Why don't more people cycle to work?

Thinkingaboutit

Narrowness and speed of traffic isn't much of an issue on my 8km, Templeogue to Smithfield route, except certain pinch points, like bridges are narrow indeed, and if the roads are busy, watchfulness / or speed in extremis needed there, well the usual, so people not used to cycling in traffic, will be nervous.

Tenzor07

I think the greatest barrier apart from lack of secure bike parking, lack of showers/lockers..

Is that there's no cycling infrastructure out there, you're on the road adhering to traffic signals, road markings, roundabouts and junctions designed specifically for motor vehicles to move as rapidly as possible.

What you'll see in all the cycle unfriendly Irish and UK cities is that cyclists dress in lycra/helmets/hi-vis on more racing style bikes, and on the roads are directly competing with fast moving motorised traffic for space and speed.

Whereas in utopia's like Copenhagen you're moving along with other cyclists around you and there's less effort required as you're safe, you don't need to try and sprint ahead of that bus which is about to pull in on top of you, or to try and get away from that Taxi which has just tried to run you off the road...
You can arrive to your office with less effort, in normal clothes and have somewhere safe to lock your bike in the progressive EU countries...

Until the above happens you won't see that many people commute by bicycle in ordinary clothes on ordinary bicycles...

Grassey

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Until the above happens you won't see that many people commute by bicycle in ordinary clothes on ordinary bicycles...

Even if we had amazing segregated infrastructure with priority over motorised vehicles at all junctions I'd probably continue to commute in cycling clothes as it's more comfortable for longer distance and dries quicker

tomasrojo

Tenzor07 wrote: »

What you'll see in all the cycle unfriendly Irish and UK cities is that cyclists dress in lycra/helmets/hi-vis on more racing style bikes, and on the roads are directly competing with fast moving motorised traffic for space and speed.

There are certainly more people in cycling-specific clothing and riding road bikes in Dublin than a lot of European cities, but I think most people are actually on hybrids or cheap mountain bikes. Certainly a lot of hiviz and helmets, but that's not because they're essentially roadies, or even because they have to share the road; they've been told that they're being reckless if they don't dress that way.

Depends on where you're cycling too. In the city centre there are an awful lot of people who are clearly cycling small distances. They're usually in normal clothes, very often without "safety gear". Coming in from the southern suburbs, the people kitted out reduces in proportion as you near the city centre, with a pretty marked change around Ranelagh.

Chips Lovell

There certainly is a mania about pushing helmets and high viz vests that you don't see in other countries.

magicbastarder

as pointed out before, it's gas the number of people you see cycling in what look like winter cycling jackets, simply because they're hi-viz.
yesterday was light short sleeved top weather for me, but i saw loads of people dressed quite heavily. if you're going slowly, i guess it might not be an issue for them.

kirk buttercup

I live in Wicklow and work in dun laoghaire (about 40km from door to door, 80km roundtrip commute ) I enjoy cycling and wouldn't even mind that distance once or twice a week , we have showers and can change in work as we have lockers . the reason I don't and would go for an equally long spin when I get home is the danger with traffic . I already witness car accidents pretty much on a daily basis and I'm not willing to take the risk . if there was a green way or coastal cycle paths I would do it in a heartbeat . too many horror stories. cycling in this country is pretty dangerous. I have taken holidays for the last couple of years in Holland and cycled there with my kids its so pleasurable when you don't have to constantly worry about traffic. we are a long way away from that unfortunately .

GreeBo

tomasrojo wrote: »

Depends on where you're cycling too. In the city centre there are an awful lot of people who are clearly cycling small distances. They're usually in normal clothes, very often without "safety gear". Coming in from the southern suburbs, the people kitted out reduces in proportion as you near the city centre, with a pretty marked change around Ranelagh.

I think its purely down to they type of cycle you have and how you approach it.

I used to cycled about 7K from Knocklyon to city centre.
I could meander in and home in 30-45 mins in work wear without any issues.

However then I might as well take the bus, so I would cycle at speed and hence sweat. Thats a lot more comfortable in cycling specific gear so I would wear that.

Also hills become more of an issue the further south you are coming from.

Chips Lovell

My favourite are the helmet covers that look like enormous shower caps

Tenzor07

tomasrojo wrote: »

There are certainly more people in cycling-specific clothing and riding road bikes in Dublin than a lot of European cities, but I think most people are actually on hybrids or cheap mountain bikes..

