What if we changed our commuting habits to get to work?
In recent weeks, Moustache participated in the challenge
"To work, I go differently!", a regional initiative encouraging residents of the Grand Est to adopt new sustainable travel solutions. Thus, from May 2 to May 20, 2022, over 6200 km were covered. Suffice to say that for several of our employees, the car doesn't leave the garage often!
Which is one of Moustache's strong convictions... smiling on a bike, every day. This challenge is an opportunity for us to introduce you to one of our many employees who commutes to work by bike. Our Industrial Program Manager, Seamus, will tell us how he fell in love with bike commuting.
"For me, cycling is really about having fun, enjoying time with people."
How many kilometers do you cycle per week?
Seamus: The number of kilometers per week varies. If I take the shortest route, it's 4 kilometers, but generally I prefer going along the canal because it's more relaxing. It provides a good break between home and work. So I usually do 15 to 20 kilometers a day
and I come every day regardless of the weather.
Why do you use your bike to come to work?
S: It might have been a click because I've lived close to my workplace for a long time. But I've only been commuting by bike for 3 years. I find that being so close to work, I don't take any risks, even if it rains it's easy for me. Coming to work by bike was just a desire at first, then it became a habit.
It was an idea, I thought "why not". It's a habit that takes a little time to develop, but once you have it, it's impossible to get rid of. Perhaps the most complicated thing with cycling is the weather... You have to gain your own experience. If it's cold, you just need appropriate clothing (gloves, jackets, hats...), if it rains, rain pants aren't bad...
Tell us a short anecdote, your best bike commute...
Seamus: Sometimes you meet people who are on bike tours, traveling from Italy to England, the Netherlands... We chat with them, help them if they're lost, take them to hostels... You spot them from afar, they're loaded with their panniers! So generally, if they're stopped, I ask them if they need help.
Do you come alone or accompanied?
S: Generally, I make the trip alone, but it can happen at the end of the day that I cycle back with colleagues who are going towards Epinal to go home, or even for a sports outing.
What would you say to people to motivate them to cycle?
S: I would tell them to try... to commit to doing it for a good month! For that, you need to organize yourself so that it's easy. Prepare all your gear the night before, make sure the bike is well adjusted, and so on and so forth... The only difficulty is "getting your nose out the door." The car is easy, you grab your keys, sit down, and you're good to go! Whereas with the bike, you need a little preparation beforehand.
What other journeys do you make by bike?
S: I do a lot of road cycling for fitness. Last year I did 2000 to 3000 km for work and 5000 km for road cycling. In fact, getting used to cycling to work regardless of the weather made me habitually do more road cycling. I go out cycling in all weather, all year round. I don't take a break depending on the seasons.
I also try to use it for small errands. For example, last year I only drove 2000 km with my car. Even my children and my wife are starting to cycle to school! It's easier! If the children want to do activities, go to football, we tell them, "ok you have your bike, you don't need to be driven, and you're so close!"
If the goal of this interview is to convince people to cycle, the advice I give them is really to make it as easy as possible, to prepare everything well beforehand. Arrange to meet colleagues and do the journey together. If you do that, you're forced to motivate yourself to go so as not to keep people waiting or leave them alone. It's just a matter of creating good habits.
For me, cycling is truly about having fun, enjoying time with people. So obviously there's the sporting aspect, but it's mainly the pleasure that's important.
