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Walking or cycling to work 'improves well-being' [article]

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  • 16-09-2014 5:05pm
    #1
    serfboard
    Registered Users Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭


    Clickbait for cyclists here :D The main points:
    BBC wrote:
    Switching from driving a car to walking or cycling to work improves our well-being, a study suggests.

    Active commuters felt better able to concentrate and under less strain than when travelling by car, University of East Anglia (UEA) researchers said.

    Even going by public transport was preferable to driving, data from 18,000 UK commuters over 10 years suggested.
    ...
    Those who had an active commute were found to have a higher level of well-being than those who went by car or public transport.
    ...
    Lead researcher Adam Martin, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: "Our study shows that the longer people spend commuting in cars, the worse their psychological well-being".
    ...
    Mr Martin said the study's finding that commuters felt better when travelling by public transport, compared with driving, was "surprising".
    ...
    ".. buses or trains also give people time to relax, read, socialise, and there is usually an associated walk to the bus stop or railway station, it appears to cheer people up."

    The UK Faculty of Public Health welcomed the findings of the study, published in the journal, Preventive Medicine.

    It said streets that were for people, rather than cars, promoted neighbourliness and helped everyone to have happy communities.
    Thought this was an interesting study. As a car (and very rare public transport) commuter, my "psychological well-being" is fecked ... :P
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,710 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Matches my experience. Years ago, my car got stolen, took a while for the cops to find it and then the insurance to rebuild it. All up I was car-free for six weeks.

    Yes it was inconvenient at time. But life was remarkably less stressful, never having to worry about parking. And skillful use of taxis (a lot easier now there are smartphones and Hailo) reduces the stress even further in my current lifestyle.


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    #3
    Skrynesaver
    Registered Users Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭Skrynesaver


    Less stressful mode of transport is less stressful shocker ;)

    I cycle or drive depending on a range of factors and, according to Mrs. Saver, a much nicer person when I come home by bike


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    #4
    Arbiter of Good Taste
    Registered Users Posts: 2,200 ✭✭✭Arbiter of Good Taste


    I used to be able to walk to work, and on the rare occasions that I had to drive, I was a ratty b1tch all day.

    Having changed job, crappy Dublin public transport means I have to drive every day, otherwise my 20 minutes commute would be closer to 90 - with two or three separate modes of public transport.


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    #5
    eyescreamcone
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,562 ✭✭✭eyescreamcone


    It obviously wasn't raining for 3 weeks in a row while the survey was being conducted I'd say


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    #6
    aphex™
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,338 ✭✭✭aphex™


    I always felt cycling to work was like going into battle.


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    #7
    veryangryman
    Registered Users Posts: 5,540 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    aphex™ wrote: »
    I always felt cycling to work was like going into battle.

    It is. Still I guess the free exercise etc makes it worthwhile


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    #8
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,491 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Really no surprise, there has been plenty of scientific work that clearly shows increased increase (even just walking) has very significant positive psychological effects, in addition to the health benefits.

    Personally I find walking/cycling to work as a great way to wake me up and prepare me for the day and walking/cycling home as a great way to relieve the stress experienced in work.

    Yes, even when it is cold and wet *

    * You know as a country that suffers from rain, it amazes how so many people have no proper rain gear! Being a hiker, I've a top end eVent (water proof material way better then GoreTek) hiking/mountaineering rain jacket. Even in the worst weather I make it home bone dry.

    I think this goes back to the other thread about drivers being delusional, they think they are better off then the poor sod walking/cycling to work. But often the walker/cyclist is the better, sometimes getting to work faster, almost always happier and less stressed, fitter and with more money in their pocket.


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    #9
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    eyescreamcone wrote: »
    It obviously wasn't raining for 3 weeks in a row while the survey was being conducted I'd say


    No such survey will be conducted while it's "raining for 3 weeks in a row" because there will be no such weather.

    I wish people would stop regurgitating the same old myths all the time.


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    #10
    MGWR
    Closed Accounts Posts: 611 ✭✭✭MGWR


    Iwannahurl wrote: »
    No such survey will be conducted while it's "raining for 3 weeks in a row" because there will be no such weather
    Tell it to people in Seattle.

    And has everyone forgotten what Ireland's winters are like? Sorta like this.


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    #11
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    MGWR wrote: »
    Tell it to people in Seattle.

    And has everyone forgotten what Ireland's winters are like? Sorta like this.


    I haven't forgotten anything, because I made a record of it.

    Tell it to my 6-year-old, who cycled to Senior Infants most mornings during the period you refer to.

    Yiz are soft, lazy or entirely car dependent. Or perhaps all of the above.


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    #12
    cajonlardo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,018 ✭✭✭cajonlardo


    eyescreamcone wrote: »
    It obviously wasn't raining for 3 weeks in a row while the survey was being conducted I'd say

    It is on the worst weather days that you are better off on a bike ( or on foot).
    The traffic slows down and often jams completely. My commute was 10 miles and it took as long to run as drive on a bad weather day. Some difference in mood when I got there though!
    I think the human brain just works differently in fresh air. I just could not surrender endless hours of life to sitting in jams. I know I'd crack completely.


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    #13
    Iwannahurl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    cajonlardo wrote: »
    It is on the worst weather days that you are better off on a bike ( or on foot).

    I just could not surrender endless hours of life to sitting in jams. I know I'd crack completely.


    I absolutely agree. Occasional delays are tolerable, but sitting in a car that's stuck in commuter traffic drives me mental.

    I gave in one winter day a couple of years ago and did the 3 km school run by car because I thought it would be too windy to cycle. I was ripping for every metre of the journey, because in fact we could have gone by bike and sitting in a car travelling at less than walking pace seemed to me the height of folly.

    Perhaps my main motivation for cycling is that I have no patience whatsoever for such pointless carry-on. If I was able to crawl along in the car and believe or pretend that everything was just fine then perhaps I could do it.


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    #14
    rowanh
    Registered Users Posts: 703 ✭✭✭rowanh


    Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »
    I used to be able to walk to work, and on the rare occasions that I had to drive, I was a ratty b1tch all day.

    Having changed job, crappy Dublin public transport means I have to drive every day, otherwise my 20 minutes commute would be closer to 90 - with two or three separate modes of public transport.

    How long would it take to cycle?


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