Hi all,
I recently bought a Giant Escape 2 hybrid bike with the intention of using it for errands and general exercise, but I'm considering using it to commute to work.
Currently, I take public transit to work, which takes about 40 minutes door-to-door each way and costs $7.10 per day with the train. If I take the bus, it takes at least about an hour door-to-door each way and costs $3.50 per day. I can reduce some of this cost through a pretax benefit at work, which allows me to deduct the metro costs from my paycheck tax free.
I'd like to cut out that cost by biking to work. Plus the metro system in Washington DC is undergoing metro repairs, so there are delays and issues all the time. I live about 7 miles away from work, and the bike ride down takes about 45 minutes (I have to stop at lots of lights in the central city). The ride back would take about 55 minutes because of hills. While this seems a reasonable trade-off of time given the added exercise, there are a few things I'm concerned about:
The first is safety. While Mr. Money Mustache has written about how the risk of death by biking is far lower than driving, it is definitely more dangerous than public transit, which is the safest method of transport by far. And that's just death, which doesn't worry me as much as risk of injury. What concerns me most is the possibility of suffering a serious injury, such as a shattered knee, broken leg or arm, or some other injury that wouldn't kill me but result in expensive medical care and permanently reduced physical mobility.
The second concern is logistics. I have to wear a suit every day for work. I live in the Washington DC metro area, which is very muggy in the summer. My work has showers, but I'll need to buy a special garment bag to carry my suits and the cheapest I found is about $200. I'll also need to prepare for cold and rain, meaning I'll have to buy gear to keep me warm, dry, and safe.
I've enjoyed my new bike so far, and I really like the idea of getting some exercise as part of my commute, but is it worth the safety risks and additional logistical hurdles? The opportunity cost is a bit different when it's bike vs. public transport.
For those who bike to work, how do you stay safe and how do you brave cold and inclement weather?