Yeah, I sometimes find myself taking side streets for the cheap thrills on the way to and from work. I learned the hard way the other day that not all dead ends are marked clearly. In 4 inches of snow. Whoops!

Definitely.
Even if I take almost the same route on the bike, there are certain sections of my commute that are really fun to ride, you may have a favorite turn, a side street by the water, a cool bridge, or a back alley that trims time off your ride.

In the car I just have the same route, the same stoplights that always catch me, etc. There isn't really an enjoyable part of my drive home.

For me its just more fun and beneficial to my health. Another plus is I only have to own 1 car for my bride when she needs one and then we use it together for everything else. I have not been able to justify any monetary savings as I spend them on cycling gear. I have saved some mileage on the car though. In all cases it takes a lot longer for me to get anywhere on my bike. There really isn't any bumper to bumper traffic that a bike could get around any quicker here. The distances are very long inbetween points or towns so the bike isn't practical for a means of transportation but I sure love it for commuting to work.

Often? Doncha mean always?

Since you seem to be looking for the more off beat reasons that we bike commute I'll add this one, and it's not how or why I started commuting by bike but it motivates me now- BLOOD PRESSURE.

I seldom take time off from the bike but a couple of years ago I had a back injury that had me off the bike for several weeks for the first time in decades. My BP went from low/normal to high/normal in no time. As soon as I was back on the bike, down it went.

I am convinced that without my bike commutes I would definitely be on medications to control my BP- the personal cost and cost to the health care system of that alone probably represents more of a savings than many more obvious ones.

Well, sort of. Some places have easier access by car, because the bike parking is outside and theres an indoor car park. But, yes, that was probably a bit of unnecessary qualifier.

Reasons not yet mentioned:
As a college student,
1. Biking to class keeps me awake for the 8 am's.
2. I can get anywhere on campus for any reason in less than 2 mins.
3. I can get lunch off-campus without having to plan it.

It really hit home this week that S.A.D. (or whatever you want to call it) puts a damper on my mood and enthusiasm every winter. Usually I'm not aware of it until the spring, when I'm suddenly happy and eager to get out and do things again, but both my girlfriend and I are noticing it now. But the good news is that exercise, whether that means going to the gym, or riding my bike to work, really helps. So I will be doing my utmost to commute throughout this winter, unless the conditions are just too bad for it. :thumb:

My commute (Long Beach to near downtown LA) is 18.5 miles each way, bike-train-bike. It takes about 55 minutes. If I drive, it takes 60-75 minutes. Tap card for train is $60 monthly, as opposed to $480-$500 a month for fuel when I drive. Considering those two things, riding is a no brainer. However, I will never give up my truck, as it hauls surf boards and snow boards on a regular basis.

I go "on the clock" at 6:30, adn its better than a cup of coffee. I still drink that, mostly for the warmth this time of year.

If I accidentally ride my bike into the Sacramento river, I will probably not be trapped inside it.

After a long day, it's very unlikely I'll fall asleep while riding. If I do, by the time I crash my speed will low enough that my injuries will be minimal.

If I go into a ditch and flip over, my bicycle will not burst into flames.

If there is a freeway pile-up on my way to work, I'll most likely be a spectator rather than a participant.

Around here (NC), you can smell the tobacco fields when you ride buy them. They smell rather nice. Of course, there aren't actually any tobacco fields on my commute route, but we often ride by them on longer rides out in the country.

One of my biggest motivations for commuting is that I can eat pretty much what I want on days that I ride. Otherwise I easily overeat and start gaining weight.

The biggest reason is that I simply enjoy riding. I get antsy and sad when I can't ride for a few days.

Last week, I stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk and got rear ended by another bike commuter. Neither of us were hurt, she apologized sincerely, and we went on our way. If we had been in cars, there would have been an exchange of insurances, delays getting to work, and possibly a police report to deal with. So an unexpected benefit is that minor fender benders may be resolved with an "I'm sorry".

I'll second that. I used to commute through fields of tobacco, as well as wild onions just south of Heidelberg, Germany. Very nice!!

Thank you, MrCjolson!

Its easier for me to ogle good-looking college girls when I'm on a bike.

That's like saying that if you're homeless you don't have to worry about shoveling your sidewalk.

So it's always faster by car, just not by a consistent margin faster. If you leave at the same time, you're still going to get to work 15-25 minutes quicker by car.

I would also have to cite the health benefits. I dropped off a med I was on for several years. My back issues, while minor when compared to someone with serious injury, were almost constant, very uncomfortable, and had me taking large amounts of ibuprofen on a daily basis. That has completely ceased. I would continue to ride if there were no other benefits.

Just had a yearly checkup and complete blood workup. My numbers were well within the normal range on EVERY catagory listed. Doctor studied the 2 pages, looked up and said, "If everyone's bloodwork looked like this, I would be out of a job"!:thumb:

I initially started commuting by bicycle about a year ago. I couldn't afford a car any longer, so I really had no choice. The health benefits were numerous but mainly it helped "reverse" my Type 2 Diabetes. For the past 10 months I've been biking about 45-60 minutes to work, then either the same time back or I take the bus. Since my work was fast paced, lifting heavy boxes, I didn't always have the energy to ride back for an hour, especially during severe weather or extreme cold (wind). Now though, my new job is only 2.5 miles a way so it only takes me about 15-20 minutes to get there.

I'm trying to get winter tires now ASAP, since we just had a bunch of ice and snow fall, forcing me to walk to work (which was TERRIBLE, because I had to walk through ditches and potholes, because Missouri can't build proper roads with sidewalks, bike lanes, or anything to the side of a road other than a f##### gutter). I'm determined to get the Schwalbe Marathon Winter (700x35c), because I want something nearly puncture proof and that will be good in ice and snow. I can't afford to get flats in winter because there's no way I'm changing a tire in freezing wind.

I'm usually not going slow enough to do that. Not to mention on a bike I'm too conspicuous, as opposed to the multitude of cars next to me, to make ogling possible without being "caught". Lol.

Yes but tipping your hat, and saying "good morning" is waaaaaaay less creepy on a bike than shouting out a car window.

You guys are analyzing this way too much. :P

Not to ogle, but on my daily commute, it seems that female joggers outnumber males by a large margin, at least 5 to 1, if not as high as 10 to 1.

I give nicknames to the familar yet nameless people I regularly encounter on my ride, and a favorite is "The Fleet Goddess." :D

Yes! Good health is a GREAT reason to commute by bike.
 

Absolutely! Good health (physical AND mental) is a major reason why many more people should get off their couches and onto their bikes!

This is especially important as you get older (I am 51) and start hearing from your doctor that the "bad" numbers are creeping up as the "good" numbers are dropping.

The exercise you get by riding a bike (on a regular basis) does wonders for your health numbers. And it's cheap, simple, accessible, and fun.

Welcome to BikeForums. :thumb: