felt you were prey in this situation. First of all, you would know that passing on the right should be avoided whenever possible. Secondly, when it cannot be avoided, that it be done with great care and with the assumption that no one knows you're there (thus a door may open at any time, etc.).

Usually it's much safer to pass on the left.

Serge

Serge:

As you may remember from other threads, I am a supporter of vehicular cycling. However, I would like some clarification regarding this last statement.

So, you are riding along in heavy traffic and encounter a long line of cars stuck in the traffic. You have the choice to sit in the traffic with them for the next half hour or move to the front. I vote move to the front. Are you saying it is safer to pass them along the yellow line, splitting the lane with oncoming traffic than it is to pass along the curb?

Ya, i want clarification on that one too...

Cyclists of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains!

Oh hang on, we're going to need those chains after all....

If you were a vehicular cyclist you would not have felt you were prey in this situation. First of all, you would know that passing on the right should be avoided whenever possible. Secondly, when it cannot be avoided, that it be done with great care and with the assumption that no one knows you're there (thus a door may open at any time, etc.).

Usually it's much safer to pass on the left.

Serge

Serge I want clarification on that one too... my regular commute includes Genesee (specifically southbound approaching Governor) where the drivers typically are moving at a snail's pace in the evening... I love the fact that I can climb the hills faster than traffic moves at these times... in spite of the fact that I am doing about 10MPH. I am indeed in the bike lane at these times.

Just for the record, I have had stuff thown at me while in that bike lane too... so definitely have felt like there are kooks out there that just hate bikes.

The Manifest Destiny of The Bicycle Commuter is to rule the roads, he/she MUST rise to the front of the line and vanquish the enemy! . . . Um, eh-hem, well, in reality, I follow a rough rule of thumb, if I think I can make it through the light, I'll wait in line. Otherwise, I go to the head of the line and wait behind the first car.

So many of us are in areas where our world just doesn't need to be any bigger than how far we can ride a bike. I'm not sure how to convince my kids that college will be like that too. Heck, I am amazed when my kids want a car ride to a friend's house two blocks away. I tell them to beat feet or crank peddle.

So if childhood is defined by neighborhood, and college by campus, and old age by retirement community, there sure is large percentage of life for which a bicycle might be suffucient.

You know, it's funny. I went back to my hometown this year and my wife and I were just marvelling at how small it is. I remember when I was a teen that I just couldn't wait to get my driver's license so I could go places! I used to drive to school even though it was only 1/2 mile away. What the crap was wrong with me??

Truly any place within the municipal bounds is bicycle accessible.

So true! Although, I would have prefered to ride a horse to school! I'm so happy to see folks raising cycling children around my new hometown.



You know, it's funny. I went back to my hometown this year and my wife and I were just marvelling at how small it is. I remember when I was a teen that I just couldn't wait to get my driver's license so I could go places! I used to drive to school even though it was only 1/2 mile away. What the crap was wrong with me??

Truly any place within the municipal bounds is bicycle accessible.

Is bicycle commuting for everyone? I used to think so. Then after about 9 years of urban commuting, I am changing my mind. I have stopped trying to encourage others to bicycle.

I've stopped encouraging other for the following reasons.

1. Pity -- I don't want anymore pity from co-workers/friends.

2. Bicycle Parking -- I want all good parking spaces near the train for myself. If others park their bike near my location, it will mean less space for me.

3. Bicycle vandals --- Lots of bikes may bring more vandals so I want less of them.

, sound of mind ?

I have two comments, pick one:

1) Count me out
2) You gotta be crazy to do this

billh: You bring up a good point. In the last couple of years I sent out emails and put up posters during Ride Your Bike to Work Week and the response was just about zero. This year, screw it.

If someone sees me in bike kit in the office and asks about bike commuting, my response is going to be to look them up and down and say "Eh, it's not for you."

At least some of you have office jobs. When you work construction, most guys assume you've gootten too many DUI's or had your license suspended, and they just roll their eyes when you try to telll 'em different! Yeah, I used to preach a little, and it sort of gets greeted with that "somebody just farted" expression, or they think you're trying to "make lemons into lemonade" with your terrible lot in life. The pity and offers for rides gets really old, so I just, as quietly as possible, ride my bike to work. I've had a couple people notice and follow suit, so it's not completely quixotic!

