1. How often do you commute to school and/or work by bicycle?

  • I don’t commute by bicycle

  • <1 time/week

  • 1 time/week

  • 2 times/week

  • 3 times/week

  • 4 times/week

  • 5 times/week

  • >5 times/week

Rationale: I asked this question in order to ensure I was surveying the correct demographic: regular bicycle commuters.

Analysis: I used the responses to this question to understand if more frequent commuting resulted in differing opinions on aspects I touched on in later questions, such as enjoyment and bicycle safety practices.

2. In general, how often do you use the Burke Gilman trail, designated bike lanes, or other bicycle traffic infrastructure when you commute by bicycle?

  • Every time

  • Most of the time

  • Sometimes

  • Never

Rationale: This question allowed me to understand if the bicycle infrastructure in Seattle was used by its cyclist commuters and helped me understand how useful it was to them based on how often they used it.

Analysis: I related responses to this question to the responses to question five, which asked those being surveyed to rank riding in spaces with intentional bicycle infrastructure based on how enjoyable it is. I compared the ranking of how enjoyable bike infrastructure was to how often a person used it to see if there was a correlation between the two factors.

3. What is the most important factor for you choosing to commute by bike?

  • Speed – that it is faster than other methods of commuting

  • Cost – that you have few expenses relating to cycling

  • Sustainability – that it is environment and resource friendly

  • Enjoyment – that you have fun while you ride

  • Fitness – that you get exercise while you commute

  • Other: ________

Rationale: I asked this question to understand what commuters valued, which helped me give recommendations that reflected the commuters’ preferences after I analyzed the data.

Analysis: I learned what factors were most important to commuters, and that some were especially important based on a majority of respondents selecting that answer.

4. In your opinion, what is the most fun aspect of commuting by bicycle?

Rationale: I asked this question to get specific responses about what people liked about commuting so I could make recommendations that maintained or built upon the aspects of commuting that they enjoyed most.

Analysis: I compared answers to this question with those of number five to see if there were any commonalities between what people ranked as enjoyable and the things they responded were most fun. I also saw whether the responses to this question given by those who answered “Enjoyment” for question three were similar to understand if commuters liked the same things about cycling.

5. Please rate the following factors based on how enjoyable they are during your commute. 1 is very enjoyable 5 is very unenjoyable.

  • Riding very fast

  • Bad road or trail conditions

  • Pedestrian and cyclist congestion during rush hour

  • Having to stop at an intersection

  • Riding on separated bike lanes or designated bicycle trails

Rationale: I asked this question to get a sense of how much commuters liked or disliked certain aspects of commuting. Understanding what people did and did not enjoy helped inform my recommendations of changes to make so I could emphasize the enjoyable aspects and reduce the unenjoyable ones.

Analysis: I evaluated which factors were especially enjoyable or unenjoyable based on the number of people who gave fives or ones for them.

6. Think about your commute and envision yourself experiencing the following scenarios even if they have never happened to you. Rank them from 1 to 4 based on what might cause you to feel unsafe. 1 is least unsafe and 4 is most unsafe.

  • Bad road conditions (ex. Roots that cause large bumps on the Burke Gilman trail)

  • Cyclists on rideshare bikes riding slowly and erratically

  • Cars turning in front of you across the trail or lane you are cycling on

  • Pedestrian and cyclist congestion during rush hour

Rationale: I asked this question to understand what felt most unsafe to commuters. This was because those were the factors that might prevent others from commuting, so by addressing them I was able make commuting by bicycle more accessible and less scary.

Analysis: I compared respondent’s rankings and saw the common orderings of unsafe behavior. I compared the ranking of “pedestrian and cyclist congestion during rush hour,” as it was also a factor in question five; this allowed me to see there was a correlation between a commuter feeling unsafe and not enjoying their commute.

7. In general, how often do you follow traffic laws and obey signals such as stop signs and traffic lights?

  • Every time

  • Most of the time

  • Sometimes

  • Never

Rationale: I asked this question to understand how important following traffic laws was to commuters, and how often they followed the laws. Through asking this question I learned whether laws got followed.

Analysis: I compared answers to this question and question nine. From those I learned which of my respondents followed both traffic laws and the helmet law, and saw whether the responses of law-abiding commuters to other questions were similar to or different from those who did not value following the laws.

8. Think about a time when you have been approaching an intersection where you are supposed to stop (i.e. the traffic light or crossing signal is red), what do you generally do at these intersections?

  • Come to a complete stop and wait for the traffic light to turn to green, or the crossing signal to turn to ‘walk’

  • Roll to a stop, then continue while the signal is still red if no cars are coming

  • Check if cars are coming and continue through at the same speed if there is no immediate traffic

  • Other: ________

Rationale: I learned how intersections did or didn’t alter the flow of a commuter’s ride, and understood how commuters decided to act either lawfully or unlawfully at intersections.

Analysis: I noted whether those who ranked speed as being most important to them in question three acted in this scenario and compared whether those who ranked other factors as being most important to them acted differently when approaching intersections. I also compared answers to this question to those to question seven to deduce whether commuters rode more or less lawfully at intersections.

9. How important is it to you that cyclists obey Seattle’s helmet law, which requires every cyclist to wear a helmet while they ride?

  • Very important

  • Important

  • Unimportant

  • Not important at all

Rationale: I asked this question to learn who valued safety while commuting, and what percentage of respondents did not think it was important to wear a helmet even though it is the law.

Analysis: I learned whether commuters cared about both following laws and ensuring their own safety. I compared answers to this question to question number ten and learned whether law-following commuters were more likely to be extra cautious by wearing or using safety gear in addition to a helmet.

10. When you ride your bicycle, what safety gear do you use or wear? Check all that apply.

  • Helmet

  • Helmet light

  • Reflective clothing

  • Bike lights

  • Other: ________

Rationale: I asked this question to understand how important safety was to commuters, and to what lengths they went to ensure a safe commute.

Analysis: I looked at how many protective items in addition to a helmet respondents wore to understand how much they actively worked to ensure their safety.