How Was Your Commute Today?

[lovelygamer]

I did something different today. Instead of loading my basket and wearing a throw bag on my back, I put everything into an actual backpack with wide straps. It was so much more comfortable for both me and the bike weight. The only negative was the weight of it on my back during the heat. I can't wait to get panniers. I hope they even out the clunkiness of my commuting. I want to get it to where I don't have to overload the basket (affecting the steering) or overload my back (makes me hot).

Edit: 8.20 miles on the way home! Would have made 10 but I ran out of water and it's too hot to press the issue.

[7rider]

Rode in today with a friend and co-worker who wants to get into bike commuting and wants to lose some weight. So, as I often do with newbie cyclists, I was really careful about signalling and calling out turns, obstacles, stopping at stop signs, not sprinting for lights, waiting at the top of hills, stuff like that. Last year she had done a multi-day tour with friends and this morning was telling how they frequently commented about the importance of calling out "slowing" and "stopping" when doing so - as a few times, they didn't, and the cyclist in the rear would run up the rear wheel of the biker in front, and of course, the last cyclist is the one that goes down.

So, we got to about our split point this evening on the ride home, and we're chit-chatting about my route to my house vs. her route to her place, going about 4 mph, when she says "Oh, this is the road I need to turn at." So, I say "Here?" and stop. And - D'oh! - I broke the cardinal rule -- I didn't tell her I was stopping (after two trips of non-stop hand signalling and calling out turns), and BAM! she ran right into my rear wheel and did a slow-speed topple to her right - onto the sidewalk, unable to clip out of her pedals. Bloody knee. I felt so badly! She'll live. She laughed about it, with blood trickling down her shin.

Hopefully, she'll join me again - but I'll be sure to remember to call out "Stopping!"

[Catrin]

I seem to be more nervous at the thought with riding with others around traffic than solo. This is kind of strange considering my lack of experience in traffic, but there you go. Tomorrow I plan to ride on a "regular" day, depending on how I feel in the morning. My usual commuting day is Friday, and I only work 4 hours on Friday so I've not yet had the full experience of riding home in the evening. I've not ridden to work for almost 2 weeks due to my work schedule so I need to get back out there before I get nervous about it again

My recreational riding is still taking me places where I wouldn't have ridden even a month ago, so good things are coming about from commuting

[Melalvai]

Catrin, my daughter, who rides her bike regularly everywhere, has never ridden in a group until a few nights ago with the Traffic Skills 101 class that I'm teaching. Something fell off her bike and she stopped suddenly and in the middle of the road-- and another rider bumped into her. I suggested she break that habit right away, because it's one thing for a bicyclist to bump into her and quite another if it was a car! Of course I doubt she'd have stopped like that if there had been any traffic on the street. Still, it's not a good habit.

We used the opportunity to tell everyone, when riding in a group, never stop suddenly but pull over to the side of the road and announce that you are stopping. These are just things we don't have to think about when we are alone.

This weekend I got honked at 4 times. That's more than I've been honked at in the last six months. It's really amazing how much I DON'T get honked at around here.

What was really funny was that they weren't all dumb kids doing the honking. One was a little old lady in a big pickup. Another was a dad with his family in a car! My daughter said it might be the same little old lady who honks at her regularly on her way home from school. When she said that, I didn't think it was funny anymore. It made me really mad that some stupid old woman would honk at a little girl on a bike over and over.

[Rina]

Today I got caught in my first rain storm in Texas. It felt kind of good considering it was 94 degrees. Everything is a better on bike.

I look foward to riding into work everyday. My job is not as stressful since I started riding. I have converted one friend to a commuter. And another to weekend errands on bike.

Happy Biking Days.

[Catrin]

Beautiful ride in this morning! Fastest I've ever been on the bike (it helps to, basically, only have 1 hill on a 10.5 mile route), so my average actually got up to 14 With my riding position I don't really expect my average to get much higher but time will tell. I think getting more efficient at shifting will help in this department as well. Trying to remember to get in the big ring on the flats which does help.

Only managed to get stopped by 2 red lights - and the second was within my last mile or so when I was already cooling down. Did have one close brush with an inattentive driver but all is well that ends well. I did, however, forget my sunglasses for the return ride home tonight that is what I get for leaving home when it is still dark. Oh well, I won't be headed homewards until after 6:30 (probably) so will just have to grin and bear it.

Rides like this morning make me wish I was riding to work more than once a week! I will consider this after my vacation in July.

[ZenBiker]

... Everything is a better on bike. ...

This. I had a long, frustrating day at work - nothing especially bad just nothing that worked out, or got done, or felt good. But when I walked out the door and got on my bike, life got better. (It helps that the wind finally backed off to normal June level )

[Giulianna23]

Finnally decided to start commuting to work . I started Saturday and I feel good about it..was a little scared because of the traffic but for the past 2 weeks I studied the routes to pick the best one. More than 90% of the ride is safe but when I get to a Highway exit intersection that I have to be very careful. But other than that I feel good about doing this. I can feel the workout in my legs and my torso , they feel tight all through the day.

I have a question .....I do eat something before heading out in the morning. Like a bowl of oatmeal made with soy milk but as soon as I get to work I start getting real hungry..and I mean..reallly hungry!.. should I eat something heavier before starting my commute?. I ussually eat a snack at mid morning and feel fine ...but now I feel hungry right after my commute...like before starting my shift at 8:00 a.m. and I really don't want to eat more than I should specially when trying to lose some more weight.

BTW the weather was nice this morning decent wind at times...but refreshing...

[Sky King]

What was really funny was that they weren't all dumb kids doing the honking. One was a little old lady in a big pickup. Another was a dad with his family in a car! My daughter said it might be the same little old lady who honks at her regularly on her way home from school. When she said that, I didn't think it was funny anymore. It made me really mad that some stupid old woman would honk at a little girl on a bike over and over.

I don't mind being honked at --- as long as it is a honk from more than 100 feet behind me. Honking right behind or while next to me will cause me to purposely ride erratically as it just makes me angry. If I am driving and out places with bike riders up ahead and I can't move entirely over into the other lane I will tap my horn usually when I am about 200 feet back just to let them know I am back there. When a car or truck honks appropriately when I am riding I will wave a thank you. I would much rather have that then the car to appear suddenly on my left when I haven't heard the approach due to the wind in my ears

[Catrin]

The commute home was great, but it came after two workouts at the gym - one was me doing my own thing and then I did a 30 minute Bosu class. Even with all that I did fine with the 13 windy mile ride home

One interesting note. I've been using a MUT downtown when I can, and then another trail to get from my gym to a point about halfway home. I am learning that I behave better when I am in the street with traffic when I am in areas where the trails intersect with busy streets. I am more confident when I am on the street - I know how I am supposed to act - like a tiny car and I think that it makes it easier for drivers to anticipate what I am going to do. It seems easier to do less wise things when I am on what amounts to be a wide sidewalk.

[Melalvai]

I agree. On the trails the rules just aren't well established and no one really knows what they are supposed to do. That's how most bicyclists are on the street, but at least everyone else is predictable.

There is a tiny little 3/4 mile MUP in town and it has signs that direct bicyclists to ride on the RIGHT and peds to walk on the LEFT! How confusing is that! There is a bike lane/ ped lane on another street, which is kind of an odd duck, instead of a sidewalk there's a ped lane striped, then a bike lane, then the regular lane. That thing has an almost identical sign only this time bicyclists are directed to ride to the LEFT of the pedestrians (ie in the bike lane which is in the middle between the ped lane on the far right and then regular traffic lane)-- which makes a lot more sense. Slowest traffic to the right, fastest traffic to the left!