In the last couple of years I sent out emails and put up posters during Ride Your Bike to Work Week and the response was just about zero. This year, screw it.

Same with my office. And quite of few of my co-workers live the same distance or closer than me.

At least some of you have office jobs. When you work construction, most guys assume you've gootten too many DUI's or had your license suspended, and they just roll their eyes when you try to telll 'em different! Yeah, I used to preach a little, and it sort of gets greeted with that "somebody just farted" expression, or they think you're trying to "make lemons into lemonade" with your terrible lot in life. The pity and offers for rides gets really old, so I just, as quietly as possible, ride my bike to work. I've had a couple people notice and follow suit, so it's not completely quixotic!

Amen to THAT brother. Man, I just hate it when people say, "You bike today, . . . be safe". I know they mean well, but I'm just about to pipe back, "You drive today, . . . stay healthy" or some other smart-aleck comment. I also get numerous offers for rides, and then have to go through the rigoromoll of explaining, "No, I actually PREFER to ride my bike, thank you." Blank stares.

So many of us are in areas where our world just doesn't need to be any bigger than how far we can ride a bike.

That is one of the coolest observations I have heard in a long time. Very well put.

I am in the same boat as a bunch of you. My first year or so I was very much trying to get others in my workplace interested in bike commuting. Now I am thinking the same thing... Ditch it! I am tired of the pity too. Also I am tired of the "did you ride today?" um... "yes I did"... "did you get fatter today?" Looks like a few more rolls have appeared. I also hate it when people wish for me to, "be safe". Like I don't have a clue. What are all these freekin' lights and reflectors for? Oh well... I need to take it like the Jeep advertising.... "It's a Bike Commuting Thing...you wouldn't understand." I sent out an e-mail about bike commuting and received only one e-mail. That guy still hasn't commuted yet.. although he had me check out his bike. I did and he still hasn't rode one mile. Part of his problem is like all others. He is still addicted to the convienence of the auto. Oh well...we shall peddle on and enjoy life! Even if those others simply choose their own way.

Peace, Love, Cycling!

Is it a pity thing? or a guilt thing?
I have happened to convert someone, I think he was ripe for change and I did give him a bike to ride. But the bike is crap and he gave his car up to some charity. For me, that is a pretty good return on investment.

Sorry, so my point is don't totally give up, if you rode with some of these people? is that possibl? You may not want to and that is understandible, but you could free a mind....

With me, the whole bike riding thing has first been about pleasure... I really enjoy it (something about hard tires on hard pavement... "walking on the moon").

Second freedom... as I felt I could do what ever I wanted... which (and the vehicle riding guys are gonna hate this) included riding in a manner similar to the one shown in that NYC race video.

I used to particularly love riding down residential blocks and just ride all over the road... I also used to love to ride late at night as I was invisible then and could see the cars coming a long way away.

I have long since mellowed, and gotten down right cautious, but still have some of the Road Warrior feeling in me... I am avoiding bumper to bumper traffic and gas stations... Hallelujah to the gas crisis of the '70s... man.

So no pity involved... to me this is my "freak flag." Just getting out there and braving the cagers and doing something that frankly most folks just do NOT do.

I have to admit that it bothers me as well when people tell me to "be careful" or "be safe". Seems to me that the people in cars are the ones that should make a conscious effort to "be safe". THEY seem to be the ones getting in the accidents and getting killed. Cyclists seem to be more aware of our surroundings and therefore inherently more "careful".

The original post reminded me of the "War of the Worlds" and the martian machines (cars) against the humans (bicyclists).

A little story from my commute to work this morning (to reinforce why we don't need more jerks riding bikes). I am exiting our bridge across the river. Coming up a link path on the other side of an underpass road are six cyclists. It is immediately obvious we aren't going to be able to pass each other conveniently through the chicane, road crossing and stuff. So I stop in a clear area to let them through. One by one they passed by my shoulder. NOT ONE SAID THANK YOU. I couldn't help it, but called out: "Thanks for saying thanks guys. Bunch of seflish bastards." They had all sorts of flashy bikes, obviously were visitors to the city, and perceived me as some yokel-local not worth spitting on.

