Driving would usually be faster by 5 to 10 minutes than cycling. I can bike home in 19 minutes, and by car, I can do it in 10 if the stars and planets are aligned just right. Or, it can take more than an hour to go the same 4.7 miles by car. When that happens, and I'm trapped in the cage, it's a horrible experience, full of stress, anger, and a strong but unquenchable desire to not be in the car. These bad days might be anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 the time, but usually aren't predictable, whereas with the bike it's very consistent. We have bus service, which would be the slowest choice available, but no subway.

The consistent trip times are important to me, because I can make social plans. And, obviously, the sheer joy of cycling trumps all.