4 ms·

quick survey : how many readers actually ride to work?

jandrese 7y ago
I do, when the weather is acceptable. Not too cold (20F/-7C to 100F/38C) nor excessive precipitation (something of a problem this year) nor a day where I need to go on site (which is sadly in the middle of nowhere). Works out to two or three days per week typically. I did lose an entire month once--February a few years ago, when the snow never melted for the entire month, and I had low ridership last summer when I had to drop the kids off at camp every day in August and it just didn't make sense to drive back home to hop on the bike. I probably lose just as many days to stupid stuff like that as I do to the weather. Still, I'm happier on days when I get to bike. I only occasionally get stuck in traffic on the bike--when pedestrians decide to fill up the bike lane and walk very slowly in a huge clump.
saddestcatever 7y ago
Boston. Every day. Rain, Shine, Snow, Winds, etc. 3.5 miles each way. Gets prettttttyy bad in the snow, but better than the subway.
CalRobert 7y ago
I did for ~8 years until about a year ago, when I went 100% remote.
- jascii 7y ago
  I did most of my life (grew up in the Netherlands and never owned a car till I moved to the US). I started car commuting a while ago when I had a 15 Mile commute (one way) with a minor mountain range in between. Now I discovered the joy of e-biking and am riding again.
glaurung_ 7y ago
Unfortunately there's an unavoidable stretch of two lane highway with no sidewalk or bike lane between me any my workplace. If I lived somewhere where I could make the trip reasonably safely I absolutely would!
Steltek 7y ago
Boston. 365 days. 7 miles. With 2 kids (starting at 12 months) on the back in seats (not a trailer). Snow tires make winter way more feasible. Also fwiw, the kids never complained about the weather bothering them, only that we didn't stop at the playground (crying, sometimes tantrums).
Karrot_Kream 7y ago
Why wouldn't you? I have a daily 10 mi. commute. In the spring and summer, I almost never drive my car. I haven't driven my car in 2 months, come to think of it.
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  I wouldn't because I can't bike across the Hudson (or the Hackensack, which is also in my way).
- CapricornNoble 7y ago
  "Why wouldn't you?" The spring/summer weather hovers between 25-33 Celsius with 80%+ humidity. I like arriving at my destinations not covered in sweat. When it's not brutally hot and sunny....it's raining (this island gets twice as much rainfall as Seattle). And we are regularly hit by typhoons. You can drive a car in a weak typhoon. Good luck riding a bike during one. The terrain is very hilly here, with many roads cutting across the island having elevation changes of ~70m. Attacking hills like that might be a great workout but I sure as hell wouldn't want to do it after a trip to my favorite ramen shop or tempura restaurant (both of which are at sea level, down the hill from me). Finally....I'm a speed freak and a gearhead, and the experience of operating a powerful car, daily, is its own reward. I wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle, but I also wouldn't be caught dead driving a low-powered commuter vehicle shitbox. Climate and geography are major factors which I think many Americans ignore because most tech workers either live somewhere with mild weather, or live somewhere with flat, bland geography (most of the country, really).
  - Karrot_Kream 7y ago
    > Finally....I'm a speed freak and a gearhead, and the experience of operating a powerful car, daily, is its own reward. I wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle, but I also wouldn't be caught dead driving a low-powered commuter vehicle shitbox. Why you would actively choose to contribute more to climate change for what are essentially aesthetic/identity choices is beyond me, but many people do, so I'm obviously missing something.
Angostura 7y ago
I do, in London - but it's only about a 20 minute cycle.
s0rce 7y ago
I do, 4mi each way in Oakland, CA. Most days except really bad rain since driver's are terrible and I was almost hit by a truck last winter.
xenocyon 7y ago
I do; Seattle; most everyday except when there is snow/ice on the ground.
MBlume 7y ago
Every day, live and work in Oakland
ashtonbaker 7y ago
Ann Arbor, MI. A couple miles each way. Every day, all year.
markus92 7y ago
I don't have a car, and if I had parking is pretty much impossible at work. 15 mins ride every day, 2.5mi/4km.
lmm 7y ago
Yep, every day (London) unless I'm going out in the evening.

