globalrider
Alps Adventurer
City driving and putting up with traffic would make a ride to and from work simply boring.
There is nothing like sitting in an air condtioned car listening to music on those hot days in traffic.
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Do you ride your motorcycle to work?
- Thread starter RJM2096
- Start date
City driving and putting up with traffic would make a ride to and from work simply boring.
There is nothing like sitting in an air condtioned car listening to music on those hot days in traffic.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
But riding in Downtown Chicago traffic is not for the faint of heart.
Driving there wasn't an issue; road condtion was.
Did they fix all those potholes, or is that a Chicago trademark?
P
professor
Guest
Riding in city traffic is boring? I find it keeps me very focused - at least i'd better be focused. I don't find it boring at all and it gives me the opportunity to ride every day - not just weekends.
S
STANHY
Guest
When gas hit $3/gallon, that was my excuse for finally investing in the bike. 30 miles round trip, lots of options for some nice rides when time permits. From March through Oct/November I ride in more than drive in. Rain, wind, cold temps. Slippery roads, no...Street tires don't like sand and ice much.
Last winter I rode year round.
This year.......not so much...and boy does that stink!!!!!
Last winter I rode year round.
This year.......not so much...and boy does that stink!!!!!
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Whatever floats your boat.
I got trained being focused while flying. I believe having to watch what my student does and says while also having to split my concentration with ATC while also looking for traffic in three dimensional space did more for multi-tasking, than any driving ever did.
I'd sooner put my miles on here...
...than here...
darrylri
Cannonball Rider #52
...than here...
Hey! That's the 101-134 eastbound split! I've ridden through there hundreds of times. The traffic's not so bad in the photo -- it can be much worse.
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
Darryl, there are about 500 cars too many in that photo...never mind the cars...the road is far too wide and straight.
marty miles 138622
Of course I ride to work. Its the only thing that keeps me sane. Riding clears my head and allows me to focus on the important things in life, like surviving the next shift. (I'm a welder with a large bulk carrier transport company and we carry a lot of very nasty stuff and I'm required to repair the tankers should they spring a leak.) My Beemer gives me the ability to leave behind all of the days frustrations and let me go to work with A CLEAR HEAD.
Of course I ride to work. Its the only thing that keeps me sane. Riding clears my head and allows me to focus on the important things in life, like surviving the next shift. (I'm a welder with a large bulk carrier transport company and we carry a lot of very nasty stuff and I'm required to repair the tankers should they spring a leak.) My Beemer gives me the ability to leave behind all of the days frustrations and let me go to work with A CLEAR HEAD.
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotamy
P
professor
Guest
GlobalRider, I didn't say I prefer riding in city traffic. I would much rather ride on that beautiful mountain road you posted - and I ride in the Texas Hill Country and elsewhere every chance I get. But due to job and family constraints, that's not nearly as often as I would like.
Your flying analogy is good. I've been in and around airplanes all my life. My dad flew in WWII, then managed an airport, became a flight instructor, and started a Civil Air Patrol chapter. He was also a certified A&E mechanic who was honored in Washington D.C. for his safety record. He also helped investigate crashes. When I was around 6 years old he became an ag pilot (crop duster) and continued that profession for almost 50 years (still spraying crops into his early 70's) and never crashed an airplane.
Sorry, I got carried away bragging on my dad.
But I still say - at least for me - riding to and from work everyday - even in Dallas traffic - is far better than not riding at all each day.
Your flying analogy is good. I've been in and around airplanes all my life. My dad flew in WWII, then managed an airport, became a flight instructor, and started a Civil Air Patrol chapter. He was also a certified A&E mechanic who was honored in Washington D.C. for his safety record. He also helped investigate crashes. When I was around 6 years old he became an ag pilot (crop duster) and continued that profession for almost 50 years (still spraying crops into his early 70's) and never crashed an airplane.
Sorry, I got carried away bragging on my dad.
But I still say - at least for me - riding to and from work everyday - even in Dallas traffic - is far better than not riding at all each day.
darrylri
Cannonball Rider #52
Maybe so, but about 5 miles to the right of that picture is Mulholland Dr. and a variety of other twisty little roads that are worth riding, even if they are in the middle of LA. And if you don't happen to live nearby, then taking the 101 is the way to get there.
About 10 miles west of this interchange is another one, the 101-405 interchange. The freeway is even wider there, and the traffic more congested. I rode through there every day to work and back for about 8 years, commuting from the San Fernando Valley to Santa Monica. Was it great riding? No, of course not, but it was better than driving!
globalrider
Alps Adventurer
I just couldn't be bothered riding in dense city traffic, not to mention, you have a far greater chance of getting seriously nailed no matter how sharp your wits are. If my home were at one end of that mountain road photo that I posted, and work was at the other end of it, sure, I'd ride to work if the roads were relatively clear of traffic.
Actually, I did ride to work a very long time ago before I owned car. And that was daily all winter long, not just on days when the roads were clear....-10??F and foot high snow at times...not like them whimpy Rounders.
But just like "do you ride in the rain" or "how many miles this year" threads, I never could figure out what the purpose of those questions are other than....
