Cyclists & Walkers Enjoy Their Commutes More Than Drivers

This shouldn’t boggle any minds: walking or riding your bike to work is more pleasant than sitting alone in your car. What we’ve suspected — nay, believed — for years at CleanTechnia, has been confirmed in a study by a Ph.D candidate out of Portland State University.

Oliver Smith’s study called “Commute Well-being Among Bicycle, Transit, and Car Users in Portland, Oregon” surveyed 828 people during January and February in 2012. The results ranked cyclists as the respondents happiest with their commutes. In second place were walkers, followed by riders of express buses and light rail, with lone drivers at the bottom of the commute well-being continuum.

Smith concludes that, “Commuting to work by active modes increases commute well-being, even when controlling for distance, income and other factors. Traffic congestion reduces commute well-being for car and bus commuters, but not bike commuters.”

It’s not all rainbows and sunshine when pedaling, though. Safety is — and should be — a major concern, and many cities are taking steps to improve the protection or cyclists. And weather?  Take this guy who’s happy as a clam to bike rain or shine. Impressive resolve, huh?

Source: Streets Blog Network