Non Car Commuters
 

Curious how many non car commuters we have on board?

We have it pretty easy in the south even durning "winter" anybody up north commuting in the bitter cold?

I don't commute per se. I ride my bike as often as I can.

I don't have a commute. I don't have a bike anymore, either. Stolen because I tried to help someone that I thought was a friend.

Man that stinks. So sorry:mad:

I wouldn't consider myself a non-car commuter, but i always try to ride my bike if i make trips downtown, to my friend's house, or to my church. All these trips are about 2-4 miles. In the spring i'm planning to get a nice road bike and start going farther.

If it's snowing out or the roads aren't plowed well, i don't bike. In this situation, typically the roads are narrow or slick and i don't feel very comfortable riding my bike, especially seeing how it's hills either way i go. I usually give myself a lot more time (if i can) and walk. This way i can get way on the side of the roads in the snow if there are cars around.

I walked to downtown today and back (7.2 miles round trip) while it was still snowing to run some errands. This is actually the longest walk i've done so far.

When I lived in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Victoria, I went decades without a car, using a bike for everything, every day. Now, I'm in a small town, and have to walk to get more exercise than the bike affords in the distance I travel. Every month or so, I buy some insurance and go buy some health food in the city.

Next time you're in western New York, stop by the Buffalo Blue Bicycle workshop. They're a charity that takes in bikes people don't want anymore, fixes them up, and lends/sells them for free/cheap.

In the past couple years, I've given away three bikes, one of which I bought expressly for that purpose.

But no, it's too cold to ride. With the increase in frontal area and encumberance from all the extra clothing, and the higher rolling resistance and air density, and the fact that two wheels + ice don't mix, I'd rather just walk or get in my gas-guzzling cage.

RobertSmalls -

Thanks for the tip. I usually find them locally pretty cheap. I used to fix them up, but found that around here, there is no business for it unless you're near the college, and there's a bike shop there now.

When I was in Drivers Ed I always rode my bike when nobody could give me a ride. I put several miles on that bike! Not just when I went to Drivers Ed, but I commuted for food at times, and I just generally loved riding that bike!

There have been times that I've been car-less, but I don't think I've been bike-less since I was 10. I live in a small town, and if I never had to leave it, I probably wouldn't drive, but there are times when a bike won't do. I'm not going to try to load a Mesa-Boogie on a bike.

The cold isn't so bad when I'm riding. I can bundle up against it. But I don't like losing traction on ice and hitting the ground, and I've done it many times. But when you add traction-less multi-ton vehicles into the mix, then enjoyment of riding just goes away.

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.

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.

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").

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.

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?

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.

You count as a non car commuter.

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.

I have a split shift, so I commute 2 miles 4 times a day. I take the bicycle every time unless I need to bring something heavy back one way or the other. The coldest trip so far was -7F wind chill, +9F without wind. Lucky for me my commute is not during normal traffic times, also the whole route is well lit by street lights so I don't use any lighting of my own even at 4:30am.

I hear you. I add 4 miles round trip for routing and won't ride if the visibility is below 1 mile.

Rough riding at 4:00 am. Even though your light on traffic wouldn't at least a blinkie make you move visible. Car are not expecting someone to be riding at 4:00 in the morning or when it's below 0.

Maybe if I start seeing any cars on my route I might rethink it but for now no cars to avoid.
Just a few startled dog walkers a year.