Why would anyone cycle to work?

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  • andrewf75
    andrewf75 Posts: 10,421 Forumite
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    I've cycled to work (or partway to the station) for 20 odd years and never had a single notable incident. Yes, cars cut me up and don't see me all the time, but if you anticipate that, I don't feel particularly at risk - certainly not so that I'm going to inconvenience myself and lessen my quality of life by not doing it. Granted, there are roads I wouldn't cycle regularly on e.g. country roads.
  • alanrowell
    alanrowell Posts: 5,365 Forumite
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    For me it boils down to (lack of) facilities at work to wash and change.
  • Hutchch0920
    Hutchch0920 Posts: 291 Forumite
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    I commute by bike in London - 6 miles each way. We have showers and secure cycle parking at work which is super handy - I'd probably not do it otherwise.

    I commute to save money and stay fit, and it takes me the same amount of time as if I'd gone on the tube.

    I've actually only ever (touch wood) been knocked off by a careless cyclist who didn't check their shoulder before cycling straight into my path....lesson learnt, always wear gloves! And I have also fell off a few times when I was learning to use cleets, and down to user error haha but so far been lucky and not had any proper run ins with cars.
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  • chib
    chib Posts: 537 Forumite
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    I used to cycle to work before I started working from home, you do get some idiot drivers but as a seasoned/competent cyclist I see more idiot cyclists than drivers. I recommend being confident and giving it a go, make yourself seen and keep a safe distance from the kerb.

    Like some others have said, having shower and bike storage at work helped but our maintenance staff were happy to provide a key to the boiler room for those who cycled often which was great for the cold/winter months.
  • fred246
    fred246 Posts: 3,620 Forumite
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    When I researched the health benefits of cycle commuting I quickly realised that NOT cycling was far too dangerous.
  • Stoke
    Stoke Posts: 3,182 Forumite
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    Cycling in London is different to Manchester. Trust me.
  • brat
    brat Posts: 2,533 Forumite
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    If you can cycle to work you’d be daft not to!
    Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.
  • Hedgehog99
    Hedgehog99 Posts: 1,425 Forumite
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    I cycled through from childhood to my early thirties and used to cycle to work before I had a car, wouldn't have been allowed to park at work anyway and the bus service was rubbish.

    I got fed up with bad treatment from all types of road users, including pedestrians and other cyclists.

    Then the bus service improved, and, not wanting to risk falling off again (twice in a year, once my fault, the other because of a taxi forcing me to brake on a frosty road because he didn't have the courtesy to wait a few seconds), I switched to the bus. Then the bus service got worse and worse and I'm glad I was able to move away from that city.

    Fewer children cycle these days. My Dad took me out cycling to teach me the ways of the road, and we had cycle training at school. When everyone cycled as a child and teenager, it gave them the freedom to go further afield independently and taught them valuable road-user skills so that when they did learn to drive, they could still understand the needs of cyclists.

    Now we have death-wish cyclists who've never had cycle training at school (I know it's available in some places, but they didn't enrol) or from their parents and drivers who've never cycled, plus pedestrians glued to their mobiles and stressed delivery drivers with impossible schedules to adhere to. Not a happy mix.

    It's the same with the treatment of horse-riders. Some motorists think it's fine to rev and sound their horns and there are horrific collisions and injuries/deaths as a result.

    It's a selfish world out there.
  • warehouse
    warehouse Posts: 3,362 Forumite
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    Thirteen miles to work and not a road in sight, just the canal towpath. A shower at the other end and a secure area for bikes. What's not to like?
    Pants
  • kathrynha
    kathrynha Posts: 2,469 Forumite
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    Stoke wrote: »
    But the problem is you shouldn't have been knocked off at all. People should look, anticipate etc.

    I can only assume people simply don't look.


    Being in an accident is a risk of using the roads whatever mode of transport you use
    Zebras rock
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