View Full Version : Bike/foot commute
For a little over the past month I have switched from driving to work (from my old place) to biking or walking to work (from my new place).
I have noticed a few things:
-I used to dilly-dally in the mornings because I did not want to drive the 20-40 minute commute.
-Now I get out the door without nearly as much dilly-dallying because riding my bike is generally enjoyable.
-I used to gather up my stuff at the end of the day in a mad rush and haul butt out the door to try to "beat the traffic" which rarely had much effect and could have been mere coincidence really, when the traffic was heavy or lighter.
-Now I am less hurried; I take my time putting on my helmet, pant leg straps, etc. I talk to some coworkers on my way out too, as my mood is a little lighter knowing I am not driving.
My very part-time work is too far to walk/bike for me. I used to drive it but decided to start taking the bus since it's on the route and is free for university staff. It is amazing how pleasant it is to be able to forget about the stress of driving and parking. While waiting at the bus stop, I can't help but notice the dour expressions on driver's faces as they drive by.
Gardenarian
6-3-16, 5:06pm
I love walking to work, and biking places. I dislike driving, but love walking and biking. It's a much better way to start and finish the workday.
I've handed in my notice - only 3 more work days for me! I'll still be working a bit as an on-call substitute, free to say "Nope, not today!"
My dream is to only bike and walk anywhere I needed to go.
Walkability is now our most important question when looking at houses. Can we get what we need walking only? The grocery is the big one. We have two is less than one mile in our downtown neighborhood. Where we want to move next has one in one block.
Our main grocery is three blocks away but alas we are moving away.
The other thing I noticed when I'm bike commuting is that I sort of feel sorry for the guys stuck in cars in traffic. A lot of them look like they are in a bad mood, while you're out enjoying the fresh air. Although I can avoid much traffic, thanks to some nice bike lanes and trails.
While waiting at the bus stop, I can't help but notice the dour expressions on driver's faces as they drive by.
So true!
My dream is to only bike and walk anywhere I needed to go.
I could probably do this, though I'd have to throw in a bus ride to go a couple places.
Congrats on the new commute!
Gardenarian
6-7-16, 3:51pm
What I have found striking is that I feel much more relaxed on my bike than in my car. I actually feel safer.
What I have found striking is that I feel much more relaxed on my bike than in my car. I actually feel safer.
Amazing! I don't feel any safer. But I still ride.
As old members of this forum may remember, we were carfree for eight years while our children were younger. We used the bicycle to get almost everywhere, and occasionally the bus, and sometimes we would take the train to Albuquerque to go to the zoo. When our oldest daughter hit middle school, we bought a car. She got into a good charter school that is a good way outside of town. Their elementary school was a short walk/scooter ride for them, and I'm glad they had the independence, as small children, of being able to leave the house and get themselves to school. My wife and I still use our bicycles for most things, and I still do most of my commuting to work by bicycle as well. Personally, I would still be happy not to own the car, but I grudgingly admit that there are some things that are easier - like backpacking trips and day hikes, with one, though the city has been running a shuttle up to the ski basin that makes even backpacking easier without a car. (And, there are now continuous trails from the city of Santa Fe to the Pecos Wilderness thanks to the recently built La Piedre Trail.)
The worst thing that I remember from our carfree days was the time my daughter wanted to be in elementary school cheerleading. I thought it was just something she would be doing at her school, but they had to cheer at elementary school basketball games around the city. It was winter, so sometimes the roads were too icy to bicycle. We would take the city bus, but then we would have to walk to whatever school it was. I remember trudging through ankle deep snow, through the dark, to a basketball game, with my daughter swathed in a heavy coat over her cheerleading uniform. It seemed like one of those things that just plain sucked. Why would they have games after dark, in the snow, for elementary kids? We usually settle down when it starts to get dark. I didn't really feel so bad about our choice to demonstrate environmental responsibility for our kids by now owning a car, but I hated that this social thing was set up that so clearly revolved around driving to places. We could afford a car - What about the families who couldn't? How would they feel.
Anyway, another time we had biked over for one of our daughter's circus performances with Wise Fool New Mexico. I said something to another parent about now owning a car, and she literally said, "you can't raise children in Santa Fe without owning a car." I kept repeating that we didn't own a car, and life was not only possible, but magical. She kept denying that it was even possible. That was the most bizarre conversation of our carfree period.
