JOHN J

just wondering,

BTW, it has been pointed out By Jarery that a few of my questions are not Geared(no pun intended) to those who have commuted, and I do agree so please vote and Post accordingly.


The thread "Why do people give up" is interesting and it appears there are many road blocks to many folks commuting at least on a regular basis. often enough it seems its a combination of things.

My two biggest reasons are

1) getting up and out in the morning is a pain, I need to be up 1.5 hours earlier to get out the door. I dont get much sleep maybe 5-6 hours and need to be up at 5:30 ,5:45 at the latest so I can be pedaling by 6:30 am to arrive at work with time to clean up by 8:00 , otherwize im up at 7:00 AM and out the door at 7:30 EASY!!

2) the time the ride takes going home (always longer than going into work ,many climbs on the way home) puts a damper on running many errands or getting things done ...,the same could be said for shuffling children to and from activities...

whats the biggest roadblock for everyone if you have one.

happy spinning

"John"

Novakane 

I voted for lack of sleep. When I'm tired, I can ride my bike but it's twice as exhausting, feels more like a chore, and I tend to make stupid mistakes. However, I take a bus or get a drive when that happens - and there was no option for just feeling lazy!

The other day I ran right off of a bike path because I was checking traffic on a road I'd have to cross in 10 minutes and wasn't watching where I was going (due to being tired). The path turned, I didn't. Nothing bad happened since I noticed the second my wheel left the paved surface and avoided the trees and was nowhere near a road - but it made me appreciate how much being mentally alert while riding is a good thing.

kemmer

lack of sleep and time factor are one and the same for me. If I'm too tired I can't get out of bed in time to ride in. You left off errands before/after/during work that aren't suited to a bike. That's the second most common reason for me.

SingingSabre 

Time and other obligations. I could elaborate on it, but that's way too much to type right now...as I'm short on time and have some things I need to do!

mikdes

You needed to put "all of the above" as a choice.

azesty

Though I only commuted twice this week, as I am restarting after a 10 month layoff, I will only be commuting 4 times a week as I have a clarinet lesson 1/2 an hour after work, and just cant do it and commute on that day.

h

CommuterRun

For me it's often a time thing........or rather, lack of time.

From my house it's eight miles to work, another eight from work to town, five from the house to town, and that's not counting the places I go fishing.

So, if I drive to work on a day I need to run an errand in town afterwards, I still have time to get in eighteen holes of golf or go fishing (6-4:30 Mon, Tues-Thurs 6-2:30, Fri 6-Noon, weekends that I work vary, but ~5/6-~9/10).

Weather is also a factor. Lightning. Around here, if it's raining there will be at least some lightning.

But, sometimes I just have to tell myself, "LISTEN-UP, PANSY. I'M SICK OF YOUR BS EXCUSES. GET OFF YOUR LAZY ADZE AND JUST GO."

And of course I enjoy the trip mch more than if I had driven.

recursive

You missed an option.

• Never. I don't miss commutes.

toThinkistoBe

I am lucky that I live close enough to school that I can just walk (although there are many times I wish I lived a bit further so biking would be more reasonable than walking ), but my son has head start two days a week. There just isn't enough time to ride 12-15 miles to drop him off and then be on time for class (I'd miss at least half of my first class, if not more). Hopefully next semester we can work out our schedules so that we'll have enough time. Other than those two days a week, our car rarely gets used.

Saddle Baggins

#1 rain.

I have no raingear, nor do I have fenders.
Nothing like getting cold water shot into your crotch for a half an hour to wreck a guy's day.

If It's not raining when I leave for work, I'll ride. I can cope with the wet ride home.

wneumann

For me the biggest reason is either "I have some errands that aren't practical on the bike" and "just plain worn down" sometimes you need a couple of 2x4s and sometimes you can get plenty of sleep and still have dead legs or a cranky brain.

G5Ti

I opted for the "time factor." If I work 8-5 or 9-6 on a particular day, I have no problem commuting in any weather. However, if I have to work later, or have something to do before/after work that would cause me to ride at a time that I think unsafe (or I'd be dead), then I won't go.

