Wearing a balaclava, a winter hat with ear flaps, thick gloves and waterproof overtrousers, I wasn’t exactly the picture of elegance on the first Monday after the Christmas break. But my outfit did the job: I wasn’t frozen to the bone when I arrived at the office after cycling fifteen kilometres through the first cold snap of 2024.
I almost always bike to work. I enjoy it (except in heavy rain or strong headwinds) and the health benefits are a nice bonus. Besides, I’m not much faster by car if you factor in traffic lights and congestion during the morning rush hour.
Long-legged individuals
In my bike bag, I always carry a set of office clothes and a towel to freshen up and change before work. Not that we have a proper shower at Lenculenstraat 14 – I have to make do with our toilet, which is so small that long-legged individuals are known to bump their knees against the bin. It’s not ideal, but there’s no other option. Our tiny kitchenette, which can barely accommodate two people, is an open kitchen that opens onto the corridor.
Travel policy
Why am I writing about my daily bike commute? Well, UM is once again reconsidering its staff travel policy to encourage employees to ditch the car and commute by public transport or bicycle. (An earlier version of the plan was rejected pre-pandemic.) Expecting some pushback, the En Route working group is looking to make the policy as attractive as possible. Think covered bicycle parking, a more generous bike purchase scheme and perhaps even showers in each university building. Personally, I’d like to propose proper lighting in the bike shelters; it’s just about dark when I retrieve my bike in the late afternoon.
Make money
The working group is also exploring ways to incentivise employees who cycle to work, writing that “Some organisations and companies provide travel reimbursement for bike commuters”. According to a reliable source, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences offers bike commuters 21 cents per kilometre. Cyclists at KPN are even better off, getting 40 cents since this summer. At 30 kilometres per day, I could actually make money from cycling to work! We’ll see what happens. If given the choice, I would prioritise bike shelter lighting and washing facilities.