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I generally find that people who cycle to work (I know only a few) live in places with good transit options. So you're not really taking any cars off the road because those people probably don't own or need a car anyway.
Might be because you haved lived mostly in areas with good public transit, though that has been my experience as well. If I lived in a place like Brooklyn, I'd mostly use my bicycle for trips to another neighborhood in Brooklyn or Queens that require a clumsy trip (lots of transfers) by transit rather than commuting into Manhattan or Downtown Brooklyn. I didn't find cycling in Brooklyn particularly dangerous, but not all that fun either. This thread I made a while ago linked to a post that bikes mostly take for transit share:
Bicycling could make a dent of car use in lower density (but still higher than typical American suburban densities) less centralized cities.
I'm more with lvoc on this one. I think the impact would be negligible. Many people drop their kids off at school before heading to work, so a bicycle is not really practical for commuting. And if you're trying to wake kids up, iron clothes, take out the garbage, feed kids breakfast in the morning, etc., then it's really difficult to voluntarily tack on an extra 30 to 45 minutes to your commute when you could simply drive to work. If you live close to work, or close to a rail station, then more power to you. But most people do not live close to work, and do not live very close to a rail station, so bike commuting is something that probably never even enters their head.
I don't have the time or discipline to bike to a commuter station and take a train to work, especially if I had access to a car and parking at my job.
What if commuter rail is nowhere near your job?
Or the nearest commuter rail station is 6 miles from your house?
Or you're running late for an important meeting?
What's your point? If rail / bicycle doesn't work for your specific situation, then drive.
And honestly, if you live in the High Desert or Orange County and are commuting into Central LA - you're an idiot, plain and simple. It doesn't matter what mode of transportation you use.
Might be because you haved lived mostly in areas with good public transit, though that has been my experience as well. If I lived in a place like Brooklyn, I'd mostly use my bicycle for trips to another neighborhood in Brooklyn or Queens that require a clumsy trip (lots of transfers) by transit rather than commuting into Manhattan or Downtown Brooklyn. I didn't find cycling in Brooklyn particularly dangerous, but not all that fun either. This thread I made a while ago linked to a post that bikes mostly take for transit share:
Bicycling could make a dent of car use in lower density (but still higher than typical American suburban densities) less centralized cities.
My father in law bicycles to work and he lives in one of the most suburban cities I have ever seen.
My father also bicycles to work - takes a shuttle bus about a .25 mile away, which takes him to his work (on an AFB) and he bicycles the rest of the way.
The only other option for them is driving, so bicycling absolutely takes cars off the road. Does it make a dent in traffic? I doubt it, because transit doesn't really make a dent in traffic.
I generally find that people who cycle to work (I know only a few) live in places with good transit options. So you're not really taking any cars off the road because those people probably don't own or need a car anyway.
That's certainly possible, but there are many people who live beyond my neighborhood (where there is no public transportation) that cycle too. The other factor is that not everyone likes public transport, especially buses. If someone likes to ride their bike, but doesn't like taking the bus, they'll otherwise drive to work. I know a lot of people like this (including my wife).
Quote:
Originally Posted by nei
Might be because you haved lived mostly in areas with good public transit, though that has been my experience as well.
Outside of the top cities for public transportation, there are many many places with a good number of cyclists and pretty weak ridership numbers. Being adverse to driving to work is only one small fragment of the biking community. The passion for being on a bike is a majority of the representation; saving money has to be another big one.
I don't have the time or discipline to bike to a commuter station and take a train to work, especially if I had access to a car and parking at my job.
What if commuter rail is nowhere near your job?
Or the nearest commuter rail station is 6 miles from your house?
Or you're running late for an important meeting?
IMO, motivation and situation are the two top things that lead to bicycle commuting. If you aren't motivated to do so (whether by passion, cost, exercise, etc), then you aren't going to make the effort, even if it's convenient to do so. Your situation can overpower your motivation to cycle to work if it's too inconvenient, but some are just that motivated to dedicate the time and consistency to break it down into an efficient, repeatable thing even when long-distance or legs/segments are involved.
Note: The motivation pushes the effort that's needed to plan ahead (e.g. you know you have an early meeting and you get ready early so you're not running late), and the situation dictates what that plan needs to be.
My father in law bicycles to work and he lives in one of the most suburban cities I have ever seen.
My father also bicycles to work - takes a shuttle bus about a .25 mile away, which takes him to his work (on an AFB) and he bicycles the rest of the way.
The only other option for them is driving, so bicycling absolutely takes cars off the road. Does it make a dent in traffic? I doubt it, because transit doesn't really make a dent in traffic.
It sucks that things are this way, but everything has to start somewhere. It's very cool that your father and father-in-law both cycle to work. Do you find that it encourages you to commute that way to work (even if you don't)?
Transit in Europe does make a dent in the car traffic, and perhaps the US will continue to move in that direction as gas and congestion worsen. I know cycling has increased heavily in the past few years, so who knows how far it will go.
It sucks that things are this way, but everything has to start somewhere. It's very cool that your father and father-in-law both cycle to work. Do you find that it encourages you to commute that way to work (even if you don't)?
Transit in Europe does make a dent in the car traffic, and perhaps the US will continue to move in that direction as gas and congestion worsen. I know cycling has increased heavily in the past few years, so who knows how far it will go.
I'm lucky enough to work from home - but yeah, I would either bicycle, walk or take transit - car would be last on my list. My F-I-L started to bicycle to work for health / exercise reasons, and I honestly have no idea why my dad bicycles to work but I definitely think it is cool.
I guess I shouldn't have said that transit doesn't make a dent in traffic, it certainly helps... Part of my reasoning for saying that is many anti-transit people in LA say it is a waste of time to build transit because it doesn't clear up congestion on the freeways.
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