Maybe it's time I took a break from cycling and advocacy and all the other cr@p attached to this game...

Folks can do whatever they want. I certainly wouldn't impose my interests on someone else. When I used to run we kept track of the "family." If I started someone else running and they started someone else running, then I had a child and a grandchild. It sounds funny but we took pride in our families. I still have distant children and grandchildren from that concept. And my "running" father remains one of my closest friends to this day even though we've lived 1000 miles apart for over 10 years. Maybe this will happen for biking too.

I don't even bother trying to convert anyone to cycle commuting anymore... it's really futile as too many people are too entrenched in an auto-centric world. I have no desire to own a car and I'm content with the fact that I enjoy cycle commuting. What other people think and want to do is none of my concern.

We are in our second oil war, the environment is quickly becoming a carbon/mercury infused toilet, terrorist attacks funded by oil producing countries and their citizens. I can say this with out shame, we ride bikes, we are smarter than the rest. A change must come soon... or nothing, actually. I think bikes can save the world, and the more people you introduce, "beget" into your "family" will be people saved from the misery of the car world.

Nice in principle... in practice, it won't happen. Our societies are so entrenched not only in the car world, but the need for oil to support their lifestyles. Oil is used to fuel motor cars, provide electricity, power aircraft and ships, and produce plastics. At some stage, yes, it is likely to run out. But with national economies based on the oil products and that trickle-down effect, there *will* a replacement for oil, and we will still be having this debate about why we ride bikes.

In Europe in 2003, I was pretty overwhelmed for a while at the enormity of the transport "industry". You cannot exist without the sound of transport impinging 24/7 on your life. And I looked at all the fields used to grow food for humans and thought: One day these farms will be given over to growing fuel (alcohol) for transport. Then we will face the ethical question of whether it is better to feed our kids or feed our cars.

I shuddered at what I think will be the likely answer.

Well, I ride because I want to. Others don't, because they don't want to. Maybe I am unusual, after all.

Rowan, I never thought of that dilemma, food or fuel, and if I know conservative values the choice will trend to convenience before food, food will cost too much for many in your scenario. I guess I can only hope for hydrogen and sensible restructuring of oil burning needs.

I was offered a job at a computer repair shop but the guy told me id have to get a license and drive around and pick up pc's. I told him no. He then said I should "join the 21st century and get a car".

I refuse to ever get a license and I plan to either ride my bike or take public transit the rest of my life.

The Manifest Destiny of The Bicycle Commuter is to rule the roads, he/she MUST rise to the front of the line and vanquish the enemy! . . . Um, eh-hem, well, in reality, I follow a rough rule of thumb, if I think I can make it through the light, I'll wait in line. Otherwise, I go to the head of the line and wait behind the first car.
That sounds sensible to me. I asked just this question (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=80685) on the Safety & Advocacy board a few weeks ago, and the consensus seemed to be that it is often okay, but depends on the situation. Some call it "filtering".

In addition to billh's rule of thumb, here's what I think. If the cars are already stopped in a long line, and there's room, I go ahead. If I make it all the way before the light changes, I stop just ahead and to the right of the first car, to make sure he sees me. If the light changes as I'm passing them, I keep passing until the cars start moving, then try to match my speed between two of them (and on the right) as long as I can. I figure by the time they start going faster, at least the one behind me should see me. And of course be extra careful if there are any side streets to the right that any of the drivers might be thinking of turning onto.

not too worry about changing minds about bicycle commuting .... consider yourself about 30 years ahead of the curve...according to geologists and the like "we are sipping out of the last half of the glass" when it comes to oil. Soon bike commuting will be the patriotic thing to do. Until then let them drive their Hummers right to petroleum hell.

I was offered a job at a computer repair shop but the guy told me id have to get a license and drive around and pick up pc's. I told him no. He then said I should "join the 21st century and get a car".

I refuse to ever get a license and I plan to either ride my bike or take public transit the rest of my life.

