Shift workers commuting

[the grid]

I am trying to get in more commuting on my FB Giant but am limited by 2/3 of my shifts being in the evening. The inbound trip is great as its usually off=peak in the middle of the day but riding home 20K at 10-11pm worries me.
Any regular evening commuters here to give me encouragement/hints or am I asking for trouble riding at night.
I have all the hi-vis gear and good lights.
Thanks in advance

[beauyboy]

Whats your route like?

Whats your main worry dangerous drivers or dangerous people?

Donald

[the grid]

Thanks, the route is a main road on the Gold Coast (Bermuda St.) which has a mix of bikeways ("shared footpaths') and on-road riding. Then I have 5 k of rural roads with no bike lane or much of a shoulder. These are fairly quiet though with the occasional "bogan" speedster.
I don't really have the option of leaving the car at work and doing a one way trip each day so Inedd to commit to the two way trip.

[lethoso]

I ride home at midnight, no dramas - I think 95% of the negative incidents I've had whilst commuting have been on my ride in when there's traffic. Just pick a route you feel comfortable with and get some obnoxiously bright lights

[biftek]

i work grave yard shift mainly but do some arvo shift , i've had no dramas , ok on a friday/sat night might get the odd tosser showing off to his/her mates ,but for the most part it is smooth sailing

[the grid]

Ok
I'll do it !!
Guess there is unlikely to be any commuter cup stories out of the night ride though.

[hannos]

Ok
I'll do it !!
Gues there is unlikely to be any commuter cup stories out of the night ride though.

You never know! you're out there so there's always a chance someone is in a similar situation

Just make sure you light up well

[goneriding]

Gues there is unlikely to be any commuter cup stories out of the night ride though.

Have you got a bike computer? If not get yourself one and then you have CC Admittedly, it's not as much fun as chasing down a real rabbit but it does give you somethign to chase.

[martinjs]

About 12 years ago when I worked a Ford Motor Co in Campbellfield, I work N/S and commuted to work 4 days a week of over a year. 11.00pm start to 7.30am finish.

Martin

[m@]

I am trying to get in more commuting on my FB Giant but am limited by 2/3 of my shifts being in the evening. The inbound trip is great as its usually off=peak in the middle of the day but riding home 20K at 10-11pm worries me.
Any regular evening commuters here to give me encouragement/hints or am I asking for trouble riding at night.
I have all the hi-vis gear and good lights.
Thanks in advance

I spent a few months working 4-10PM earlier this year, I had a couple of near misses with drivers who weren't paying attention. But overall I found the empty roads outweighed the occasional idiot you encounter at that time of night. Biggest problem was winding down and getting to sleep before midnight

[CommuRider]

Agree with others. I find commuting home after a late night is so much better than during the daytime hours. Much safer, quieter and I can hear the wildlife which is quite nice. Also the cooler air means you don't sweat or stink as much. Go for it. And get some 900 lumens lights

[Fred Nurk]

Guy at work used to do his training rides at 2200. Possibly not that unusual until you consider that he was still doing a standard work day. He used to reckon it was a lot better than riding in the day.

I've commuted in at about 0500 a few times, up here theres hardly anyone on the road. I'd still go front and rear lights, plus whatever reflective gear you can get.
I've got some stickers and a backpack cover from Respro (via Wiggle), I can't recommend the waterproofing of the backpack cover, but the stickers seem to have held up alright.

[Mugglechops]

I used to commute while working shift work for about 4 years. Started at 2.30pm and finished anytime between midnight and 5am. Only trouble I had was dodging kangaroos and the odd drunk on a thursday night if I finished around 12am.

Most times I rode with a mate or two so that added to the fun.

I did fall asleep once after finishing at 4am for 4 days in row. Woke up just as I was heading for a gutter.

[sogood]

Guess there is unlikely to be any commuter cup stories out of the night ride though.

You never know. If they just seemed to float quietly through the air and no wheel contact with the ground, then don't talk and just ride on. Ghosts may also be on their early commute at that time of the night...

[trailgumby]

Biggest problem was winding down and getting to sleep before midnight

I get that. It's a pain.

Recently I've started having a tepid to cool shower before bed. Getting the core temp down seems to have helped in this regard a lot.

[Xplora]

I have done a lot of 6:30pm finishes this summer and honestly, peak hour is WAAAAY worse. Something about idiots not coping with their workload turns them into dangerous drivers

[Mulger bill]

Left work @0640, returned @2120. Love the trip in on night shift.

[stinhambo]

I've commuted in at about 0500 a few times, up here theres hardly anyone on the road. I'd still go front and rear lights, plus whatever reflective gear you can get.

What part of Cairns you at and what route do you take?

[Fred Nurk]

I've commuted in at about 0500 a few times, up here theres hardly anyone on the road. I'd still go front and rear lights, plus whatever reflective gear you can get.

What part of Cairns you at and what route do you take?

I'm out in the Valley, I head into Portsmith, generally via Reservoir road.

[stinhambo]

Ah that's miles away!

[clarinetcola]

Yes! Very strong lights needed if you go on rural roads or parks or whatever.
Commuting at night was holy for me, I did it for the whole of last year 9:45 till 10:30pm. The sweet cool air and no traffic was amazing. Though I have to point out it was very safe with no bogan speedsters, and the majority of the commute was on bike paths so there weren't any dangers or anything remotely close, just me & my bike. I think it really boils down to whether the route home is safe or not.

[hannos]

I've had a couple of late nights here in Sydney, leaving work at roughly 9pm.
The traffic is much more civilised at that time of the night.

[Fred Nurk]

Ah that's miles away!

I've commuted in via Cook Highway once, I may yet do it more often, depending on how enthusiatic I get about getting out of bed early (which don't really happen often).

[stinhambo]

Ah that's miles away!

I've commuted in via Cook Highway once, I may yet do it more often, depending on how enthusiatic I get about getting out of bed early (which don't really happen often).

Hold on, when you say "The Valley" is that the Redlynch area?

[Fred Nurk]

Ah that's miles away!

I've commuted in via Cook Highway once, I may yet do it more often, depending on how enthusiatic I get about getting out of bed early (which don't really happen often).

Hold on, when you say "The Valley" is that the Redlynch area?

Yes. I don't mean Goldsborough Valley.