rhm

I agree there is no excuse for smugness. It is annoying both to those of us who are already converted, and equally to those who are not. If the goal is to encourage others to park their cars and dust off their bikes, the way to do it is to make it look both fun and easy. But to be fair... where do you see this smugness? I don't see it. I hope it's not on this forum. I hope it's not guys like me.

Regardless whether I or others come across as smug, I remain of the opinion that the number of people who have the opportunity to commute by bike is vastly larger than the number who actually do.

kickstart

There have been several posts in this thread that come across as smug, but being a truck driver I'm often around low income workers with few options and opportunities. I guess I just appreciate the perspective of those on the other side of the tracks than those with many options and opportunities.

benetga

Your place hiring?

rhm

Well, okay then! I mean, I didn't notice that on first reading, but I guess I know what you mean, and you are right to mention it....

AlTheKiller

I broke my knee 2.5 years ago. With no health insurance. I was off the bike for nearly a year after the injury, which had followed two years of bike only living, and an added year of mostly bike commuting but I also had a car... It was hell. So, yes, I recognize every day how fortunate I am to be back on the bike. I realize lots of people can't for a whole host of issues, and I'm lucky.

conquest46

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to commute by bicycle. I take advantage of it everyday rain, snow, wind, or shine I'm out there. I drive a city bus for a living I'm 39 years old I see so many people my age some younger some older who cannot move around freely let alone commute on bicycle some through no fault of their own but a lot of those people have a hard time moving around because of obesity their just too heavy and use oxygen. I see people like that all the time people who have just let them selves go for what ever reason knowing that their condition was preventable. Do I consider my self fortunate? Yes I do very fortunate.

doughnut

yep!

wphamilton

Well I don't see it, so I must be one those to whom he refers. That's fine, but I will caution against condemning someone's attitude about his situation if you don't know what he went through to get there.

GovernorSilver

It would take me 1.5 hrs to commute by bike, but I consider myself fortunate to have the option to do so in my area.

In the neighborhood where I grew up in San Diego, there's too many fast drivers, no bike lanes, no bike trails, etc. - I would have felt discouraged from commuting by bike to anywhere other than my elementary school, the library next to the school, or the grocery store across from the library. After I graduated from university, I continued living in the rented townhouse in La Jolla that I shared with my university buddies. I don't think I would have felt safe commuting by bike from that townhouse to my job in Poway or my other job in Rancho Bernardo - even if I knew how to ride a bike back then. Today, Google Maps claims that I could take Miramar Rd, but I don't see a bike lane there in Google Earth.

In my present area, more than half of my commute to work would be on a mixed-use trail that is separated from motor vehicle traffic. I rarely saw such a thing in San Diego. So I appreciate what we have here but never had any intention of taunting anyone who is not so fortunate - I can't imagine what kind of uphill battle you would face to improve the bike-friendliness of your area.

RubeRad

I think there are bike lanes on Miramar Rd, but I would not enjoy riding that freeway-with-stoplights. Nowadays the best choice would be the 56 bike path, then you could take roads like Ted Williams, Pomerado, Pq/Poway, Carmel Mtn, Camino Del Norte, Black Mtn, etc to get into the Poway/RB areas. Also if you ride a MTB, there's the PQ creek trail network, you can pick that up from Vista Sorrento Pkwy, but I don't know how to get between there and anything west of I-5. Living in Poway, I sometimes think of looking for a job in NE Mira Mesa so I could commute on that trail every day.

snow_echo_NY

the biggest factor in deciding to commute for a lot of people i know around here is that 1. they haven't been on a bike in a really long time. maybe the last time was a trip to another more bike-friendly city 2. this city can be quite dangerous. lowering the speed limit to 25 is golden for us, but days like today, people are speeding by at 30-40 mph and it gets really scary b/c we're all in super close proximity while moving along.

not to mention many drivers are awful drivers and careless ones at that. inattentive, talking or texting on their phone, blasting music, and aggressive. all bad combinations when there aren't protected bike lanes in most places. and only a handful of bike lanes that we got under bloomberg's administration 5-6 years ago. people are uncertain and i don't blame them for being uncertain. once they understand the street skills necessary and start putting them in practice - that's when the enjoyment of cycling around the city to get about, blossoms. there are more people out there on bikes which makes things better for the rest of us (other cyclists and peds, it even impacts some motorists and their quality of driving, as well as their attention).

kickstart

I intentionally didn't quote or mention anyone as I don't think the comments were made in a mean spirited way, but simply were limited to the individuals personal perspective which doesn't reflect the reality of many people.
Your comments were not among them.

GovernorSilver

The 56 bike path looks sweet. If I was still living in that townhouse, looks like I could have gone through the UCSD campus, taken Sorrento Valley Rd (via an access road between the campus and Sorrento Valley) plus a couple more roads to the 56 bike path.

rumrunn6

jealous, but 7 miles would be too short for me, 13 miles is ideal

MZilliox

I am not fortunate, i am selective in my criteria in life... I make my circumstances, i don't accept them. I am not lucky, I have worked hard to be in this place where i can cycle to many many things. This was not an accident. This is a way of life. If one is not happy with their circumstance, one only has to have the courage to change it.

spare_wheel

I do too.

Car ownership is lowest for the bottom quintile and even those who own often have long periods without a functional car.

kickstart

This is the smugness I was referring to. Everyone has different abilities and limitations, and can't all be billionaire CEOs, gold medal athletes, or rock stars.

MZilliox

I'm a farmer

kickstart

And using your abilities as a benchmark for everyone.

MZilliox

You are right, nothing I have ever done is more difficult and rewarding, you and yours are welcome for the healthy food available.

jman0war

Cudos to the original post.
Yes it is valuable to have the option to cycle commute.
I'm currently plotting toward getting there (again).
But i have found that cycle commuting can be a bit of a wind-up.
It's easy to turn that increased heart rate and breathing rate into anger and shouting (at the ignorant motorist).

kickstart

Well as our place is on the family "farm", and I enjoy organic gardening, our 60' X 100' kitchen garden takes care of a good part of our needs with a surplus, thank you very much.

mr geeker

I'm fortunate my commute is only ~4 mi one way. I'm also fortunate that when the move to the new building happens, that it will still be within ~10 mi one way.

alathIN

I do feel fortunate.
I live in a place where I have 3-ish seasons of mostly reasonable cycling weather.
There is a greenway that runs right past my house and right past my two primary work places. This is particularly a blessing since I'm biking through fresh air and green space instead of honking horns, red lights, and cars.
I don't have some kind of major disability that would prevent me from cycling.
My home to work distance is a perfect 50-ish minutes each way: long enough to get some good time/miles in but still short enough to be compatible with 12 hour shifts and family life.

I love this set up, and very little of it is due to my own decisions. Pretty much the definition of "fortunate."

Dave Cutter

Are they hiring? I could come out of retirement for that.