It's a small study, but maybe it will inspire businesses to hire a bicyclist and add cycling amenities to their property.


If Commuting Is a Contest, Cyclists Are Winning - CityLab
Cyclists Are Winning Commuting

They’re more likely than drivers, walkers, and straphangers to get to work on time and feeling good.

Knew it all along. Nice to see some validation.

This has been my experience.

Providing facilities to encourage bicycle commuting makes a lot of sense. But using activities such as cycling as a factor in hiring decisions could lead to a very slippery slope.

In the US it's not really legal to ask about a job applicant's car or whether they have one, unless the job involves driving. Not that it always stops them from asking. I don't know about Canada.

But in my current job it did come up in the interview, whether biking that distance might be a problem getting to work. It may have been just curiosity because we honestly don't care here, as long as you show up, but I'm pretty sure that it worked in my favor.

I live in the snowbelt, and work 22 miles from where I live, and start at 6 a.m. Not terribly 'bike friendly'.....

Knew it all along.

Maybe if you have a protected disability requiring a certain mode of transportation. Otherwise, mode of travel is not a protected class. Real estate companies often will not hire a person who does not drive the right type of car.

Whether you have a car, or what kind of car, is "financial information". Federal law does not prohibit asking about it, but it does prohibit using that information for discrimination. You can use that type of information only if it helps the employer to accurately identify responsible and reliable employees, and does not significantly disadvantage people of protected classes. It doesn't have to BE a protected class.

That might sound like a grey area, which is why I said "not really legal". For your reference https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/...nformation.cfm

Exactly... and from a bike commuter perspective, the thing I often noticed was that drivers usually spent their first half hour or more at the office getting tanked up on coffee...

Welcome to Commuting.

My commute is too far to ride the bike, but when I sit in traffic I think my bike would be faster than the car. This happens many Fridays and one of these days, I will ride the bike into the office just to see what happens.

Yep!

This is my current experience too. When I ride to work, even though I have to get up earlier, I'm more energized and awake and the day goes by so quickly. I dread driving days and bus days are worse.

Being in the snowbelt and having a 22 mile commute aren't the issue. The lack of safe protected bikeways and maintenance of them is.

I've a buddy who rides 19 miles each way (Assen > Groningen) does so regardless of weather and one day a week has to be there at 6a. It's not a problem because he has protected bikeways the entire distance and they are kept clear of snow all winter.

I believe these are part of his commute:

I am convinced I would feel better and perform better at work if I could get a ride in prior to working each day. I am going to try commuting by bike in the coming year. I have a tough obstacle though: morning child duty. I did figure out a plan where I could use our child trailer, drop off my daughter, unhook the trailer and leave it at the school, then continue on to work. So, this spring I am planning on giving it a shot.

I do feel better when arriving at work by bike rather than by car, even though going by bike involves a lot of--showering, changing, making breakfast, drying clothes, etc., where as driving there doesn't involved any of this. But it might just be that I find comfort in the routine.

Riding affects my punctuality? No, not at all. In fact, the length of my commute by bike varies very little. Wind and choice of bike/tires is the biggest determinant, and it's completely predictable. I often give my wife an ETA for the homeward journey and usually right on.

Its nice to perform an enjoyable task on the way to the laborious task. Driving is so much more stressful, walking isn't nearly as fun, and public transportation inhibits freedom.
5 years of bike commuting later - I have come to truly enjoy the ride.

I have a monthly meeting I commute to by bike. The head person always comments how I am always on time and early, where as a few of the others are always late. I enjoy and look forward to my commutes, it is built into my day and I do it for my health!

Are you saying that if I'm interviewing someone to hire, I can't ask how they would get to work if hired?

You can ask, but you're probably better off asking if they have "reliable transportation", or "are there any difficulties in getting to work" or something along those lines. It really matters why you're asking.

I've known of managers who have someone checking the parking lot to see what kind of cars the applicant drives, so it's not like someone is going to narc on you and nothing would come of it if they did. But if you didn't hire someone because of their old car, and they were members of a protected class, there could be a problem. And we're not supposed to inquire about their personal financial status - what kind of car you have is an indicator of that for a lot of us.

Suppose you wanted to hire someone who will bike to work (and I wouldn't blame you for that!) and you asked in the interview if she was a cyclist and had she ever considered bicycle-commuting, and it turns out that she has a disability?

Good responses, [MENTION=227213]wphamilton[/MENTION]. It's all fair, now that you put it that way.

However, it seems that prospective employers check applicants' credit ratings and similar things, right or wrong. It makes me nervous.

About that, the information provided to employers from credit checks is very much filtered, no details. Sometimes to the degree of yes or no, or just a number. The credit check, and background check to some degree, is ostensibly to find out how reliable the person is. And whether he has some problems in his background.

I agree, it's not easy to be comfortable with an not every employer or provider of credit and background checks follow the rules. And even some of the rules seem arbitrary and overly legalistic. Sorry, I'm drifting off topic. I personally think that hiring cyclists would be a net positive, not only for the company but also for the health of society in general.

I get stressed while driving because drivers here are really bad. Bike commuting to work always makes me feel energized and better prepared to handle a day at the office. When I have to drive in my day is sour, and I will feel unmotivated.