Why don't more people cycle to work?

07Lapierre

GreeBo wrote: »

Notbaly he actually said "or Hockey" in his quote, since golf is actually a hella tuff sport.

And if you think it doesnt require sacrifice, you clearly havent had to tell your wife that you are playing on Sunday even though you just came home from golf on Saturday night at 6pm when you left at 9am...:eek:

Hockey, Golf sure what's the difference? both use sticks right? :P

ianobrien

The reason I don't cycle to work is easy. I don't have a road bike! If the road to work was all gravel tracks, I'd do it no problem (I prefer XC mountain biking).

Also, if I cycle to work, it's either a rat run of narrow roads or face the South Ring Road and Carr's Hill in Cork. Both routes are not safe. The rat run on the narrow road is very busy and the roads are so narrow in places that two trucks won't quite fit. So from a self preservation point of view, I'll drive.

monkeysnapper

I keep a spare set of clothes in work and only once in 4 years have I needed something ...and that was because of silly buggers messing in canteen and spilled a whole cup of tea over my crotch .....yes it did hurt...

Anyway the waterproofs I use are farmers waterproof pants made by castle , I thought they were going to be really sweaty but they're actually pretty good and I've never caught them in chain. Oh and my jacket is same....OK I look like a farmer cycling but I'm OK with that .
Granted in summer I rarely wear any waterproofs , I just grin and bare it.

magicbastarder

i usually leave the office (in leopardstown) around 4:15, but called into a colleague's place in booterstown on the way home. left his place at 6. where did all the cyclists come from? well over twice as many as i'd be used to seeing at my usual time.

Wombatman

GreeBo wrote: »

Driving range during winter.
Summer could be 5 nights a week, or, often before work.
Sometimes both!

Sometimes all three you mean......before, after and during

ED E

Lumen wrote: »

No good can come from golf.

If a golfer starts cycling, cycling is the new golf, and that's bad.

If a cyclist starts playing golf, they're playing golf, and that's bad.

Golfers already cycle, half of Orwell are former golfers and the rest are runners/tris with dud knees.

Cycling is the "in" thing.

Grassey

joey100 wrote:

few parka dn rides 3-5km from town

For example as in of Dublin cc? Would that not put them all within the M50 and do nothing to alleviate traffic? (leaving aside the cries of 'what a waste of land for them cyclists... We could be building houses there' )

magicbastarder wrote:

i usually leave the office (in leopardstown) around 4:15, but called into a colleague's place in booterstown on the way home. left his place at 6. where did all the cyclists come from? well over twice as many as i'd be used to seeing at my usual time.

I got stuck in work until after 5 today. Was shocked at all the cyclists I was stuck behind on the cycle lanes. First time that's happened since last year. Like the swallows it's a clear sign that summer is here!

Pinch Flat

Work colleague this morning giving out yards about cyclists on the road. “They’re coming up my inside left”, “they’re moving to the top of the queue and holding me up”. And then in a half-joking-fully-serious sort of way suggests motorists should have free reign to run cyclists over.

His commute? Ballsbridge to Tara street. 3km. In a car. In central Dublin FFS.

Not even close to being worth turning the key in the ignition ffs. Ok if you have say work related equipment to carry I could understand but I assume at most he'd have a laptop if even that?

GreeBo

07Lapierre wrote: »

Hockey, Golf sure what's the difference? both use sticks right? :P

Cycling and salad...both require forks :pac:

Etc

Dublin city centre is nuts, negotiating the stretch up and over Samuel Beckett bridge is like watching live streaming of the Darwin Awards, that applies to cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

If you're going to commute into Dublin city you have to go with the flow, ride defensively and don't take anything to heart.

A few weeks ago I was cycling along Grand Canal Quay and there were two Older lads feeding the seagulls close to the Waters edge, there must have been 30 seagulls blocking the whole path and they are huge buggars, in my innocence I thought as I rode through them they'd scatter but they were focused on the breadcrumbs and I ended up running over one of them, the front wheel went over him first and I tried to swerve but he went under the back wheel too, I'm on my electric bike, it weighs 25kgs and I'm about 74kgs, and in fairness he looked a bit stunned but was grand and kind of hopped off to recover !!!

