Funny Thing…
Written by Boston Biker on Oct 10
I try not to let my mind wander too much on my morning commute, but one thing I can’t help but notice is all the other cyclists. I “register” them real fast, male/female/other, tall/short/other, fast/slow/in my way, etc. In the same way I try to register cars when I quickly look over my shoulder white/sedan/fast, etc. Its just a little game I play with myself, and I like looking at good looking people, and cyclists are very often good looking people.
Funny thing is over the last couple weeks I would say my morning commute has become almost 100% female. I don’t really know why this would be, is it the part of town I live in, the time I ride to work, a massive upswing in the number of female cyclists…its just strange.
Have you noticed any large shift in the makeup of the people you ride to work with every day? Do you see the same people every week. Have there been more lately? Open thread in the comments, tell me about your commute and the people you see on it.
Add to Reddit. Posted in Bike Business, Commuting, Questions | 6 Comments »
By Charlie
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
Ever since Hubway launched and now even more since it’s expanded, I’m seeing more and more people downtown biking in business suits and work clothes, and not just the younger workers. Even people in my office (a financial services company) who I never would have thought would bike in Boston have been using Hubway. It makes me so happy to see bicycling become such a “normal” thing in Boston.
By Marianna
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
Same. Got shoaled by 5 women today at one light.
By Bikeyface
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
I’ve been seeing this much more on my commute and have wondered about it too! I’ve heard that women are only 28% of bike commuters, but I’ve been feeling it is at least 50% on most days of my commute, sometimes more. Once, I was at a light with about 10 other women and I turned to the woman behind me and remarked about it. It turned out she was European and just responded with “So what.” But I suspect there has been a shift here. I wish I had real numbers to prove it.
By dfern
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
I think it is the no sweat weather.
By Phil Lindsay
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
I did bike counts in Dorchester and Roxbury and the numbers there are overwhelmingly male. One count was nearly 90% men. I occassionally ride up the SW corridor and I would concur with your observation there. This summer I’ve been riding with my 23 year old daughter to work in order to get her ready to be a regular rider. I’m hoping for long term success next spring. Certainly in down town and Cambridge it may be the same as what I see on the SW Corridor…
By Minuteman
on Oct 11, 2012 | Reply
I do a reverse commute from Somerville out to Bedford, which involves a lot of the Minuteman Bikeway. I’ve only been going for about six weeks now, but the commuter traffic on that route has been 90% male from what I’ve seen.