For the past year, I occasionally ride my bike to work. My office is about 7km from our place and my travel time is about 20-25 minutes. I’m getting several advantages and disadvantages from doing this. Let me list down a few.
ADVANTAGES
1. Getting exercise and vitamin
Working in the office where I sit for long number of hours, I need all the physical activities and movement that I could get. And biking to work provided me this. When I bike, I get a decent cardio exercise that allows me to sweat, burn calories and work up my heart. Also, when I bike in the morning, I also get a dose of vitamin D from a natural source, the sun.
2. Less No expense on fare
Yeah! When I bike to work, I save around 30 pesos. I know it’s not that much but hey, it is still 30 pesos. At times like this, with the ever-increasing prices of commodities, every peso save counts.
3. Able to start work right away
Arriving in the office through biking, I’m kind of “pumped up” and do not feel lazy. With that, I don’t feel like just sitting around and doing nothing. When I sit in front of my computer, I begin to work right away.
4. Less travel time
Believe or not but most of the times, my travel time is shorter when I bike to work compared when I commute to work. I’m able to take a route shorter than the route that the jeepneys take. Also, I am able to pass in the sidewalk, squeeze in between stopped vehicles, enabling me to weave my way through traffic. Add the fact that I am enjoying biking that’s why time just flies.
DISADVANTAGES
1. Sweat, smoke and dust
Arriving at the office after biking, I usually found my self drench in sweat and with smell of smoke and dust. Yup, “amoy pawis at usok nga”. These things are collected by my body while I’m pedaling my bike to reach the office. That’s why I always bring office clothes so that I could change. I have a set of clothes for work and a set of clothes for biking. I could be quite good if I could shower first before working but unfortunately, we don’t have any shower in the office. So I just wash my face and freshen up a bit at the rest room of the office before going to my work station. Avoiding nasty looks or comments from my office mate if I start work while stinking and sweaty all over.
2. Not able to read books
I like reading novels. Most of the time, I read a book while I’m inside a jeepney. I was able to finish several books like Star Wars novels and Hunger Games Trilogy by reading while commuting to and from the office. When I’m biking to work, I am not able to do this. I just read during other time of the day.
3. Rain
In the morning, if it is cloudy or there is a hint that it will rain, I don’t use my bike to work. It would be difficult for me if it rains when I’m just going to the office. Though I bring extra clothes to work, my shoes and socks would be wet and it will be hard to work in that condition. Changing would also be some kind of a hassle. Fortunately, I haven’t experience this.
Sometimes, it is very sunny in the morning. It is a bright and wonderful morning. There is no hint of rain. Not a single cloud is present in the sky. The weather is like telling you that it will not rain any time soon so biking to work is all go. Then, after office hours, just as you prepare yourself to go biking home, rain pours down. I have experience this a number of times. And for me, this gives me little hassle that when it rains while biking going to the office. Changing clothes and getting my self dry is easier to do at home than at the office.
4. Dangerous (a little bit)
Without a dedicated biking lane and a lot of undisciplined drivers out there, it is a little bit dangerous biking in the streets. With all the sudden stops of the vehicle in front of you, some drives beating the red light and cutting your lane, there is a chance that accidents may happen. And accidents do happen. With these dangers, proper safety gears are a must. I don’t bike to work without wearing helmet. I also make my bike visible at night by putting lights in the front and rear part. I occasionally check the breaks and wheels of my bike. Also, while biking, presence of mind is needed to help avoid mishap in the road.
The advantages and disadvantages that I wrote here are from my experiences. These may or may not apply to others who are also bike commuting. Also, I think that the advantages out weighted those disadvantages that is why I’m still continuing to ride my bike to work. I’m encouraging you also to do this.
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