BigBoss

You can lay back, you can listen to your radio, you can talk with your buddies, you can chill with the AC, can cover more miles quickly, and you can relax.

Who the hell would show up to the club with a bike? LOL

Roody

Oh... I see now.... a damn troll!

Mr York

Depends on where you are. I have a route that has some stop lights that slow the cars down to my average biking speed. Long distance or routes with no traffic lights, sure, car would be faster.

BigBoss

Why,because you don't like my viewpoints?

the thread is why bikes are unpopular, and a lot of guys are saying things like it's so dumb to drive now, and why would you drive and I'm just giving some explanations.

If you disagree then that's fine but you don't have to be an ass

spider-man

Hmm. I think I'll consider the research studies more reliable.

Indeed. Neither do shoes. And yet they have proven quite popular.

BigBoss

Give me a link to one of these studies. What cities were studied? Who were the people who were researched?

I know that would make sense somewhere like Manhattan, but it would be nearly impossible in most places.

wahoonc

Please define "most places". I commuted 7 miles (25 minutes) one way by bike today. My buddy in his pickup truck that stays at the same motel as I do took over 40 minutes to cover the same distance and pretty much the same route (hard to fit a full sized pickup thru a pedestrian gate BTW to see the commute route, search for Mount Holly, SC and Summerville, SC...

Aaron

Newspaperguy

When I lived in Toronto, I could get around the more populated areas by bike faster than the motorists. If I had 20 kilometres or less to cover, I would make better time. I could walk from my home to the school in the same amount of time as it took for the streetcars. That was a distance of around 2.5 kilometres.

The same thing held true when I lived in Winnipeg, I could get around by bike a lot quicker than by car. I lived near the city centre and I could get to the outskirts without any problems. Again, the shorter the distance the more sense the bike makes.

I'm now living in a small town and I was sure cars were faster than bikes. I was wrong. In fall, when I had to drive somewhere in town, I put a GPS unit on the dash and calculated my distance and average speed. It was almost the same as my average cycling speed. By the way, this errand was in the evening, when the streets are quietest.

When I've got to get out of town, into a neighbouring community, the car is faster every time.

thebikeguy

This is the main hinderance from getting people out of their cars.They can't do without the creature comforts that driving affords.It STILL boils down to laziness.Pure laziness.
Ahem(holding hand up),I ride to the clubs.Why the hell not?

BigBoss

Like most major cities in the northeast, unless you're a really slow driver.

bikeguy says he rides to the clubs. it's actually kind of cool, I just wonder though like what kind of reaction do you get?

Abneycat

I personally ride to the clubs. But granted, the one I ride to is 20 feet from the local courier hangout, so its pretty normal to see a lot of bikes around there on a friday/saturday night.

thebikeguy

I've been at it so long,it's just the same old same old.I get more of a reaction if I don't ride my bike.
The one pub I frequent gives me an Irish coffee(on the house) when it's really crappy weather out.

bragi

I ride to the clubs, mostly because it's easier to find parking, and there is basically no reaction at all. Most places I go have at least a few bikes parked outside pretty much every time. It's become a non-issue at this point; walk into a club on a Friday night with a pack and a helmet and no one even notices. You don't have to pay for gas, you don't have to pay for parking, your girlfriend feels good because she got some fresh air and a bit of exercise; what's not to like?

thebikeguy

That's what I love about cycling.The parking.I tell everyone that I get better parking than the handicapped parking.
I have a kickstand on all my bikes so I usually park RIGHT at the door.Doesn't get better than that.

gwd

If you mean nightclub, like going out on a date, drinking dancing etc.. We do here in DC. We even ride our bikes to higher end entertainment like plays, classical music concerts at the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare theater etc. I don't think I've gone to one of those events where I was the only person arriving by bike, and many more were arriving by mass transit or cab. I can walk to many nightclubs, I only bike to places across town. Some of the popular places like Black Cat or the places along 18th street have bike racks out front. Why would they have the city install bike racks if they didn't think their customers would use them?

