Checklist before commute home

[Pat "5mph"]

I skip the GoPro bit, 'cause I don't have one, but I do check my brakes still work before setting off

 

[cosmicbike]

It is a faff, and some nights (or mornings, depending on when I finish work), I do think why am I not driving. Then I realize the cost saving, health benefit and joy of not sitting in traffic. It adds a couple of minutes to the journey home, no more, so a bit of a non issue really..

 

[mjr]

I skip the GoPro bit, 'cause I don't have one, but I do check my brakes still work before setting off

But you'd do that in a car too... or rather, you really really should because the outcome if failed is so much worse

 

[Pat "5mph"]

But you'd do that in a car too... or rather, you really really should because the outcome if failed is so much worse

I don't drive

 

[macp]

The joy alone of just looking at the long row of cars stuck in traffic as I make my way home. And swmbo saying yes you can have a new bike as we have halved our petrol bill. Is it worth it, your damn right it is

 

[slowmotion]

Search for office keys.
Pat pockets.
Check my wallet's somewhere.
Empty backpack.
Search for glasses.
Empty backpack again.
Wheel bike out of office and lock door.
Pat pockets and can't seem to detect house keys.
Empty backpack again.
Find keys, and realise that both are in the side pockets of my waterproof jacket and that they will probably fall out on the way home because both zips got fubared two years ago.
Transfer keys to jeans pockets and transfer handkerchief to jacket pocket for easy access on commute.
Reach main gate and pat pockets to locate security key to escape.
I'm absolutely exhausted before I even get going.

 

[Starchivore]

My routine is a little bit of a faff on the platform after getting off the train, to get all in order for a comfortable ride home with all of my stuff safe. But well worth it. Such is life.

Wander out of work

Throw leg over bike

Pedal.

Best to unlock it first I find.

 

[rivers]

For me it's:
Change (which I would have to do if I used motorised transport anyway as my other main mode of commute is a scooter)
Unlock bike (again the same)
Ride home.
Okay the scooter is a bit quicker because I can whizz a bit faster past the traffic, but not by much. Maybe 15-18 minutes. Cycling is faster than the car though.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Best to unlock it first I find.

Not if it isn't locked

I have the benefit of a secure car park to stash it in and a reputation amongst my colleagues that keeps my prides and joy safe from practical jokes

 

[Starchivore]

Not if it isn't locked

I have the benefit of a secure car park to stash it in and a reputation amongst my colleagues that keeps my prides and joy safe from practical jokes

Touché.

That's very handy to have somewhere secure enough to not need the hassle of locks. I'm not looking forward to trying to stop mine freezing up this winter!

I'm sure that reputation must have been hard earned- a valuable thing.

 

[pclay]

FTFY

Unlock car
Turn ignition
Drive
(No I did not forget to put lights on, its a VOLVO)
Slowly expand waistline.

 

[si_c]

I was having a similar conversation with a colleague in work last week, but with a slightly different perspective. We were talking about how long it took me to get home (20 minutes if I go direct), when he pointed out that it takes him almost that long to walk to where he parks his car, and then takes him another 40 minutes or so of driving through rush hour traffic to get home. He lives around 5 miles from the office.

As far as getting changed and the other faff is concerned, I do change my shoes, but if that was too much of a faff I could always put flats on my bike. You don't need to get a full change of clothes to commute by bike, that's a choice.

My leaving work is as follows.

Change shoes.
Lift to basement whilst turning on my GPS.
Unlock bike and ride home.

 

[Starchivore]

I was having a similar conversation with a colleague in work last week, but with a slightly different perspective. We were talking about how long it took me to get home (20 minutes if I go direct), when he pointed out that it takes him almost that long to walk to where he parks his car, and then takes him another 40 minutes or so of driving through rush hour traffic to get home. He lives around 5 miles from the office.

Blimey. I can't imagine wanting to drive that. Even if I had some reason for not wanting to cycle, I think I'd rather do it at a brisk walk- would take about the same amount of time as his car trip.

 

[si_c]

Blimey. I can't imagine wanting to drive that. Even if I had some reason for not wanting to cycle, I think I'd rather do it at a brisk walk- would take about the same amount of time as his car trip.

That was my point. He said it was getting too cold and might rain. I didn't feel like mentioning coats or umbrellas.

 

[mjr]

We were talking about how long it took me to get home (20 minutes if I go direct), when he pointed out that it takes him almost that long to walk to where he parks his car, and then takes him another 40 minutes or so of driving through rush hour traffic to get home.

So almost 20 minutes so his car's maybe a mile away? So if he's parking on the 5ish mile route between home and work, he's walking 20% of it. https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpre...-times-and-re-thinking-filtered-permeability/ suggests that if you have to walk about 15% of the distance, then cycling the whole thing would be quicker once he gets used to it, assuming various things (see link), even if there aren't any cycle-only shortcuts possible.