How’s Your Commute?

[AKBeemer]

As I was driving to work yesterday I had what passes for an incident of road rage in Fairbanks, Alaska. My commute is less than two miles, there are no traffic lights and it is all on secondary roads. As I was on the one mile stretch of highway that approaches the university I noticed a guy weaving and tail-gating his way through the few cars on the road. Before my anger could fully develop I was at work. Now this sort of thing seldom happens to me here, but it made me reflect about the impact long commutes in heavy traffic can have on a person. In a past life I lived in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and had to attend regular meetings in the Pentagon. I often was able to make the commute by helicopter, but sometimes I had to drive; it was absolute hell. If you did not leave the Pentagon by 3:30 you might as well wait until 6:30-7:00. The traffic was like being a gladiator, full of confrontation and irate people venting their rage. To me having to spend two hours or more every day in an environment that breads anger and rage is simply unacceptable. Living where I do comes with its challenges and is certainly not for everyone, but the last traffic jam here was caused by a caribou herd moving through town. I recall a statistic from a year or so ago that indicated that a significant percentage of Americans actually spend the equivalent of a 6th work day each week commuting to and from work; a tough way to live. So how about you; how’s your commute and how does it impact your life? Is it worth it?

[Manfred]

Nearly 30 years ago, I lived in Glen Burnie, MD and worked at Ft. Belvoir, VA. Every day I commuted 60 miles each way, across Woodrow Wilson bridge in a VW bug convertible. It affected my outlook. :mad

Now, I live 2 miles from work. I ride nearly every day and go out of my way to make the ride worth putting my helmet on. I'm outside Houston, but morning traffic can be a bear. I try to go to work early enough to miss most of it and that allows me to head home before the other end. One major determining factor in us buying the house we did was my wife's desire that she not have to deal with me after driving/riding 20 or more miles in traffic to get home from work. This turned out to be good for all who lived in our house. :thumb

[88bmwJeff]

I have applied a one hour rule. I will not work more than one hours drive from where I live. That would still account for ten hours per week, but there are many people here in the San Francisco Bay Area who commute two plus hours each way. That being said, all of my employers have been within a 15 minute commute.

For short time, I commuted into San Francisco for work until our satellite office closer to home was opened. It was very tiring waking up early to get parking at BART (local rail service) and getting home late. On a weird side note, I have those same hours again since our son was born (about 1 year now). But, it's for a different reason now.

There are some sacrifices that I've made. We live in a townhome closer to work instead of a detached home further away. Sometimes I happy about this choice, while at other times I'm not. Anyone who deals with an HOA knows what I'm talking about.

[rinty]

I've always located my offices close to home. Presently the commute is 12 minutes; 20 minutes at rush hour.

There's a few cowboys in our traffic that you wouldn't want to tangle with, so I don't provoke the idiots like I used to.

Now if we could just get our teen-ager to do likewise...

[robsryder]

I've been working at The Ohio State University lately. I am able to walk to the Engineering College from my house.

I've thought about getting a motorcycle parking permit as the bikes get the best spots and the cost is only $15/yr, but my bike wouldn't warm up going to and fro. If I take an indirect route, I might get distracted and miss class or a meeting! :laugh

[BONEY]

I commute twice a week, one hour each way. 10 miles of small secondary roads, 10 miles of 4 lane divided highway, and about 25 miles of freeway. On the motorcycle there are no issues- ever. Really, riding it takes all the worries out of the commute. In the car there's always the slowpoke holding everyone up, or the rolling roadblock on the muti-lane sections. What can you do besides ride the motorcycle as much as possible?

[Bob1100RTC]

I live a mile from work. My commute is a breeze. I used to drive 20 miles to the other side of Pittsburgh. That was trying at times.

[nhbmw]

15 miles and 25-30 minutes if I go the short way with the cagers. A bit longer the other way, but 3/4 of that is countryside sweepers with low traffic. Very enjoyable until I have to negotiate the Merge from Hell (I-293 / I-93). Then there's the national chain donut shop on the right, where I've witnessed several near T-bones and the debris of several actual ones. When the late-for-work cagers have the sugar and caffeine fix in one hand and the cell in the other, watch out!

[rinty]

...watch out...

There are a few intersections in my city that I will not make certain turns at; I figure it's just a question of odds and I'll get nailed.

[AKBeemer]

I was really surprised when last summer my wife and I rode the stretch of highway between Edmonton and Calgary. The traffic was unbelievable in both the number of vehicles and the speed they traveled. It was raining and there was a very strong cross wind. We eventually surrendered and jumped on the maze of side roads to get down south. I had not expected anything like that.

[yellowrosefarm]

Currently 6 miles of country 2 lane, 3 stop signs and 2 traffic lights. No traffic going or coming home to speak of. Back in the 80's, I lived in Front Royal and worked in Fairfax. I had the R75/5 and rode it most days. If traffic wasn't bad I could make it in an hour and 15 min. Sometimes it took 2 1/2 hours to get home. After that, I said I would never commute more than 30 minutes and I haven't.

