Comments on: Walk, Bike, or Bus? http://www.bikecommuters.com/2009/10/02/walk-bike-or-bus/ Bike Your Drive! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Noah http://www.bikecommuters.com/2009/10/02/walk-bike-or-bus/#comment-19597 Noah Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:27:01 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=2814#comment-19597 Yeah, the math doesn't always make sense. Example, some of the buses on routes I use don't go straight up or down one road. And then there are fun tricks like flanking a bus you just missed (traveling on an arterial) going down some side street with stop signs every two blocks, knowing that after a mile you will come out faster than the bus due to stop lights, allowing you to get on at the next bus stop. :) On my 29-mile round trip commute from suburbia to downtown KC, I usually average about 14-16 MPH (PR of 19.6) when I ride the whole trip without using the bus. In urban traffic, I usually come out ahead of cars because I save time parking and stoplights keep average speed pretty low. As I mentioned above, it's easy to beat buses with their bus stops AND stoplights combined. It's pretty hard to beat the bike for short errands and urban trips, and even when the bike's slower, it's always funner. Yeah, the math doesn’t always make sense. Example, some of the buses on routes I use don’t go straight up or down one road. And then there are fun tricks like flanking a bus you just missed (traveling on an arterial) going down some side street with stop signs every two blocks, knowing that after a mile you will come out faster than the bus due to stop lights, allowing you to get on at the next bus stop. :)

On my 29-mile round trip commute from suburbia to downtown KC, I usually average about 14-16 MPH (PR of 19.6) when I ride the whole trip without using the bus. In urban traffic, I usually come out ahead of cars because I save time parking and stoplights keep average speed pretty low. As I mentioned above, it’s easy to beat buses with their bus stops AND stoplights combined. It’s pretty hard to beat the bike for short errands and urban trips, and even when the bike’s slower, it’s always funner.

]]> By: Backyardavore http://www.bikecommuters.com/2009/10/02/walk-bike-or-bus/#comment-19596 Backyardavore Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:15:40 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=2814#comment-19596 I like the chart concept but I'm not sure I like the math. You somewhat address my concern in your final paragraph. My kid's school is exactly two miles from my house. By car, it takes about 7.5 minutes. Pulling him in the bike trailer, it takes about 8.5 minutes. The biggest delay is the stop light to get across the single intersection in our way. The light cycles at 2:15 intervals in the morning and 1:45 in the afternoons. So, that light alone could account for a quarter of the commute. Without the trailer and child (combined, about 75 pounds), a six mile trip is about 20 minutes. In any case, the shorter the trip, the far more heavily I favor a human-powered solution. Cheers, Matt I like the chart concept but I’m not sure I like the math. You somewhat address my concern in your final paragraph.

My kid’s school is exactly two miles from my house. By car, it takes about 7.5 minutes. Pulling him in the bike trailer, it takes about 8.5 minutes.

The biggest delay is the stop light to get across the single intersection in our way. The light cycles at 2:15 intervals in the morning and 1:45 in the afternoons. So, that light alone could account for a quarter of the commute.

Without the trailer and child (combined, about 75 pounds), a six mile trip is about 20 minutes.

In any case, the shorter the trip, the far more heavily I favor a human-powered solution.

Cheers,
Matt

]]> By: Pardes http://www.bikecommuters.com/2009/10/02/walk-bike-or-bus/#comment-19584 Pardes Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:07:04 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=2814#comment-19584 There is another category to consider. The bike/bus combo commuting. Daily I bike to the bus stop, put me and the bike on the bus for the drive on the interstate highway, and then bike from the bus stop to work. Then I reverse it at night. For the last 16 months I've used ONLY my bike (and bus combo) for all my transportation needs from work to shopping to just pedaling around for recreation. There is another category to consider. The bike/bus combo commuting.

Daily I bike to the bus stop, put me and the bike on the bus for the drive on the interstate highway, and then bike from the bus stop to work. Then I reverse it at night. For the last 16 months I’ve used ONLY my bike (and bus combo) for all my transportation needs from work to shopping to just pedaling around for recreation.

]]> By: RocBike.com | The RocBike Review » Walk, bike or bus? http://www.bikecommuters.com/2009/10/02/walk-bike-or-bus/#comment-19542 RocBike.com | The RocBike Review » Walk, bike or bus? Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:17:11 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=2814#comment-19542 [...] folks over at BikeCommuters.com have a handy chart to help you figure it [...] [...] folks over at BikeCommuters.com have a handy chart to help you figure it [...]

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