Define "Commute"

[kfergos]

I've recently run into an interesting question at work. I'm creating a brochure for brand-new commuters, people who've never used a bike for commuting. The interesting part is how you define "commute."

I consider it a commute any time I replace a car trip with a bike trip. However, common usage implies a commute is one trip to or from work. Webster's defines "to commute" as "to travel back and forth regularly (as between a suburb and a city)."

What do you ladies think?

Secondarily, what would you include in a brochure aimed at brand-new, never commuted before cyclists (specifically, our target audience is middle-aged women who could replace grocery store trips, library runs, etc. with cycling), or what would you want to see if you fall into that category?

[ny biker]

To me, commuting is going to/from work. What you describe is going shopping/running errands.

Personally I prefer to either walk or just drive and combine as many errands as possible into one trip for greater efficiency. I lived for a long time without a car and I'm happy to not have to carry heavy things around anymore.

Some issues I see in getting people to ride bikes for running errands are: secure places to lock the bike, not looking ridiculous (hat hair, cyling outfits looking out of place in places like stores and libraries), dealing with weather that is not conducive to being outdoors, how to carry things on the bike. Also I would think major concerns would be safety in traffic and simply being physically able to cycle places, especially for many who are sedentary and/or overweight.

[KnottedYet]

not looking ridiculous (hat hair, cyling outfits looking out of place in places like stores and libraries),

That's a big one. Unfortunately, the media emphasis has been on "cycling outfits" and so many people think they have to wear a special outfit just to ride to the store or the library.

Mention of the fact that you can ride your bike in just about anything can go a long way toward debunking that myth, which might tip the balance for women who are holding back.

And generally I find that a comb makes short work of helmet hair, but I've spoken to women who didn't know a comb and maybe a little water would fix it. And there's always a baseball cap or beret or bandana option! The idea is so firmly implanted that riding a bicycle is unusal with unusal and insurmountable problems, that perhaps it will be good to spell it right out.

Commuting to me means a trip to or from work.

I'm sending you a PM.

[Eden]

And generally I find that a comb makes short work of helmet hair.......

Combs, and brushes for that matter, make my type of hair (thick and curly) look like a fright wig..... I stay away from them period, much less to fix helmet hair, which of course I acquire just by looking at a helmet.... I go the ponytail and/or hat route myself.

I'd love for commute to mean any utility trip, but seems the most common definition is a trip to or from work. I think its a bit unfair during commute challenge month that no matter how much I ride I can't count anything but the mileage from my house and back - forget that on my way home I stopped at the store or went to the library. I think that's part of my commute..

[marni]

how about something along the lines of multitask cycling to cover those trips other than to and from work if you insist on using that tight a definition for commuting. Basically I consider it a commute if I go from point a to point b and back again no matter the reason or the subpoints involved.

I would includ information about bike lanes, safe areas to leave your bike, some general safety tips about stop lights, blind spots, being alert, helmet, the locations of public restrooms (for us older ladies who prefer to ride our bike for anything under 10 miles), clothing options like bike skirts or regular shorts with a pair of padded underpants and teva sandals.

marni

[KnottedYet]

"Utility cycling" is a nice catch-all term.

Covers rides to and from work, and errands, and puttering around to visit folks or get coffee or go to a movie or dinner or... lots of good stuff!

[shootingstar]

TransLink, transportation authority for our area, makes the distinction in their plans/reports between work related trips/commutes and 'personal trips' which can include;

utilitarian cycling for groceries, library, errands, dropping kid(s) off at daycare, dropping by nursing home to visit a parent (like my partner did on his bike, for his mother until she died), doctor/hospital visits, going to community centre, exercise class, etc.

I don't think it hurts to use the term commute as long as one adds in bike to work and includes all the helpful suggestions for any newbie who have initial hang-ups about functional/utilitarian cycling.

Certainly for those of us who haven't had a car for a long time, "commuting" bike rides is blended in with other utilitarian/functional tasks/errands along the way, PLUS fitness.

Depending on where a person lives in relationship to their regular shopping stops, I certainly considered functional cycling as fitness cycling which then sometimes morphed into recreational cycling, when I lived in Toronto and biked regularily with heavy grocery loads from market at double the distance what I do now for groceries. A 30 km. grocery trip was more than just a functional ride especially with 2-3 hills along the way.

You could also sell cycling as ...reducing annual cost of fitness club (I know others disagree with me here) if it is done regularily as part of doing chores and doing it more often.

Also to show up front ..the cumulative cost of driving short distances. Sometimes people need to see the economics in their face vs. just cycling for no cost. I am certain I have saved over $50,000 simply by not having/driving a car up to this point in my life. (Haven't lived in a household with car since I was 21 yrs.) Work it out, folks.

[tulip]

How about cycling as transportation, or something like that. That would pretty much cover the bases, I would think.

[Crankin]

Since I am not working now, commute means using the bike for errands and little trips around town. I try to do this 1-2X a week in the nice weather. I am not a major commuter, but I recently met a woman when I was nordic skiing. As we got to talking, she said, "Do you have a yellow cycling jacket?" When I said yes, she told me she thought I was,"One of those people who didn't have a car and did everything by bike,"
And she is a person who is very physically active! So I guess, I get noticed on my little piddly 6-15 mile errand trips around town.

[tulip]

Is this for your office specifically? If I remember correctly, you work for a bike advocacy organization, so in that case, is the brochure for the more general public? Seems like you need to know your audience better. Or at least, I don't understand who your intended audience is from your original post.

If the brochure is for a targeted audience of people who work in offices, then it seems like it could be geared toward commuting to and from work by bike. Or at least making bike commuting part of their weekly routine.

If the brochure is for the general population who might not work or who might not consider cycling to work, then perhaps the cycling for errands would be a good angle.

It seems like the big goal is to get people to think of cycling as one of their transportation options. People won't change their habits unless they want to. But for those who want to, such a brochure could be just what they need to try it out.

[Melalvai]

The interesting part is how you define "commute."

Like a lot of others who have weighed in, for me it is any bicycling done for transportation as opposed to recreation or fitness.

Secondarily, what would you include in a brochure aimed at brand-new, never commuted before cyclists (specifically, our target audience is middle-aged women who could replace grocery store trips, library runs, etc. with cycling), or what would you want to see if you fall into that category?

1. Encouragement to take Traffic Skills 101 so that they can learn to bicycle safely with traffic. Route choice as part of traffic safety.
2. Stress the importance of bike fit for a comfortable, enjoyable ride. If anything hurts, it's probably a bike fit issue and could be fixed by adjusting the bike.

Those are the important things. Other things they'll want to know:

3. Options for carrying things: backpack, rack to be used with a pannier or a basket, handlebar basket or bag, or handlebar rack.
4. What clothes you might want to wear: bike gloves to protect from carpel tunnel, helmet, clothes that are slightly too cool for the weather because you heat up quick, and if the trip is likely to be long, bike shorts for posterior comfort and clothes that wick to control moisture.

That's informative stuff. Persuasive stuff should include:
Health benefits
Losing weight
Saving money on fuel, car maintenance, parking
Efficiency of combining transportation & exercise (I get 40 min of exercise out of a 10 minute investment of my time)
(Perhaps mention ecological & political implications)
How much FUN it is!