I do, when the weather is acceptable. Not too cold (20F/-7C to 100F/38C) nor excessive precipitation (something of a problem this year) nor a day where I need to go on site (which is sadly in the middle of nowhere). Works out to two or three days per week typically. I did lose an entire month once--February a few years ago, when the snow never melted for the entire month, and I had low ridership last summer when I had to drop the kids off at camp every day in August and it just didn't make sense to drive back home to hop on the bike. I probably lose just as many days to stupid stuff like that as I do to the weather. Still, I'm happier on days when I get to bike. I only occasionally get stuck in traffic on the bike--when pedestrians decide to fill up the bike lane and walk very slowly in a huge clump.

saddestcatever 7y ago

Boston. Every day. Rain, Shine, Snow, Winds, etc. 3.5 miles each way. Gets prettttttyy bad in the snow, but better than the subway.

CalRobert 7y ago

I did for ~8 years until about a year ago, when I went 100% remote.

jascii 7y ago
I did most of my life (grew up in the Netherlands and never owned a car till I moved to the US). I started car commuting a while ago when I had a 15 Mile commute (one way) with a minor mountain range in between. Now I discovered the joy of e-biking and am riding again.

glaurung_ 7y ago

Unfortunately there's an unavoidable stretch of two lane highway with no sidewalk or bike lane between me any my workplace. If I lived somewhere where I could make the trip reasonably safely I absolutely would!

Steltek 7y ago

Boston. 365 days. 7 miles. With 2 kids (starting at 12 months) on the back in seats (not a trailer). Snow tires make winter way more feasible. Also fwiw, the kids never complained about the weather bothering them, only that we didn't stop at the playground (crying, sometimes tantrums).

Karrot_Kream 7y ago

Why wouldn't you? I have a daily 10 mi. commute. In the spring and summer, I almost never drive my car. I haven't driven my car in 2 months, come to think of it.

vonmoltke 7y ago
I wouldn't because I can't bike across the Hudson (or the Hackensack, which is also in my way).
CapricornNoble 7y ago
"Why wouldn't you?" The spring/summer weather hovers between 25-33 Celsius with 80%+ humidity. I like arriving at my destinations not covered in sweat. When it's not brutally hot and sunny....it's raining (this island gets twice as much rainfall as Seattle). And we are regularly hit by typhoons. You can drive a car in a weak typhoon. Good luck riding a bike during one. The terrain is very hilly here, with many roads cutting across the island having elevation changes of ~70m. Attacking hills like that might be a great workout but I sure as hell wouldn't want to do it after a trip to my favorite ramen shop or tempura restaurant (both of which are at sea level, down the hill from me). Finally....I'm a speed freak and a gearhead, and the experience of operating a powerful car, daily, is its own reward. I wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle, but I also wouldn't be caught dead driving a low-powered commuter vehicle shitbox. Climate and geography are major factors which I think many Americans ignore because most tech workers either live somewhere with mild weather, or live somewhere with flat, bland geography (most of the country, really).
- Karrot_Kream 7y ago
  > Finally....I'm a speed freak and a gearhead, and the experience of operating a powerful car, daily, is its own reward. I wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle, but I also wouldn't be caught dead driving a low-powered commuter vehicle shitbox. Why you would actively choose to contribute more to climate change for what are essentially aesthetic/identity choices is beyond me, but many people do, so I'm obviously missing something.

Angostura 7y ago

I do, in London - but it's only about a 20 minute cycle.

s0rce 7y ago

I do, 4mi each way in Oakland, CA. Most days except really bad rain since driver's are terrible and I was almost hit by a truck last winter.

xenocyon 7y ago

I do; Seattle; most everyday except when there is snow/ice on the ground.

MBlume 7y ago

Every day, live and work in Oakland

ashtonbaker 7y ago

Ann Arbor, MI. A couple miles each way. Every day, all year.

markus92 7y ago

I don't have a car, and if I had parking is pretty much impossible at work. 15 mins ride every day, 2.5mi/4km.

lmm 7y ago

Yep, every day (London) unless I'm going out in the evening.