The "Positive things about Winter commuting" thread.....

[GrasB]

No snow:
* Week long +20mph ave commutes as I don't overheat in town anymore
* Passing even more cars that are stationary

With snow:
* Getting to work without seeing a single car until I get near the office
* The smug satisfaction of getting paid to read the paper all day because half the department couldn't get in to work due to car problems.
* Telling the people who did make it to work, most of whom fell over etc, that you skied in

Watching BMWs slide around in the ice, well done you for choosing a rear wheel drive car. Good choice.

Nout wrong with RWD, the lotus is drivable on snow even with semi-slicks given consideration for the lack of temp in the tyres. The look of terror on the owner of a FWD car when they go in to hot & there's nothing ESP/TC can do about it is funny.

 

[PK99]

4) You can console yourself with fond memories of summer when..
- it wasn't cold enough to freeze your doodahs off
- you could ride without 6 layers of kit
- it didn't take 20 mins to get ready to leave the house
- you didn't need your bike lights
- other road users could see you and you them more easily
- the road surface wasn't icy (won't be long now...)
- you could commute to and from work in daylight that made you feel almost human
- the rain was a lot warmer
- you didn't need to carry as much weather gear in your bag 'just in case'
- p**ctures were easier to mend because you could see what you were doing
- your bike didn't get a daily clarting in gunge and salt from the road

(Sorry - what was this thread called again?...)

,.... and folks wonder why cycling is not seen as a viable commuter option!

 

[brokenbetty]

seeing Christmas lights spreading up the high road as the evenings get darker

when it REALLY rains and whatever happens you'll be soaked so you just ride straight through it like you did when you were a kid

 

[palinurus]

when it REALLY rains and whatever happens you'll be soaked so you just ride straight through it like you did when you were a kid

That's good, but it's far better when that happens in the summer.

Nothing like really heavy rain to bring out the insane grin.

 

[Lozatron]

The first time I commute home in the rain, in the dark, full waterproofs on including boots and gloves - always get a total buzz on that one! The fact that I can get straight into a hot shower and drink a glass of something nice with my dinner sure helps - but I prefer the commutes home in the winter.

And for the way in...what about timing the commute right to watch the mist rising off the serpentine in the morning and thinking about all the poor mugs who say "I could never stand to live in London, the commute would kill me"...

And thirdly - far fewer idiot cyclists giving you a hard time and ruining your reputation!

 

[eatmydust]

• The warm glow of a toasty helmet / shoes which have been in the boiler room all day

...yes babe, but they stink to high heaven now!!!!!!

 

[Panter]

1) Riding on wet, slippery roads enhances your bike handling skills


2) You can see car headlights on country lanes a long way away

 

[Tollers]

One for the Londoners.....

Even cycling through the freezing cold for miles on end, you will still arrive at work smelling better than if you'd taken the tube.

 

[johnr]

If you live in E Yorks, you can deepen your appreciation of David Hockney's winter landscapes.

The run-over rabbits freeze so the flesh stays fresh for meat-eating colleagues.

It's just fantastic getting out and exercised every day

You sometimes see owls mid-afternoon

 

[Downward]

The Smell when passing the chippie - MMM Chips

 

[GAVSTER]

Watching your neighbours scraping ice off their car windows as you ride past.

 

[NormanD]

It's too cold for little jonny scroat and his chums to hang about in groups ... well until it snows that is.

 

[Bman]

Watching your neighbours scraping ice off their car windows as you ride past.

Yeah. Usually with their engines ticking over <cough>

 

[GrasB]

In all honesty with all cars I've used in winter which didn't have climate control or auto AC, if the engine isn't ticking over & the blowers on while you're scraping the window, demisting the windows, you just have to waste more time sitting in the car with the engine ticking over & the blowers on instead.

 

[Bay Runner]

Cold fresh air as I cycle around the bay and up the valley through the woods