The further out you go the more lycra and road bikes there are...

Certainly out in NCD where I am..

If I lived in Rathmines/Harolds X/Ringsend and worked in city center etc i'd scoot along in regular clothes and regular bike...

Thinkingaboutit

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I think the greatest barrier apart from lack of secure bike parking, lack of showers/lockers..

Is that there's no cycling infrastructure out there, you're on the road adhering to traffic signals, road markings, roundabouts and junctions designed specifically for motor vehicles to move as rapidly as possible.

What you'll see in all the cycle unfriendly Irish and UK cities is that cyclists dress in lycra/helmets/hi-vis on more racing style bikes, and on the roads are directly competing with fast moving motorised traffic for space and speed.

Whereas in utopia's like Copenhagen you're moving along with other cyclists around you and there's less effort required as you're safe, you don't need to try and sprint ahead of that bus which is about to pull in on top of you, or to try and get away from that Taxi which has just tried to run you off the road...
You can arrive to your office with less effort, in normal clothes and have somewhere safe to lock your bike in the progressive EU countries...

Until the above happens you won't see that many people commute by bicycle in ordinary clothes on ordinary bicycles...

Most civil or public service offices have showers (in my experience), but most places of work don't have that. That's needed, and it is isn't available. A stress free cycling journey would be nice and all, but given how private companies like the AA are de-facto arbiters of traffic policy in Dublin City, that's not going to happen soon, and demonisation of vulnerable road users by broadcasters, makes it doubly unlikely that money will be spent properly on safe cycling.

Tenzor07

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

Most civil or public service offices have showers (in my experience), but most places of work don't have that. That's needed, and it is isn't available. A stress free cycling journey would be nice and all, but given how private companies like the AA are de-facto arbiters of traffic policy in Dublin City, that's not going to happen soon, and demonisation of vulnerable road users by broadcasters, makes it doubly unlikely that money will be spent properly on safe cycling.

True!

I could cycle across Amsterdam or Copenhagen comfortably due to the direct cycle lanes and cycle specific traffic signals, not to mention the fact I wouldn't have to try race a bus or taxi down the Bus lane just to stay alive!
Whereas in Dublin i'm usually always full gas just to remain in a safe position and not leave myself open to being cut up by a car/van/bus...

Arcade_Tryer

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

There certainly is a mania about pushing helmets and high viz vests that you don't see in other countries.

Because it's insane.

But of course as usual little old Ireland is correct and all those other countries are wrong! Very similar to the stance on opposition to abortion here. Ireland is somehow special and blessed with divine insight while every other developed country is stupid. Insane.

tomasrojo

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

My favourite are the helmet covers that look like enormous shower caps

They're rain covers, I've always assumed? Saw a few today. I guess it's reckless to forego any hi-viz that comes your way. I mean, they'll ignore the hi-viz backpack cover, and the hi-viz jacket, but let's just see them try and ignore your hi-viz shower cap.

tomasrojo

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

But of course as usual little old Ireland is correct and all those other countries are wrong!

I think the USA (or parts of it) promotes helmets and helmet-shames at a higher level. The UK might be a more enthusiastic promoter of hi-viz, but I'm not sure.

RTÉ will at least show children cycling without helmets, now and then. The BBC now won't even show kids on scooters not wearing helmets. The children in Old Jack's Boat: Rockpool Tales just wheel their bikes, because it's set 70 or so years ago, so they can't plausibly put helmets on them.

So, I guess I'm saying we're not alone in this, and some places, in some ways, are more insane.

Saw small piece in the local paper the other day in which a neerdowell was obstructing the Gardaí car on his bike and they also done him for riding on the footpath.

Piece also went onto say that he wasn't wearing a helmet or hi-vis :rolleyes:

srsly78

Deleted User wrote: »

Saw small piece in the local paper the other day in which a neerdowell was obstructing the Gardaí car on his bike and they also done him for riding on the footpath.

Piece also went onto say that he wasn't wearing a helmet or hi-vis :rolleyes:

Wow, what was the Garda car doing on the footpath?

srsly78

srsly78 wrote: »

Wow, what was the Garda car doing on the footpath?

I don't think it was , not from my reading of the piece. The guy was up and down off the path basically acting the maggot and getting in their way.

AndrewJRenko

Thinkingaboutit wrote: »

Most civil or public service offices have showers (in my experience), but most places of work don't have that.

