Biking to Work Isn’t Gaining Any Ground in the US

[Muso]

My office is 12.5 miles / 20Km away from my home... in Los Angeles. I could easily ride that distance on my ebike. In fact, I did just that, for recreation, up and down the Hollywood Hills this afternoon. I could store my bike at my office no problem. But damn, I've been looking for a route that doesn't involve major car streets, and there just isn't one. It sucks.

 

[6zfshdb]

I have never biked to work. My e-bike is for recreation. I am less than 14 miles from my work and it is almost straight north of me.

I was only four miles from work at my previous job. I never rode it to work then, either, but I always thought about it.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

This comes as no great surprise to me. While the improvement in bike infrastructure and the advent of the e-bike has made commuting easier, the topography, weather and distances involved in the continental US has not improved. It's likely we have reached the saturation point where everyone who wants to commute by bike is already doing so.

 

[mschwett]

This comes as no great surprise to me. While the improvement in bike infrastructure and the advent of the e-bike has made commuting easier, the topography, weather and distances involved in the continental US has not improved. It's likely we have reached the saturation point where everyone who wants to commute by bike is already doing so.

nah, not true - except for weather. this isn’t a topography/geography thing. the united states is big but most of it is empty. yes, some people choose to live places that are very far from where they work, or vice versa. i don’t understand those people, but ok. the truth is that the median commute distances are WELL within e-bike range if the infrastructure existed. the most populous states are california, texas, florida, new york, all of which have one way commute distance <7.5 miles. most of the higher population states are in the 6-7.5 miles range. a decent e-bike with decent infrastructure would make this a 30 minute commute, barely longer than the current medians and much faster if there is significant traffic.

https://www.streetlightdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Commutes-Across-America_180201.pdf

 

[6zfshdb]

If we haven't reached a "saturation point", why aren't more commuters using bikes?

 

[mschwett]

If we haven't reached a "saturation point", why aren't more commuters using bikes?

i’m not sure what your point is, other than that there can never be change or something? change takes time and there are many external factors at work. people may not be aware that there are options, maybe small incentives are needed, maybe there are (relatively) inexpensive infrastructure changes that can get significantly more people on bikes? it costs billions of dollars to widen freeways in urban areas, how about a few protected bike lanes instead LOL.

 

[6zfshdb]

No argument here, just curious.

If the bike infrastructure is improving but not the number of riders, the saturation point theory (everyone who wants to commute by bike is doing it) is just one possibility.

 

[AvalancheRun]

I would like to see statistics for people living in areas with Dutch-style separated lanes.

Just one dangerous road is enough to deter riding. Even many on this forum who are certainly more hardcore than the average rider choose not to ride with traffic.

 

[Roamers]

If we haven't reached a "saturation point", why aren't more commuters using bikes?

Many don't care to be saturated with sweat to start the day.

 

[freckles]

I bike (regular pedal bike) to work and have done so for nearly a decade in LA (California).
The main reason why LA doesn't have more people using bikes for transportation is lack of bike infrastructure. We have plenty of space for it but no political will to make it happen.
I still use my pedal bike to commute b/c my employer absolutely sucks ass re bike parking. My lovely ebike does not fit inside the tiny pie shaped bike locker b/c pie shaped bike lockers aren't meant to hold useful bikes w/rear racks.

 

[PedalUma]

I can always tell when a car is going to make a right hook. They will rev up to attempt to pass 20-yards before an approaching intersection. We are making major headway in my town on improving street safety and pedestrian/cycling infrastructure. The mayor and city counsel are on board. Some of them joined our group ride on Friday and I saw and spoke with several yesterday at a community wellness festival. I was with safe streets advocates.

About cans: modern cars and trucks are built like an empty Coke can. They dent that easily. They are highly fragile. Not badass at all.

 

[Kayakguy]

I would love to be one of those that would bike to work except for two factors. 1) a cousin of mine was struck by a deer and has permanent brain damage while biking to work. 2) I work at a dirty factory with no place to store the bike indoors and don't want to leave it outside.

Perhaps a suggestion to your factory's management could get some protected bike storage installed. Might encourage fellow employees to bike to work. Maybe you and like-minded people could help install it.

 

[Muso]

... My lovely ebike does not fit inside the tiny pie shaped bike locker b/c pie shaped bike lockers aren't meant to hold useful bikes w/rear racks.

My pedal bike doesn't even fit in one of those. I was looking at one of them outside an LA Metro station the other day and had to wonder if they were for children's bikes or something!

Granted, this was my rather large Dutch bike, but I don't think any bike I've owned since I was 16 would fit in one of those. I love the idea though. If only they were taller.