Comments on: Has the economy affected your bike commuting?

By: Dave Cherling

Dave Cherling — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:18:31 +0000

Yes it has. I haven’t got a job anymore and have started my own bike business with about $200.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:26:08 +0000

commuting on bike from Enfield to London which is 11 miles one way

By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:12:20 +0000

After two years of commuting via the 20 mi long middle section of the SART, I have yet to have any “personal security incident”. The homeless are not friendly, but don’t initiate any contact either. Haven’t even seen any “gang members” or “hooligans”. Much of my ride is during darkness, except after time change. The ride is dicey only when I am on city streets.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:56:42 +0000

I wish I could commute by bike, but right now, I work 3:00 p., to 11:30 p.m., and a ride home in the dark would get me killed. Too many drunks on narrow country roads right now. I’m hoping to move to Oregon this year, and I hear they’re much more bike friendly then here in the oil-ladden Midwest!

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:02:05 +0000

While I don’t believe it was a direct result of the economy, I’ve been cycling a lot more. To ease spending I ditched my car and starting using public transit. 2 hours each way was just too much. So, I tried out my bike. I could cover the same distance in half the time. Sure, an hour bike commute is pretty long, but the money I saved without having my car and without having to take transit was amazing. Luckily, my job has been secure and so has my pay, but, taking a bike to work has changed my life in the best possible way.

By: Elisa M

Elisa M — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:34:24 +0000

I was laid off and can now work from home, which is really nice…except that I miss my 10 miles each way daily bike rides. Sure I could still ride 20 miles a day, but having to do it was the best motivation there is! However, my new position requires me to meet folks all over town, so I still get to do my fair share of riding (plus sometimes I pick a coffee shop far away to work just for more riding time!)

By: Kathleen McDade

Kathleen McDade — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:20:52 +0000

I’m cycling more. I likely would have done so anyway, but gas prices/economic situation makes it that much more imperative.

I *have* ridden to an interview. I didn’t get the job, but had decided didn’t really want it anyway. I don’t see any problem with it — better that they know who I really am.

By: Doug Jesseph

Doug Jesseph — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:33:42 +0000

I’m a tenured professor at a state university, which makes my job fairly recession proof. I commute approx. 16 miles round trip to work, and in Florida that’s a 12 month proposition. One telltale sign of the current economic mess is the percentage of truly beat up cars I see on the road. There are always a few automotive basket cases out there, but even in the face of “cash for clunkers” I’ve noticed a steady increase in the number of truly distressed cars limping along the road.

By: 2whls3spds

2whls3spds — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:31:46 +0000

I still have my job, same basic one for the past 14 years. Seems hours are longer and we are traveling more. Current location is not cycle commutable (have to drag non driving crew members to work ) But should be heading back to a bike commutable job in the early summer at least for a few weeks. Then only time will tell. I still strive to be as car light as possible; take Amtrak home on weekends, when I go out and about the bicycle sitting in my motel room is my first choice of transportation. Overall driving mileage is down for 2009 from 2008 by about 12,000 business miles, even with more out of state jobs. Personal yearly vehicle mileage is about the same at 4,000 or so. Cycling miles are still about the same at 3,000.

Aaron

By: Jamey

Jamey — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:36:44 +0000

I live in NNJ and work in Manhattan. I lost my gig exactly a year ago to this date and got my current job in August of ’09–my new office is approx 25 blocks south of my old one. I commute all days when the roads are clear of ice and snow. I had a Bike Friday I used to take into my office (German-owned company); my current employer won’t allow this, but they do provide a secure bike paddock–so I ride an old hybrid I’ve converted to a cross-bike. The missus has a home-based PR business; she walks the kids to school.

Thankfully, little has changed. But then, that’s why I moved to a walking town within biking distance of NYC. I consider myself very fortunate, and support alt trans organizations in the hope they will help break down obstacles that prevent my millions of neighbors from cycling at least part of the way to and from work.

I waited till the offer phase to broach the topic of cycle commuting. I fear that dressing like the guy who rides twelve miles each way to work caused my career to hit what I call, ” The Spandex Ceiling.” Now I try to keep my cycling ways on the down-low…