Comments on: Drive in Moderation

By: Tom L

Tom L — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:51:26 +0000

I enter our building by the freight elevator. Standing for a minute in the cold air pouring from the shaft dries me quickly. A fan will cool almost as well as a shower.

For those considering doing this, it pays to ride in cycling clothes (wicking spandex) and change into a work warerobe, unless your dress code is very casual.

By: TOK

TOK — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:30:11 +0000

Oh, yeah, I make do (no shower at my workplace), but a shower would be nice. With this weather I’m totally soaked walking into the office.

By: Tom L

Tom L — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:37:50 +0000

Sort of late to this interesting discussion, but I would like to suggest that the distribution of body types influences this. These were called somatotypes when I was in school…endo, meso, and ectomorph, from thin to thick. Wikipedia says this is no longer in fashion, though I imagine that people are in general larger (taller) than ever, probably due to better nutrition and genetics…mix that with excessive calories and we put on weight. Though, as a cycling, MARTA-riding endomorph I find it hard to gain weight.

Also, the fact that many people still associate the bicycle with recreation, not transportation, doesn’t exactly encourage cycling as a means of travel.

A cool, damp towel works in lieu of a shower, TOK.

By: Robbie

Robbie — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:28:52 +0000

I like that you finally mentioned the word ‘culture’. I don’t want to open up the whole ‘we have to look like Barbie or be super-buff’ debate, but if you are part of a culture that doesn’t put much emphasis on appearance or health (both from an eating and exercise standpoint) then you aren’t going to worry about it.
While I think DC benfits from not having any rural folks in the sample, it’s also an area packed with young singles who, on average, are going to be more into attracting mates and thus more into their physical appearance. If you live in a rural environment where everyone around you is 30 lbs overweight and you’re only 10 lbs overweight, you become quite the catch. But then if you move to Buckhead suddenly you drop down the list a bit.

By: Oakie

Oakie — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:06:43 +0000

Brianc – I’m with you. I’m simply saying, like you, that transportation isn’t likely to be the important factor here, which is counter to the misleading figure that started this post. Being poor is linked causally to becoming obese. Riding a bike to work is not.