6 ms·

I really doubt this, I think this is a bunch of young, healthy enthusiasts doing something that being young and healthy can counter. I really doubt any form of

by Noos 9y ago

I really doubt this, I think this is a bunch of young, healthy enthusiasts doing something that being young and healthy can counter. I really doubt any form of wind chill at those temperatures will be pleasant, nor will slipping and sliding over a road covered with slush and salt I know this place has an unhealthy worship of cycling, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Broken_Hippo 9y ago
I moved to Trondheim, Norway around 4 years ago. Winter cycling is pretty normal here, and it isn't just the young. Basically everyone gets out in the weather - so much that the saying goes along the lines of, "There isn't bad weather, only bad clothes." Pre-school children spend a lot of time outside, and fresh air is considered healthy. And folks are biking over sidewalks covered in a couple inches of ice, I might add. On hills and in mountains, it seems. And no, it isn't always pleasant, but you get used to it and learn how to dress properly. Afterwards, it isn't a big deal.
rconti 9y ago
People have a tendency to overestimate the hassle and inconvenience of things they don't like, and underestimate the hassle and inconvenience of their existing lifestyle. I don't bike to work nearly enough, and I absolutely love cars, but it baffles my mind how much money and hassle people expend on cars that are (to them) just a transportation appliance.
- jessriedel 9y ago
  For most people on HN, the all-in cost of operating a modest car (~$12/hr https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/total-cost-owning-car/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/total-cost-owning-car/) is significantly less than the cost of their time while they're in it. And for most people, car is the fastest way to go. So I don't see how the cost is baffling to you. Yes, some people like to multi-task their exercise by biking (although then it's much harder to multi-task your audiobooks), and yes some people have short commutes that are slightly faster by bike, and yes some people just enjoy biking. But for most people, transportation is about fast reliable transportation, and if you're on HN your time is likely worth several times the car cost. (Obviously, people can spend a significant fraction of even large salaries on a luxury car, but that's a personal choice that doesn't have much to do with economical transportation. It doesn't make sense to tell someone driving a Mercedes that they could save money by riding a bike.)
  - adrianN 9y ago
    The problem with this time=money calculation is that some people enjoy riding their bike, just like some people enjoy driving their car. For me, the time I spent on my commute is not lost, is valuable relaxation time. If I had more time I would use it to ride my bike more :).
    - jessriedel 9y ago
      I explicitly acknowledged that this is an important factor for a minority of people in my comment. This caveat is not particularly relevant to the claim that people spend a baffling amount of money on cars.
  - slgeorge 9y ago
    You're accounting for direct cost, but this doesn't account for the total value of each one. You did mention it, but for most office workers getting a reasonable amount of exercise is difficult and a big limiting factor in their overall health and well-being.

by Noos 9y ago

Broken_Hippo 9y ago

I moved to Trondheim, Norway around 4 years ago. Winter cycling is pretty normal here, and it isn't just the young. Basically everyone gets out in the weather - so much that the saying goes along the lines of, "There isn't bad weather, only bad clothes." Pre-school children spend a lot of time outside, and fresh air is considered healthy. And folks are biking over sidewalks covered in a couple inches of ice, I might add. On hills and in mountains, it seems. And no, it isn't always pleasant, but you get used to it and learn how to dress properly. Afterwards, it isn't a big deal.

rconti 9y ago

People have a tendency to overestimate the hassle and inconvenience of things they don't like, and underestimate the hassle and inconvenience of their existing lifestyle. I don't bike to work nearly enough, and I absolutely love cars, but it baffles my mind how much money and hassle people expend on cars that are (to them) just a transportation appliance.

jessriedel 9y ago
For most people on HN, the all-in cost of operating a modest car (~$12/hr https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/total-cost-owning-car/ https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/total-cost-owning-car/) is significantly less than the cost of their time while they're in it. And for most people, car is the fastest way to go. So I don't see how the cost is baffling to you. Yes, some people like to multi-task their exercise by biking (although then it's much harder to multi-task your audiobooks), and yes some people have short commutes that are slightly faster by bike, and yes some people just enjoy biking. But for most people, transportation is about fast reliable transportation, and if you're on HN your time is likely worth several times the car cost. (Obviously, people can spend a significant fraction of even large salaries on a luxury car, but that's a personal choice that doesn't have much to do with economical transportation. It doesn't make sense to tell someone driving a Mercedes that they could save money by riding a bike.)
- adrianN 9y ago
  The problem with this time=money calculation is that some people enjoy riding their bike, just like some people enjoy driving their car. For me, the time I spent on my commute is not lost, is valuable relaxation time. If I had more time I would use it to ride my bike more :).
  - jessriedel 9y ago
    I explicitly acknowledged that this is an important factor for a minority of people in my comment. This caveat is not particularly relevant to the claim that people spend a baffling amount of money on cars.
- slgeorge 9y ago
  You're accounting for direct cost, but this doesn't account for the total value of each one. You did mention it, but for most office workers getting a reasonable amount of exercise is difficult and a big limiting factor in their overall health and well-being.