Bike to work (house, school, live in)

[weverjames]

Who things it is a good idea to bike to work?
I live in downtown area and thinking about it. However the lack of lanes, concerns about safety and the fact that I have to dress and look "professional" keep me from doing it
Has anybody tried? could you share your experience?
I would be nice if we, as a society, could be less car and house focused. That lifestyle is contributing to isolation and many social problems we currently see.

[Toxic Toast]

There are a lot of people who commute to downtown from Fountain Square by bike. If I had a job downtown, I would absolutely bike to my job.

[plaidmom]

I'm a bicycle commuter, although I don't live in Indy.

I do have friends in Indy who commute from Broad Ripple to Downtown.

There's a lot to learn about commuting, too much to post here. Here are some links to get you started:

INDYCOG

League of American Bicyclists * Home

Bicycle Indiana

Central Indiana Bicycle Assn

Let me know if you have any specific questions (although if you want route suggestions you are better off asking on the CIBA forum).

Happy riding!

[luzclara]

I work downtown, live downtown, and have been biking to work year round for the past few years. I even bike one kid to school.

Lack of lanes: Not a problem. If it's a street you would choose to drive on, it's probably not a street you'd want to bike on (hint - if it has a lot of stop signs, it's ideal for biking). For example, ride on Alabama, not Delaware. I do use the bike lanes on New York and Michigan when I'm in a hurry to go between downtown and IUPUI, but a more pleasant route is IUPUI campus to White River to the canal to St. Clair.

Getting a rearview mirror can also help you feel more comfortable riding in the street. I don't feel like I need it on the side streets, but I am glad of it (dorky as it is) when I'm in the bike lanes on New York and Michigan.

Safety: I'm female, tiny, and part of the time I have a kid on a trailer behind me. So far I've had no real issues with drivers...by and large they're aware of cyclists. As for general safety, I've twice been asked for money, once had a run-in with a guy biking against traffic (had to call 911 after he threatened me), and get various comments from guys - that's pretty constant but not a real problem.

Dressing for work: It's always possible to change clothes at work. I'm fortunate to have a locker room, but my husband doesn't - he just changes in the rest room. Just get some panniers and bring your clothes in with you.

Any day is a good day to start, but if it helps to have reason, Bike to Work Day is May 21st.