Have you ever thought about gving up commuting

[AP81]

I doubt I ever will, but my wife wants me to.

The other day I was riding and a 4WD deliberately swerved into the bike line to give me a scare. He came within about half a foot at around 40kph as accelerated as he/she did it. Don't know what they were on about, but they clearly don't like cyclists. I tried to catch up but they had three green lights in a row and I couldn't catch up. Just as well, as I probably would have opened the driver's side car door and assaulted the driver.

It's the hate towards cyclists that worries me. I have been able to anticipate and avoid every potential accident so far...but you can't avoid a deliberate act.

[bychosis]

I love riding, commuting is a way to ensure I get some time to ride. I commuted a bit on and off years ago and only really stopped after being provided with a company laziness inducing car, at the time I was also outside a comfortable riding distance (for me, time wise and not distance wise). Now I'm in a job close too home and really enjoy my commutes, to be honest when I got the job I really looked forward to the cycle commuting.

Lately I am restricted by shipping the kids around to cycling a few days per week but won't give it up at this point. I'm lucky that I don't have to put up with much traffic having the majority of riding on share paths. Every now and then I get a bit of a scare from the muppet motorist that makes me think twice but so far nothing to make me want to quit and get back in the cage every day.

[mikesbytes]

Mike didn't you just have a little girl?

yes, check my FB https://www.facebook.com/mikesbytes

I thought so, is she part of the reason why you're re-thinking it?

Nah and I've scored a bike and a baby seat so when she's old enough I can take her along Cooks river.

I'm not thinking of giving up social riding or racing or commuting where the bike has a distinctive advantage

What are the primary benefits of bike commuting?
- improved fitness
- reliable commute times (if your quick at fixing flats)
- reduced commuting costs
- reduced environmental impact
- social, ie talk to other cyclists, unlike driving where you don't talk to other motorists

What have I missed?

[outnabike]

. I tried to catch up but they had three green lights in a row and I couldn't catch up. Just as well, as I probably would have opened the driver's side car door and talked to the driver.
.

Snipped.
That's what I don't like.....when they make the next lights. But I am probably better off then anyway.

[Strawburger]

Currently on the train, there is either a cough or sneeze every 5 seconds. Cannot wait to get off this virus carrier and back on the bike tomorrow!

[mikesbytes]

Well that's a first, an entire week without doing a single bike commute, largely due to the fabulous weather that Sydney is dishing up

[mikesbytes]

Finally got a commute in (Sydney) Randwick -> CBD -> Randwick due to the nice weather. Didn't encounter any unpleasant road users.

Looking out the window, doesn't look like its going to happen today...

[jasonc]

What have I missed?

mental health. for me the big thing is most of the time by when I get home I can't even remember what I did at work. I've had a few crashes but I keep going. And you only need to fix flats if you're not running Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres

[Verdigriis]

I don't tend to think about giving up commuting so much as constantly redisgining my commuting route and changing my priorities re car-risk vs length of commute. It's a timely thought for me because I came off my bike a few weeks ago after dropping a wheel in a tram track, and now I'm terrified of what could have happened if there hadn't been a brief clear window on that road because I almost slid into the oncoming traffic on the other side of the road. :-O

I've redesigned that commuting route to avoid tram tracks, but it's Richmond in Melbourne so all the roads are hellishly busy and full of door zone bike lanes and side streets that I've already had several close calls on after only a month and a half with this job. I eventually get onto the river paths for my long ride north, but I'm thinking of getting onto them much sooner even though it will add several kms and a few extra hills and also a sodding stair case, just because I feel like riding in that kind of morning traffic is super risky and the less I do it the better.

It makes me realise how spoilt I was with my last commute destination, that I could get to almost entirely on bike paths and genuinely quite back streets, the exception being one section of main road that honnestly is probably fairly safe because it had no parked cars and few side streets to create hazzards.

