What do you get out of your daily commute

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Welsh wheels

Lycra king
Location
South Wales
You think. It might be worth going to A&E just in case! Don't be a 'typical bloke' about it ;)
Went to A and E this morning. All well.
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
My current commute only takes seven or eight minutes, so i don't really get the splendid views, the misty valleys or the birdsong I enjoyed on previous, longer commutes... but i do get to work nicely warm warmed up, wide awake and ready to 'go'.

A good handful of colleagues cycle too, but i feel no need to express the benefits of cycling to the rest of 'em... there's only so much space in the boiler room for our steeds.
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
I get to be home faster than the 2 buses I would have to take instead of the bike.
A good hour faster!
I can cycle to work quicker than it'd take me to walk to the bus station... and i don't cycle fast. not even when i'm trying to.

There's been a few occasions when i've spotted a colleague in their car at the start of my short commute, they overtake me then our paths split and meet again near the end of the commute... the car is literally seconds quicker than the bike. Same on the way home... we'll be stuck at some traffic lights outside work... the lights turn to green, they whizz off and i pootle along, cutting out most of town and about eight sets of traffic lights, only for them to pass me again at the end of my commute.
 

Thorn Sherpa

Über Member
Location
Doncaster
9.5-11 miles each way depending on the route I take, 1st half of the commute rural country roads some busier than others. Second half as i get closer to town cycle paths and busy roads at certain times. Few hills and bridges on the way to mix it up warms me up nicely in this weather ready for my shift! I've always rode to work even after passing my test and as long as I'm able to do so will carry on doing so. Like others have said there's many positives riding to work, the financial side is a bonus but the main one to me is the health side. The enjoyment and freedom of riding to work is what keeps me on the bike through the worst of the weather
 
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BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
Probably similar to most others here:
1) Avoiding the stress and politics of car parking in limited spaces.
2) Seeing the changing seasons and the beauty of the world around me. I try to take a photo every journey, although it is difficult in the dark winter. The joy of the spring flowers, summer sunshine, autumn colours, and wintry fields, mist hanging low over the playing fields, the birds, the rise and fall of the rivers.
3) Getting a chance to pass a few words with fellow commuters. I never wind a window down and yell "a bit chilly this morning" to fellow car drivers.
4) Getting home on time every day (presuming I leave work on time!).
5) Earning that morning chocolate bar
6) Avoiding going cold turkey on the endorphins.
 
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ren531

ren531

Über Member
Location
Lancaster uk
For more than 10 years I've commuted to work feeling that it was just me who felt most if not all of the positive comments that every one responding to my original post has said , it seemed to be me against a unstoppable tide of cars , how nice to know there are so many who feel the same and get so much more out of it than just a journey , no longer feel quite so isolated .
 
I've been part driving/cycle commuting for a while. I could be lazy and drive all the way (47miles) but I prefer to park up in a village 6 miles away (as the crow flies). Its just 20mins to an hour to de-stress and I don't have to worry about parking. I used park further away (19miles as the crow flies) but that's time consuming and too long for a recovery commute (most of my commutes are recovery commutes these days).
 

mustang1

Guru
Location
London, UK
I like that there is no real stopping when riding a bike thus making it very efficient in terms of constanty moving forward. The only thing stopping forward motion are traffic lights, traffic, or those pesky pedestrians who keep crossing the roads regardless of red man/green man.

Ps: I was a pedestrian today and totally understand why pedestrians to this.
 

Thomson

Well-Known Member
Having just started cycling after 15 years without a bike. I changed jobs to 3 miles from my house.
Bought a 2013 Sirrus comp. few months back.
Started cycling. Sold my car.
My commute has saved me the second car Tax mot petrol etc
The exercise.
The fresh air.
Some me time.
Rain snow or shine I havnt missed a day since I started cycling start off December. Looking forward to the lighter mornings and nights so I get to enjoy the view
Cyclings not a option now. It's how I commute to work.
And having had to drive 18k miles a year to work and back for the last ten years. It's worth it's weight in gold. :-)
 

keithmac

Guru
Fastest way to work, used to be some nice "me time" but see more and more bad driving/ passes as the years roll on so not as relaxing as it used to be..

School holidays are great, amazing the reduction in traffic.
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Fastest way to work, used to be some nice "me time" but see more and more bad driving/ passes as the years roll on so not as relaxing as it used to be..

School holidays are great, amazing the reduction in traffic.

Being in and commuting in London, it's been the other way round. Drivers are far more aware now of cyclists then they ever where. I now get very few incidents on my commute compared to 10 or 12 years ago, let alone 30 years ago when it was complete hell for any cyclist on London's mean streets.
 

Thomson

Well-Known Member
Great last few weeks.
One night coming home. Left work it rained I got totaly soaked to the skin. Stopped in a bus shelter but was too late. Only 2.9miles to home. Still smiling .

Snowing cycling to work the other morning. No defrosting the car or scraping windscreen for ten mins. Just bike out the shed and away.

The fact It costs me nothing to get from my home to my place off work. The fact we have sold both cars and upgraded to one newer car that she drives.

Starting to feel much fitter. And all the better for that.

Couldn't go back to driving a car to work. The traffic. The tax the mot insurance and petrol. Like a rat race.
 
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ren531

ren531

Über Member
Location
Lancaster uk
What you have written Thomson is exactly how I feel the whole driving thing has become just hassle and a cash cow for the anyone who wants to empty your wallet , I used to drive HGVs but since the introduction of driver CPC the door has been opened for bigger and bigger fines and more and more regulation , by comparison my bikes are just a hassle free fun and such an obvious choice for local journey's .
 
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