velocity

I am getting where I don't want anything to disturb my commute bike ride. I don't want to go to things after work that require being there and needing a car. Like today, I have a convention on the new update of the software that I use at work and I feel guilty I drove. Sometimes I am asked to take things to other plants and since I ride a bike, I get out of it. Am I lazy? Not a good employee? Anyone else got this problem. I bet there is a scientific name for it like Cardooraphobia or something...
V

Darth Lefty 

My branch has several riders and we often loan our cars to each other when we need one.

Some of us sometimes leave our cars at work instead of home during the week in peak commuting seasons. I haven't done that since the baby arrived, though.

I-Like-To-Bike

ocd?

icepick_trotsky 

Mazel tov!

spivonious

I feel guilty when I have to drive, but those are days that I just can't avoid it.

As far as being a "good employee", I'd be careful. You may be breeding some malcontent in your co-workers by always getting out of going to the other plants. Is it too far to ride? It might be a good excuse for a trailer.

alan s 

You are referring to your new bike, of course.

acidfast7

It's quite interesting as I have the following modes of transport to work (10km each way):

Walk to work
Jog/Run to work
Bus every 10 min to work
Train every 20 min to work
Taxi stand always available to work

and I always feel guilty when I don't ride (usually on MON and FRI when I use HSR down to London).

velocity

Quit possibly...

its a hit or miss thing at work with taking things "on the spur" in a "need it now situation" the fact is the things to transport are not good exposed to moist air. But then its not in the job disruption either.
V

rodentcloister

"My name is rodentcloister, and I have a problem."

Yeah, I've got it, too. And it's extending to other parts of my life, like making the two-mile round trip to the grocery store or to the post office...

ThermionicScott 

There's a lot of "guilt" going around the Commuting subforum lately. Try going to Confession or something?

Dave Cutter

Why bother to commute? Or go to work at all? Sometimes..... perfectly normal people forget why we work or have jobs or careers. It would seem judging by your post... you've already decided NOT to have a career. It may only be a matter of time until you make decisions that lead to not having a job.

Employment is a commitment. Understandability.... employment is a commitment that must be constantly negotiated with the commitments made to family and even moral responsibilities (like our creator). But relegating the employment commitment to a lesser value (like a hobby, sport, or trendy environmental concern)..... is a step towards unemployment.

xuwol7

If you have a good job/career and making good money hang on to it, good jobs are very hard to come by.
If it is just a ho mum job that you don't care about then that is different.
A car is just a tool much like a bike, don't feel guilty for driving, I have a car that I will drive if my commute involves cycling in a blizzard, thunderstorm/hail storm.
It sounds like a car is sometimes a necessary tool for to do your job on occasion.
Bike when you can, drive when you should...
Guilt...naw, don't have time for that.

Bike Gremlin

acidfast7

I was unemployed for 6 months between academic posts in 2013. I spend time traveling around Japan and Korea ... essentially thinking and getting myself sorted for the next fight/battle/step ... it was great and I would highly recommend it.

I think that people get too connected with "working" or "being employed." Managing a "career" is more understandable, but in general people in North America become too financially committed and thus "must" work or face financial ruin. Until recently, this was also directly connected with a decline in health services.

I'm still not 100% happy, so I'm contemplating time away again as England and I are not the best fit! I'll always keep my career on the same level as a competitive sport (as it is super competitive.)

acidfast7

That is a good point.

Guilt is too strong of a word.

Void/vacancy/emptiness perhaps is better.

Dave Cutter

Oh yes..... Technophobia. For the Luddite's, the fear of technology (or modern living in general) can seem overwhelming. Others just never seem to be able to "put it all together". Being older myself..... I see this overwhelming fear of change cripple many of my contemporaries. It is very sad.

I've often noticed the odd mix of luddite fear mixed with, the environmentalists need for spiritual growth and commitment. These are complex situations concerning human development. Not what I'd expect... from a bicycle forum.

Bike Gremlin

It's no the technology - it's what you do with it. Making the world more humane, or less so. To me it seems you lost the whole point of both videos... but I could be completely wrong, of course.

wphamilton

To be completely honest I commute by bike because I enjoy it. It's more fun than driving, it feels better. Everything else is a side effect or fringe benefit, no matter how beneficial to myself or how altruistic it may seem. If I felt guilty for driving, I'd want to figure out why and fix it.

I went a full year never driving to work, up to a couple of weeks ago. I never felt like I had to ride, and I didn't feel any qualms about driving in after the year. That's how it feels like it should be.

noglider 

I agree, I do it primarily because I like to. Last night, I rode in the rain in the dark in brutal traffic. It felt pretty challenging and dangerous though not terribly uncomfortable. I met my wife at her mother's place for dinner in the suburbs. She drove there, and I drove her car back home. That was hell. Driving a car sucks compared with riding a bike, almost every time.

velocity

You are way overboard there Mr. Dave. My post is about how I feel guilty when not riding to work. Also as a tangent, when the unusual opportunity comes where a part may need to be hand carried to another plant (Which is not my job BUT I have volunteered the use of my car before) makes it impossible when I ride. Kind of a small dilemma actually. I have been working here for 30 years (1984) since I was nineteen years old commitment? - I have been commuting to work for two years now .I am now making a commitment to ride out the rest of my possible 18 more years commuting by bike.
V

tarwheel 

I definitely "suffer" from the same syndrome, but I don't consider it detrimental to my job. The way I look at it, bike commuting is simply how I get to work and back, and it shouldn't bother anyone how I do that. We have flex time in my office, so if I need to come into work late and leave late, that is fine, or vice versa. I do drive on days when the weather is poor or unsafe for cycling, or when I need my car for appointments or meetings. I try not to feel guilty about driving, however, because I've reduced my annual driving by about 5,000 miles/year since I start bike commuting. Sometimes I drive simply because my legs are tired and need a break. I drove on Monday this week, even though the weather was perfect for cycling, because I rode 200+ miles last week and I was physically tired.

trailmix

You are so right, why bother commuting at all, just live at work. No need for family, friends or hobbies. Your career is your life, never forget that. Your whole life is measured by the commodities that you produce.

rhm

Is it in your job description, that you have to have a car, and that you use it for work-related purposes? And are you compensated accordingly (the standard rate is 56 cents per mile)? I don't mean those as rhetorical questions. It could be that your employer just assumes everyone has a car anyway... I don't know. It's complicated, though. In my own case, my employer knows I don't have a car but am happy to rent one whenever we need one for work. He pays.

At any rate, I don't think you should regard it as your unspoken duty to anyone that you drive a car. It's certainly not something to feel bad about.

no motor?

I drive about 50% of the time and bicycle the other 50% when the weather allows, and there are days when I have to decide how I get to work based on what the weather is, what I need to do when I'm at work/after work etc.... There have been many days when my careful planning on bike commuting has changed at the last minute, and enough of them end up being days when it's better to drive than ride that I don't worry about it anymore and I just go with the flow. I'll make up the riding somehow.

bike_forever

My commute would be 18 miles of suicide. Unfortunately, there are too many ignorant and impatient drivers on my route to share the road.