Bicycle commuting
Encyclopedia
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
to travel from home to a place of work or study — in contrast to the use of a bicycle for sport
Bicycle racing
Bicycle racing is a competition sport in which various types of bicycles are used. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, bike trials, and cycle speedway. Bicycle racing is recognised as an Olympic sport...
, recreation or touring
Bicycle touring
Bicycle touring is cycling over long distances – prioritizing pleasure and endurance over utility or speed. Touring can range from single day 'supported' rides — e.g., rides to benefit charities — where provisions are available to riders at stops along the route, to multi-day...
.
Commuting especially lends itself to areas with relatively flat terrain and arrangements to keep riders relatively safe from the hazards of accidents with motorized traffic, e.g. separated bicycle lanes and a general acceptance of cyclists as traffic participants.
A Bike bus
Bike bus
A bike bus is a group of people who cycle together on a set route following a set timetable. Cyclists may join or leave the bike bus at various points along the route...
is form of collective bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
commuting where participants cycle together on a set route following a set timetable
Public transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
. Cyclists may join or leave the bike bus at various points along the route.
Bicycles are used for commuting worldwide, though in isolated pockets in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting refers to the practice of using two or more modes of transportation. The goal of mixed-mode commuting is often to combine the strengths of various transportation options.-Mass transit:...
combines the use of a bicycle with public transportation for commuting.
As a rather cheap means of transportation as well as physical exercise
Physical exercise
Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...
at the same time, bicycle commuting offers potential health, economic and quality of life benefits — offsetting potential risks and inconveniences including limitations to travel distance, security risks, increased travel time, safety risks, impact to personal hygiene, exposure to inclement weather and load carrying limitations.
Bicycle features that enhance commuting include racks or pannier
Pannier
A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or similar container, carried in pairs either slung over the back of a beast of burden, or attached to the sides of a bicycle or motorcycle. The term derives from the Old French, from Classical Latin, word for bread basket....
s for storage, battery or dynamo-powered lights
Bicycle lighting
Bicycle lighting improves the visibility of the bicycle rider to others in dark conditions, i.e. to increase the rider's conspicuity and to enhance the ability of the rider to see, illuminating the way forward. Both reflectors and active lights are used to make the rider more visible, and many ...
for increased visibility, mudguards or fenders to minimize the impact of inclement weather, a chain guard to protect clothing, and an upright sitting position for increased visibility. 2008 saw the rise of bikes in the U.S with similar features and called commuter bikes and geared directly at riders looking to use bicycles for daily work and study travel.
United States Legislation
February 2005 - Bike Commuter Act - introduced by Congressman Mark FoleyMark Foley
Mark Adam Foley is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He served from 1995 until 2006, representing the 16th District of Florida as a member of the Republican Party....
(Republican-Fla) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Portland east of the Willamette River. A native of Portland, he previously spent over 20 years as a public official representing the city.-Early...
(Democrat-Ore).
March 2007 - Bicycle Commuters Benefits Act (H.R.807, S.2635), introduced by Senator Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
(Democrat-OR), and currently co-sponsored by Senators Olympia Snowe (Republican-ME), Maria Cantwell (Democrat-WA), Susan Collins (Republican-ME), Richard Durbin (Democrat-Ill), Robert Menendez (Democrat-NJ), Daniel Inouye (Democrat-HI), Norm Coleman (Republican-MN), and Mike Enzi (Republican-WY).
The United States decennial Census collects information from respondents about Means of Transportation to Work. Bicycle has been an option since the 1980 Census. The Census does not collect information about transportation means to school.
The Netherlands
In the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, commuting by bicycle is a very common phenomenon, as well as the combined use of the bicycle with means of public transportation, for practical but also ecological reasons. In their programs for the parliamentary elections, almost all Dutch political parties add paragraphs in which they vow to enhance facilities for bicycle commuting. The political party GroenLinks even promotes a principle called "Groen Reizen" (green travelling), in which the choice to use bicycles and public transportation plays a key role.
See also
- Bicycle-friendlyBicycle-friendlyThe term bicycle-friendly describes policies and practices which may help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other traffic...
- Bicycle transportation engineeringBicycle transportation engineeringBicycle transportation engineering is the study of transportation engineering as it affects bicycles and cycling. It includes the design of dedicated transport facilities for cyclists, but also the study of how mixed-mode environments Bicycle transportation engineering is the study of...
- Bike-to-Work DayBike-to-Work DayBike-to-Work Day is an annual event held on various days in the Spring across the United States and Canada that promotes the bicycle as an option for commuting to work...
- European city bikeEuropean city bikeA European city bike, or simply city bike is a bicycle designed for frequent short, moderately paced rides through relatively flat urban areas...
- Segregated cycle facilitiesSegregated cycle facilitiesSegregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
- Utility cyclingUtility cyclingUtility cycling encompasses any cycling not done primarily for fitness, recreation such as cycle touring, or sport such as cycle racing, but simply as a means of transport...
- Bicycle safetyBicycle safetyBicycle safety is the use of practices designed to reduce risk associated with cycling. Some of this subject matter is hotly debated: for example, the discussions as to whether bicycle helmets or cyclepaths really deliver improved safety...
External links
General- Bike to Work Week/Day Map and Events List
- Commuting 101 commutebybike.com
- Commuter Bike Meccas Brooklyn Cruiser
- Commute by bike CommuteByBike.net
- Bike & equipment reviews BikeCommuters.com
- Resources for the Aspiring Bike Commuter C.I.C.L.E.
- Practical cycling Bicycling Life
- Biking to Work Manual Chicagoland Bicycle Federation
- Bike Commuting in the Philippines
- UK Bike Commuting Site UK Commuter Cycling Site
- Commuting pages Paul Dorn
- Commuting pages Ken Kifer
- Commuting Advice London Cycling Campaign
- "Bicycle versus Bus" cartoon comparing one artist's experiences in BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
- A list of bicycle collectives and coops promoting bike commuting
- User-contributed commute route database Zoom around Town
- What Rush Hour Could Look Like: The Glorious Bike Traffic of Utrecht, Holland - GOOD Blog - GOOD
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- BikeCollectives Wiki international listing of community bicycle groups
- Cycling to work in Australia, things to consider DigiPhD
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...