[queretaro]

I often ride between Fairfax (aka Fatass) and Front Royal on Sunday afternoon on State Route 55; well almost, since I usually stop at the Apple House in Linden for a bite to eat and then return. Can't imagine commuting weekdays from Front Royal to Fatass on I-66; although for 4 years I did between Fatass and Bethesda on I-495. I traded that for a 6 mile ride to work and have not looked back.
regards,
Mark

[bubbagazoo]

I live on the outskirts of Edmonton and work in St. Albert. Most of the urban portion of the commute is in St. Albert to my office. I have two route options. One that takes me on to highway 28 and one that takes the back roads. I don't have to deal with much traffic at all. So, I arrive quite relaxed. And it's 20 minutes each way.

[cheesewhiz]

For the past 8+ years, until this past October, my commute was about 6 miles round trip. Good: low fuel bills, and no wasted time.
Bad: Rude drivers are everywhere, and no decompression time. The economy solved that problem as that company shut down.

I then took a job with a 34 mile one way commute which was 95% expressway (I90 between Janesville, and Madison, WI). And I mean Expressway. I like to go fast but this was pretty white knuckle at times (Especially when it snowed). :uhoh

That job lasted three months as I was recruited by a company about two miles down the road (More $ bigger/company YAY!). That moved my commute from the Interstate to a 35 mile one way commute via a two lane state road through a rural area. I love it! 45 Minutes with a cup of coffee and the radio in the morning and a nice relaxing cruise home afterwards with time to review my day and plan for the evening and the next day. It’s been about three months and I LOVE IT. I took the bike for the first time today. This is going to be a great year! :dance

[flymymbz]

I actually enjoy my commute. Just about 14 miles if I take the highway, 16-17 if I take the orchard/back roads.

Heavy traffic is seeing more than 20 cars headed in the same direction as I am.

This time of the year, the last of the snow on the tops of the hills is melting away and everything is starting to turn green. Within the next two-three weeks, the pear, apple, apricot and cherry trees will be blooming.

I do encounter the occasional idjit; the one that has to pass everyone and be first to the stoplight at the west end of town. Last time someone blew past me, they met up with Bambi 1/2 mile down the road. Oh well, better him in his car than me on the bike.

[32232]

I have a 20-25 minute drive from a small town into a moderate sized city. The entire trip is on an undivided four lane county road that passes through one suburb and turns into a divided expressway once in the city. There are nine traffic lights enroute.

This contributes to outstanding gas mileage. Cruising speed on the county roads is about 85 km/h (52 mph) and makes up the bulk of the trip. I'm getting about 72 mpg (Imperial) on the F800 and 35 mpg in the Subaru.

The biggest impediment is left lane hogs. Typically middle aged women and elderly men who create rolling road blocks by pacing the school buses in the right lane. Why not stay in their lane if you're not going to pass? They must be aware of the 10-15 vehicles they have stacked up behind them.

They really get my goat.

[rmarkr]

................The traffic was like being a gladiator, full of confrontation and irate people venting their rage............

I must agree. The traffic around DC is out of control. The whole transportation system (including the tube) is hopelessly overloaded - and would require the whole bailout to fix. I visit my sister in Vienna, and find it a real pain trying to get anywhere. On a more synical note, I tell myself that this is where my tax dollars go, and there seems to be too much money flying around.

My commute is a relaxing 10 mile ride with some great views of the Lowcountry marshes and creeks, although there are plenty of f%#kwits who have no clue how the traffic system should work - as they say - being stupid (and inconsiderate) is not a crime.

[26667]

I live in the Chicago suburbs and my work most often takes me right into the heart of the city; what we call the "Loop." Sometimes, though, I work further out in the 'burbs. All these work sites are about 15-16 miles from my house. All accessible by multi-lanes or by two-laners thru residential and commercial/light industrial areas. Or endless combinations of both. The range in travel time can vary from twenty minutes door-to-door, to an hour and a half. Inbound, outbound, day, nite, hoidays, mid-week. Most often about 45 minutes of slow riding practice. It's all a guessing game w no apparant rhyme or reason. If it rains, forget about it.

I've always believed that there's just a couple guys, on each roadway, early in the day who do something stupid, and then we all pay the rest of the day. Of course those errors and unfathomable acts of incosiderate carelessness are componded as the day wears on by more of the same, plus a few thousand phone calls made by by people who can't discern between red and green lites. And so we all tap our brakes, and shout "go! Go! Just F#$@ing GO!" at our windshields, or the inside of our helmets.