I thought the two oul lads were going to keel over laughing at the whole thing.

The moral of the story is every day is an adventure, if you're into that type of thing.....

Canis Lupus

Andy Magic wrote: »

I used to cycle into work frequently a 30k round trip to Dublin city centre each day. I stopped for the below reasons:

1 - I didn't feel safe, I had a good few near misses
2 - it ended up costing me more money than i had planned (punctures, tyres, garmin 810 smashed one day)
3 - The weather and transporting work clothes trying to keep them dry
4 - It actually put me off cycling, I started to dread cycling as I didn't look at it the same way. I cycle more than ever now and don't commute to work by bike.

I actually fondly remember my commuting days in Dublin and London. Some days could be grim ie 2 punctures in a row in the rain mid winter but on the whole it was enjoyable and fun on many days (who doesn't like commuter racing?).

micar

I cycle to work 4 times a week and drive once. 23km each way and takes me an hour. Criss cross the city.

Leave in the morning at 6.30am and leave the office at 4pm.

I'm off the road before the morning and evening rush hour

We have decent shower and drying facilities.

I bring a pair of trousers on Monday and leave them there or the week. Bring shirt, jocks and socks each day. Friday is casual.

I bring in fresh towel when I drive it and use the 1 towel does the week.

Rechuchote

ED E wrote: »

Golfers already cycle, half of Orwell are former golfers and the rest are runners/tris with dud knees.

FYP: they saw the light

Macy0161

Had the "pleasure" of bringing the family to Sheeran last night - drive to a city centre car park and shuttle bus out.

I really don't know how people drive or get the bus around the city centre! So stressful. And no way would I have been more sweaty on the bike, unless I was deliberately pushing on. Don't see complaints of lack of showers for bus users...

Incidentally, we passed a couple in stillorgan on bikes who had a dog in a trailer, as well as loaded panniers. They passed us in the park as we walked up to the gates....

MarkY91

Crqocweqrherc8 months of the year

magicbastarder

i hope that's not a password.

Grassey

MarkY91 wrote: »

Crqocweqrherc8 months of the year

I'd hazard its textspeak for "crap weather 8 months of the year

Fian

stateofflux wrote: »

I live in Ranelagh and work in Dundrum.

There is no way in hell i would cycle. The fact is dublin does not have the proper road infrastructure for cycling safely. anyone that says otherwise is tripping.

???

O.o


There is a cycle path the whole way from ranelagh to Dundrum. I cycle from Dundrum through Ranelagh and on into the city centre. I consider myself lucky to have a pretty comfortable, safe route into town. Much better than getting in through Rathmines/Harolds cross or Donnybrook.

Try it, you will find it more pleasant than driving or luas.

If you do decide to try it to dundrum village you should turn right into Larchfield (after our lady's grove school) then cycle through the green, cross teh orad into rosemount and through the laneway to Taney Park and on to Taney Road.

Fian

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

WTF? :eek:

What do your work colleagues think?

They don't really notice. I am in a single occupancy office so not as if I am in open plan with them. Otherwise I would be changin in the toilets rather than in my office

Two days a week I have a 9am meeting that I sit through in cycling clothes though. There were some comments initially but now everyone is used to it it is no big deal. Obviously if i have a meeting with external people I have to make sure i had time to cool down and change before it started.

theyoungchap

Fian wrote: »

They don't really notice. I am in a single occupancy office so not as if I am in open plan with them. Otherwise I would be changin in the toilets rather than in my office

Two days a week I have a 9am meeting that I sit through in cycling clothes though. There were some comments initially but now everyone is used to it it is no big deal. Obviously if i have a meeting with external people I have to make sure i had time to cool down and change before it started.

I had a colleague who did that, I never said anything to him but it was disgusting him sitting there in his cycling gear! I hope you are not him

tomasrojo

Fian wrote: »

???

O.o


There is a cycle path the whole way from ranelagh to Dundrum. I cycle from Dundrum through Ranelagh and on into the city centre. I consider myself lucky to have a pretty comfortable, safe route into town. Much better than getting in through Rathmines/Harolds cross or Donnybrook.

