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Cycling to/from work, grocery stores, etc. is completely infeasible for 6 months of the year in approximately 1/3 of the United States. In addition to seasonal
by jtdev 5y ago
Cycling to/from work, grocery stores, etc. is completely infeasible for 6 months of the year in approximately 1/3 of the United States. In addition to seasonal infeasibility, much of the U.S. is rural... good luck commuting 15 miles each way to work.
- alkonaut 5y agoIf it’s doable in Scandinavia I’d say it’s doable in the whole US too. It’s not comfortable some days, but it’s doable (disclaimer - I don’t do it even in nice weather but I pass a lot of people with my car that do).
- jtdev 5y agoShort urban commutes in winter are not an issue (or shortish commutes in Scandanavian high density population areas)... it's the idea of long commutes in rural areas and/or long commutes in rural areas during winter that is not just inconvenient but actually quite dangerous.
- alkonaut 5y agoWhere I live 20km from Stockholm it’s pretty common to ride year round at least. That’s around 45min to 1h. It’s definitely not very dense the first 10km, but no exactly rural either. Infrastructure is good though with separate bike paths more or less door to door, and some bike lanes once you reach the city limits (though not as good as class leading Copenhagen).
- doikor 5y agoI don't think anyone is suggesting that some farmer switches to cycling to shop. Most of these articles are talking about people living in/near the cities. The average commute is 6 miles or so which is short enough to cycle just fine. > commutes in rural areas during winter that is not just inconvenient but actually quite dangerous. Not if you build the infrastructure for it and maintain it.
- ahelwer 5y agoI biked to work year-round in Calgary, Canada every workday during a 16 month internship. Including during heavy snow. Tungsten-studded bike tires made it easy. This was before the current era of electric-powered fatbikes, which easily handle such conditions.
- cameronh90 5y ago15 miles is not that far. 45 minutes with a US (20MPH) e-bike. Average commute is 30 mins each way. And that's time you don't have to spend at the gym now.
- jtdev 5y agoYou going to shower at work? How do you get your kids to school? Are you going to put them on the handlebars?
- jonnycomputer 5y agoWell, I think you're right, kinda, but either their own bikes or in one of those carts you attach. Shower at work? why, because you're sweaty? yeah, the humidity on East Coast is killer. I don't shower, but I keep a change of clothes at work.
- twiddling 5y agoWaiting for the bakfiets crowd to show up.
- estebank 5y agohttps://www.google.com/search?q=dutch+children+bike&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiP9aK55-zvAhUN6J4KHdnLA-MQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=2133&bih=1119&dpr=2.4#imgrc=Eaw7_bl2dtXk8M https://www.google.com/search?q=dutch+children+bike&source=l...
- jtdev 5y agoUsing NL as an example here is a major stretch... NL has been designed around non motorized transport; it’s like using Venice as an example for why gondola based transit is a good idea for North America <>
- Tiktaalik 5y agoYou should google some pictures of NL in the 1970s if you think NL is "designed" around non-motorized transport.
- 5555624 5y ago>is completely infeasible for 6 months of the year in approximately 1/3 of the United States Why? Because of winter? They make cold weather gear for cycling. You can even buy rechargeable, heated gloves. You can buy studded tires, as well. I had a year-round, 10 mile, each way, commute for 19 years, in temperatures ranging from 0F to 100F. (Humidity, raising the Heat Index over 100, is far worse than the cold.)
- globular-toast 5y agoRight, so before cars were widespread (~50 years ago) people just didn't go to work? I didn't own a car until I was 27 and when there's no other choice, you definitely can use a bike in all weathers. It sucks, but that's life. You appreciate the warmth more after weather so cold it makes your face sting. As for rural living, the article is talking about cities, so the idea is you travel to the edge of the city by car then get on a bike.