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I’m simply never going to support any policy framework that would require me to cycle in Chicago in the winter. I know it’s possible but I’m not doing it.
by fipple 8y ago
I’m simply never going to support any policy framework that would require me to cycle in Chicago in the winter. I know it’s possible but I’m not doing it.
- adrianN 8y agoThink of it this way: The more people you can convince to cycle, the fewer cars are ahead of you in a traffic jam.
- RightMillennial 8y agoHave you lived in Chicago during the winter? It gets quite cold and windy. I couldn't imagine willingly commuting there on bike even if adequate infrastructure existed.
- adrianN 8y agoMaybe not you, but there probably are at least some people who would if there were proper infrastructure.
- Mediterraneo10 8y agoChicago in the winter is little different from Finland in the winter, and in the latter plenty of people commute by bike all winter. The discomfort of cycling in the cold is exaggerated; there is a way to dress appropriately, and then it is not a big deal.
- tonyedgecombe 8y agoIf it's windy then you aren't going to be cold.
- RightMillennial 8y agoIf this is some pun or joke, I don't get it. I assure you a place can be both cold and windy simultaneously, and this is not exclusive to Chicago.
- tonyedgecombe 8y agoI mean that cycling into the wind generates a lot of body warmth.
- adrianmonk 8y agoAnd we can talk about how maybe you should because it's better for you, but this brings up a larger issue: when it comes to how whole populations behave, comfort is a factor that can't be totally ignored. Basically it creates a trade-off. Some percentage of people will decide one way and some the other way. This is going to affect adoption if you try to build a city around this idea. Incidentally, there are also issues in hotter climates. Here in Texas, it hit 100°F (37.7°C) more than 50 days this summer. And it doesn't get cold at night. You can try to avoid the heat by biking to work early, but even at 6:00am, it might still be 80°F (26.6°C) and humid. So you will arrive sweaty, and if you don't do something about that, you will smell bad all day. (The ideal is if your office provides showers.) You're also probably going to end up taking two showers every day since you are sweaty when you get home.
- mmirate 8y ago^ This is precisely why I think biking is crazy.
- mmirate 8y agoDon't worry, Atlanta in the summer is no less ridiculous for cycling. :)