More people riding their bikes than driving their cars?

[surgtech1956]

I've seen more people riding their bikes this week, even though its been chilly. Maybe people are finally deciding that the gas prices are too high? But then people are just flying pass me on the expressway(I'm doing 65 mph in a 70 mph zone) - I can almost see the dollar bills spitting out of their exhaust. Today DGF & I went shopping to a outlet mall and saw a bike parked outside of a store - someone's commuter with mustache bars. Never seen these mustache bars up close before.

[Trek420]

Never seen these mustache bars up close before.

Uh oh, now you know you're going to want some.

[Becky]

I've seen more people riding their bikes this week, even though its been chilly. Maybe people are finally deciding that the gas prices are too high?

I've noticed this too. I can't decide if it's that gas prices are too high or that its getting warmer here. I suspect that it's a combination of both.

I'm just glad to be commuting by bike again, even if it is only a couple of days a week. I'm a much happier person when I get to ride more and my wallet certainly appreciates filling up the car less

[bmccasland]

Yeah, I'll be consulting the maps, again, to see if I can find a moderately safe route between my home and office. There's this 1.5 mile part... And I want to commute on my comfort bike, it has the paniers, not on my road bike. I don't mind being slower, but I don't want to get smashed.

[badger]

I'm lucky in that I live close enough to work that I don't need to drive. In the 2 years that I've been commuting year round, I've seen a huge influx in cyclists and walkers.

Construction around here wreaks so much havoc that I can ride faster than I would in my car, so it's a no-brainer for me.

It's great to see more people leaving their cars behind, I think I've saved about $200 worth of gas a year by cycling to work.

[Trek420]

If more people are riding, taking public transit - why in my state are they doing this? From my inbox:

The state budget, under consideration now in Sacramento, includes cuts of $19 million in AC Transit operating funds, starting July 1. With fuel costs skyrocketing, these budget cuts will mean a huge funding shortfall, leading to both fare increases and service reductions. Statewide, the proposed budget would slash $1.4 billion from public transit.


AC Transit is fighting to reverse these cuts, but the Governor needs to hear the voices of bus riders! Please call the Governor to tell him that AC Transit cannot afford to lose this funding. Let him know how important bus service is for you.


A phone call is the most effective, but a faxed letter or online comment is good, too. Thank you for your help!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
(916) 445-2841 (phone)
(916) 558-3160 (fax)

For more information on the transit budget crisis, visit www.caltransit.org or www.transcoalition.org.

[mimitabby]

and bus ridership is up too. From the Seattle PI:

During the first few months of 2008, King County Metro Transit buses averaged 376,000 boardings per day, a 6 percent increase over a year earlier, said Metro Transit spokeswoman Linda Thielke. In April, there were 395,000 boardings -- a record.

[redrhodie]

Yes to more bikes here. Every time I go into the LBS, they're swamped. I really hope they're doing as well as it looks they are! There also seems to be a lot of action at the supermarket bike rack, which makes me think more people are running errands by bike. I'm down to driving maybe twice a week.

Driving so little is making me not maintain my car as well as I used to. It hasn't been washed, and the oil change is way overdue. I really should do those things. I just hate the whole car thing.

[F8th637]

My MIL asked me the same question but at the time I told her I only really had one year's worth of experience under me to really determine whether it was indeed an increase of people riding their bikes. Now I feel more confident that the answer to that question is a resounding YES. I have seen more plains-clothes cyclists on the roads and more people whom I suspect park their cars somewhere to ride their bikes in at least part way on the trail. There are 7 bikes on the bike rack in the parking garage today where before there'd only be the usual 2 or 3. I think people are trying in some way to save some gas and are taking it to the streets instead.

[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.