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I personally can think of lots of reasons besides laziness that people may not ride their bikes to work. Let's see...for starters, not everyone goes to work and stays in the office all day. Many people visit clients all over the city throughout the day so need to have their car available as well as they just don't have the time to rider from say the Tech Center to Brighton or Loveland or Ft. Collins. Hmmmm.....also, there are any number of folks who don't drive directly home from work - when my kids were younger I was picking them up from daycare or needed to get home in a hurry to get them to sports practices or games or that was the only time I had to get grocery shopping done. Some people's work schedules have them working when it's dark -either in the morning or at night. Some people's work doesn't have shower facilities and require that they present themselves in a professional manner as soon as they arrive. And those are all very good reasons and I'm sure there are any number of additional reasons. No doubt there are some people who are lazy etc however I don't think that the obesity epidemic is simply a matter of people who "should" be riding to work. There are a lot of things that go into that - but that's not nearly as fun and self congratulatory as "looking down upon" people you know nothing about now is it?
I'm not talking about going to work only. Im talking about going to the store, the coffee shop, the post office, friends houses, and everything else.
What you are saying about work is true for some people who work in highly professional jobs. But lots of people do not work in highly professional environments in which they need to look perfect and travel around town in their own car. If you're working at a restaurant or the grocery store, you can get away with having a little sweat on your brow. And lots of places that do require travel provide company cars.
Your argument only applies to a small percentage of the people out there.
And the idea that you must shower after riding a bike is funny to me. I ride everywhere and I just shower once a day. I think that's over-cleanlieness. If you sweat a little bit, you don't have to rush to wash it off..... just use some cologne and deoderatn and you're set.
Also, if someone is unhealthy and obese, they should exercise more, correct?
So for caveats; I don't ride my bike to work much, I more or less work from home or travel to all parts of the world for a week or so -- and so I have about zero to contribute to the whole green movement.
We take our kids to school in the bike trailer year round so perhaps that hepls -- a bit -- but I realize there is some hypocracy in my following question.
Still -- I do bike at least an hour a day; My family (3 kids) now own just one car (down from 2 race cars and 3 other cars at our un-childed prime). We ride or walk to the grocer ... etc etc. A tank of gas last us generally 2 months or more.
I know plenty of people who commute on average 8 miles each way a day to work, some of whom trade the bike for a bus when they are not on two wheels.
So the question is; if your commute is less than 5 miles to work, why do you drive your car?
I don't drive or ride a bike. I don't own a car, and I don't know how to ride a bike. I walk, usually.
I'm not talking about going to work only. Im talking about going to the store, the coffee shop, the post office, friends houses, and everything else.
What you are saying about work is true for some people who work in highly professional jobs. But lots of people do not work in highly professional environments in which they need to look perfect and travel around town in their own car. If you're working at a restaurant or the grocery store, you can get away with having a little sweat on your brow. And lots of places that do require travel provide company cars.
Your argument only applies to a small percentage of the people out there.
And the idea that you must shower after riding a bike is funny to me. I ride everywhere and I just shower once a day. I think that's over-cleanlieness. If you sweat a little bit, you don't have to rush to wash it off..... just use some cologne and deoderatn and you're set.
Also, if someone is unhealthy and obese, they should exercise more, correct?
I disagree that only a small number of "highly professional" fit into those catagories....and your job may allow you to be at work all rumpled and sweaty but many jobs don't. Many sales reps drive their cars all over the city; many retail workers have no bike storage and are not at work during daylight only hours, I would not call either "highly professional" - you completely neglected my comments about those people who are taking/picking up children from daycare. I didn't even mention people who leave during the day for doctor or other appointments. I think you underestimate the types of work many people do as well as the varied schedules people have. But again it is much more important to feel superior right? Remind me again just what actual accomplishment comes from that attitude? I missed that somewhere along the line.
Also, if someone is unhealthy and obese, they should exercise more, correct?
Yes but riding one's bike to work is only ONE way to do this....not to mention, frankly, it's not any of my business as to how someone gets their exercise or even if they get it. Kind of like it's not my business how they vote, where they live, what they drive, where they send their kids to school or even if they have kids. That's the beauty of living in this country - we get to choose. Even if those choices are not what someone else would choose for us.
I applaud all people who commute to their work by bike. The Denver metro area has so many trails and encourages bike riding that riding for pleasure is a good activity.
I use to bike ride all over the area, many years ago but unfortunately, I have a severe illness, neurological and arthritic, that makes walking even difficult. However, I try to walk as much as possible and avoid driving. Last week, I used my car only for one trip, less than 1 mile round trip, because I had to pick some heavy items. My car, that I bought new, is over 15 years old and has only 70,000 miles. Last year I drove 2000 miles.
