Part Way & Part Time bike commute !

[jayjay]

Since moving up on top of a 2K elevation mtn, 10 miles from town ~ minimal~ I've come to realize the best I can expect for now is to Part-Way commute, from the outskirts of town. Parking/RideStarting point, ofcourse will vary, and in theory get closer to home incrementally. Maybe eventually I'll be able to drive far less, or at most about a third of the way (last3 miles of the climb home is the steepest and most brutal probably 1000 ft gain in 3 miles, seriously). Other times I must drive, as my treks down into town are about grocery runs, which I prefer to do once a week and have a load. There are however, plenty of times I run into town for little stuff. I am not working at this time in my life, but am a housewife, so my town runs are all about errands.

So, my big question here is, as a lower tear of commuters, the ones who may need to still drive, but not all the way, how does PART~ WAY and PART ~TIME commuting fit in ? I think there should be a movement for this, as so often those like me who feel they must drive sometimes, give up because they can't all of the time, or all of the way. It is still All or Nothing thinking with most people, I think. This majority of folks actually is huge, and well, I think with the less extreme 'cars-R-coffins' tack, we might be able to pull a few numbers into getting on their bikes from a parked cars, even parked hybrid or electric cars The really odd thing is, cyclists of the Consumer Cycling culture does this all the time >> drive to training rides << so why not the more functional aspect of cycling lifestyle , as in bike commuting?

Come, comment.... lets chat about it!

[Melalvai]

I think a lot of people take this approach. I have a friend who lives 9 miles from work, and often drives partway and bikes the rest. Sometimes she bikes the whole trip. And sometimes she drives the whole thing--like this entire winter. It's a good strategy, to gradually get strong enough to do the whole thing, or maybe it's a long trip that probably won't ever be entirely replaced by biking because of time constraints, it can at least make parking much easier and reduce gas costs a bit.

[jayjay]

Melavai ~ exactly, every bit helps, both our selves and gaining of independance from the Big Nipple of Petroleum, even if only by principle, it is still a direction, and thus empowering. And yes, the aim is to start just to enforce the habit...even if you drive to ride one block first, and are overweight to the gills, but still want to be a Fixer and a Doer and not a Whiner. It matters not where the parking point is and how long we ride, it is that we do it.

Strengthen our legs, our beliefs in our selves, our idea of where our community is and it's boundaries... all of that " buy/ride/live local" stuff. The question we must ask ourselves is how can we fight the issues of global warming more than we already think we do? There's always one more step to take.

[redrhodie]

I have to drive part of my commute. I have to cross 2 bridges that don't allow cycling. I drive to a parking lot on the mainland, unload and ride the rest of the way. It's not as easy as when I used to live on the other side and could ride the whole way, but it was a compromise I had to make to live here.

[kat_h]

Here there are Park and Bike lots about 6 km to either side of downtown. They're close enough to be an easy ride for anyone along some really nice sections of path, but just far enough out of the downtown core that parking is free at them. I don't know how many people use them. They aren't well advertised.

[tulip]

I think that whenever you can ride your bike instead of driving your car is a good thing.

[Crankin]

My commute used to be 6.7 miles, a good uphill on the way in. It was enough of a ride round trip that I didn't have to ride more to feel like I exercised that day and it didn't matter when I left work or home, because it was all very rural roads.
When I moved, my commute went to 14.7 miles. At first I drove to a shopping center, parked, and rode from there, about 8 miles. Then I would take a long way back to my car, so I could get in an 18-20 mile ride for the day. Once I figured out a way to cross a major highway and shorten the trip a bit (my first attempt was 17.8 miles one way), I started doing the whole commute. My issue was finding a way to cross the highway that didn't lengthen my commute and navigating one intersection that is a slight uphill, that I really don't like. It turned out that there are hardly any cars there at 6:15 in the morning! On the way home, there is traffic and one slightly scary left turn, but I've handled it.
I only commute 1-2 days a week and I feel like I am doing my part. If more people did partial commutes or rode on some days, I think it would make a big difference. I make a lot less car trips now, and I ride my hybrid to make quick trips into town for errands, but I know that going grocery shopping on my bike is not realistic for me.
There are a lot of rabid "Prius" types in my town and they are very condescending to people who don't do what they do. It really irks me.

[GLC1968]

My husband used to do the half-commute. His work was 30 miles from home, so he'd drive out of the city that we lived in and parked at a park. Then he'd ride the rural roads for 18 miles or so into work (and then back at night). He did this 2-3 times a week and you better believe it counted!

I had a 14 mile commute through a ton of scary traffic. On days that I couldn't go in super early and stay super late to avoid said traffic, I did my own version of the half-commute. I'd drive to work in the AM with my bike on my car. Then I'd bike home that night and then back in the next day. Then I'd drive home. This had two unexpected benefits too...1 ) I had a place to keep my bike locked (my car) and 2) I could NOT blow it off in the morning. I had to get up to ride because I had no car and no other way to get to work! This was great when I was going through lazy periods!