Roody

I live in a small city in the midwest, and a lot of crosstown trips are quicker by bike, or there's no real diference by the time you get the car parked, etc. I go to bars and clubs by bike and I don't get much reaction at all. just make sure you have good lights for nighttime riding.

BTW, it isn't what you say that makes you trollish, it's where you say it. But don't worry, I get a kick out of trolls as long as they're friendly, and so far you have been.

scottieie

I have trouble finding a spot to lock up my bike at the brewery (kinda like a club) where I live, due to the number of folks who got there before me. Kinda nice to see that many cyclists around and at least they aren't driving 2000lbs hunks of metal after imbibing in some of the good stuff!

Buglady

That's actually not just marketing, it's social psychology. People tend to overestimate the frequency and probability of events if they have heard about them often or in an emotionally loaded way. It is called the availability heuristic - basically, the brain takes a shortcut using the information that's closest "to hand". That's why most people are more afraid of flying than driving, because they hear about plane crashes all over the world, but only hear about car crashes in their immediate locale. It is also why people think that being killed by a fire is more likely than dying of cancer - fires make the news, diseases don't (usually).

So a negative cycling experience gets talked about more and is more "available" than the more common positive experiences, and it kind of snowballs from there. I'm actually doing a psych project this month on perception of danger. I'll post it up when it's done, because it has to do with bikes as transportation.

Neil_B

No, you don't. But it helps.

acorn54

was talking with my neighbor about why i don't see more people biking with gas at 3.50/gallon now. he raised a good point. he said bikes are only for young people. if people are older and in poorer shape a bike in not an option. to ride a bike one has to be in reasonable physical good shape and from what i see in my neighborhood there are mainly middle-age overweight folks, and young kids that are in love with having a car and see a bike as an extension of childhood.

aMull

If they start biking they'll get in shape.

Buglady

One does not have to be in good shape to start riding a bicycle. Get a bike with easy gearing and a comfortable position, and anyone can ride a couple of miles. ANYONE.

dynodonn 

Maybe not everyone, but I did get my daughter on one of my retired hybrids, her first time in several years, she was able to do 10 miles on her first outing and 15 miles on her second outing. She didn't break any land speed records, but she's eager to go again. Granted that my hybrids have been modified some what from their original specs, different tires, seat, bought at the LBS, cost more than the chain store bikes, but the right bike with the correct settings, and mods makes a huge difference.

Newspaperguy

For far too many people, bicycling has become a sport instead of a way of life. Articles on bicycling often deal with the Tour de France or other competitive aspects of cycling, extreme mountain biking, other competitions or training for "fast recreational" riders. Bike shops also carry a lot of racing bikes and high end mountain bikes. This may lead to the perception of bicycling being a specialized activity or a sport rather than a form of transportation.

sykerocker 

Part of that reason is pure business. I'll throw up an example of two identical twins, both of whom ride and have ridden regularly since 1971:

Twin #1 uses a bicycle strictly as a tool for commuting. He buys a brand new Raleigh Sports (3-speed, $99.00), and pedals away for the next 37 years. Keeps the bike in good condition, does regular maintenance, and the bike is never stolen (yeah, I said this is theoretical).

Twin #2 get into cycling as a sport and a hobby. He buys a Raleigh Gran Prix ($125.00) at the same time, gets passionately into the hobby for the entire duration of this ferinstance. Immediately buys proper riding gear, stays current with the technology, etc., etc., etc.

Which is the more valued customer for the LBS?

The answer, of course, is obvious. One of the things I learned when I worked in a shop 30+ years ago is that twin #2 is the customer who gets catered to. #1 is treated well, if only in appreciation for his dedication, and he makes a good example and story to other customer, but he's never going to keep an LBS alive. Actually, my experience back then was that the average commuter was a cheap b****** who'd begrudge you every nickel. Back then gasoline was cheap and the environment wasn't much of a worry - so you had to be cheap to be willing to limit your personal mobility to (relatively) free muscle power.