Interesting.

While I've never turned down a job offer, I always looked for work in the city because of the poor public transportation that exists in the burbs. Besides. If the jobs in the burbs pay less and I would have to make an additional 10K from the new job to pay for may transportation costs.

In Europe in 2003, I was pretty overwhelmed for a while at the enormity of the transport "industry". You cannot exist without the sound of transport impinging 24/7 on your life. And I looked at all the fields used to grow food for humans and thought: One day these farms will be given over to growing fuel (alcohol) for transport. Then we will face the ethical question of whether it is better to feed our kids or feed our cars.

I shuddered at what I think will be the likely answer.

I still think we will return to coal and not alcohol as our next fuel source. There's much more coal in the ground and it's easier to extract than farming land.

The original post reminded me of the "War of the Worlds" and the martian machines (cars) against the humans (bicyclists).

A little story from my commute to work this morning (to reinforce why we don't need more jerks riding bikes). I am exiting our bridge across the river. Coming up a link path on the other side of an underpass road are six cyclists. It is immediately obvious we aren't going to be able to pass each other conveniently through the chicane, road crossing and stuff. So I stop in a clear area to let them through. One by one they passed by my shoulder. NOT ONE SAID THANK YOU. I couldn't help it, but called out: "Thanks for saying thanks guys. Bunch of seflish bastards." They had all sorts of flashy bikes, obviously were visitors to the city, and perceived me as some yokel-local not worth spitting on.

Maybe it's time I took a break from cycling and advocacy and all the other cr@p attached to this game...

By any chance, were they wearing Discovery Team Kit and one of them date Sheryl Crow?

Serge:

As you may remember from other threads, I am a supporter of vehicular cycling. However, I would like some clarification regarding this last statement.

So, you are riding along in heavy traffic and encounter a long line of cars stuck in the traffic. You have the choice to sit in the traffic with them for the next half hour or move to the front. I vote move to the front. Are you saying it is safer to pass them along the yellow line, splitting the lane with oncoming traffic than it is to pass along the curb?

If there is room to pass on the left without (mostly) riding near, on or over the double yellow stripe, then passing on the left is safer.

"Filtering forward" while passing on the right is okay, as long as it does done with great care.

Sometimes you can pass between two lines of cars headed in your direction (like what motocyclists often do).

If none of those options can be executed safely, then you should stay put in line. Usually it costs you less time than many cyclists think it does. It also conveys the message to others that cyclists have the same rights and responsiblities as do drivers of vehicles, and it's always a good use of a cyclists' time to convey that message.

Serge

Serge I want clarification on that one too... my regular commute includes Genesee (specifically southbound approaching Governor) where the drivers typically are moving at a snail's pace in the evening... I love the fact that I can climb the hills faster than traffic moves at these times... in spite of the fact that I am doing about 10MPH. I am indeed in the bike lane at these times.

Just for the record, I have had stuff thown at me while in that bike lane too... so definitely have felt like there are kooks out there that just hate bikes.

Passing on the right on the climb to Governor on Genesee is pretty safe considering the lack of intersections on that stretch, and that your speed is low due to the grade. Just take a little extra care when you pass that condo development. Still, someone may open a passenger-side door at any time, or decide to pull off to the right for some reason without thinking to check the bike lane first.

Serge

By any chance, were they wearing Discovery Team Kit and one of them date Sheryl Crow?
You know, I'm not much of an LA fan, but not even I would stick him with those sorts of manners.

Passing on the right on the climb to Governor on Genesee is pretty safe considering the lack of intersections on that stretch, and that your speed is low due to the grade. Just take a little extra care when you pass that condo development. Still, someone may open a passenger-side door at any time, or decide to pull off to the right for some reason without thinking to check the bike lane first.

Serge

I know the condo development of which you speak... But beyond that issue, you would have me otherwise waiting in the thick of traffic and inching up that hill at less than the speed I might otherwise grind? Rather negates the whole advantage of riding a bike during rush hour.

Really??? You would stay locked in that bumper to bumper traffic...

