mihlbach

...or other forms of transportation?


Despite being close to NYC, my route is fairly non-urban, with no public transportation, so I can really only compare it to driving. Today coming home, myself and a (motorist) coworker left at the exact same time. We walked out the door together, and I pedalled off while she headed out into the vast parking lot to her car. Our route is the same for the next 5 miles and I was amazed that I actually beat her to that point. The only traffic lights are at right turns and traffic on this part of the route is light, which all work to the motorists advantage. I've never bothered timing it, and its been ages since I've driven to work, but I'm surprised to learn that I'm not really losing any time, and in fact, may be getting to work and back faster by bike.

jumpr

When I drive, I drive to a commuter lot and take a bus the rest of the way to campus. Driving/busing my commute takes me about 40 min. from start to finish. It's almost exactly the same amount of time on my bike, and I don't have to wait at a bus stop!

Boudicca

Bike is 15-20 minutes, depending on the traffic signals (yes, I have a very short commute). Public transport is 25-30. Driving is not an option. I don't own a car, and wouldn't have anywhere to park it near the office anyway.

mihlbach

When I lived in Manhattan, it was 10 min by bike, 30 by subway, making a bike 3 times faster than the next fastest (affordable) option. With that kind of timing, you'd think Manhattanites would be biking everywhere.

shakeNbake

I bike about 3.5 miles to the bus stop, take the bus(bike on the bus' bike rack), and ride for 1 more mile.

About 70 minute.

With car: 40 minute.

gerv 

By car, 8 miles on the freeway + 3 traffic lights... 15 minutes
Bike, 7 miles on residential streets + narrow, winding MUP, 2 (long) lights... 30-35 minutes

Eatadonut

8 minutes by bicycle, 13 by car, 14 by shuttle, 19 by bus, 25 jogging.

I've never walked it, though.

rusty_2000

For my 28km each way commute it takes:

Bike: 50-60min (Free )
Train: 60mins (A$9.20 daily pass)
Car: 50-70mins (~A$20.00)

I train in (no showers at work) and ride home. Awesome combination.

Emerson

12 minutes to drive---if I could park at my workplace. Parking is very tight, so salaried folks have to park off-site and take a little shuttle. I just started at the job, but I'm betting with all parking, waiting for the little bus, and taking it over, riding is as fast or faster--and a whole lot more healthy and fun.

25 or so to ride

tomg

it takes, for me, a little longer time to commute by bike, following the laws of the road.
it's about 10 mins commute by car, 15 mins by bicycle, for now!
after getting there, i need to bring bike in, clean up, and get ready, not like just walking from your car..to the desk.
bicycle commuting takes more of my Quality Time; this is often the Highlight of my day at work!
go out and ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

prevail24

I can give or take 15 minutes between riding or driving or taking the train with my bike.

oboeguy

Getting around the City by subway and walking is about the same for me when compared to cycling. Sometimes cycling is faster. It's definitely faster to get to school (15 ride, so say 20 minutes door to door versus 30 minutes door to door on a fast subway day). To visit the fam in Brooklyn, it's about an hour door to door both cycling and taking the subway.

ZachS

Biking's about 15 minutes, if parking weren't an issue driving would be 8 or so... but it is, and I don't own a car... It would take 15 minutes just to walk from the university parking lots to my building.

Parking changes the equation in most circumstances. For most distances under a couple of miles, a bike's almost always going to be faster, day or night.

Overkll

By car:
15-25 minutes from house to my office (15 minutes ONLY off-peak times. RE coming late/leaving early )

By bike:
25-30 minutes from house to office (and I'm a newbie still) Will probably be 20-25 minutes with time. ALOT less lights due to a very nice long waterfront bike path. I'll have to see what it's like in winter though

This is during summer at the University; parking/walking time increases during the school year by quite a bit. I'm loving the commute!

Kerry

Urban Shooter

I live 6 miles from my office. Biking in at a casual pace takes 1/2 hour and driving takes 1/2 hour.

badhat

just over 16 miles each way which works out to

25 min car vs 50 or so min bike

in the winter add 20 or so minutes for:
going a little slower cuz of layers and cold
time it takes to get dressed and undressed

of course i also have to add time to the car in the winter for warming up the engine and occasionally scraping ice or snow off windows.

badhat

i used to live in chicago and would routinely race a coworker who lived in my neighborhood.

we would start at the office in the south loop and i'd shoot up the LSD bike path to andersonville we'd meet at the argyle redline stop.

i routinely (75% of the time at least) beat him there.

huhenio

My conditions are very disimil with most commuters who posted here so far.

By car it is a constant 15 minutes, and by bike is 47 minutes on a really good day.

It takes me a good gallon and a half on gas, commuting on bike takes me more than that on food.

The economic argument does not work for me, just the thrill of riding this rolling-hills and the physical well being is my main argument.

I tell the wife otherwhise when the time to buy myself a nicer bike comes.

Jeffbeerman2

12-15 minutes by car. 20-30 minutes by bike depending on wind / weather

Jeffbeerman2

This a great alternative. too bad there isnt public transportation where I live, Id follow your example on the hot summer days where I choose the car so I dont stink all day

ken cummings

I briefly had an assignment a few blocks from where my wife works now, 21 miles from home. By bike it was 1 hr 45 min, Her drive can take between 35 minutes to an hour and a half depending on start time and route.

Another place took an hour by bike and 25 to 35 minutes by car.

We had a race once across the full width of Denver, she took buses and I biked. It took her 3 hours and I got there in two. The hour difference was due to the two 1/2 hour waits at transfer points.

TrevorInSoCal

No contest. The motorized commute is much faster.

Bike is a few tenths less than 15 mi. and takes about 50 minutes. That's just riding time and doesn't include the time spent cleaning up and changing once I arrive at work, or the time spent changing for the ride home in the evening.

Commute on the motorcycle is about 25 minutes by freeway.

-Trevor

DCCommuter

By bike, average is 30 minutes, all-time record is 23:13. Car would be 30-40 minutes. Bus is about an hour and fifteen minutes. Walking would probably be about 90 minutes. Traffic here is horrendous. Also, biking or walking I can take a shorter route along a former railroad track.

damian_

By bike is fastest, but I need to shower and get changed once I'm at work. If I count everything (ie. between leaving the front door to sitting at my desk), its:
Bike: 45 min (30 min ride + 15 min getting ready)
Car: 40 - 60 min (30 - 50 min drive + 10 min walk from carpark)
Bus: 60 - 70 min (30 - 40 min bus + 10 min walk each side + 10 min wait)

Bike still wins! Bike still wins by price as well.

Bike_UK

Motorbike - 10mins
Car - 15-20mins
Cycle - 16 - 25mins

But no longer own a motorbike or car. Despite the extra time, i enjoy the cycle commute more than the other two methods.