More people riding their bikes than driving their cars?

[frnz]

Oh my GOD. It's single-occupancy, low gas mileage drivers that should be punished, not responsible citizens using mass transit.

[kfergos]

According to this CNN poll, people really are driving significantly less: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/09/cha...ces/index.html This must translate into more cyclists, even of the majority of people use buses, trains, etc. I too have noticed far more people commuting than I ever have before, and I smile and wave at every single one.

Speaking of which, I've been the Lone Crazy Bike Commuter at my job since I joined two years ago. ...Until a couple weeks ago. A pair of new hires bike to work too! My excitement at this development can't be overstated. Now I just have to not scare them off with my enthusiasm

[mimitabby]

Speaking of which, I've been the Lone Crazy Bike Commuter at my job since I joined two years ago. ...Until a couple weeks ago. A pair of new hires bike to work too! My excitement at this development can't be overstated. Now I just have to not scare them off with my enthusiasm

that is fantastic!! congrats on that!

[PscyclePath]

Our agency moved to a new complex way out in an industrial park, but just off one of the local bike trails last August. A 27-mile commute for me, one-way... Plus, if you don't bring your lunch, it's a 7 to 10 mile round trip out to the nearest local fast food joint or restaurant. The hospital next door opened a cafeteria back the middle of last month,and that proved to be a key ingredient for me, at least. I'd been bike commuting two or three times a month just for the change in pattern, but last month I got after it in earnest. I drive to a commuter lot on the south side of town (12 miles), park, unload the bike, and then ride the last 7 to 9 miles (depending on the exact route). Keeps me off the freeways and beltway, which are major gas savings. I usually burn a little more than 3/4s tank of gas on the weekly commute, when I bike commute at least 4 out of the 5 days, I use only a little more than 1/4 tank. Significant, when it's a Dodge Ram pickup...

Several others in our little biking circle have gotten serious on the commuting trend, and several other co-workers are doing it a lot more often.

I used to not see anyone else out there when riding in, but now I pass quite a few folks out on their bikes with backpacks...

Tom

[Aggie_Ama]

DH and I started commuting this year and we do a hybrid commute like Pscycle. We park at a grocery store halfway between work and home then ride 12-14 miles to work. By doing this we cut the bill on his Dodge Ram to $50/week or half a tank. We are filling up my car every 7 days instead of every 5 days. And in a few months we will realize the savings of pushing the timing of oil changes back, we had been changing on miles but should be changing on months now. Our commuters will probably pay for themselves by the end of the year. We are shooting for three days a week but have only made it two so far. It is an adjustment getting up 40 minutes earlier but well worth it.

I am the only bike commuter at my job even though many employees live within a 5 mile radius. Everyone who finds out I commute thinks I am crazy. I just tell them how much money I am saving and how much fun I am having doing it. You can just see the jealousy when I say $50 a week is saved.

I notice a lot of people riding with back packs. I do believe there is a lot of new commuters. Also our buses are experiencing a spike in ridership. In Texas mass transit is not a thing people have used in the past.

[kiwi girl]

Its happening down here too. On Monday morning at one set of lights I stopped at riding in to work there were 6 cyclists at that one stop - and its winter here and it was 0 degrees celcius at the time.

I've really noticed that there hasn't been the normal winter drop off in cycle commuters this year.

NZ $2 a litre might be the tipping point for a lot of people.

[obie]

Noticed here, too (Boston/Cambridge/Somerville). Yesterday was absolutely gross - mid-90s and HUMID - and as I rode into Boston for the Sox game, I have never ever ever seen so many people on bikes commuting back out of town. At every intersection there were 5-10. It was unbelievable! Especially because it was so gross out; I would have thought that lots of new commuters (and plenty of veteran commuters) would be turned off by the sweat and heat.

And as for buses, I was stuck behind one today on the ride in, and I was amazed to see how many people were getting on.

Things are changing!