Honest question: what happens when it rains?
this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2024
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You see the clouds in the sky? They are made of tiny water droplets. At some point the cloud is saturated and the droplets get too big to stay suspended in the air any longer, so they start falling towards the earth as raindrops. Some may hit a cyclist and either roll off their raincoat or get absorbed by other clothing until they evaporate again, travelling upwards into the clouds and starting their journey all over again.
The last stat I've seen in Paris is that if you were to bike to work every day on a 9 to 5 job, then you will encounter rain 17 times per year in average. When that happens, as others said, you can just accept being wet and/or dress appropriately, or take public transport.
Does that take into account the hours when rainfall occurs or how could that number be so low? In a city with an average of 162 days of rainfall/year (according to climate.top, no idea how accurate that is). Apparently Amsterdam has 217 days of rain. Oooff. Been there a few times, can confirm. People still bike.
I vaguely remembered they used an assumption of 20 minutes commute with fixed hours. So yes, they were taking the hours into account.
My personal experience commuting 2 to 3 days a week is that I was soaked 4/6 times the past 2 years, slightly wet probably 15 to 20 times. I've chosen public transport once but rain was a contributing factor, not the key reason.
If you have flexible work times you can usually schedule your bike ride to avoid the rain. Rain radar helps tremendously. I am currently in the Netherlands and had to use rain protection clothes a maximum of 10 times in 2 years.
I have seen people ride a bike with an umbrella in their hands. For the less adventureous there are rain jackets and rain trousers.
If you have quality rain gear you will stay dry. But also, lots of people choose other transit modes when it rains. I lived in a very bike friendly city and when it rained, the public transit would be packed with people and the roads packed with cars.
In fact, this is a bit of a strange question. Are we assuming that everyone is always going to be biking with no other options? I donβt think anyone is even advocating for that.
Are we assuming that everyone is always going to be biking with no other options? I donβt think anyone is even advocating for that.
BUT WHAT IF YOUR LEGS ARE BROKEN? WHAT IF THERE'S A NUCLEAR WAR???
The people who seem to think that biking is an untenable option because you might have to very occasionally use other modes of transport make me wonder if that mindset comes from the fact that people feel that it's normal to only use one mode of transport pretty much ever, because that's how many people are with cars.
If there's a nuclear war I'd rather be using the decentralized, free to use mode of transport that is bikes. Or legs. When the war comes all the car drivers will run out of fuel in a couple days and have to steal it, but I already have a bicycle and cannot be stopped by the breakdown of society.
Imma steal your bike tho.
I don't live in Paris but rain jackets, ponchos, even plastic bags are a thing.