Also, the route plays a part for me. I would be more likely to ride to certain places if I didn't have to go through ghettoish areas to get there.

wild animals

that's mostly it--we even have almost exactly the same morning schedule! but i am just not a morning person. well, actually, i'm just bad at going to bed on time. even if i had to be to work at 2pm i'd just stay up til 7am and still not get enough sleep another big reason i haven't commuted yet is that i'm not confident of my ability to avoid stinking. i have an unnaturally strong aversion to the idea of smelling bad and inflicting the smell on other people. then i don't want to ride around with wet hair and freeze, so i'll have to blowdry it completely which adds another half-hour or so to my morning. i have to have everything just right, so from the time i wake up to the time i get to work, it will be a few hours i'll have to leave the house at the time i usually wake up. haha but i think i am going to try to do it tomorrow! i'm going to lay everything out tonight so it won't take as long in the morning. wish me luck!

Jarery

Most all of your options are for people who DONT currently commute, which then makes it the wrong forum
Its an great topic, i just think the options should have been more for people who do commute but skip a day or 2 or three.

Like bike is broke at moment, need to do errands requiring a car that day, slept in, too tired from going hard the day before.....etc,

mister

When I don't commute, it's usually due to time constraints. The other times I don't I'd have to say are because of the weather and poor air quality.

wild animals

someone should make another post for current commuters, because that'd be interesting to see. this thread is good, too, because it could be a way for people (you guys) to help other people (us ) find ways to overcome problems that seem big to us but might be relatively simple to veteran commuters.


edit: this was to jarery!

Jarery

I have no idea how to make a poll post heh.

But i did take monday off from commuting, due to doing 200 km on sunday at a fast pace. Then was back cycling on tuesday

markf

I drive in if my employer calls at the last minute and asks me to come in early. Then I let him know that I sacrificed my bike ride so I could get to work early.

There are times when I work long shifts and I barely have 8 hours between shifts, so I have to drive in just to have enough time to get some sleep.

CTAC

I may drive a car when I'm sick or injured.

Munchkin

Stinking? Use Mitchum. It lasts and lasts. Shower in the morning. Shower in the evening. But, you only need to use the BO DO in the morning. Works great.

As for the hair...Don't know what to tell you. I'm a guy. I have short hair. It dries quickly. Hair-dryer at work?

Best of luck to both of you on your commutes.

manual_overide

I voted distance. I replied in the the giving up thread, but a 50 mile round trip (40 in the cage, heh) with a bag of clothes on the hills in Cincinnati is too much. I am moving as soon as I find a place closer to work, and I will start biking to work again. 50 miles + 8 hours of mental strain = wasted me at the end of the day

jrxl

The last time I missed a bike commute was due to being too hungover. That was months ago, and I no longer think being hungover is a reason not to ride!

azesty

Personally I shave my head. Never had a bad hair day since I started that

a

brons2

I would love to bike commute. I have done it at off-peak traffic times and for me, the time required is competitive with driving. (about 5-7 minutes driving 2.7 miles, 13-18 minutes riding 3.8 miles.)

The problem is the safety of it...I have to cross under two freeways at busy intersections. Ack.

Wino Ryder

I voted on the weather part. I commute to work 14 miles every day, rain or shine, and have been doing that for almost three years now. The only time I dont ride is when lightning is popping, or there's a bad thunderstorm, then I just have my wife take me (and the bike) to work.

It was just something I always wanted to do, for years. I carry a back pack with my work clothes and other stuff, and despite the little extra weight it's not really an issue with me. I also carry a 4 lb. SLA battery for my homemade halogen light, since I work nights. I love commuting to work, especially in the dark, and once I get there I have a file cabinet loaded down with stuff to clean myself up with. Unfortunately, there are no shower facilities where I work, but I have ways of working around that, and still "shine up" like a new penny.

For all you 'aspiring' cycle commuters out there, all I can say is "do it". Dont just talk about it, and dream about it, "DO IT"......You wont be sorry! All you gotta have is a game plan.