Commuting by Bike - Still not Catching On Here

Some years ago I tried to convince a friend that when gas hit
$3.00/gallon in the US, Americans would adjust their lifestyle
accordingly. Well, I am not seeing it. While SUV sales have dropped
sharply, commuting by bike to my office here in SE PA has not
increased. In an office complex of over 500 employees, you can find no
more than 3 bikes even on days with a perfect forecast! It's quite
amazing. I have access to a private locker and shower facilties. Yet
it doesn't matter. Most people would rather leave the office, drive to
a fitness center, ride a stationery bike indoors, and drive home before
simply riding a bike to and from work! I might also add that no less
than half of the employees in my building enjoy a commute that is
either the same distance or shorter than mine.

Jim Reilly
Reading, PA

stratrider wrote:
Some years ago I tried to convince a friend that when gas hit
$3.00/gallon in the US, Americans would adjust their lifestyle
accordingly. Well, I am not seeing it.

snip

In the UK it's simply the case that people tend to have a default
mindset of "going somewhere, therefore take the car". This extends to
ridiculously short distances of a few hundred meters or journeys where
congestion and parking nightmares can be entirely expected. It isn't
that they've thought about it, considered the alternatives and chosen
the car, they've just taken the default without thinking about it.
It'll need to /really/ hurt to take the car before that changes.

I guess it's the same, or perhaps even more so, in the US.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Fri, 04 Aug 2006 08:06:08 -0700, stratrider wrote:

Some years ago I tried to convince a friend that when gas hit $3.00/gallon
in the US, Americans would adjust their lifestyle accordingly. Well, I am
not seeing it.

I'm afraid that it may be the first derivative of gasoline price that
mostly affects behavior. The price itself has little effect unless it is
changing.

Jim Wilson
Gainesville, FL

In article ,
says...
stratrider wrote:
Some years ago I tried to convince a friend that when gas hit
$3.00/gallon in the US, Americans would adjust their lifestyle
accordingly. Well, I am not seeing it.

snip

In the UK it's simply the case that people tend to have a default
mindset of "going somewhere, therefore take the car". This extends to
ridiculously short distances of a few hundred meters or journeys where
congestion and parking nightmares can be entirely expected. It isn't
that they've thought about it, considered the alternatives and chosen
the car, they've just taken the default without thinking about it.
It'll need to /really/ hurt to take the car before that changes.

Ar. The New! IMPROVED!! Nut Mine is in Harlow, a New Town with pretty
good provision for cyclists. However, the bike shed rarely contains
more than half a dozen bikes while the car park always has several
hundred cars. And out of all the bikes, I reckon mine are the only ones
which show signs of belonging to an enthusiast - the rest are low-end
mountain bikes.

--
Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
A *National* Socialist Government did you say, Mr. Chaplin?

Peter Clinch wrote:

It isn't
that they've thought about it, considered the alternatives and chosen
the car, they've just taken the default without thinking about it.
It'll need to /really/ hurt to take the car before that changes.

I guess it's the same, or perhaps even more so, in the US.


Pete, what you described is very much the case in the US. Other than
those who reside/work in major cities (ie Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Washington DC), folks at least in the Northeast US rely
on their cars. Period. Truth is that there is no reliable public
transit outside of the cities I mentioned. Further, retail
developments (ie shopping centers and restaurants) almost never include
accomodation for customers that arrive via bike or on foot. Rarely are
there sidewalks that would allow a customer to safely cross an
expansive parking lot on foot. Never have I seen an area designed for
cyclists to park and lock their bikes. I guess in that regard, we
learn from our surroundings to take the car by default.

Jim

"stratrider" wrote in message
ps.com...
Some years ago I tried to convince a friend that when gas hit
$3.00/gallon in the US, Americans would adjust their lifestyle
accordingly. Well, I am not seeing it. While SUV sales have dropped
sharply, commuting by bike to my office here in SE PA has not
increased. In an office complex of over 500 employees, you can find no
more than 3 bikes even on days with a perfect forecast! It's quite
amazing. I have access to a private locker and shower facilties. Yet
it doesn't matter. Most people would rather leave the office, drive to
a fitness center, ride a stationery bike indoors, and drive home before
simply riding a bike to and from work! I might also add that no less
than half of the employees in my building enjoy a commute that is
either the same distance or shorter than mine.