I also hate it when people wish for me to, "be safe". Like I don't have a clue. What are all these freekin' lights and reflectors for?
So if I get out of my black ninja suit, and add lights and reflectors to Dark Star, my workmates might leave me alone, when we get out at midnight?

I don't even bother trying to convert anyone to cycle commuting anymore... it's really futile as too many people are too entrenched in an auto-centric world. I have no desire to own a car and I'm content with the fact that I enjoy cycle commuting. What other people think and want to do is none of my concern.
I don't try to convert others, but several coworkers have started riding( max of 1/2 as far as my 6.5 miles) since I started. Before I had kids, I would rub the truth in the faces of my poor coworkers, and tell them that I was going to Europe every other year, and they weren't, because I biked and they drove. They loved me despite the occasional malice. The children sap all my savings, now, so I couldn't taunt anyone at work, even if wanted. Waaa! I want to bike the country lanes of Cornwall again, and hoist good bitter, after a hard morning's ride!

I know the condo development of which you speak... But beyond that issue, you would have me otherwise waiting in the thick of traffic and inching up that hill at less than the speed I might otherwise grind? Rather negates the whole advantage of riding a bike during rush hour.

Really??? You would stay locked in that bumper to bumper traffic...

No, I would not. I think you didn't understand what I wrote.

Nothing is ever too far on a bike if I've ridden that distance before.
eg, 100km (don't know what that is in miles...) used to seem like a HUGE distance way back when, then one day I rode 125km just to see what it was like. Any distance less than that seems like a cruise now.

Cyclists of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains!

Oh hang on, we're going to need those chains after all....You got it sort of wrong which has the effect of making it ALL wrong. The correct saying is: Cyclists of the world unite, you have nothing to lube but your chains. Hope this cleared it up for you.

I've only been commuting for about 3.5 years and I sold my car over 2 years ago, so maybe my car culture sense is still a little fresh. I don't think I've ever suggested to anyone that they start riding a bicycle except my wife. What made me consider the idea of bicycle commuting was a little observation and a desire for a exercise. What got me to consider giving up the car was the desire to save money. When I first moved to the DC area about 5 years ago, I brought my old used car with me from a rural town about an hour out of Memphis, TN. I called the HR office to ask where I should park on my first day and they suggested that I take public transportation because parking was a little hard to come by. When I found out the monthly rates for parking, I decided to continue taking public transit. On some of those bus rides, I started observing people commuting to work and the fact that they were making equal or better time. After watching that, something clicked in my mind.

If I were still in Memphis, TN, I might still be driving a car. Of course, even in this area, the majority by far will never consider a bicycle even for the simple ride to work. I was talking to one guy (a Vietnamese immigrant who is now a citizen), and even he seemed to think it strange that I wanted to live in the city so that I could bike. 'Normal people shun the city and buy a house in the suburbs so they can drive a car and complain about the traffic.' He has been thoroughly Americanized.

So I guess my point is that I agree that most people will not be convinced by verbal arguments. Somehow, I came to realize that cycling was actually a very good option, but it was mostly happenstance. Had circumstances and money been just a little bit different, I might have bought a new car and developed an emotional attachment to it and that might have led me to typical suburban life. That makes brings up another thought. Think about the emotional attachment many cyclists including myself have to their bicycles. Obviously some people feel the same about their cars. How hard is that to break?

My own unscientific prediction about the future: At some point, we will get very close to running out of naturally occurring oil. I don't believe it is as near as some doomsday writers claim, but oil is, of course, not an unlimited resource. At that point, some other fuel will replace oil, because most humans in rich countries demand artificially powered personal transportation. I won't venture a guess what the fuel will be. Hydrogen does sound nice environmentally in the automobile, but they still haven't figured out how to produce it in a relatively environmentally safe and relatively cheap manner. Perhaps they will figure out a way to mass produce synthetic oil from some other widely available naturally occurring material.

But anyway, I liked the manifesto... :)

You got it sort of wrong which has the effect of making it ALL wrong. The correct saying is: Cyclists of the world unite, you have nothing to to lube but your chains. Hope this cleared it up for you.

Of course! Brilliant. I think I'm going to steal this for my signature. (And a t-shirt design. And a sticker.)