Oooh, that was a nice commute!

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08-27-2008, 06:54 AM
sfa

Oooh, that was a nice commute!

I can only commute by bike one or two days a week because of my husband's work schedule (he works the night shift--gets home at 8 a.m., I have to be at work at 8:30 and even in my wildest dreams I couldn't cover 13+ miles in 30 minutes). But I work on a college campus and as of this morning I'm under orders to take the shuttle to off-site parking to ease parking congestion on campus. I've had bad luck with the shuttle in the past--I always seem to arrive two minutes after it has left, or it leaves campus early so I miss it, and then you have to wait a half an hour for the next one. So with that in mind, this morning I threw my bike in the back of my car, did indeed miss the shuttle by two minutes, so I got on the bike and made it to work before the shuttle that I missed. The trip from off site parking is about a mile and a half--very nice! What I don't get is why *anyone* would drive that distance when they could walk or cycle. I know at least two people in my office who live roughly that distance from work and they are actually driving past the campus to go to shuttle parking and then take the shuttle in. I don't get it.

Sarah
08-27-2008, 08:12 AM
Smilie

Quote:

What I don't get is why *anyone* would drive that distance when they could walk or cycle. I know at least two people in my office who live roughly that distance from work and they are actually driving past the campus to go to shuttle parking and then take the shuttle in. I don't get it.

Me either! Maybe laziness?
08-27-2008, 08:24 AM
F8th637

Chances are it's lack of experience. They've never done it before and it never occurred to them to ride their bike that short distance. They may also be fearful of riding given certain roads. I would like for these people to try it once with someone with experience so they could see for themselves that it's do-able and become converts. :D
08-27-2008, 08:25 AM
Smilie

But everyone knows how to walk. :D
08-27-2008, 08:31 AM
F8th637

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilie

But everyone knows how to walk. :D

Oh haa haa! Yeah, good point! I forgot about the walking part. I'd say it's laziness and that we've been conditioned to think "car" to get us places. :P
08-27-2008, 08:46 AM
Aggie_Ama

True, everyone can walk but they don't think about it being 1. easy and 2. satisfying. I recently started walking to places near my work at lunch. Seriously, for three years I would drive across the street to the sandwich shop. I walked once (it is a walk under a freeway, so not a residential street) and won't look back. Even when it was 100 degrees and humid, I felt energize from a 5-10 minute walk. If I lived a mile from work I would walk so I could be full o' pep all day.
08-27-2008, 08:46 AM
SadieKate

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilie

Me either! Maybe laziness?

Maybe disability and they're not willing to get special parking privileges?
08-27-2008, 08:49 AM
Aggie_Ama

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieKate

Maybe disability and they're not willing to get special parking privileges?

Good point. My Pawpaw was on disability the last 14 years of his life due to congestive heart failure. Only the last 4 did he finally give into handicapped plates so he didn't walk as far to the grocery store, etc. He felt too proud to need them before that.
08-27-2008, 08:52 AM
SadieKate

Was Pawpaw your grandfather?

Growing up in Southern California I was the only one I knew with a "Paw-Paw." It makes me smile when I hear other use the term. The dubya's are the critical part.:)
08-27-2008, 08:54 AM
Smilie

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieKate
Maybe disability and they're not willing to get special parking privileges

That is true, but I don't think those people would be in the majority. In that case it is understandable, but not everyone needs the special use permits. People tend to do what is easiest, and people in general are basically lazy sad to say. I think the majority of people on this forum are not 'lazy' as we love to exercise and ride in particular.
08-27-2008, 09:00 AM
SadieKate

But it sure sounds like you're generalizing. :)

And I bet you have some folks on this forum that can ride, but have difficulty walking -- or lifting their bike in/out of a car.
08-27-2008, 09:08 AM
NoNo

Just curious, what school do you work at? I'm a College Park alum.

Your subject line were my exact thoughts riding in this morning (first ride to work since I crashed last month, woot!). It was cool enough for me to put my arm warmers on and I just enjoyed the lovely weather.

As for why people don't consider other methods of transportation, I'm with you on the laziness thing. But there's physical laziness, and there's convenience laziness. Walking/biking/taking mass transit mean you may have to get up a little earlier, adhere to a schedule, etc, and people don't like that. Then there are probably people like me that wanted to do things other than drive, but don't get around to it. It took me forever to start taking the train to work, but as soon as I did I thought "What the heck took me so long? This is great!" Habits are hard to break.
08-27-2008, 09:14 AM
Aggie_Ama

Quote:

Originally Posted by SadieKate

Was Pawpaw your grandfather?