I don't think it's a public/private split. Most large employers have showers, certainly if they are in anything built in the last 20-30 years, they will have showers. Smaller employers like shops or offices in the old Georgian houses are less likely to have a shower. Fingal have a standard mandatory planning condition requirement to have decent facilities for cyclists for new build offices or factories.

But it's not just about showers. Safe locking space with proper Sheffield standards, lockers, hangers and drying space during the day. Most new build offices have air-con and no radiators, so your chances of drying out damp gloves or runners during the day are close to nil.

LollipopJimmy

I used to cycle most days. Not anymore though unfortunately, office being 1km from home means I just walk or if it's raining I take the luas. I refuse to drive the 1km unless I know I have off site meetings which are less and less these days

magicbastarder

heh, i remember a thread on the commuting forum a couple of years ago during the bus strikes where someone asked for suggestions for getting from ballymun into the city centre. there was near apoplexy when someone suggested walking. which would take about an hour, instead of the 40 minutes a bus might take.

robinph

What do you need a shower for? Do people shower after walking to work or from the bus.

You only need a shower if you have just finished an exercise session. Getting to work by bike doesn't need to be a race. If people viewed bikes as a mode of transport rather than a way of getting fit then they would just ride in wearing their regular day clothes, at an unrushed pace, and then there isn't any need for a shower.

magicbastarder

i like to shower in the morning. so i've a choice; shower, then get on a bike and cycle 20km. or get on a bike and cycle 20km and shower. which do you think i prefer?

Pinch Flat

Cycling since 2009 to work. Worked in one place on a temp contract and they had a shower. Was nice. Current job has showers (2 of them). I get in at 8.45 ish shower and change and at my desk for 9.

In saying that, worked in one place and did a 20km cycle in the morning, no shower. Bit of a strip wash in the jax. :eek:

LollipopJimmy

robinph wrote: »

What do you need a shower for? Do people shower after walking to work or from the bus.

You only need a shower if you have just finished an exercise session. Getting to work by bike doesn't need to be a race. If people viewed bikes as a mode of transport rather than a way of getting fit then they would just ride in wearing their regular day clothes, at an unrushed pace, and then there isn't any need for a shower.

When I was cycling in I wouldn't have felt comfortable in the office without a shower. Just to freshen up after the cycle, now, I work in recruitment and spend a lot of my day interviewing candidates so like to be as fresh as possible. Even in my office now I keep toothbrush, deodorant etc..

robinph

robinph wrote: »

What do you need a shower for? Do people shower after walking to work or from the bus.

You only need a shower if you have just finished an exercise session. Getting to work by bike doesn't need to be a race. If people viewed bikes as a mode of transport rather than a way of getting fit then they would just ride in wearing their regular day clothes, at an unrushed pace, and then there isn't any need for a shower.

Everyone is different. I'd call my self fit albeit not my marathon running days fit but even then I'd only have to look out the window a day like today to break a sweat. My partner who still runs would be near dry as a bone after a bike ride or short run were as I'd be soaked.

Shower was also part of my cooling down process , if I'd just used wipes say I'd still be sweating.

jaxxx

Well I don't cycle to work because:

a) I'm out of work

and

b) I can't cycle

magicbastarder

that's part of the routine i have in the showers in work in the morning. immediately turn down the temp set by the person who showered before me. i shower in barely lukewarm water; i am still usually sweating while towelling myself off otherwise.

AndrewJRenko

magicbastarder wrote: »

that's part of the routine i have in the showers in work in the morning. immediately turn down the temp set by the person who showered before me. i shower in barely lukewarm water; i am still usually sweating while towelling myself off otherwise.

The no-ventilation shower cubicle doesn't help either. It's a rush to get enough clothing on quickly enough to escape the sauna effect, which has it's own sweaty effect then.

dublinbuster

robinph wrote: »

What do you need a shower for? Do people shower after walking to work or from the bus.

You only need a shower if you have just finished an exercise session. Getting to work by bike doesn't need to be a race. If people viewed bikes as a mode of transport rather than a way of getting fit then they would just ride in wearing their regular day clothes, at an unrushed pace, and then there isn't any need for a shower.

Did you know that Steve Jobs was really unhygienic, he thought that…
https://www.factswt.com/did-you-know-that-steve-jobs-was-really-unhygienic-he-thought-that/
you might stink and no one has told you yet?