Comments on: City provisions for bike commuters? http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/ Tips, Hints, Reviews and Safety for Bike Commuters Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:00:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Eric http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68895 Eric Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:01:20 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68895 Unfortunately for me, the "Guaranteed Ride Home" program in my area doesn't apply; I work in the wrong city. There's a really reliable method for getting around when your bike is broken down and you've just missed the bus (or something like that): a taxi. In my case that means a worst case of $40 one-way (all the way from home to work or vice-versa) or a best case of about $10 (a mile or two hop from a bus station; walkable but worth $10 if it's raining heavily or late and need to get up early, etc.) (those prices include a bit of a tip, and I live in a suburban area; so cheaper if you don't tip or you're in a more urban area) I have to ask when I call for a cab, but some of the taxis are minivans that can fit my bike after I remove the front wheel. I've managed to go years without owning a car at all; using bus and bike mostly, but with taxis for those weird situations or for things like a nice dinner out. Taking a taxi all the way from work to home a few times a month would still be cheaper than owning a car, and in reality I've found the need to use a taxi to replace part of the commute only comes up once every few months, and usually I can still take a bus for some part of the trip and keep the price lower. Unfortunately for me, the “Guaranteed Ride Home” program in my area doesn’t apply; I work in the wrong city.

There’s a really reliable method for getting around when your bike is broken down and you’ve just missed the bus (or something like that): a taxi.

In my case that means a worst case of $40 one-way (all the way from home to work or vice-versa) or a best case of about $10 (a mile or two hop from a bus station; walkable but worth $10 if it’s raining heavily or late and need to get up early, etc.) (those prices include a bit of a tip, and I live in a suburban area; so cheaper if you don’t tip or you’re in a more urban area)

I have to ask when I call for a cab, but some of the taxis are minivans that can fit my bike after I remove the front wheel.

I’ve managed to go years without owning a car at all; using bus and bike mostly, but with taxis for those weird situations or for things like a nice dinner out.

Taking a taxi all the way from work to home a few times a month would still be cheaper than owning a car, and in reality I’ve found the need to use a taxi to replace part of the commute only comes up once every few months, and usually I can still take a bus for some part of the trip and keep the price lower.

]]> By: Dingbat http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68871 Dingbat Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:39:03 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68871 Your post led me to google and find my own employer's guaranteed ride home program, which would have served incredibly well when my wife and I were both deathly sick and our daughter was injured at day care. Signing up today! Your post led me to google and find my own employer’s guaranteed ride home program, which would have served incredibly well when my wife and I were both deathly sick and our daughter was injured at day care. Signing up today!

]]> By: Noah http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68851 Noah Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:15:39 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68851 Indeed, most people don't need their car, which is why I put it in quoted in my post. For the most part, the automobile is to most car-commuters what their blankie or teddy bear was to them when they were 4. Billions of people world-wide got to work today without driving a single-occupant car. Millions of them in the US used a bus, a car pool, a bicycle, the power of their own two feet or some combination of the above. There are some who truly need their cars. And there were a dozen days last year that I really needed mine, much to my dismay. It really is all in the head for many people, though. Indeed, most people don’t need their car, which is why I put it in quoted in my post. For the most part, the automobile is to most car-commuters what their blankie or teddy bear was to them when they were 4. Billions of people world-wide got to work today without driving a single-occupant car. Millions of them in the US used a bus, a car pool, a bicycle, the power of their own two feet or some combination of the above.

There are some who truly need their cars. And there were a dozen days last year that I really needed mine, much to my dismay. It really is all in the head for many people, though.

]]> By: Josh http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68847 Josh Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:00:36 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68847 I don't think anyone NEEDs it, but a lot of people THINK they need it, and that's why I think it's important. It might help someone get over the mental hump that prevents them from giving bicycle commuting a serious try. I don’t think anyone NEEDs it, but a lot of people THINK they need it, and that’s why I think it’s important. It might help someone get over the mental hump that prevents them from giving bicycle commuting a serious try.

]]> By: Steve http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68841 Steve Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:19:10 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68841 People that ask me "what would you do if you had a problem with your bike getting home?" tend to get a funny look in their eyes when I flip the question around and say, "what would you do if you had a problem with your car getting home?" Whenever it's happened to me, I've either walked home (a 12km commute is walkable in <a href="http://hfxbike.blogspot.com/2006/12/ride-home-for-monday-04-december.html" rel="nofollow">2 and a half hours in heavy snow conditions here in Halifax</a>, or drivable in 5 hours) or locked my bike up somewhere and called a cab or jumped on a bus. I don't think there's any similar plan to GRH in Halifax, but it's a small enough city that I don't think I'd need it. People that ask me “what would you do if you had a problem with your bike getting home?” tend to get a funny look in their eyes when I flip the question around and say, “what would you do if you had a problem with your car getting home?” Whenever it’s happened to me, I’ve either walked home (a 12km commute is walkable in 2 and a half hours in heavy snow conditions here in Halifax, or drivable in 5 hours) or locked my bike up somewhere and called a cab or jumped on a bus.

