A Commuter’s Story
Pedal power: Redefining the American commute from Laura Rush on Vimeo.
“A drunk driver hit me and the impact to the ground broke my back,” shares Brett Hack. “The recovery is what helped me begin to ride.”
It was after extensive, painful therapy when Hack’s college buddy suggested they start riding casually just to get out and have some fun. He enjoyed the interaction for a few years, even purchasing a bike for himself. However, after graduation, he allowed it to collect dust as other things gained priority in his life.
In 2007 after accepting a new job, Hack packed his mountain bike and belongings and drove to Virginia. Amidst unpacking, only a few hours into the new state, he looked out of the window at 3 a.m. only to realize that his car was gone. He panicked, immediately calling the police, only to find out that it had been towed. If only he had been warned about the Washington, D.C., metro area’s strict parking policies.
Brett Hack will have completed a year of uninterrupted bike commuting.
Knowing nobody, he dusted off his bike and rode five miles in the middle of the night to reclaim his car. That moment re-kindled the interest, and he began riding again leading to his decision to participate in the popular “Bike to Work Day.”
May 27, 2008, was a day that would change his life. He decided to give up a vehicular commute, opting for a more freeing, stress-free ride into work. No longer would he subject himself to the frustration of traffic jams, unexpected detours, and that constant rush. Instead, he would now weather any kind of storm to commute to work on his new cross bike.
Like Hack, more people in the Washington-area are deciding to give up their motorized commutes, opting instead for pedal power.
On average, cycling has increased by 0.3 percent in the last 15 years. That’s about 1 percent of people surveyed during a 2007-2008 Household Travel Survey for the National Capitol Region Transportation Planning Board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
About 35 percent of those traveling by bike are going to work or a location related to work and metro bikers are making roughly 87,500 weekly trips using their bicycles, according to the survey.
Nationwide, the last eight years have showed a 101 percent increase specifically in bicycle commuting, according to the American Community Survey, with data summarized by the League of American Bicyclists.
Hack and other devoted bike commuters have factors most motorists don’t consider when going to and from work.
“Gear is now the most important decision I make,” he shares, knowing the weather is his greatest challenge. His coldest ride was when he left the house one morning at a mere 4 degrees, with a wind-chill factor making it feel like 20 below.
Hack is not alone.
Shaun Miskell teaches theater and performing arts at a high school in Washington. “I’ve always been a bicyclist. I’ve always done it recreationally,” he shares about his early beginnings. However, in 2007 when his family moved from the suburbs to the city, he and his wife decided it would be wiser and more cost effective to minimize their car usage by eliminating one car. The move made him fully dependent on and committed to public transportation.
Shaun Miskell rides to work on a recent morning
“It’s a delightful way to get to work in the morning,” Miskell shares about the decision, adding that he is more energized as he starts his day. The landmarks of the nation have become the backdrop to his everyday commute, including the Smithsonian and White House.
“What people wait for their whole lives to see is at my disposal,” Miskell shares.
With great lights that decorate the entire city, he only needs a water bottle and occasional lighting to get him through the morning or evening commute. As a beginner, he used a lot of special equipment, but, noting the personal evolution of the process, he eventually simplified to his current minimalist approach of carrying almost nothing with him.
He also appreciates the different flavors of the city, often interacting with other commuters and pedestrians along the 45-minute ride into work. Miskell enjoys the benefits of his “favorite way to travel,” including the good exercise and personal contribution towards a greener environment.
His advice to beginner commuters is to not be afraid and just do it.
Eric Gilliland, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, emphasizes the organization’s goal to make commuter trips as safe and easy as possible. This occurs through various education workshops on road safety. Gilliland, along with numerous commuters, state that one of the biggest challenges is dealing with inattentive drivers.
However, for Miskell and Hack, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. They say their personal decisions to commute to work have enhanced, livened and invigorated their lives.
-Esther Imende
I really like the twitter feed along with this story. It connects this personal journey with the larger biking community.
I’m also pleased to see the video focus on what video does well, and the story focus on a different aspect of the story in a way that best befits text.
Nice job!