National (USA) Bike to Work Week: How's the week going so far?
05-17-15, 06:53 AM
#101
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MassCommute Bicycle Challenge in Massachusetts makes BTWW more fun, there's been lots of breakfast and other events around Boston and (I think) heightened awareness. I did my usual commutes, but added a ride yesterday to my future office in downtown Boston to get a feel for what that would be like.
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05-17-15, 10:26 AM
#102
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Here in the PNW its just part of the program if one wants to ride on a regular basis. Personally I'd take cool and wet over hot and humid any day.
05-17-15, 01:49 PM
#103
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I ended the week with four days out of five on the bike. I had to drive my wife to the hospital on Wednesday, otherwise it would have been a perfect fiver.
Overall, where I live (Long Island, NY), I don't think it was much of a success, as I didn't see another single cyclist on the road any morning or rush hour of the week. Here on the Lawng Oyland Gold Coast, the majority of cyclists seem to ride solely for recreation. And the bike lanes they painted on some of the main local roads last year are just about totally washed away at this point. I hope people responded better to Bike To Work Week elsewhere in the country.
Overall, where I live (Long Island, NY), I don't think it was much of a success, as I didn't see another single cyclist on the road any morning or rush hour of the week. Here on the Lawng Oyland Gold Coast, the majority of cyclists seem to ride solely for recreation. And the bike lanes they painted on some of the main local roads last year are just about totally washed away at this point. I hope people responded better to Bike To Work Week elsewhere in the country.
05-17-15, 02:09 PM
#104
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What happens when the National Bike to Work Week ends ??...Everybody will put their bikes into storage and drive to work until the next Bike to Work Week comes along ??.
05-17-15, 02:31 PM
#105
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In a perfect world, a percentage of those who tried riding to work for the first time that week will continue commuting by bike after it's over. I'm sure there are many people out there who will become "regulars" after discovering the benefits of bike commuting this past week. I don't think any of them are from MY neighborhood, though.
05-17-15, 05:27 PM
#106
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That's the worst-case scenario. Reality is always somewhere in between.
05-17-15, 08:03 PM
#107
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It may sound cynical, but from what I saw, the small increase was from weekend warriors who rode their "toys" to work for a couple of days.
On a more positive note, the number of cyclists in general seems to be slowley but surely increasing each year.
On a more positive note, the number of cyclists in general seems to be slowley but surely increasing each year.
05-17-15, 08:21 PM
#108
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Well, I'll see yall next year! Just kidding
05-17-15, 08:31 PM
#109
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I never heard it was bike to work week.
i did however commute all 5 days, 110miles. Got rained on Thursday.
Plus I rode Saturday and another 18 today with the toddler in the trailer.
great week!
i did however commute all 5 days, 110miles. Got rained on Thursday.
Plus I rode Saturday and another 18 today with the toddler in the trailer.
great week!
05-17-15, 08:55 PM
#110
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Good job, much appreciated!
05-17-15, 10:52 PM
#111
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I was 5/5 for the week. I wish I would have seen multitudes of new bike commuters on the road, especially female commuters (super rare), but it just didn't happen.
05-18-15, 07:57 AM
#112
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No, it's the best case scenario Think of the bike traffic jams in China and Copenhagen. I really hope most people come to the realization that bike commuting is at best a one time a year event, and if driving a car doesn't work, the alternative is public transportation.
05-18-15, 08:26 AM
#113
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If it takes "bike traffic jams" to get people interested public transportation, I'm all for them. 100%. My area is nowhere close to having that "problem" yet.
05-18-15, 08:35 AM
#114
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He's being a sarcastic curmudgeon. He doesn't want hordes of other cyclists clogging up his commute.
05-18-15, 08:47 AM
#115
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Not at all. The best time for commuting around here is the dead of winter, when only a few bikes and peds are on the MUPs. Weekday rush hour during warmer months is absolutely crazy. I can never relax and just ride along. You almost can't ride on the MUPs on weekends around here. I mean, you can ride if you don't mind going 10 mph behind slow riders and dodging oncoming traffic.