I don’t think there’s any similar plan to GRH in Halifax, but it’s a small enough city that I don’t think I’d need it.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68806 Ghost Rider Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:36:38 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68806 Our is called Bay Area Commuter Services (http://www.tampabayrideshare.org/aboutbacs.htm)...it appears to be funded by the FL Dept. of Transportation. The specific commuter service is known as "Emergency Ride Home"...useable up to 8 times a year with a simple, free registration! I've never used it but it takes a load off my mind should some crisis spring up. Our is called Bay Area Commuter Services (http://www.tampabayrideshare.org/aboutbacs.htm)…it appears to be funded by the FL Dept. of Transportation. The specific commuter service is known as “Emergency Ride Home”…useable up to 8 times a year with a simple, free registration!

I’ve never used it but it takes a load off my mind should some crisis spring up.

]]> By: Alyssa http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68803 Alyssa Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:22:34 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68803 I assume Fritz is right, because the Washington DC metropolitan area program (in Maryland, at least) is also called Guaranteed Ride home. The one time I have felt the need to take advantage of the service they provide, however, I was unable to. Though I was not a bike commuter at the time, I have always been a multi-modal commuter, relying on either a commuter train service or a commuter bus to get me home from the end of the DC Metro subway line. Both the bus and the train have limited schedules, especially heading towards where I live. Thanks to delays on the Metro one evening, I missed my connections to both the bus and train. When I called Guaranteed Ride Home, I was told the service wasn't suitable for those circumstances. While I already knew the program was restricted to three rides per year, the woman I spoke to that I could only get a ride home through them if I'd called before leaving the office and/or had (written) proof from a supervisor explaining that I had needed to stay late working. I realize they want to safeguard against people abusing the services, but that seems excessively restrictive to me when it's supposedly meant to help with unexpected delays in getting home. I assume Fritz is right, because the Washington DC metropolitan area program (in Maryland, at least) is also called Guaranteed Ride home. The one time I have felt the need to take advantage of the service they provide, however, I was unable to.

Though I was not a bike commuter at the time, I have always been a multi-modal commuter, relying on either a commuter train service or a commuter bus to get me home from the end of the DC Metro subway line. Both the bus and the train have limited schedules, especially heading towards where I live. Thanks to delays on the Metro one evening, I missed my connections to both the bus and train. When I called Guaranteed Ride Home, I was told the service wasn’t suitable for those circumstances. While I already knew the program was restricted to three rides per year, the woman I spoke to that I could only get a ride home through them if I’d called before leaving the office and/or had (written) proof from a supervisor explaining that I had needed to stay late working.

I realize they want to safeguard against people abusing the services, but that seems excessively restrictive to me when it’s supposedly meant to help with unexpected delays in getting home.

]]> By: josh http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68799 josh Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:15:42 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68799 I recently suggested a program like this to my employer. I would personally never use something like this because I am fortunate enough to have plenty of family and friends that would give me a ride if I needed it. This does seem to be a common excuse for people to not try commuting by bike, and therefore I think it's important to put in place so that people will have one less excuse. It seems like every time it rains, people start offering me rides home. They assume that I'll melt or something. Those same people would hesitate to ride because it might rain, and then how would they get home?!? I hope my employer goes for it, but I won't hold my breath. I recently suggested a program like this to my employer. I would personally never use something like this because I am fortunate enough to have plenty of family and friends that would give me a ride if I needed it. This does seem to be a common excuse for people to not try commuting by bike, and therefore I think it’s important to put in place so that people will have one less excuse.
It seems like every time it rains, people start offering me rides home. They assume that I’ll melt or something. Those same people would hesitate to ride because it might rain, and then how would they get home?!?
I hope my employer goes for it, but I won’t hold my breath.

]]> By: Fritz http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/comment-page-1/#comment-68772 Fritz Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:51:51 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/2008/01/10/city-provisions-for-bike-commuters/#comment-68772 I think Guaranteed Ride Home is the universal name nationwide for similar programs. Federal law mandates the creation of a "Metropolitan Planning Organization" for any "urbanized area" with population greater than 50,000 people. Federal transportation funding for that region is funneled through the MPO. The legally mandated functions of MPOs include (1) encourage alternative modes of transportation and (2) developing a "Transportation Improvement Program." Some sort of Guaranteed Ride Home program is a commonly used tool in the TIP toolbox where public transportation exists. If you sit in on enough advisory boards and committee meetings, you learn all kinds of arcane trivia about transportation policy :-) I think Guaranteed Ride Home is the universal name nationwide for similar programs. Federal law mandates the creation of a “Metropolitan Planning Organization” for any “urbanized area” with population greater than 50,000 people. Federal transportation funding for that region is funneled through the MPO. The legally mandated functions of MPOs include (1) encourage alternative modes of transportation and (2) developing a “Transportation Improvement Program.” Some sort of Guaranteed Ride Home program is a commonly used tool in the TIP toolbox where public transportation exists.

If you sit in on enough advisory boards and committee meetings, you learn all kinds of arcane trivia about transportation policy :-)

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