ItsJustMe

I don't think it's possible for gas to get high enough for people to bike commute around here. This is SE Michigan, land of the car. To be on a bike is a huge mark of shame. Also where I live it's very rural and people have this weird fear of riding bikes on 55 MPH 2 lane roads. This is 100% unjustified in my experience; city streets are far more dangerous than high speed secondary roads.

Seriously, I don't think $10/gal gas would put people on bikes here; people will take up arms against the government, buy hybrid cars, maybe get a motorcycle, far before they'll be seen on a bike. Riding a bike to work is complete crazy talk; it's like suggesting that they lie on the ground and pull themselves to work by their tongues.

There are 900 people where I work, some live as little as 1/2 mile away, and I'm the only cyclist. OK, there are about 4 other people who will ride to work perhaps 3 or 4 days a year, on a lark.

pinerider

My 2 bike commuting co-workers started last week, I got back on the bike this week. I usually ride all winter, but only got in a week in January this year. There are 30 of us working here, 10% bike commute spring, summer, fall, only me in the winter.
I was the only one today in the stinkin +3 C rain this morning though!!!

Mr Wonderful

I'm in SE Michigan; I was spotted by some co-workers as I cycled to a midday meeting. They caught me at a light and asked if my car was broken (it's not).

murphstahoe

rack? who needs a rack?

I did a quick lap around the immediate cubicle area and counted 6 bikes. Usually there are 5-6 scattered around the various racks on campus. The Seven comes inside, most co-workers started following my lead.

ItsJustMe

They were being kind, they were probably thinking that you had lost your license to DUI, or your wife got it in a divorce or something. What else would explain it, it's not like someone with a choice would be on a bike, right? These people would live off mac & cheese and Ramen to have enough money to buy gas before they'd ride a bike.

Lamplight

"Normal" involves bicycle commuting? Besides myself, I only know one other person who does it, and that's my brother. In my town of nearly 100,000, and in nearly 2 years of commuting, I've only seen two or three other commuters.

jamesdenver

On Bike to Work Day of course. Then one year later.

bkrownd

Normal people will start bike commuting when (if) the culture changes to value work less, wealth less, power less, social status less, personal space less, toys less, health more, being outdoors more, more community orientated mindset, slower lifestyles.... Give it another 50-100 years and check back.

Jeffbeerman2

when it becomes hip and safe.

If it's cool to do, people will start doing it, at least in fair weather in flat terrain areas.

Too bad Lance didn't decide to start promoting transportation cycling until he was virtually forgotten.

AlmostTrick

Haha, good one ItsJustMe.

At my company of about 400, I'm the only bicycle commuter. Even in the best weather, I almost never see any cyclists on my commute. Just like Winnie the Pooh's bouncy friend says in his song, the most wonderful thing about Tigers is... I'm the only one!

Around here cycling to work is definitely not considered normal. Driving a SUV with only yourself as the passenger is perfectly normal though. I also don't think the price of gas will change this much. I don't consider myself normal, (yawn) that would be too boring.

grey_falcon

At school since the beginning of the week i've been seeing more and more bikes... and out of the 1100 students.... I'm the only one who biked through all the rain and snow this year... never got of my bike just kept on biking....

Artkansas 

50% of the employees where I work commute by bicycle. And there is indoor bicycle parking.


Of course the other employee drives an SUV.

CB HI

I laugh at winter and cycle commute year round!

crhilton

Normal people don't bike commute.

urban rider

I have a co-worker who claims that she expects to start riding to work. She lives only three miles away from the job. Her husband is supposed to be a cyclist but he does not appear to be supportive of her riding. I think they will start riding when the weather is consistenly 70 degrees with no sight of rain. Meanwhile, gas is 3.45 cent per gallon.

Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans

maddyfish

I volunteer at a school, and commute year round, rain, snow, shine. The regular kids started riding their bikes to school last week. My kids ride 3-5 days a week even in the cold, just not in the snow, or rain.

disco_stu

I used to make excuses about why I ride a bike to work. Now, I just tell them that my workout is half over and by the time I get home, my workout is over. By the time my fellow coworkers get out of work, go to the gym, then go home, I have already been home AND had dinner!

BrooklynRider

I start commuting with daylight savings time. The ride home in the dark is not my idea of safe or fun.

Once it lighten's up, though it's hard to stay off the bikes. After my commute, I switch clothes and bikes and do laps in the park. That's 15-35 miles a day, and then woot! the weekend when I might do my 5 days of weekday mileage in 2. But, sadly, gladly, I'm not normal...

littlewaywelt

I think once things get above 50f in the morning more and more ppl start bike commuting, at least around here. I've been year round for the last seven years. There were two other bikes (normally none) in my garage today!

shuttoj

Its on in Denver, last couple of days temps are up in the 70's. Saw the first spandex clad commuters of the springtime yesterday, today I saw the newbies wobbling back and forth from the middle of the street to the gaps between parked cars. Sitting on my porch yesterday evening I saw 3 or 4 times the normal volume of commuters. (I live near a designated bike route in east Denver, so its easy to count). Bike rack at work has at least double the number of bikes from just a few weeks ago.

Is it wrong to feel a little superior since I commuted all winter? Probably.

My recreational bicycling friends reported that the Cherry Creek trail was stupidly packed over the weekend. I had talked about going on a rec ride with a co-worker tonight, but I think I'll beg her to wait until next week, let some of the spring madness pass by.

HoustonGal

I'm seeing more and more bike commuters than I ever have this spring (which, in Houston, is pretty amazing). We really don't have winter though - it's actually nicer to ride Nov-March because it's not humid! However, most people here act like 50 degree weather will cause hypothermia and cease outdoor activity. Now that the days are warmer they're getting out on the bikes more. It's nice to have some company out there.

DataJunkie

um.... I commuted all winter dressed in spandex. You forgot me!

Anyhow, the one thing I am not looking forward to when I return is the increase in traffic (cycling, cars, peds, etc).

cyclezealot

The stripped bike is not encouraging. But, as to gasoline, i'd say when lines at the gas station exceed the time it takes to commute by car. Then people will think alternative transportation.

ItsJustMe

Riding in the dark is a LOT of fun, very peaceful. With proper lighting, it's significantly safer than during the day. Traffic is generally lighter, and I can guarantee that though it's pretty easy to see me during the day, it's much harder to miss me at night. The only people who would fail to see me at night wouldn't see me in the daytime either.

It's not just me. Pretty much everyone here who has an opinion on the matter agrees that riding at night with good lighting is safer than riding during the day.

I'm still riding in the dark in the morning; I adjust my schedule to ride earlier as the sun comes up earlier; what's REALLY dangerous is riding into the sun.

alpinist

Normal people drive cars.