getting sick
#1
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getting sick
hi all i'm a new member but lurked around for years i'm about to go car free and i was wondering what to do if you get sick like a chest cold or pneumonia and there is no bus stop close by,do you still ride or what do you do
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The options would depend on your personal situation.
You could:
Get a ride with a friend
Walk to a further away bus stop
Use carsharing if it is in your area
Taxi
Rent a car
Combine any of the above to get to a transit stop
Do a short bike ride to get to transit
You could:
Get a ride with a friend
Walk to a further away bus stop
Use carsharing if it is in your area
Taxi
Rent a car
Combine any of the above to get to a transit stop
Do a short bike ride to get to transit
#3
Pedalin' Erry Day
I very rarely experience sickness myself, but when I do get the rare cold or other issue I suffer through it and ride anyways, being careful to keep my fluid levels up and exertion to a minimum. If I'm too sick or injured to ride I'm in no condition to do my job anyways.
#4
Sophomoric Member
If it was a cold or other minor illness, I would rest more but still ride if I had to. If it was more serious, I'd stay in bed and let my family take care of me, like I do for them.
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Generally, if I'm too sick to ride, I'm too sick to be at work. To get to the Dr. I might take a bus or a taxi.
Last time I tried riding while sick was well over a decade ago. Going down the slight incline of the street I lived on was horrible and when I turned the corner onto the level street, I knew I couldn't make it to work. So I struggled back home.
Last time I tried riding while sick was well over a decade ago. Going down the slight incline of the street I lived on was horrible and when I turned the corner onto the level street, I knew I couldn't make it to work. So I struggled back home.
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#6
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Thanks for your replies i'm just trying to look ahead at worst case scenarios
#7
Sophomoric Member
I'm in the process of finding a new doctor. I'd love to see one within a short bus ride of my house. Unfortunately, most of the doctors have relocated to these weird medical ghettos out in the 'burbs. Even when the "campus" is on a bus line, the offices are a long walk from the bus stop.
There are a couple chiropractors downtown but no physicians.
There are a couple chiropractors downtown but no physicians.
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If you've got pneumonia, there's no way you should be out and about. If you've got to pick up medication, take a cab.
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#9
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OP, if it's specifically commuting you're referring to, dragging my sick self to work will accomplish three things: I'll not get much anything done at work, my condition will likely get worse and as an additional bonus my colleagues have a good chance of catching the bug from me.
--J
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Last edited by Juha; 06-01-14 at 11:24 PM.
#10
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Several different ways of looking at this:
1) If it is a cold or something, as others have said, if you are too sick to ride to work, you are too sick to go to work.
2) When I decided to go car light (my wife still has a car, but our jobs are such that sharing for the commute doesn't work) I looked at the things where I would need something other than the bicycle. I made sure that it was easy to get to a car rental place on public transit, and I have used that a few times, I have also made use of Zipcar, but overall, I have found that I need a car far less than I had imagined. In 5 years of being car light, I have rented cars perhaps 3 or 4 times, and I use zipcar perhaps once every few weeks. A couple of years ago, I fell, and broke some bones in my hand which made it difficult to ride a bike. I've also used taxis a few times. I got to work/back on public transit fine for a month.
3) I have found that by riding my bike every day, I do not get sick as often as I used to.
1) If it is a cold or something, as others have said, if you are too sick to ride to work, you are too sick to go to work.
2) When I decided to go car light (my wife still has a car, but our jobs are such that sharing for the commute doesn't work) I looked at the things where I would need something other than the bicycle. I made sure that it was easy to get to a car rental place on public transit, and I have used that a few times, I have also made use of Zipcar, but overall, I have found that I need a car far less than I had imagined. In 5 years of being car light, I have rented cars perhaps 3 or 4 times, and I use zipcar perhaps once every few weeks. A couple of years ago, I fell, and broke some bones in my hand which made it difficult to ride a bike. I've also used taxis a few times. I got to work/back on public transit fine for a month.
3) I have found that by riding my bike every day, I do not get sick as often as I used to.
#11
Sophomoric Member
That's a very good point. I have found the same thing. There are also public health studies that show many health benefits of daily exercise. The health benefits are partially offset by the fact that you're more likely to get injured if you're riding a bike rather than sitting on a couch. But still, the bottom line is that overall health is better if one exercises every day, and not having a car practically guarantees more exercise.
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I usually get sick with a cold 1-2 times a year, and it really hasn't affected my ability to get places by bike. Long ago, I discovered that the symptoms tended to relax a bit while I was actually exercising, and this has been true while riding my bike. If it's cold, I'll make sure my face is wrapped up pretty well - no pneumonia yet (pretty impressive, given that I had it as a kid).
