Non Car Commuters

[Ryland]

I don't have a commute right now as I'm not working at this time and up until christmas I was ridding my bike alot but christmas day it rained, a week later and we still have alot of ice in the streets and I don't feel justified in spending $100 on studded tires just yet.
I did however buy a house closer to where I tend to spend my time, so even with winter weather and bad roads there are days that I don't drive and still get out plenty.

[order99]

I live too far from any towns...need my car for the moment.

The good part about that is the nice, quiet country roads I can bike on for fun and fitness...

[Christ]

Originally Posted by order99

I live too far from any towns...need my car for the moment.

The good part about that is the nice, quiet country roads I can bike on for fun and fitness...

There's another issue for me... it's about 10 miles to any place that doesn't want $8 for a short sack of potatoes.

It's actually worth it to drive the extra distance to pay $4 less.

[Piwoslaw]

I don't commute regularly, but when I go to the center of Warsaw (20km) I take the train or bus. The only times we take the car into town is either to a latenight party, or when transporting heavy/awkward stuff. The wife has a terrible commute (changing busses 3 times, 1.5-2h just to do 20km one way), but she doesn't want to take our car, as it's too heavy for driving one person around town. We bike whenever it's warm and dry. I also bike year round to any local (within 4km) shopping. I often haul more on my bike than my Dad-in-law with his car ("I can't take my bike b/c I'll have to carry something").

[Christ]

I think next spring when I have more time that I can work on stuff (and won't have to pay specific attention to my Son all day, since my Wife will be home more often), I'll be able to actually work on some of the projects I've been into lately, one of which is a reverse recumbent trike that can be classisfied as a moped for local use.

[Gone4]

I'm living in Boston right now and I am riding my bike every day (in the mid 20's F lately) and at night (upper single digits to mid teens). There's really nothing to it. I'm doing it on 23 mm road tires still and manage on the ice although it will slow me down sometimes. I just need to find gloves that keep my finger tips warm still. I'm not sure I count as a commuter since I usually walk to work and cycling is more for groceries, asocial life, etc. I love it. I wish I never had to sit in a car again.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

I'm living in Boston right now and I am riding my bike every day (in the mid 20's F lately) and at night (upper single digits to mid teens). There's really nothing to it. I'm doing it on 23 mm road tires still and manage on the ice although it will slow me down sometimes. I just need to find gloves that keep my finger tips warm still. I'm not sure I count as a commuter since I usually walk to work and cycling is more for groceries, asocial life, etc. I love it. I wish I never had to sit in a car again.

What kind of light setup do you have? When it snowing do you run them all the time or just night and low visibility?

[mjboks]

I commute about 1/2 of the time for about 8 months of the year. I actually add miles for my bike commute because it's a safer route. Almost 9-10 miles each way to work on my bike commute (vs. 8 on my drive). Winter is just not safe enough to risk commuting. Michigan is too snowy and icey and a few of the roads I use cars can get up to 60mph on. Too many killed bicyclist - mostly from cell phone/text drivers.

I use the Moab night rider HID/LED light. Amazing! I have a blackburn Mar 3.0 tail light (3 way for visibility). I'm planning on adding some reflective tape to the fenders.

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

I'm not sure I count as a commuter since I usually walk to work and cycling is more for groceries, asocial life, etc. I love it. I wish I never had to sit in a car again.

You count as a non car commuter.

[SentraSE-R]

I worked a 34 year career, and only commuted in a single-occupant car for 2 of those 34 years.

My first job, in Arizona, I rode a 75 mpg motorcycle to work, year-round 5 miles each way, for a year.

Second job was in Colorado, for 5 years. I rode the motorcycle 32 miles each way until temperatures dropped to 10ºF. Then I drove a carpool with 3 passengers in the winter.

In Alaska, I bicycled 6.5 miles each way to work for 6 years, riding the bus in the winter

In Utah, I motorcycled 17 miles each way, down to 10ºF, for 3 yrs, riding the bus in the winter. My last year there, a co-worker moved in nearby, and we carpooled.

My first 7 years in the Bay Area, I took a ferry and BART to work, or I bicycled 6.5 miles each way to a vanpool, or I carpooled, and I even ran my own vanpool. It was a 40 mile commute each way

Then I moved to Georgia. The heat, and security requirements where I worked, kept me from bicycling to work. These were the 2 years I SOV drove, 3 miles each way.

I moved back to the Bay Area, riding a bus, BART, and a private shuttle bus my last 6 years, 40 miles each way.