Have fun with all of your bicycling and walking.
Amazing! I don't feel any safer. But I still ride.
I used to ride my bike ALL over all five boroughs of NYC. I didn't necessarily feel safer than I would have if i'd been driving (an odd hobby that would be, driving around NYC just to see what all the neighborhoods look like...) but I didn't feel unsafe either. I had three accidents in all those years, 2 where I rear ended cars and one where I hit another bike head on which was the worst of the three. The bike/bike accident was the other guy's fault, he turned the corner coming wrong way down a one way street towards me. The ones where I hit cars were my fault but caused no damage to the cars. (I had to take my bike on the subway home both times as it was not rideable. ) I don't think the driver of the taxi I hit even knew anything had happened, although his passengers in the backseat must've heard the thump because they turned to look out the back window, with shocked looks on their faces as he drove away.
I used to ride my bike ALL over all five boroughs of NYC. I didn't necessarily feel safer than I would have if i'd been driving (an odd hobby that would be, driving around NYC just to see what all the neighborhoods look like...) but I didn't feel unsafe either. I had three accidents in all those years, 2 where I rear ended cars and one where I hit another bike head on which was the worst of the three. The bike/bike accident was the other guy's fault, he turned the corner coming wrong way down a one way street towards me. The ones where I hit cars were my fault but caused no damage to the cars. (I had to take my bike on the subway home both times as it was not rideable. ) I don't think the driver of the taxi I hit even knew anything had happened, although his passengers in the backseat must've heard the thump because they turned to look out the back window, with shocked looks on their faces as he drove away.
Yikes!
Yikes!
Yeah, my life in NYC had a lot more thrills in it than my current life. Some days I really miss that.
ToomuchStuff
6-10-16, 1:21am
A feeling of safety is in the mind. It is what the TSA hopes to instill on us, while failing to find a high percentage of explosives or other failings.
That said, one may be safer from vehicles when on paths where they aren't, but other obstacles and their risks rise.
That said, one may be safer from vehicles when on paths where they aren't, but other obstacles and their risks rise.
Absolutely. In NY one of the places I rode where I felt least safe was the brooklyn bridge. Trying to dodge a couple thousand tourists walking on the path and ignoring the signs to stay on one side of the path while they attempted to take the perfect photo made the experience somewhat akin to an obstacle course. Eventually I got smart enough to not ride there on weekends when the weather was nice.
I am very lucky to live only about 3 miles from my work. I mostly ride (Feb will be 2 years) my bike - but when it is
snowy or icy I walk. My SIL gave me some little studded straps you stretch over your shoes. So Cool! I walked yesterday when we had freezing rain and I could walk briskly without slipping. And they sound just like studded tires when on bare pavement!
I now have a 6-7 minute walk commute to work and am actually looking forward to doing it in the snow (but not ice). Can't wait to try out my several coat/boot combinations.
Ask me how this goes in February.
I am super impressed with that 6-7 minute walking commute. My dream commute. Maybe you should invest in those gripper things for bottom of your boots--they are like chains only for boots? Yak Trax is one.
A large portion of my walk is through my development, which may or may not be plowed/salted at 6:30 am. I've been told that the ice is really bad at the employee entrance behind my work building; several people slip and fall every winter. No one will be there that early to salt it either. I've got my LL Bean Storm Chaser shoes, which of course, like anything else, will be useless on ice. Walking in snowpiles may be safer unless I have those gripper things.
Float On
12-12-16, 10:03am
I can't walk or bike anywhere along the 12 mile commute to work. I'm stuck driving and I hate it.
I walk to work. My commute takes approximately 14 seconds in the morning--from bedroom to home office. Traffic gets heavier in the evening, when I have to walk upstairs from the kitchen. Sometimes I have to dodge a cat who is not obeying the traffic laws, or get waylaid by a highwayman (DH) who wants a giant and lengthy hug before I get back to work!
Congratulations to Gardenarian too!
I would love to have an alternative. I drive and often have to go from place to place during the day. I have a lease until next June and then if my son moves out I am considering moving closer to my work site so I could bike some of the time. My commute is better when I make sure I have a snack. I start driving home between 6 and 6:30 so having a drink and a small snack sure helps. When I think ahead I also try to get something like a pod-cast
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