This will be a novelty. Night shift commuting!

[Vikeonabike]

Ooer, thats not wearing a shift, whislt commuting at night. No the powers that be have put me back onto 24/7 shiftworkng so I shall be leaving home at 2030 on my 17 mile ride to get into work for a 2200 start, then remounting my trusty steed to return at 0700 the following morning!.
Can I get charged for riding a bicyle whislt too tired? Is it possible to fall asleep whilst riding a bicycle. Should I buy a trike? What about a recumbent trike, that way if I do fall asleep whilst riding home I won't fall off. I could even take a nap on the straight bits, espeacially the straight down hill bits.
Anyway I shall update you in the morning!

 

[hotfuzzrj]

I am NHT so not 24/7 however during January I did three night shifts for an op we were involved in. I rode in, I was fine, however I have a much shorter commute than you do so it was easier for me. I had a coffee around 5 am to keep me going, and then the cycle (and the cold) made me tired so when I got in I was straight to sleep! Loved it.

 

[cyberknight]

You will be fine, the cycling will keep you awake and i have never had a problem gettign to sleep atfer my commute.
My shift is 8 pm till 4.45 am

 

[I like Skol]

I do 12hr nights 7pm-7am and the ride home in the morning is the best part of the night (closely followed by the ride in). I only do 10 miles each way but if you have been used to doing 17 miles I can't see the change in time of commute making a difference to the effort required.

I will just add that the days(nights) I cycle I feel much more alert right through the night but on the times I drive to work I get that low, 'must go to sleep' feeling at around 2-4am.

 

[jonny jeez]

oh...

now I'm one for a good positive outlook...but Vike...I'm sorry, that would proper do my head in, knowing the sun is out, some of the best riding is to be had and having to cycle in the fecking dark...again.

sorry...perhaps I should edit this to something like "oh well, ho hum.. at least the roads'll be clear"

 

[Sara_H]

I regularly night shift commute, and I have to say sometimes in the morning I want to kill myself! It has been known for me to abandon bike at work and accept a lift home from a colleague!

Having said that, as with coming home after a day shift - it's the best way to work off the work stress and I sleep like a baby when I get home.

 

[Vikeonabike]

Think the first commute home wil be a toughie, after being a wake for 24 hours, tried to sleep this afternoon, didn't. The next 3 will be easier though! Can see the espresson machine getting a bashing just before I leave to come home!

 

[hennbell]

I used to commute at 4:30 am , loved it. On the warm week ends I would ride past the drunks outside the bar and have a laugh.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I commute on my night shifts. The first one only feels hard until you actually get on the bike, then it's easy/normal

It's the thinking about having to ride home throughout the shift as you get progressively more tired that's the hard part, quite genuinely once you're actually cycling it's no different to any other day!

 

[clarion]

I used to work in lighting, so I was often commuting against the flow - in to work about 5pm often, and, occasionally, home at 8am. Of course, sometimes I had to be at work for 9am or earlier, which wasn't so good.

Sadly, when I worked night shifts proper, I wasn't riding (what was I thinking?!). But night rides home after an evening of audio assault and listening to the blackbirds singing beautifully before the sun is up is a fantastic feeling.

Hell, if I could work night shifts in my current job, I would. Imagine riding London's streets at night every night, without the dickheads who tend to spoil it!

From a practical point of view, I was often knackered at the end of a gig, having dismantled a rig and packed a few artics, and the thought of riding home over the hills of Sheffield with my toolbox on the rack was not one I relished, but the fresh air and exercise soon woke me up. You're in a different world at night.

 

[Vikeonabike]

I commute on my night shifts. The first one only feels hard until you actually get on the bike, then it's easy/normal

It's the thinking about having to ride home throughout the shift as you get progressively more tired that's the hard part, quite genuinely once you're actually cycling it's no different to any other day!

Cheers for that mate... Actually quite looking forward to the look of shock on collegues faces as i don Lycra to ride home in the morning!

 

[subaqua]

i enjoyed riding in for nightshift far better than the ride for dayshift when i did a few months of it this time last year.
I was doing a 3.30pm to 3.30am shift so the ride in was great as the weather was glorious this time last year. the ride home was cold though and often there was a light frost. slept better than i ever did on days too.

 

[AhThisFeckinThing]

I've been doing the night shift commute for three years now. Its just the cold months that do my head in. I have also found it far more dangerous to commute on days than nights, thanks to the schoolrun gang. I have nearly fallen asleep a couple of times, first sign was lack of concentration, lots of yawning and the zzzzzzzBUMP!

 

[I like Skol]

I have nearly fallen asleep a couple of times, first sign was lack of concentration, lots of yawning and the zzzzzzzBUMP!

I just can't imagine falling asleep on the way home. Sure, sometimes I don't have the energy to push as hard as I might do normally but honestly, once I swing a leg over that bike and pedal out across the car park I just come alive and stay that way for the whole 10 miles home (sometimes with just the odd yawn).

 

[Vikeonabike]

Felt Great, even if I was off 2 hours late... so far so good!
Boing said Zebedee
Time for bed said Florence