Growing up in Southern California I was the only one I knew with a "Paw-Paw." It makes me smile when I hear other use the term. The dubya's are the critical part.:)

Yes and a great one at that. The dubya's were definitely emphasized.It makes me smile if I hear a little kid call their grandpa Paw-paw. After five years I am finally able to smile and not cry. :)

We called both my grandpas Pawpaw but I never really knew my mom's dad, he died shortly after attending my frist birthday party. I think it is pretty common in the south. Although my husband had a Poopaw and an Opa. His dad is Pa-paw to our nieces, doesn't give me the same warm fuzzies.
08-27-2008, 09:20 AM
Smilie

Quote:

But it sure sounds like you're generalizing.

I am generalizing. People in general are lazy. People that need special use permits are not in the majority of the population. (I hope not anyway)
08-27-2008, 09:20 AM
GLC1968

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoNo

Habits are hard to break.

I think this is the key for the majority of the population. They've always used the car, so they don't think of other options until either 1) someone points it out, or 2) gas gets ridiculously expensive!

I'm guilty of the same thinking - though not always in the same way. A few weeks ago, we wanted to go to the farmer's market in our neighborhood to buy some plants. I was concerned about how to make it work since I didn't have a basket or anything on my bike. How do I carry the plants? In a bag? I was looking for a box of some sort to strap to my rack when H made a suggestion...why don't we just walk? Duh. Yeah - it was like 5 blocks away and I didn't even think about walking because I've conditioned myself to think 'bike'. ;)
08-27-2008, 09:25 AM
sfa

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoNo

Just curious, what school do you work at? I'm a College Park alum.

I'm at Howard Community College. My DH used to work at UMCP when he first moved to the area. Talk about a horrible commute--we were living in the Baltimore suburbs and he had to do the slog down I-95 every day.

I don't know if it's laziness so much as lack of imagination. The woman I'm thinking of in particular, the one who was complaining the loudest yesterday about having to drive past the campus to park at shuttle parking, lives just two miles from campus and gets in early every day to work out at the gym, where she runs five miles on the treadmill and then does 20 minutes or so on the weight machines. I don't know, maybe she has bad allergies or something. I don't think I would have thought of walking either except one day last winter (in my pre-bike days) I missed the shuttle and was standing there thinking "well, I could stand here freezing my butt off, or I could walk and be warmer and get to my car before the shuttle even gets back here." I don't think I had even given any thought to how close it actually was to walk--it was just necessity (and cold toes) that made me think differently.

Sarah
08-27-2008, 09:26 AM
SadieKate

Interestingly, I'm have my job because I ask why an individual behaves a certain way before generalizing. I then try to come up with a solution. It's also opened new avenues of exploration and learning about people.

Sort of like GLC recognizing that she'd conditioned herself to think "bike."

All I'm asking is for the question "why?" to be asked before saying "everyone" and "anyone". You may be able to convert a few of those shuttle riders to riding or walking if you ask "why" first.
08-27-2008, 09:27 AM
Smilie

Quote:

why don't we just walk? Duh. Yeah - it was like 5 blocks away and I didn't even think about walking because I've conditioned myself to think 'bike'.

That's funny! We-as a population-are creatures of habit! I know I have done the same things, but that is what I am used to be doing! Funny how we don't even really realize it till it is pointed out to us!:rolleyes:
08-27-2008, 09:31 AM
Aggie_Ama

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfa

I'm at Howard Community College. My DH used to work at UMCP when he first moved to the area. Talk about a horrible commute--we were living in the Baltimore suburbs and he had to do the slog down I-95 every day.

I don't know if it's laziness so much as lack of imagination. The woman I'm thinking of in particular, the one who was complaining the loudest yesterday about having to drive past the campus to park at shuttle parking, lives just two miles from campus and gets in early every day to work out at the gym, where she runs five miles on the treadmill and then does 20 minutes or so on the weight machines. I don't know, maybe she has bad allergies or something. I don't think I would have thought of walking either except one day last winter (in my pre-bike days) I missed the shuttle and was standing there thinking "well, I could stand here freezing my butt off, or I could walk and be warmer and get to my car before the shuttle even gets back here." I don't think I had even given any thought to how close it actually was to walk--it was just necessity (and cold toes) that made me think differently.

Sarah

Maybe if she complains again you could suggest she walks? Tell her how great you feel riding and how you didn't realize a short workout like that can really put you in a great mood. She may not listen but if she is already active maybe she will. I would rather run 2 miles outside even in the cold than a treadmill. Maybe she hasn't tried running outside? I ran for up to an hour on the treadmill for six months before every venturing outside for even a mile!