Try it, you will find it more pleasant than driving or luas.

If you do decide to try it to dundrum village you should turn right into Larchfield (after our lady's grove school) then cycle through the green, cross teh orad into rosemount and through the laneway to Taney Park and on to Taney Road.

Yeah, I go much of that route, and sometimes that exact route, very often. I have pretty much no problems on it. I suppose I have to factor in years of experience that allow me to anticipate problems on the road ahead, but by my experience it's a very safe route.

tomasrojo

Grassey wrote: »

I lived in Galway for 5 odd years, and bike was my primary method for in and out to NUIG from westside. (and back from Cuba @4am). There were some very wet heavy spells over some periods but nothing abnormaly so. I reckon I was able to use the bike at least 90% of the time, in casual gear, and not end up drenched.

I lived in Galway for a few years, and it certainly did rain a lot more than in Dublin, but it wasn't that much of a problem for cycling. Some days were utterly miserable, but it was pretty nice overall.

The problems I perceived lay more with the Terryland-ising of the city: multi-lane roundabouts, slip lanes, car-centred development. I avoided those parts of the city as much as possible, but I get the impression that all the new bits have continued along those lines.

Lambay island

I went to get on the bike yesterday morning and was already running a few minutes late. I had a puncture that I must have got on way home the previous evening and didn't have time to fix it there and then. Checked the bus timetable then and had just missed one, so against my best wishes decided to get into my car for the 11km commute into Dublin city. Its been years since I drove into town during rush hour. Never again. How people travel by car every day and think its normal, I will never know(must take years off ur life). I found myself watching people glide past me on their bike as i moved a few metres in 5 minutes wishing i could swap places. Give me your close passes, bad driving, drivers blocking cycle lanes anyday over sitting like a frustrated sloth in a car going nowhere.

Fian

theyoungchap wrote: »

I had a colleague who did that, I never said anything to him but it was disgusting him sitting there in his cycling gear! I hope you are not him

unlikely I guess but who knows. Why is it disgusting - surely it is less disgusting than rushing to change into a suit and sweating into a fresh shirt that I would then have to wear all day? Also since it is fresh sweat & I shower before i leave in the morning there is absolutely no smell.

theyoungchap

Fian wrote: »

unlikely I guess but who knows. Why is it disgusting - surely it is less disgusting than rushing to change into a suit and sweating into a fresh shirt that I would then have to wear all day? Also since it is fresh sweat & I shower before i leave in the morning there is absolutely no smell.

Once your colleagues have confirmed it, there is nothing wrong with it.....my colleague never asked and absolutely REEKS!!

Pinch Flat

theyoungchap wrote: »

Once your colleagues have confirmed it, there is nothing wrong with it.....my colleague never asked and absolutely REEKS!!

Plenty of people who drive an reek as well, just sayin’

Lambay island

Lambay island wrote: »

I went to get on the bike yesterday morning and was already running a few minutes late. I had a puncture that I must have got on way home the previous evening and didn't have time to fix it there and then. Checked the bus timetable then and had just missed one, so against my best wishes decided to get into my car for the 11km commute into Dublin city. Its been years since I drove into town during rush hour. Never again. How people travel by car every day and think its normal, I will never know(must take years off ur life). I found myself watching people glide past me on their bike as i moved a few metres in 5 minutes wishing i could swap places. Give me your close passes, bad driving, drivers blocking cycle lanes anyday over sitting like a frustrated sloth in a car going nowhere.

That's why you need at least 2 bikes, if not three or maybe four.

Lambay island

Deleted User wrote: »

That's why you need at least 2 bikes, if not three or maybe four.

Now that you mention it, I'm almost eligible for Bike to work scheme again :cool:

randomname2005

I used to cycle to work but stopped because of safety and time. Now live about 20km away from work and the only roads I can cycle on are rural twisty country roads driven by people who must "know the roads". It would take about an hour to cycle. Alternatively I can take a bus which takes about 30 minutes (plus waiting for it to arrive).