Just my experience, but I've found a Neti pot to be really effective at keeping colds from turning into bad chest colds (trust me, I was very skeptical at first). I've also found it to be effective for increasing my airflow during allergy season.
Just my experience, but I've found a Neti pot to be really effective at keeping colds from turning into bad chest colds (trust me, I was very skeptical at first). I've also found it to be effective for increasing my airflow during allergy season.
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If it's just a cold, allow a little extra time and ride anyway. If it's more than that, I agree with the others that you shouldn't be at work anyway. It's not like you're going to do anyone any good if you come into work sick as a dog with the flu. You won't get anything done anyway. Stay home and get better.
If you need to go to the doctor, take a cab. Yeah, cabs are expensive, but you can take a whooole lot of cab rides for the price of a car, so knock yourself out. If you're taking so many cab rides to and from the doctor that it costs as much as owning a car, you have bigger problems.
Actually, if there is any kind of cab or even black cap/limo service in your vicinity, that's a good "edge case" fall-back option. If you fall back on it two or three times a year, it might feel expensive on those few occasions, but it's still peanuts compared to the total cost (purchase price, registration, inspection, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs, etc) of the absolute dirt cheapest car you could possibly get.
If you need to go to the doctor, take a cab. Yeah, cabs are expensive, but you can take a whooole lot of cab rides for the price of a car, so knock yourself out. If you're taking so many cab rides to and from the doctor that it costs as much as owning a car, you have bigger problems.
Actually, if there is any kind of cab or even black cap/limo service in your vicinity, that's a good "edge case" fall-back option. If you fall back on it two or three times a year, it might feel expensive on those few occasions, but it's still peanuts compared to the total cost (purchase price, registration, inspection, insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs, etc) of the absolute dirt cheapest car you could possibly get.
#14
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I agree with others: if you're too sick to ride, you're too sick to be at work. That said, I'm a teacher, and I'm sick more often than most adults, and I often go to work anyway. If it's just a cold, I still ride to work, only more slowly. If I have a fever, all bets are off and I will not go, mainly for fear of infecting others. If I'm so sick that I have to get meds or go to the doctor, I walk to the clinic two blocks from my house. When I didn't have that convenient option, I relied on friends. Don't feel shy about asking for help; most people, if you ask, will not resent it at all if you say that you need their assistance.
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That's another case of the key to car-free is planning. The closest pharmacy to me is across the street. Living in a place that is car-free-friendly is very important.
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We have a guaranteed ride home policy provided by our local transportation authority if you sign up to commute to work by bus, walk, or bike a certain number of times per week. It has to be a general emergency (like being ill or if you have a child at home that needs you right away). You may want to check with yours. At least you'd get home (wouldn't solve your sickness issue).
#17
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We have a guaranteed ride home policy provided by our local transportation authority if you sign up to commute to work by bus, walk, or bike a certain number of times per week. It has to be a general emergency (like being ill or if you have a child at home that needs you right away). You may want to check with yours. At least you'd get home (wouldn't solve your sickness issue).
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#18
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I'm not shy about ordering a cab if I need one. Last winter I worked one Sunday. I wasn't feel the best, so I took the bus. After several hours I noticed a fever coming on. A cab seemed like a good idea...
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#20
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Here are a few links (the first one is in my area called "Emergency Ride Home"). My guess is that it is part of their funding from the feds:
https://www.rideproweb.com/TBARTA/se...nticated=False
https://rideshare.511.org/rewards/guaranteed_home.aspx
https://www.rideproweb.com/TBARTA/se...nticated=False
https://rideshare.511.org/rewards/guaranteed_home.aspx
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Personally, I would never move to an area that is not close to a bus stop. There are alot of limitations to being bicycle dependant and you listed one of them. By the way, a chest could lead to something serious so be careful about them. As for pneumonia, I think people already answered that one.
#23
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We have a guaranteed ride home policy provided by our local transportation authority if you sign up to commute to work by bus, walk, or bike a certain number of times per week. It has to be a general emergency (like being ill or if you have a child at home that needs you right away). You may want to check with yours. At least you'd get home (wouldn't solve your sickness issue).
#24
Sophomoric Member
I was also on an intercity bus that broke down on the highway. We had to wait more than an hour for a new bus.
Of course it was much less stressful than waiting in your car for a wrecker and worrying how you're going to pay for the car repairs.
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Does anyone notice this? The mere fact that you ride a lot means that you get sick a lot less. I know it does happen, but recently I feel so well.