wheel

This was a difficult one.

The first interview was cold and rainy 2 hour commute. I was sick. It was roughly 11 miles.

I was told that the bike rack was only for employees (with no signs)

I had two interviews, a training day, and a pickup uniforms. Which I thought could have been two days at the most, not 50 miles worth.

I had my job taken away due to I didn't have a car, but they found one for me with less hours.

This marks my 5th car free commute interview where I got the job.

gerv 

Sounds like things have been rough for you, but may be looking up... even if the interview process is a bit scattered-all-over-the-place. Hopefully it will all work out.

wheel

You know it I just lost my previous job, so I was able to work right into this job. I can only imagine how hard it is for people who have to deal with snow and rain all the time.

I-Like-To-Bike

Riding in ice, snow, extreme cold, etc. is not a problem at all according to at least a few of our LCF comrades.

After all they do it and enjoy riding to work/school in crappy conditions, or perversely, never ride in bad weather conditions (think Hawaii),and therefore can, without a trace of empathy for others' situations, pronounce that everybody could/should do it too.

Good luck with your new job.

akohekohe

Well I've ridden in Gale force winds where the rain was coming down at a rate of more than an inch an hour, so yes we do have very nice weather most of the time, but we are still subject on occasion to extreme conditions. I try to ride in these conditions so when I go touring on the mainland in the summer I know I can handle the weather if I get stuck where I have no choice but to ride in it.

What is strange here in Hawaii with the generally very good weather conditions and a very good public transit system with accommodations for bicycles, is that we have more cars per mile of road than any other state - go figure.

As far as riding in snow and ice is concerned, many things in life appear to be harder than they are until you actually try them informed by the experience of those who know how to do it. Riding in snow and ice falls into this category. This is the real point of these forums I think - to help each other out and to learn from each other's experiences. Some people don't seem to share this view and that is sort of sad.

To all the wonderful and helpful people that participate in the LCF forum, the very best wishes for a fulfilling holiday season and for success in the coming year! Warmest Aloha to you all.

I-Like-To-Bike

I gave some advice about considering likely icy, snowy, extreme cold weather/road conditions before deciding the practicability going car free and relying on a bicycle for daily 20 mile commute. I wrote from years of experience in riding in those conditions.

Let us know when you try it on a regular basis and think it becomes easy-peasy and/or practical just because you read some Internet chatter from a relative handful of "helpful" cycling enthusiasts/zealots/masochists who are willing to ride under any circumstances and relish the challenge and difficulties involved.

akohekohe

I would be interested in reading that advice and about your years of experience from riding in winter conditions. Do you have links to where you've discussed this in other threads? If not, perhaps you could provide a summary of your experiences here - what works, what doesn't, etc.

I-Like-To-Bike

My advice was simple and direct, and in the thread https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ods&p=10181702
"Just do it" type advice from warm weather provincials (or bicycling enthusiast zealots) about the practicality and "doable" involved in year round reliance on a bicycle as a sole source of transportation which includes a daily 20mile commute, should be taken with many grains of salt and much skepticism. Especially by inexperienced cyclists living in areas that often include ice, snow, and/or extreme cold weather, or even by experienced cyclists not indoctrinated with an LCF mission.

My additional advice to the original questioner (presumably a young person with little or no experience with 100% dependence on a bicycle for reliable daily year round transportation) is to not plan on using a bicycle for his sole transportation unless he has reliable backup plans for the days and times when a bicycle may not be a practical or sensible for long distance commutes, especially in ice and snow scenarios.

Roody

IMO, having a Plan B is a good practice for anybody, regardless of their mode of transportation. Many a day I've made it to work--riding or walking--when co-workers couldn't get in with their cars. They should have had a bike (or hiking boots) as a backup to their precious automobiles.

gerv 

Precious as a Plan B is. when you've found steady work after a period without (as Wheel points out...), it nice to relax and just enjoy the fact that you can bike to work. And that you have work to bike to.