siran

Because when I get into a car, I want to kill every other car on the road.
When I get on a bike, I'm relaxed. It's only me in the bike lane.

I'm motivated to be healthy, not by losing weight, but by not having multiple aneurysms from road rage.

exile

I just like being the crazy guy at work. I think I should change it up every now and then so people have something to talk about. "You didn't ride to today, what happened?" "Where's your bike, I don't see it?" "Maybe his license isn't suspended due to a DUI or speeding tickets." "I didn't know you have a car." "Not trying to save the environment anymore, huh?" "Are you feeling okay, you're not hurt or anything (I think I see a limp or something)?"

If you ride often enough it's just expected and you are no longer "water cooler" gossip. Just change it up so people keep talking about you. It's kind of amusing.

cyclezealot

Still, it's a little faster. The only conflict I have with riding my bike is when the weather sucks.. Where I 'd have the motivation problem is starting up the car.. To drive the car on a freeway, when I can ride lesser congested streets on my bike.. Where is the motivation problem. It makes work seem more like drudgery when I have to go by car.

rumrunn6

everyone's motivation id different. you can't have mine ;-)

btw; I went through a phase - about 20 years that I didn't ride

CCrew

Your motivation then should be to get some muscles ya stringbean!! LOL

CornyBum

I'm only starting out (got into it to save money) and haven't settled into the bike commuting life just yet, but reading about you guys biking through rain and snow over many more miles inspires me. Oh, and watching bike messenger videos like this one and this commercial helps me get excited to ride.

daven1986

I can't get to work any other way - unless I get public transport and pay loads of money for it. So if I want to get to work I have to ride. Works for me!

Also think of the extra wear and tear on your car - short journeys are far worse for this. That'll cost you money in the long run. Also 2km?!? Just walk it!!

PaulH

Is your car a disposable beater? Otherwise, why wear it out with a lot of 2 km trips during which the engine never properly warms up and the body gets sprayed with corrosive salt brine.

Paul

mickey85

2 reasons - it keeps me happy, and I have a bet with a kid that I'm either in a 34 size waist or weigh 180 lbs by the time graduation rolls around.

tarwheel 

If I lived 2 KM from work, I would probably walk most of the time. However, if you want motivation to ride, here are some suggestions:
- Start keeping a log to track your mileage and time riding. Set goals for X many miles, hours of riding each month. Post your mileage on the thread here. Keeping track helps motivate me to ride on days that I otherwise might wimp out.
- Fix up a sweet commuter bike if you don't already have one. Since your commute is so short, weight should not be a big issue and you could go lots of different approaches -- cruiser, classic, single speed, etc.
- Make riding your "default" commuting choice. Don't lay there in bed trying to decide whether you will ride or not that day. Decide ahead of time that you will ride and only vary if conditions require it, such as bad weather or errands that require a car.
- Think about the air pollution you will prevent by not driving and the gasoline you will save. It's the right thing to do.

Pig_Chaser

-That is so me.

I've dropped my car insurance to 'casual use' which saves me some $50 a month but also means I'm technically not allowed to drive it to work. But in all honesty I don't need any motivation. I like to ride. I get depressed if for some reason I can't ride my bike to work. Riding is one of the best parts of my day.

seenoweevil

I'm borderline diabetic, so I'm trying to get and keep my weight down and remain healthy, that's what originally inspired me to get back on a bike after years of not even owning a bike. I found this forum online and read how many people commute and the distances they travel in all kinds of weather - that's what inspired me to bike commute. To make it easier for me to get out the door in the mornings(I'm a snooze button basher too!), I pack up everything I need to take the night before, have it next to the bike in the garage, and the bike pointed towards the door! The comments from fellow employees helps as well, as does the great feeling I get after riding. However, even with raingear ready and waiting, I often waffle and take the car if it's raining when I get out of bed. Motivation can be found just about wherever you look for it, I just haven't found it in a rain cloud.....yet! Good luck finding yours!

arch2wheel

I ride over rush hour freeway traffic on a pedestrian bridge and laugh at the people below at a complete stop. If I don't I'm one of them.

Booger1

No motivation required, I like riding.

daven1986

+1! Rode up town today, and there were some roadworks. Had I taken the bus I'd have been in them, as it was it took me only marginally longer than if it had been clear

paul2432

There is no obligation to ride your bike. I ride to work because its fun and I enjoy the challenge. If you don't enjoy it then don't do it. There is no reason to beat yourself up over it.

Paul

Lot's Knife

I'm with the guy from Michigan. It never occurs to me to drive. Sure, I'll take the Nissan out on Sundays just to keep its fluids circulating, but the idea of driving to work makes me never want to stop vomiting.

bhop

When I don't feel like riding, I think about what happens if I drive.

Basically, I sit in L.A. traffic for almost the same amount of time it takes to ride my bike 13 miles. Then when I actually get to work, I circle the blocks trying to find a parking spot, which usually ends up being very far away from the office. (I don't have a parking pass because I usually bike). Then after work, i sit in traffic again, which is worse than the morning and actually takes me longer sometimes than biking.

That's enough to keep me on the bike.

TFS Jake

I love to ride my bike, I ALWAYS have a good parking spot. I can get home in 15 minutes if I ride my bike, it will take me 10-30 minutes in my car, depending on how good of parking spot I get.

Elliots Quest

I have the some of the same problems that have been mentioned: weather sucks, more sleep, time, etc...

I find that for me at least, 90% is the mental barrier of just getting on the bike in the morning V.S. making up some kind of excuse (tired, snowing, hot, etc..). Once I'm on the bike and riding to work/errands, I really enjoy riding in all weather conditions and have a great time doing it.

One of the things I do to keep my attitude fresh is buying new parts for the bike, or some kind of different clothing to make my commute more comfortable.

As mentioned in an earlier post I'm also a stat freak, love to see how fast, average speed, which helps me keep motivated.

Keep a postive mental attitude, I know, I'm going to have fun riding tommorrow, and I hope you all will too.

mtalinm

same here. sometimes it helps not to think to much but just to strap on the gear and go

jasonvelo

Definitely one of the cooler things is going an alternate route as a car and getting there at the same time. Also, being the weird guy is fun.

mtalinm

same here. sometimes it helps not to think to much but just to strap on the gear and go

stephpb

I rode my bike to work today! Sort-of. I got two blocks from home and got a flat tire. Of course, I didn't have a pump or repair kit, so I just walked my bike the rest of the way. Lovely. Oh well, try again next week!

Snowman219

Some of us are still running windows 3.1 in our brains and can't simply click over to it, gotta go through DOS still...sigh.