We don’t need surveys to tell us we are happy, but a British survey has found people who ride to work arrive calmer, and therefore make better employees.
A survey of 1000 commuters commissioned by motorcycle insurance firm Bennetts found 88 per cent of motorcycle and scooter commuters believe they are happier than their colleagues. Some 68 per cent also said they believed commuting to work had a positive effect on their enthusiasm and ability to tackle work. It doesn’t say why they are happier, but it could be several factors: simply the fun of being on a bike, the challenges of weaving through the traffic, the camaraderie of acknowledging fellow riders and the comforting knowledge that it is quicker and cheaper than taking public transport or a car.
Although it takes a lot of concentration to carve through the traffic, riders feel less stressed when they arrive at work and are pumped up for the day, rather than the frazzled commuters who take their car or squash on to a train and need a coffee before they can function enough to make a valuable contribution to their employers. Interestingly, the survey also found that a third of motorcycle and scooter commuters spend more money every month on their beloved motorcycle than on their partner.