Why women don't bike-- it takes too much time?

Strange piece from Treehugger:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/06/more-reasons-women-dont-bik...

 

Excerpt:

When the APBP study asked women what would make them bike more, one quarter of the responses were around themes that APBP grouped together as "convenience."

And the top convenience that 22% of those women respondents wanted more of was time, supporting Blue's assertion that women aren't cycling because they are "busy and broke."

 

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Permalink Reply by Michelle S on June 24, 2011 at 2:10am

I think the reasons given by the women in the article aren't gender-specific, and just relate back to the problem that for the last 50 years, cycling has been deeply ingrained in our collective consciousness as being 1/ a fun activity for kids age 7 to age 15 and then understandably abandoned once they get their driver's learning permit, and 2/ an expensive weekend hobby for extremely fit and focused Lance-Armstrong-wannabes. Too busy and broke are the same reasons people give for not joining a gym, so it's obvious those surveyed were only thinking about cycling as exercise.

 

I've noticed that same mindset makes it impossible for people to picture themselves riding to work without showering upon arrival, because they only associate bike rides with hot summer days when they're battling for trail space on a long sweaty ride along the lakefront. They don't realize it's a different story if you pedal leisurely for a few miles on a typical chilly morning commute. 

Permalink Reply by Carly on June 24, 2011 at 2:27am

I agree with Michelle, that those particular reasons are not gender specific.  I have read elsewhere that the number one reason why women do not bicycle as much as men is because of safety concerns, specifically cars. I've talked to plenty of girls who say they would, but that they aren't the "type" or that they're "too timid" to bicycle.  Hearing that makes my skin crawl.  

 

I think the only thing people have to do is try it once.  Its much safer and easier than people think.   

Permalink Reply by Bernard Joseph Hannigan on June 24, 2011 at 2:38am
We have a fantastic trail system here in Cook County for ANYONE afraid of biking in traffic.
Permalink Reply by David on June 24, 2011 at 2:41am

True, but there's something gender-specific going on, since the whole point of the debate is how to explain why fewer women are urban bikers than men. 

 

Personally, I think everyone's just over-thinking the issue in order to trot out their own hobby horses.  Demographics probably explains the overwhelming amount of the difference.   There's a lot more single women with kids than single men with kids.  It's easier to bike to work if you don't have to drop off the kids first or carry around various kid-related paraphernalia all the time.  Also, single parents tend to live further away from city centers for reasons of economics and safety. 

 

There's other significant reasons:  different grooming standards for men and women, the lack of infrastructure tends to affect women more since they tend to be more risk averse, etc.  But I wonder how much of the difference goes away if you just control for size of household.

 


Michelle said:

I think the reasons given by the women in the article aren't gender-specific, and just relate back to the problem that for the last 50 years,

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 24, 2011 at 2:47am

From a guy, but I don't think this is a gender related reply.

Taking the bus then "L" from Sheridan/Montrose is approximately 45 minutes.

Taking my bike most direct route (Broadway/Halsted/Lincoln/Wells) to Wells/Van Buren is approximately 35 minutes.

Taking my bike along LFP (my preferred route other than when impassible in Winter) is approximately 45 minutes.

And that's taking it easy.  Trust me, I get passed much more than I pass...

Most people I talk to about riding for commute are surprised to hear this.  So maybe this time thing is a misconception in many cases that needs to be shattered?

 

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 24, 2011 at 2:53am
I know I save TONS of time not looking for parking and sitting in traffic.... but it's different here in the city.
Permalink Reply by Sue Jones on June 24, 2011 at 3:00am

   My take on this was that Elly Blue was tired and didn't have time to put a good article together (she'd already done a bunch in the series), so she pasted the gender gap idea on top of it, forced and strange as it is.   We are, after all, in the era of "put a sales pitch together - logic doesn't matter!"

    It's been duly noted that the survey didn't include men... so we don't know that these answers are any different.

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on June 24, 2011 at 3:09am
Better and safer infrastructure for bicyclists will help get more women out, for sure. Just yesterday I saw the sweetest gray-haired lady pedaling a bright yellow cruiser bike at Dearborn and Huron. The sad thing was, she was riding on the sidewalk, and I assume it was because she didn't feel safe mingling with the motor vehicles on the street. How awesome would it be if the sight of Grandma on a bike was an everyday thing?
Permalink Reply by Carly on June 25, 2011 at 3:10am
I see a few grandmas from time to time, and i always wish one day i would be her.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 25, 2011 at 3:33am

Spandex pleasure/training riding can take up a lot of free time -just like daily jogging or any other athletic activity or work-out.  Even "cruising" around on a beach bike or other pleasure riding takes "time."

 

Like others have mentioned this doesn't take commuting into account -especially in a city such as this where bike commuting is MUCH more convenient and faster and there is no parking.  Taking public transportation is great in this city if you live and work next to an L stop.  Forget about the bus -what a horrible way to travel.  

 

But the bicycle is the way to go here in this city.   it is MORE convenient than any other mode of transportation . But if one has to take time off to ride "just to ride" then of course it is going to cut into time in  your busy day. 

Permalink Reply by Shay on June 25, 2011 at 3:33am
This lady is my hero.  I work at The University of Chicago and see her riding around occasionally.  She is awesome - still biking into her 80's.  Oh, and she also won the Presidential Medal of Freedom a couple of years ago as well.
Permalink Reply by MeganK on June 25, 2011 at 5:50am

The time excuse doesn't cut it, at least in Chicago. Just last night I was divided on biking or the bus. I wanted to bike and it would take 20 minutes less than public trans but I was meeting  non-biking friend with a car and it would have meant leaving my bike locked up really late in the loop. I find that in the city 90% of my trips are shorter or the same by bike.

 

My female friends only say that they're afraid of cars - that they're too close and think they will get hit. No one complains about sweat, time, convenience, etc. Protected bike lanes (throughout the city with long, good N/S and E/W routes) would bring tons of bikers out, male and female. Honestly, I'd be worried it would be too crowded then!

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