05-18-15, 08:57 AM
#116
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I go about 10mph without being behind slow riders. Dodging oncoming traffic doesn't sound good though...
05-18-15, 10:02 AM
#117
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I rode to work Friday although I took the day off so didn't actually go inside.
05-18-15, 11:09 AM
#118
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5 for 5 for 200 commuting miles last week. Saw three commuters along my route one day which for around here (rural community) was a record, two being students riding to school (my daughter being one of them). Taught a kid how to change a flat and the importance of a little chain lube, met & bought an older commuter a cup of coffee one day - he repaid the favor by buying my coffee the following day. Left the house a little early Friday with my daughter so that we could stop in town for breakfast before school/work, nice treat to my usual commutes. Overall there's no bike advocacy groups around here so I wasn't expecting any special BTWD events, I commute for the health benefits and don't need any cheap trinkets anyway (although some of you reporting receiving free breakfast had me a bit jealous).
05-18-15, 11:45 AM
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I've been doing a ride in to work at least once a week since I got my new bike in April. But I didn't ride last week except for a ride out at lunch when I brought the bike with me.
Here in the Detroit suburb area, I didn't see an uptick in the number of bicycles on the road last week.
Here in the Detroit suburb area, I didn't see an uptick in the number of bicycles on the road last week.
05-29-15, 08:41 AM
#120
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Today is San Diego's rescheduled BTWD. Hit 3 pit stops, saw probably 20 bikes out there today, where usually I'll see maybe 1-2?
After the original BTWD was postponed due to rain, I sent an email around my program at work -- about 50 developers -- about the rescheduled BTWD 2 weeks later. A few guys said they were interested, one already marched triumphantly into my cube this morning (wearing the helmet I loaned him), we'll see how many more. I'm going to try to get us to bike out to lunch together today.
After the original BTWD was postponed due to rain, I sent an email around my program at work -- about 50 developers -- about the rescheduled BTWD 2 weeks later. A few guys said they were interested, one already marched triumphantly into my cube this morning (wearing the helmet I loaned him), we'll see how many more. I'm going to try to get us to bike out to lunch together today.
05-29-15, 12:40 PM
#121
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05-29-15, 01:34 PM
#122
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Not at all. The best time for commuting around here is the dead of winter, when only a few bikes and peds are on the MUPs. Weekday rush hour during warmer months is absolutely crazy. I can never relax and just ride along. You almost can't ride on the MUPs on weekends around here. I mean, you can ride if you don't mind going 10 mph behind slow riders and dodging oncoming traffic.
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05-29-15, 02:14 PM
#123
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Today is San Diego's rescheduled BTWD. Hit 3 pit stops, saw probably 20 bikes out there today, where usually I'll see maybe 1-2?
After the original BTWD was postponed due to rain, I sent an email around my program at work -- about 50 developers -- about the rescheduled BTWD 2 weeks later. A few guys said they were interested, one already marched triumphantly into my cube this morning (wearing the helmet I loaned him), we'll see how many more. I'm going to try to get us to bike out to lunch together today.
After the original BTWD was postponed due to rain, I sent an email around my program at work -- about 50 developers -- about the rescheduled BTWD 2 weeks later. A few guys said they were interested, one already marched triumphantly into my cube this morning (wearing the helmet I loaned him), we'll see how many more. I'm going to try to get us to bike out to lunch together today.
05-29-15, 02:48 PM
#124
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I ride on the most heavily used bike commute route in the US (the Hudson River Greenway), and I'm able to ride at 15 mph with no trouble. Can you post a video to show how hard it is to go over 10 mph?
05-29-15, 02:59 PM
#125
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Well, if my parents' and friends' experiences with late-model VWs (Jetta and Passat) are any indication, things need fixing early on and occasionally thereafter. Nice cars, to be sure, but maybe too complex for their own good.