Perhaps not unsurprisingly there are a number of academic research studies which have suggested that the number of people choosing to cycle decreases when it rains or is cold.
A study in Vermont (USA) concluded that "Precipitation, temperature, wind and snow conditions had significant and substantial independent effects on the odds of travel to work by bicycle among a diverse panel of adult bicycle commuters." However, a recently published study in the Netherlands examined time-series data collected on 16 cycle paths near two cities in the Netherlands between 1987 and 2003. This study reported that the "regression analyses show that, not surprisingly, recreational demand is much more sensitive to weather than utilitarian demand."
Or in other words - people who cycle to work and for utility trips are less likely to be put off cycling when it rains!
Well now there is an opportunity to see whether this is true in Manchester - that gloriously sunny City in t'north. The Manchester City Council Travel Change Team (TCT) are looking for people to keep "Cycling in the Rain" diaries.
All you have to do is fill out the diary page (Excel spreadsheet) and submit the diary back to Travel Change each month. You will also need to complete an initial questionnaire form so that the Travel Change Team know who is taking part.
If you would like to take part in this survey you will need two documents and those lovely people at Manchester Friends of the Earth / Love Your Bike have thoughtfully made them publicly available on their Scribd site.
See Initial Questionnaire and Diary Sheets spreadsheet
Send the completed forms to the Travel Change Team at: travelchange@manchester.gov.uk
Copyright: Amsterdamrize.
I know I am of the put-off type. I have a long commute, and can't ride the whole way anyway - I ride most days on a folding bike that I keep in my trunk. But if it's raining really hard, it's hard for me to make the decision to park and ride those last couple miles in the cold and wet, instead of just driving all the way to work.
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