Sadly, I lost one of my students while he was on Civil Air Partrol as a passenger. They ran into a mountain. We remained good friends even though I refused to do his commercial pilot's licence (doing his private pilot licence was enough of a challenge for me). HP Canada transfered him to HP in San Jose where he got involved in Civil Air Patrol in the area.
F
FIFTHGEAR
Guest
Did not know what I had been missing: HOV I-95
My post in January
I did it! One Day Came today. 8-8-8. It took some time but I finally road my bike to the Pentagon. Great Day to ride my bike to work! Parking was available in the motorcycle parking lot and the weather in excellent. We will see how the traffic is at 7:00pm, If I stay that long. It was great coming in at 10:30am, no traffic on HOV.
I may be tempted to take half day just to ride.
My post in January
I did it! One Day Came today. 8-8-8. It took some time but I finally road my bike to the Pentagon. Great Day to ride my bike to work! Parking was available in the motorcycle parking lot and the weather in excellent. We will see how the traffic is at 7:00pm, If I stay that long. It was great coming in at 10:30am, no traffic on HOV.I may be tempted to take half day just to ride.
88bmwjeff
SF Bay Area
Haven't read any of the responses yet. I'll get to that over the weekend. Back to the question at hand......
I've been debating riding to work. I have a short commute (5-10 min.). It seems like I'd spend more time gearing up and removing the gear at work than I would riding. Also, my bike, an airhead, doesn't warm up til about 10 min of riding, so my bike would never warm up. Not the best for the bike. All this aside, I probably will start riding the bike to work given the current cost of gas.
Now if I only had a longer ride to work. How green is that wanting a longer commute?
I've been debating riding to work. I have a short commute (5-10 min.). It seems like I'd spend more time gearing up and removing the gear at work than I would riding. Also, my bike, an airhead, doesn't warm up til about 10 min of riding, so my bike would never warm up. Not the best for the bike. All this aside, I probably will start riding the bike to work given the current cost of gas.
Now if I only had a longer ride to work. How green is that wanting a longer commute?
godzilla
New member
I ride to work every day that the morning temperature is above freezing. From April to November, my bike is my only form of transportation, rain or shine, hot or cold unless she is in the shop for some reason.
It is a 17 mile commute each way starting on the dirt road in from of my house, a state highway, a paved county road, a US highway and into work, all rural. The hazards are trucks, farm equipment, turkeys and deer mostly.
I don't have any electric gear. When it is that cold, I am concerned with black ice, so I leave the bike parked. I have good rain gear and a warm suit for cold weather.
I adjust my work schedule a little to avoid riding in total darkness, such as leaving home in the morning a little later in the fall/winter/spring that I do in the summer.
If I get a decent day in the winter, I will ride. Most years I do get to ride occasionally in December and early January, but it seems after that, we get cold weather from mid-January through Feburary. I usually take my bike to the shop for winter service during that time.
I just don't understand why more people don't ride to work. They all have all kinds of excuses, but I don't think they really make the effort. Today, for example is a really nice day here in Indiana. It isn't too hot and it is sunny. So there were 8 bikes in the parking lot. But most days, there are only 3 or 4 at most, even on hot and sunny days.
It is a 17 mile commute each way starting on the dirt road in from of my house, a state highway, a paved county road, a US highway and into work, all rural. The hazards are trucks, farm equipment, turkeys and deer mostly.
I don't have any electric gear. When it is that cold, I am concerned with black ice, so I leave the bike parked. I have good rain gear and a warm suit for cold weather.
I adjust my work schedule a little to avoid riding in total darkness, such as leaving home in the morning a little later in the fall/winter/spring that I do in the summer.
If I get a decent day in the winter, I will ride. Most years I do get to ride occasionally in December and early January, but it seems after that, we get cold weather from mid-January through Feburary. I usually take my bike to the shop for winter service during that time.
I just don't understand why more people don't ride to work. They all have all kinds of excuses, but I don't think they really make the effort. Today, for example is a really nice day here in Indiana. It isn't too hot and it is sunny. So there were 8 bikes in the parking lot. But most days, there are only 3 or 4 at most, even on hot and sunny days.
beemer01
Active member
Downtown Chicago -
I do occasionally ride to work - almost always in conjunction with a client meeting - and often then into the belly of the beast - Downtown Chicago.
I actually don't find riding in Downtown to be a problem, more the expressway riding to get there. My escape route is riding down Sheridan Road and then LSD (Lake Shore Drive).
And since this is Chicago and we tend to have months of ice/snow and very cold temps, those months are restricted.
I do occasionally ride to work - almost always in conjunction with a client meeting - and often then into the belly of the beast - Downtown Chicago.
I actually don't find riding in Downtown to be a problem, more the expressway riding to get there. My escape route is riding down Sheridan Road and then LSD (Lake Shore Drive).
And since this is Chicago and we tend to have months of ice/snow and very cold temps, those months are restricted.
monkeywork
Mad Scientist
on my ride today, I took almost all back dirt roads.
hmmm maybe I do deserve a GS.
hmmm maybe I do deserve a GS.
