Wheels of Fortune

Umbra on bicycle commuting, again 5

Dear Umbra,

So what about bike commuting? Is it safe? Is it good? Is it encouraged?

P.K. Borzo
St. Paul, Minn.

Dearest P.K.,

Yes, yes, yes. Lungwise, biking is at least as safe as driving, if not more so. It's true, as many readers pointed out after my previous column, that we breathe more heavily when bicycling than driving. But the scientists thought of that. In general, we are not worse off biking in regular old city traffic, especially if we are able to stay to the side of the pollutant slipstream. Of course, there are a lot of variables -- if you're still worried, you could always wear a mask.

Unsafe at any speed?

Is biking safe in other ways? I don't know what to say to that. I think accident and injury statistics are essentially meaningless when applied to our own individual choices. Car accidents happen often, but we don't consider them until that sickening crunch intrudes on our safety delusion. Likewise, no numbers will stop a determined cyclist.

If you intend to start a biking habit, use common sense. Evaluate your own confidence, and use the experience of others. If people cycle in St. Paul, but you never see a single cyclist on the route you would take to work, find out where the decent bike route lies. Ask fellow cyclists whether they consider your route safe. Find the bike lanes, the roads with good shoulders. Every major city has a bicycling coalition devoted to helping people like you, and some cities, including yours, publish route maps.

And think about your local drivers. Seattle drivers are completely spaced out, never use their turn signals, and can't plan ahead in traffic. They enrage me, but they are aware of and expect cyclists on the roadway. New York drivers, on the other hand, see everything on the road as an obstacle -- but their reflexes are excellent. I expect Twin City drivers are courteous and predictable, given Minnesota stereotypes.

If you are hit by a car, or skid on a rainy street, you will feel endangered, injured, terrified, and stupid. That's true of any transit accident. On the plus side, it is unlikely that you will maim anyone but yourself, and very unlikely that you will be the target of a terrorist attack. You will lose weight and save money, and perhaps get the high honor of being considered a wacko. The wackos live longest, my friend.

In solidarity,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Send your green-living questions to Umbra.

For even more green goodness, you can follow Umbra on Twitter (@AskUmbra).

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

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  1. bertport Posted 5:46 am
    31 Oct 2005

    bicycling riskThis great site has been a favorite of mine for ages:

    http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm
    Cycling is safer than driving.

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  2. jhoiland Posted 3:08 am
    01 Nov 2005

    Haul stuff with your bikeHere is a great product for turning your bike into a hauling machine. http://www.intentusa.com/pedalpower.htm
    I've attached a car seat to mine so that my 2 year old and I, can do errands together.  We are able to carry 6 bags of groceries plus some.  When I don't have my son I remove the car seat and can strap over sized boxes to the snap deck when making UPS or post office runs.  
    It has definitely made our daily errands more fun and less damaging to the environment.
    It's not a lot of fun in the rain however so we are saving for a small electric car to replace the one we have.

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  3. hslack Posted 5:31 am
    01 Nov 2005

    Biking to workI enjoy bicycling.  I get to do it both before and after work.  Wow!  Pleasure and exercise in on easy package.
    When it's good, it's really good.  When it's bad, it's still pretty good.  
    My bike commute saves me $1500-$2000 each year (14 mile round trip).  So I can afford great lights and bags at the bike shop.
    I used to teach Effective Cycling classes.  great way to learn: go to http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/education.htm.  Here's a bit of that info:  
    To get started, first ride your route on a quiet traffic day, to be familiar with the turns.  Figure how you'll carry stuff (saddlebag or backpack).  Plan on covering your legs below 60 degrees (and I double layer at 40 degrees), and having a plan for rain (jacket, etc.).
    You want to be visible -- bright colors, multiple lights and reflectors.  According to some figures, night-time cycling makes up less than 4% of all cycling, but around 40% of fatalities.  Get some good LED lights! .
    Most bike-car crashes happen at intersections.  Minimize these by using lower-traffic roads, and being visible (I wave my arms and shout when I want to make sure I'm seen).  
    Lastly, don't hit the road without a helmet.

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  4. sihorsky Posted 2:31 pm
    01 Nov 2005

    commuting yay!I think that we've got to, as a culture, get past the notion that bicycles are dangerous and cars are safe. While we can juggle statistics to say whatever we want, we don't take into account the astounding resiliency of the human body, its love for exercise, and the engineering marvel that bicycles are. Keeping it short and sweet, I did notice on Bike to Work day hordes of cyclists absolutely crowding the local bike paths, and also noticed that they dissipated the next day. When people are told the truth, that cycling is something that they ought to do, in addition to being safe, easy, good for you, and brilliantly good for the environment, they do it. 'Nuff said. Glenn

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  5. Payton Chung's avatar

    Payton Chung Posted 1:13 pm
    17 Nov 2005

    Winter commutingBicycle commuters losing their resolve in the face of the latest cold front -- which plunged temperatures in the Midwest to January levels, killing off an unbelievably warm autumn -- should check out these Bike Winter Tips.

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