Now, I cannot walk as well but I use a heavy duty wheeled walker/rollator. It is the most amazing walker and with it I can walk to the grocery store about 1/3 mile. Without it, I could only walk about 300-500 feet with a cane and then I am exhausted and in more pain, I am telling you it is wonderful and more people should use them. I have now been able to walk over a mile with the rollator and I want to walk more.
These rollators where invented in the Scandinavian countries about 40 years ago. Now, many people use them, not only the old and disable. They are used by many people for extended walking in the towns and on trails. Some even have snow glides and bigger tires, as some are used for hiking in rougher terrain. But in America, we have this stupid macho attitude that prevents the wider adaptation of these devices.
and an American Make:
Rolling Walkers - Nova Ortho-Med Carson, CA (800) 557-6682 (http://www.novaortho-med.net/browse.htm?shopBy=4305 - broken link)
I know some of you will have a big laugh at this and I have seen and heard the snickers when I use it. However, it has extended my mobility and I can now walk much farther with comfort and security. It provides the double support from the two sides and gives me confidence to move. Walking with a cane, or two canes, or crutches is just too fatiguing. I now have the confidence to venture out on the buses and trains, when for a while I got depressed and would not walk.
I bike ~5 days/week. Since moving here last month, I've had 3 flats. I ride a road bike with relatively thin tires (700x23).
I've done a little online research and see a few options (short of getting a bike with thicker/fatter tires):
1. Armadillo tires - almost impervious to flats but poorer and slower ride.
2. Continental Ultra gatorskin tires - Not quite as impervious to flats, but better than traditional tires with a decent ride.
I disagree that only a small number of "highly professional" fit into those catagories....and your job may allow you to be at work all rumpled and sweaty but many jobs don't. Many sales reps drive their cars all over the city; many retail workers have no bike storage and are not at work during daylight only hours, I would not call either "highly professional" - you completely neglected my comments about those people who are taking/picking up children from daycare. I didn't even mention people who leave during the day for doctor or other appointments. I think you underestimate the types of work many people do as well as the varied schedules people have. But again it is much more important to feel superior right? Remind me again just what actual accomplishment comes from that attitude? I missed that somewhere along the line.
Yeah, some people do need cars. Especially in such a sprawled city as Denver.
But a lot of people could easily live without a car, yet don't. Both are true.
When I was in Denver, mot people I knew simply drove everywhere. Even to a corner store down the block. That's when it gets ridiculous, when a person won;t even wak down the street when they have plenty of time to do so.
In Denver, there were a lot of really big people. A lot of people who were probably pushing 250 pounds. They really should do something about it before they get diabetes, a heart condition or some other malady.
You seem to really be taking offense to my comments. Maybe i'm hitting too close to home?
I bike ~5 days/week. Since moving here last month, I've had 3 flats. I ride a road bike with relatively thin tires (700x23).
I've done a little online research and see a few options (short of getting a bike with thicker/fatter tires):
1. Armadillo tires - almost impervious to flats but poorer and slower ride.
2. Continental Ultra gatorskin tires - Not quite as impervious to flats, but better than traditional tires with a decent ride.
Any other ideas or comments?
You can add a tire liner or tube liner that helps prevent flats. It is a hard plastic that goes between the tube and the tire.
I bike ~5 days/week. Since moving here last month, I've had 3 flats. I ride a road bike with relatively thin tires (700x23).
I've done a little online research and see a few options (short of getting a bike with thicker/fatter tires):
1. Armadillo tires - almost impervious to flats but poorer and slower ride.
2. Continental Ultra gatorskin tires - Not quite as impervious to flats, but better than traditional tires with a decent ride.
Any other ideas or comments?
Tire Slime works great. When you get a puncture it immediately seals it back up unless it is really bad. Great for those hard little thorns that are all over the place in Denver.
You seem to really be taking offense to my comments. Maybe i'm hitting too close to home?
No - just really tired of so many of the Denver threads lately being a certain segment of people who seem to believe that unless you live a certain lifestyle, you deserve to be looked down upon. If you live outside the city limits? snub....if you live in the suburbs? double snub....OMG if one were to live in Highlands Ranch (which I don't BTW) - you might as well hand in your membership card to the human race. Same with biking - not to mention, I am tired of driving home and being in a line behind a group of cyclists riding 3 abreast on a 2 lane highly traveled road at rush hour no doubt feeling superior while I am trying to make it home in time to get my child to his sports game or another appointment I have scheduled. What is the point of riding 3 abreast? I am a careful driver and have no issue with those cyclists who abide by the law and common sense. If people want to ride their bikes or drive their Suburbans, I go about my day figuring they have their reasons. I don't understand all the judgement when you don't have a clue as to what those people are doing or why.
ETA - you are still avoiding my question regarding what is accompished by feeling superior like this? All I can imagine at this point is you must feel you are lacking somewhere else and therefore need the boost to feel OK about yourself....People who are happy and well adjusted really don't need to look down upon others.
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Flats - how to minimize them?
