Fellow commuters - lend me your advice

Gilbie

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?
Fitness.

2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?
More companies using the Cycle2Work scheme and more benifits from it.

3. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc.
Jet wash at work, an extra shower cubicle and a laundry service.

W5454

DavidBelcher wrote:

Well, there are also the traffic monitoring cameras that feature on all those traffic police-type shows, which are chiefly used to keep an eye on motorway incidents etc., though I suppose the magnification could be tweaked to pick up said offenders. I'm sure the scaremongering hacks at the Daily Excess and the Daily Blackmail would be up in arms about such an idea, mind.

David

Not if they're catching illegal immigrants and refugee spongers.

snooks

Hi Jash

jashburnham wrote:

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?

Distance - Didn't know whether I could cycle 13 miles into work and back again in a day
Facilities at work - We moved into a new office with better facilities (shower and stowage)
Finding a route in - Advice on here

jashburnham wrote:

2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?

Spreading the word that's it's not bad or dangerous. Most people travel by tube/train, and they have no idea how to get from Covent Garden to Embankment for example...because they travel by train it makes it seem a long way, when really it's not. MOre events like freewheel to get people back on their bikes.

jashburnham wrote:

2. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc.

A better cycle network, that will take you a quick, safe and direct route without having to take a confusing route which takes twice as long. Better signage for cycle lanes.
Less risk of a bike being stolen or vandalised. More driver education. Drying facilities at work. A proper waterproof ruck sack that I don't have to line with carrier bags and risk getting wet pants!

Cantdosleepy

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?

Couldn't afford a bike and wasn't sure if the distance was viable.

2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?

In my office? Not much. Ride2Work has seen a small bump. I guess marketing that:
1 it's safe
2 it's cheaper than tube/trains
3 it's cool (no idea how you'd make cycling cool - it's inherently kinda nerdy)

3. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc.

Removal of HGVs from the roads - I'm still afraid of those monsters.

linsen

3 it's cool (no idea how you'd make cycling cool - it's inherently kinda nerdy)

I have NEVER considered cycling nerdy!

Bassjunkieuk

linsen wrote:

3 it's cool (no idea how you'd make cycling cool - it's inherently kinda nerdy)

I have NEVER considered cycling nerdy!

It's not nerdy unless your standing around in a pub discussing the number of teeth on your rings and quoting GI's at each other.......

In all honesty tho I'd call football fans who can tell you who won the FA Cup in any given year and which players scored the winning goals a bit nerdy but it's really a case of each to their own, we enjoy cycling as a hobby just as they enjoy watching football.

DiggingDeeper

jashburnham wrote:

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?
2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?
2. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc

If you are still looking for follow up..........

[1] I am currently in my 3rd real job,job 1 had me driving 30K miles a year as a surveyor. Job 2 involved a 54 mile round trip around the M25 or a 3 hour trip by public transport and cycling was out as being too far (I am not an aspiring triathlete). Job 3 based in Euston - can't drive, impossible. So bike or train & tube.

[2] I have an option to bike to Walthmstow (4 miles) and can put bike in the 'shed' lockable facilty then do 25 mins on Victoria line to Warren Street or do the full 12 miles into Euston. Give people options, 4 easyish miles does not need special gear, I do it in my civvies. I tend to do the 12 miles though.

[3] I think there is little that can be done on the infrastructure change ideas (cycle routes et al) I am just having to accept the inherent dangers of what we do on a daily basis. I dread the day when/if motorbikes are allowed to hurtle along in bus lanes. I know there are many good mcylists out there but just as cyling there is an anarchic element too. What makes it good for me is that I am lucky in that I have lockable storage and shower facilities at work (shower not perfect for the numbers but pretty good I guess)

If i had to leave my bike out on the pavement and no shower I would not even consider the 12 mile ride. Hope it helps and I hope whatever it is you are planning gives us a boost

SpinyBike

jashburnham wrote:

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?

Fear of cars & distance.

jashburnham wrote:

2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?

Road safety education, better facilities, marketing of cycle to work, raising fuel prices, tax breaks.

jashburnham wrote:

3. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc.

Less traffic "calming" that narrows lanes & squishes cars & bikes together, more cycle paths. Staying on BST all year.

The Chingford Skinhead

1. Before you cycle commuted - what stopped you from giving it a go?

Fear of accidents and the traffic - now used to the traffic and I think the fear is much worse than the reality - though some drivers attempt to prove that theory wrong

Thought 11 miles each way would be too far - got used to it within a week. The really frustrating / sad thing is that my two previous jobs were marginally closer so I could have been commuting by bike - rather than tube or bus - for the past 20 years!! Still, I'm doing it now

Not a great map reader so working out a safe / quiet route was a hassle. The TfL maps were a great help but they don't show roads with bus lanes so my first month and a half was on quiet roads but crossing busy junctions. I now use a very busy road but am segregated by a massive bus lane - though I'd never have known from the map. The busy road saves me two miles!

2. What could be done to encourage more people to take up cycling to work?

Promotion of the cycle to work scheme - it should not be optional for large employers (Grrr :evil: )

Concerted campaign to better promotion of the health and environmental benefits and to reduce the safety fears

See also 3 below

3. What practical changes would make your commute easier - ie facilities at work, more cylcle lanes etc.

Tackle things like poor driver attitude, pot holes etc

Showers, secure parking and lockers at work (fortunately I have all three )

Bettter signage. Often the blue quiet route of NCN signs are good but you get to a junction and you've no idea which to turn unless you've brought a map. There was either no sign or it was 20 metres from the junction!

More support for organisations like LCC to promote and run bike buddy schemes or bike bus schemes so that people learn routes with more experienced riders and the cycling becomes as much a social activity as a solitary means of getting to work

Hope that helps. If it does I'd like my 2.5% commission paid in gold. Ta