From what I can tell the price of gasoline isn't going to change the numbers
of U.S. bike commuters appreciably. Where I live bike commuters can, for
the most part, be placed in one of two groups. Those for whom driving an
automobile isn't an option (too poor, privilege revoked,etc.) and those who
commute for the enjoyment of it.

The first group has a choice between walking, obtaining a bike (dumpster,
garage sale, thrift store, etc), or spending money on mass transportation.
Their bicycles usually cost under $100.00. As soon as these folk can
afford a automobile, have their privilege restored, or make other
arrangements they will forgo bike commuting.

The second group of bike commuters own automobiles, but bike commute for
their personal enjoyment, the exercise, doing the green thing, or general
fun of it. Their numbers are small since they typically tend to be dyed in
the wool cycling enthusiasts. Their bikes are relatively expensive costing
from $1,000- $5,000 thousand dollars. Many of them own multiple bikes for
different riding purposes and experiences.

The creation of safe bike lanes and paths in urban locations would most
likely do more to increase bike commuting than the rising price of gasoline.
In the US gasoline prices aren't that far out of line considering inflation
and the world wide increasing demand.

HHS wrote:

The creation of safe bike lanes and paths in urban locations would most
likely do more to increase bike commuting than the rising price of gasoline.
In the US gasoline prices aren't that far out of line considering inflation
and the world wide increasing demand.

You may be right. The Schuylkill River Trail in suburburan Philly and
the Washington and Old Dominion Trail in suburban DC are excellent bike
trails. I would love to have convenient access to trails like these in
my area.

Jim

"stratrider" wrote in message
oups.com...

Peter Clinch wrote:

It isn't
that they've thought about it, considered the alternatives and chosen
the car, they've just taken the default without thinking about it.
It'll need to /really/ hurt to take the car before that changes.

I guess it's the same, or perhaps even more so, in the US.


Pete, what you described is very much the case in the US. Other than
those who reside/work in major cities (ie Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Washington DC), folks at least in the Northeast US rely
on their cars. Period. Truth is that there is no reliable public
transit outside of the cities I mentioned. Further, retail
developments (ie shopping centers and restaurants) almost never include
accomodation for customers that arrive via bike or on foot. Rarely are
there sidewalks that would allow a customer to safely cross an
expansive parking lot on foot. Never have I seen an area designed for
cyclists to park and lock their bikes. I guess in that regard, we
learn from our surroundings to take the car by default.

I once got stranded in the outer suburbs of the Twin Cities and had to walk
to my destination. My God, it was nothing but a horror. No sidewalks of
course and crossing any road was like playing Russian roulette with your
life. No one, but no one, walks anywhere in the outer suburbs. Yet there are
stores and businesses all over the place.

I charge our urban planners with nothing less than total dereliction of
duty. They all ought to be taken out and executed forthwith. For Christ's
sakes, our cities and suburban spaces are for people, nor for ****ing motor
vehicles. If I were younger I would get the hell out of this crazy country
and go to a place where the landscape has been designed with humans in mind,
not g.d. motor vehicles. Just thinking about it makes me so mad I could
spit.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota

HHS wrote:

In the US gasoline prices aren't that far out of line considering inflation
and the world wide increasing demand.

For comparison, in the UK it's now nudging £1/litre, which would
come out at slightly over £3.50/US gallon which is a bit over
$6.50/US gallon.

And people are /still/ taking their cars by default for mindlessly
dumb journeys better suited to other transport. The cars are more
expensive too.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

The roads have to be safer for cyclists. My commuting by bike lasted 6
months before it was ended by an automobile. Now I don't even get to cycle
recreationally anymore. No matter how high gas prices go, and no matter how
good you make the facilities, if it isn't safe then people shouldn't do it.
The cost is simply too high. If I had it to do over again I would not
commute by bike. Gas at $10 a gallon is cheap compared to the price I'm
paying now.

Jeff