[jasonc]

I'm thinking of getting onto them much sooner even though it will add several kms and a few extra hills and also a sodding stair case

the extra KMs and hills are good for you. the stair case, not so much

[Verdigriis]

Yeah, true. I'll build up stamina quickly enough. Carrying a steel bike with a pannier full of work clothes down those stairs makes me sad. But then I suppose it's way preferable to being hit by a car. It's easy to make poor safety decisions just because you're tired/running late/don't want to spend 30 seconds carrying something heavy. :-/

[mikesbytes]

A lot more effort to make the commute hassle free

[jasonc]

A lot more effort to make the commute hassle free

I disagree. If have to add less than 10% to your commute to make it hassle free, that's easy. When you have to add 25%+ to your journey to make it hassle free, then it's a hassle

[kb]

Make the steps a Strava segment

[sobmal]

Been commuting as much as I can (work, rain and personal commitments conspire against me a lot) for a number of years and I think that I have this constant cycle going on in my head that’s just a bunch of reflective periods of “post traumatic” stress brought about by all the times people, either accidental or deliberate have tried to harm or injure me.. ok well.. run me down with their automothingy..

I have had so many very close calls, lots that would have had me very smashed up and a couple that I don’t dare tell the better half about.

I used to get very annoyed and have been guilty of chasing drivers down when I could.. In fact some of my best times on Strava segments have been adrenalin assisted while on the heavy commuter chasing down some assclown to give them a piece of my mind.

I would consider myself a reasonable calm person, mentally stable and don’t have impulse control issues, I have had stand up (but not fisticuffs) arguments with bus drivers, taxi drivers, truck drivers, mums, dads, P plate drivers, pedestrians and once another cyclist.. (ok I may have a mild issue with impulse control.. after you nearly killed me back there)

Now days I just tend to accept that there are nasty, plain bad, stupid and ignorant people about and there’s nothing that I can do about that, apart from make my commute as safe as I can, the only thing that I’m in control of is where and how I choose to ride and my reaction to their inputs on my life.

I have pretty much worked out the safest route to work and back, that avoids the busy roads, perhaps adds 150M of climbing (about 400M each way) and 2 kilometers (in a 22k one way trip) once I did that then my commute became a more relaxing experience.

And I won’t give up while the body is able.

[bychosis]

I give up when there is heavy rain, but soon take it back up again

[Paul 1965]

Yes today, 3 flats one on the way to work and 2 on the way home

[jasonc]

Yes today, 3 flats one on the way to work and 2 on the way home

wrong tyres. schwalbe marathon plus. everything else is a compromise.

[bychosis]

Or tyre liners, then you can use pretty much any tyre you like

[mikesbytes]

Flats are a random thing. Sometimes multiple flats are related and other times not

Noticed an increase in cyclists in Sydney rain this morning. I'm guessing that many have given up waiting for better weather and are going out anyway

[Paul 1965]

Yes today, 3 flats one on the way to work and 2 on the way home

wrong tyres. schwalbe marathon plus. everything else is a compromise.

But they were the first flats in 3000kms

[Paul 1965]

Flats are a random thing. Sometimes multiple flats are related and other times not

Don't know what caused the first one, but the other 2 flats were caused by damage(hole in the tyre) from the first flat which I didn't see till I got home after riding the last 10 kms on the flat because no more spare tubes the rim is now down at the bike shop

[RonK]

Yes today, 3 flats one on the way to work and 2 on the way home

wrong tyres. schwalbe marathon plus. everything else is a compromise.

At almost 1kg apiece, Marathon Plus are a huge compromise vs the odd puncture it even a string of punctures.

[jasonc]

Yes today, 3 flats one on the way to work and 2 on the way home

wrong tyres. schwalbe marathon plus. everything else is a compromise.

At almost 1kg apiece, Marathon Plus are a huge compromise vs the odd puncture it even a string of punctures.

I run 25c. 600g a piece. front has done over 18000kms. on my 3rd rear tyre (2nd one had 1 puncture).
would I buy and use them again for commuting? absolbloodylutely

[gretaboy]

wrong tyres. schwalbe marathon plus. everything else is a compromise.

At almost 1kg apiece, Marathon Plus are a huge compromise vs the odd puncture it even a string of punctures.

I run 25c. 600g a piece. front has done over 18000kms. on my 3rd rear tyre (2nd one had 1 puncture).
would I buy and use them again for commuting? absolbloodylutely

If commuting then the marathon plus IS the only tyre to use. It affords you the peace of mind of getting to work on time and not having to fear punctures. Yes they still puncture but something bad needs to happen for that to occur.

The extra weight does make a difference, but simply look at it as a silent training partner