Daily commute

[Dj]

Good day guys! I would just like to ask on who here uses a motorcycle/bicycle on a regular basis(not less than 5x a week) as your major means of transportation?

I'm just curious on how you deal with these things:
Air Pollution
Exposure to the elements like the rain and direct sunlight
Safety of your motorcycle/bicycle when parking it in a public place

The reason I asked this is because I'm thinking of buying a bicycle that I could hopefully use as my daily commute to work.

Feel free to add any more of your usual concerns as a rider

[Leo C.]

I use my scooter (Kymco Super six days a week to work and some errands on Sundays. That's around 50 kilometers a day, using up a liter of XCS per day.

1. Air pollution? - Sanayan lang. Masks are ok, but they can only filter some soot and dust. For a bicycle, get a nice eyewear, dark for daytime and clear for night. It protects your  eyes from flying insects and dust. What's worse than your usual air pollution? A garbage truck. Learn to identify a garbage truck a mile away and stay back.

2. Rain and Sun? - Sanayan lang din. First thing I bought after buying the scoot are rain gear nets and ties. In riding a motorbike, its hotter if you don't have a helmet and jacket. Also remember that exposed skin will turn dark under the sun, so cover up as much as possible. I don't think is advisable to use a bicycle when it's raining.

3. I park my ride in the mall. I don't mind paying as long as it's safe. Buy a good cable lock. I have three in the compartment. Small (for my helmet), Medium (general purpose), Large ( for the wheel).

Get a nice backpack and bring with you some cleaning stuff like alcohol, face towel, water, bike lock, etc.

The abovementioned as the least of your worries.  Major threats are muggers, thieves, and other motorists. 

1. Stay away from unfamiliar roads/ places
2. Always think that all motorists can't see you. Ride defensively.
3. Be careful of swerving jeepneys, taxis, etc.
4. Don't buy a Giant Carbon Fiber with Grupo XTR bike worth P250K that thieves will drool on, Haha!
5. This may sound weird but I stay away from Monteros (sudden acceleration issues?)Haha!

I've been on motorbikes since the '70s then cars then bikes again. So, its more of sanayan lang talaga. For a first timer, medyo it will take a while. I can live without the comforts of the car. With the scoot, I spend less on gas, I travel faster, cheaper maintenance (uses .8 liter of oil), cheaper parking rates, less traffic. Hope this helps.

[Dj]

Thanks Vivo! My major concern is the quality of our air. How's your lungs so far? LOL! :fart:

[Leo C.]

If I'm concerned about my lungs, I'll go live in the mountains! lol!  Seriously, where ever you are in Metro Manila, there's no such thing as good air.  Here are some points to ponder:

How safe are you in your car?

1. Phthalates - these are industrial compounds additives found in your car's interior plastics especially the dashboard. This evaporate especially when the car is under the sun and is a serious health hazard.

2. Benzene - also found in the car's interior. This stuff is also bad.

3. Oxygen - or the lack of it... Who among us open our air vent when the aircon is on? Most of us close this, right? We don't want dust to enter our prized possessions! So, what happens is we breath recirculated air in the car and not fresh oxygen, right?

4. Air Fresheners - one major component of most air fresheners is formaldehyde. Toxic stuff. It's high VOC.

5. And some even smoke in their cars...

And to answer your question, my lungs feels great after I stopped smoking in 2001. :thumbsup:

[Dj]

Hahaha! That's something to ponder on. It's just that no matter what mode of transportation I take, I feel that I inhale less of the polluted air(outside) when I arrive at my destination faster. but of course, nobody can tell how "clean" the air is on your office, mall, or even your favorite resto.

[Leo C.]

Do you know that dry cleaning compounds are bad for the health? If possible, wash clothes instead of dry cleaning. Other indoor pollutants include molds, paints, air fresheners (again), carpet, cigarette smoke, etc. In the Office, we have an air purifier/ionzer to filter most pollutants. So, it doesn't mean that if it smells good it's safe, Haha!

[h2]

@Vivo

Meron na ba car ginawa or pinacustomized tapos pinagtanggal lahat ng car's interior plastic like dashboard...etc  tapos ang kinabit laminated bamboo or any eco-friendly alternatives?

May nabasa kasi ako dati abaca fiber ginagamit sa car interior.

Yung sa laminated bamboo medyo duda ako kasi di ba laminating plastic yan.

[Leo C.]

I don't know of any such car.  Laminated bamboo or engineered bamboo is just bamboo strips or veneer pressed together with glue just like plywood.

The problem is not the raw materials per se but the chemical additives they use in the manufacturing process. Manufacturers use brominated and chlorinated chemicals to car seat foam to make it fire retardant, but these chemicals are harmful especially to babies. It's just like using all the abaca and bamboo you want  but still use a harmful strong solvent based glue to stick them in your car. Ever wonder how they made the "new car scent?"  :evilgrin2: 

[mikegee]

Salamat for this thread! Reviving lang kasi I'm also in the same boat as the TS.
Sobrang mahal ng gas and maintenance kaya I sold my 4x4.

I'm thinking now of getting a 150cc scooter (Vespa / Stella / LML). Ok na ba yon for daily commute? I will be mostly travelling from QC - Ortigas and back (around 25km total daily).

Mas safe ba bumiyahe during rush hour or pag konti nalang ang traffic?

[Leo C.]

 A 150cc scooter is already good for daily commute. My scooter is 125cc and has more than enough power for my trips. It's the small diameter wheels of the Vespa I'm worried with   I travel around 50 kms per day.  It is safer to travel kung meron konteng traffic because cars (and buses) are have quite moderate speeds. However, regardless of traffic, as a scooterista, you must learn 100% defensive riding and always assume that nobody can see you. As a suggestion, take a riding course if you're not an experience rider. You will not regret taking it. I have been riding for more than 30 years and just recently took a riding course and realized I still have a lot to learn. If you're planning on a vespa, stella, etc, make sure you have a safe parking space and invest on locks and alarm for your great scoot..

[mikegee]

Thanks for the reply!

why the worry about small diameter wheels? more dangerous ba? or dahil mas lalo ako hindi makikita?

Re: locks, any recommendations? and ilan ba kailangan? haha and i didn't know may alarm pala for scooters. could you tell me more?

last, any riding school you could recommend? how much and how long would the sessions be?

[Leo C.]

Smaller wheels with small tires = more stress, less grip, mas kawawa sa lubak, unstable at higher speeds.

Locks. There are several choices. There are cable locks, disc locks, shackle locks, etc. I use a big cable lock for the rear tire, a disc brake lock with alarm for the front, and carry an extra cable lock in case I need to leave my helmet on the scoot.   With alarms, there are simple alarms, there are alarms with engine cut-off and other features, there are alarms that have MP3 players, etc.   Rizal Avenue in Caloocan is the Banawe equivalent of motorcycle/scooter accessories shops. I suggest you do some window shopping there to familiarize yourself with scoot stuff.

As for the riding school, Google "Honda Safety Driving Center". I don't know about now, but in the 90's the course took about a week.   here's a link http://www.hondaphil.com/ver2/hsdcpage.php?id=1

[mikegee]

Thanks, Vivo! Will enroll at the riding course soon, 2k lang and I'll learn a lot of things that would save my life.

Keeping Rizal Ave, Caloocan in file to visit when I have a scoot already.

[Leo C.]