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I'm tempted to say this is an attitude issue? Perhaps it's even an idea the car lobby wants to promote. There's nothing inherently bad about rainy, slushy or s
by djhn 6y ago
I'm tempted to say this is an attitude issue? Perhaps it's even an idea the car lobby wants to promote.
There's nothing inherently bad about rainy, slushy or snowy weather. It's just water. Getting wet is not going to melt you.
- throwawayboise 6y agoNo it isn't going to hurt me, but given the option, I would prefer to arrive at work dry and/or not needing to shower and change clothes.
- _carbyau_ 6y agoWater does complicate things and takes extra effort to deal with. A car sidesteps it with a big set of convenience. While convenience is king for the end consumer that's what will happen for most people.
- bluGill 6y agoNot really: you still need to get from where you park the car to the front door of where you are going. That is a shorter distance, but you still need something to deal with weather.
- asdff 6y agoIf your feet get wet in most shoes, they are wet the entire day. It sucks. Investing in the correct rain gear you need takes money and time to research options, both are things that not everyone has to spare.
- adrianN 6y agoNot everyone needs to ride a bicycle all the time. But perhaps we can increase the number of people willing to do so by providing safe infrastructure.
- Sharlin 6y agoInvesting in a car also takes money and time to research options.
- asdff 6y agoWorking people buy on price not on quality, for a car or shoes. They can't afford to be choosy. A $2000 car is a steep price but is much more reliable and/or safe transport than a bus, or bike which is why we typically see working class people in this country opt to buy cars as soon as they can afford them. Because the bus and bike experience is not reliable in this country for most people.
- Noos 6y agoI feel like people haven't actually done those things here, they just say it as a matter of faith. It's miserable trying to bicycle in slush, or in near freezing temperatures. Bicycling any length of time in the rain also is miserable. Strong wind makes things worse, and there's only so much you can do to compensate. Let alone what happens when you get sick from a chill, or you work at a job that has lots of physical labor or standing time, or bike in high heat with no showers available at your job. I used to do so a lot as a young man, and it really does limit you. Sometimes you just give up the bike and walk, because the weather is that bad.
- dmoy 6y agoI agree strongly. I did it, or tried, for months in Minnesota winter. It was unbelievably terrible. I was actually okay with the biking in 90+ degree heat, but it required more careful planning on water consumption. And, I have a pretty high tolerance for general wet misery. I once spent a weekend lying in puddles in the rain, and it was fine. But the winter biking, holy hell. The cold and road slush are the real killers for winter biking. The cold can make it physically painful, and the slush makes it both dangerous, and consumes a huge amount of time on maintenance - especially when it's a salt-brine slush. That stuff disintegrates your bike (or at least my bike).