We just moved and my drive to work is now only 4 minutes (I haven't paid attention to miles, yet). My bike commute should be a piece of cake! DH's is the same distance in the opposite direction, so once we've unpacked all the biking gear, we're gonna be full time commuters!!! Yay!!!

Oh, and I'm also of the mind-set that ANY biking in place of driving is a GOOD THING.

[shootingstar]

We don't have a car. Well actually I haven't lived in a household with a car for past 30 years. I'm 49.

Hence, for my current LONG commute which would take almost 3 hrs. by bike..I blend in public transit and bike.

I bike to light rapid train station..and get later get off train to park bike..about halfway..then I get back on train..to do rest of train ride. Get off and transfer onto bus...a 1/2 hr. ride...and then walk 15 min. to construction work site.

BUT GOING home, after I pick up bike from locked are...I bike home. I figure for my time-sucking work commute, I might as well build in cycling part way.

Most of the employees here who know what I do think I'm nuts! Oh well. I can at least destress on bike.

[carpaltunnel]

Jayjay you started a great thread! I feel so much better about my half-commute now that I know so many people do it. My commute could be 6 miles except for a terrifyikng crossing and 1 mile stretch in the middle of it. So I drive to a parking lot just past it, unload, and bike the rest of the way. It's enough to get me pepped up for the day and I can bike a longer route back to my truck on the way home. About half of it is a city park trail which is lovely. I feel good about getting the exercise and saving gas.
Thanks for starting this thread.

[jayjay]

Thanks Carpaltunnel! Well, the next challenge I have is going to be about panniers. As I mentioned before, I am a housewife right now, and when I'm in town, it's all about errands, involving lots of groceries. The thing is, adapted to the car lifestyle I have learned to overload the cart, overspend, overeat, as well as myriad unfocused impulse shopping trips. If I were to exclude all of that , due to limited room on bicycle, and limited energy... well, just think how much I'd save us ! It's almost too extreme to even imagine. First off, I've worked out the lists before : bike shopping trips most, car shopping trips once every two weeks, or less. In the car I would handle the big stuff, and the frozen stuff. In theory, all else should work on the bike. But sheesh, either I have to pull a trailer (big expense) or I have to make several Part-Way trips to deal with the groceries. Or, get a cow and milk her daily... Seriously, maybe large gallons of milk can be dealt with on bike, or, some way around it. Dried milk? Um... I think not. Cereal and make yogurt is all, and the gallons are the best buy, so heck, this is the biggest challenge right now. I'm thinking trailer, fewer trips by car is the best value for the trip, and , could easily absorb the cost of the trailer in no time. Does anybody use a trailer?

[Blueberry]

I have a trailer, and do use it on occasion. However, I find that for grocery runs, I usually just use panniers. The trailer is a bit cumbersome (and it's by far the best one I found). When we lived in Wilmington, I used it more. Hauling recycling, 8 12 packs of diet soft drinks (no, I don't drink them much anymore) etc. I have hauled a gallon or more of milk home in a pannier. My only problem is in the really hot summer - I haven't found a good way to insulate the stuff that needs to stay cool.

[Melalvai]

either I have to pull a trailer (big expense) or I have to make several Part-Way trips to deal with the groceries. Or, get a cow and milk her daily...

I like the cow idea.
A trailer does not have to be a big expense. Everyone buys trailers to pull their kids in, and then the kids grow up and they don't need the trailer. Keep an eye on craigslist or the classifieds for a used kiddie trailer. It holds groceries as well as children.

I had a kiddie trailer that I picked up for $20. I used it for weekly grocery trips for several months. Then the plastic cracked. I used the hitch and axle and wheels and made a new trailer. I'm not really a handy-man type, but it was so easy. So, even if you find a trailer in poor condition, it is worth picking up, so long as the wheels, axle and hitch are usable.

[mupedalpusher]

I'm the friend Melalvai talked of. I bike part way during the school year simply because of time constraints, not because of choice. I'd really rather bike the whole distance but just don't have the time. By cutting it down to 4 or 5 miles, I can get to work at a more reasonable time (thank goodness for flexible jobs) and I don't have to leave early.

[jayjay]

Thanks everyone! I've thought about this endlessly, and for me, using a buggy or trailer would involve major complications in the shuttle process. I will just have to get a front rack to add to my rear rack, and have front and back sets of panniers. The smallish panniers I use on the back now, could move to the front rack. I need, however, a large rear pannier then.

Next challenge : which panniers? I have seen Jandd and think their mtn panniers are lovely, but they're spendy for sure. Does anybody have a suggestion or opinion about suitable panniers for shopping purposes? Not interested in the floppy 'grocery bag' style, but something that is very durable and not too spendy.

I'll look like a regular touring cyclist ! Panniers all packed and touring my home town...