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Commute by bike once a week plus 8
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photo courtesy of Jonathan Maus
In my New Year’s resolution column at idea number 3 I suggested commuting to work on occasion. Reader Gary Parker gently took me to task for not being more aggressive in promoting this idea. I invited him to do a better job and so he has. Here is his suggestion, in his words, for a program to get you onto your bike more often.
-----------following authored by Gary Parker
You can save gas, fuel expense, car wear and tear, help the environment, benefit your community, reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, and become healthier by leaving your car parked two months out of the year with this simple plan. Take the pledge to "Commute By Bike Once A Week Plus 8" per year. That is simply biking to work once a week on average (52), plus eight (8) more days in a year (60).
By pledging to "Commute By Bike Once A Week Plus 8" you will leave your car at home for 60 days or two months a year. You could even look at it as not driving for three months if you take the 20 work days per month viewpoint! This provides a significant benefit in reduced wear and tear on your car and fuel expense. With recent tax changes their may even be a benefit of a tax deduction for you.
I began commuting using this plan with the start of Desert Storm I. Using this system I have been able to bike commute a round trip distance of more than ten miles easily an average of more than two days per week for over fifteen years. The reason my average is over two time per week is that once I installed the ability to ride once a week it is easy to ride more often.
This plan increases the ability to commute to work by bike while allowing for situational occurrences at the same time. It allows me the flexibility to avoid inclement weather days or drive as conditions require, and make a positive life difference at the same time.
Commuting to work by bike is a problem solving exercise. You will have to solve problems of time of travel, parking, route to take, clothing, emergency situations, and in some cases even how to obtain lunch.
Commuting by bicycle is on-demand door-to-door transit. The public streets go everywhere I want to go. I ride early to work avoiding rush hour traffic. I roll my bike and park it next to my desk. I keep several changes of clothes in my work closet and have plenty of time to change for work.
This plan is time efficient. For instance, your automobile commute may be 20 minutes and your bike commute takes 45 minutes. Therefore your bike commute time is actually only 25 minutes, the difference between 45 and 20. This means that for 25 minutes of effort you receive 45 minutes of fitness benefit! Even better you receive this benefit again on your bike commute home!
On the way home on my bike I merge with commuting traffic. I use vehicular bicycling skills taught at a League of American Bicyclists Bike Ed class. Since I regularly take the same route at the same time as the other motorists, and am responsible and respectful, the drivers learn to expect me and respond accordingly.
Something else interesting happens when I commute by bike to work. Frequently upon arrival at work I will tell a co-worker, "Wow, what a great commute to work I had!" This is something as an automobile commuter I never say. All these and other benefits occur because of a simple pledge to Commute By Bike Once A Week Plus 8" .
The point is I don't need to bike commute to work everyday to make a difference. Commuting by bicycle using this plan is both doable, and can be used by many people.
Imagine the positive effect it would make in cities if enough individuals took the pledge to simply "Commute By Bike Once A Week Plus 8" ! Importantly using this plan allows a bicyclist to complete the idea of "Be the change you want to see."
Ride well, ride often.
----------- preceding authored by Gary Parker
It sounds like a great plan to me!
Your comments are welcome as well! Thanks for reading.
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