Drivers' Ed is a complete and total failure. There are only thirty people in the entire nation who understand the purpose of those paint lines on the highways. And don't get me started on all the people who own race cars, sports cars, and jungle-terrain-capable SUVs with rear-view video cameras, special sensors, temperature controlled environments, outside mirror de-foggers and chrome sneeze-proof fender vents. They all drive them like they're in some old broken down Model-T with three flat tires and no steering wheel. And what is it that's so fascinating on the passenger seat that they just HAVE to look down at it just as the light turns green?

And Boston's worse.

[rinty]

...the...highway between Edmonton and Calgary...the traffic was unbelievable...AKBeemer

That is the Queen Elizabeth Way, formerly Highway 2, and is the main north / south transportation corridor in Alberta. It was built in 1955 and has only recently been upgraded, but only in parts.

There are a million people in Calgary now, and Edmonton is the hub for services to the northern Alberta energy sector, including the Oilsands. Also, Alberta, generally, has one of the strongest economies in the world, so you have the makings for a lot of traffic.

It truly is a race track. For a number of years, the RCMP weren't even enforcing the speed limits on it, but now the provincial police have re-started the program.

However, MOA riders have a choice of taking highways 22 and 21 for north / south transits, and 22 is quite nice.

[BubbaZanetti]

Not bad, i had a new commuting record this week! 14 minutes door to door. The bus picks up right in front of my house, the subway drops off right in front of work, the walk between the bus and subway is about 500 feet. an average commute is 30ish minutes. i live about 2-3 miles as the crow flies from my work which is next to times sq.


i do miss my leisurely 45 min backroads motorcycle commute a bit though.

[deilenberger]

My commute is 14 miles of concentrated rudeness in NJ. Rude and agressive is taken to the level of an art-form by NJ drivers. Let someone in line? Not if it's a car - but surprisingly they almost always let in the bike.. Signal for a corner or a turn? Nope - they might turn the turnsignal on AS they make the turn, they don't want to reveal their move. Following distance? Hey, an inch is as good as a mile (until you suddenly stop..)

Driving to work in the cage - always seems somewhat stressful, and I almost always have some hockey-puck crawling up my butt (this is doing a real 70MPH in a 55 zone.. a NJ tradition.) If you move right, the dump truck in that lane is gonna slow down to a crawl and the guy now on your left will do his very best to keep you from getting around the truck.

Funny thing is - riding to work on the bike, it's an entirely different experience. Dunno how - but somehow on the bike I always manage to create a nice safe zone around me - 4-5 car-lengths behind the car in front, and able to keep the maniac behind me 3 car-lengths or so back. I have no idea why it's different car to bike, but it's really noticeable.

That's taking highway on the way TO work. On the way home, if I'm on the bike, it's backroads all the way home. Makes for a very pleasant and relaxed ride, just have a lot of deer to dodge. I don't take the backroads to work until June when school lets out - since from September to June, the ride becomes 15 minutes longer due to school buses.

It's nice having a choice.

[crazydrummerdude]

1.6 miles with 2 stop signs that.. you can easily roll through. :hide

Small town, not enough room to get in a road rage fight.

[squiffynimrod]

That is the Queen Elizabeth Way, formerly Highway 2, and is the main north / south transportation corridor in Alberta. It was built in 1955 and has only recently been upgraded, but only in parts.

There are a million people in Calgary now, and Edmonton is the hub for services to the northern Alberta energy sector, including the Oilsands. Also, Alberta, generally, has one of the strongest economies in the world, so you have the makings for a lot of traffic.

It truly is a race track. For a number of years, the RCMP weren't even enforcing the speed limits on it, but now the provincial police have re-started the program.

However, MOA riders have a choice of taking highways 22 and 21 for north / south transits, and 22 is quite nice.

Used to live in Calgary and have driven the #2 many times. I agree that the speed limit seemed to only be a suggestion. I laughed when I saw the RCMP car used for that highway- V8 Camaro!
Most blatant high speed I saw- Hwy 22X going towards Bragg Creek- the local Ferrari club passed us going the opposite way at obscene speeds- red black and yellow blurs. Seen some crotch rockets on the same stretch at warp speed too.

[108625]

We used to live in the country and commute 45 miles round trip to the base & home everyday before we retired. Anticipating we would have different schedules, and other reasons, we moved to town, and can often walk to the grocery store, credit union, barber shop, etc. I still have to cross town to go to college, about fifteen minutes each way.

We live next to an elementary school. One day I stopped for a couple of kids waiting to enter the crosswalk, when a punk in a mini-pickup rolled right through the thing just as they started in front of me. I quickly made a gesture I use on my bike a lot: two fingers pointing at my eyes, and then pointed at the kids as he passed, and he gestured back with his middle finger, as he sped up and left.
I wanted to turn around and follow the guy until he stopped and got out, just to break his finger, so quickly did my outrage make me want to sink to his level.

Do I speed at times? Sure, I admit it... but not in town, or near "population". There's plenty of open country around here for that. Getting all bent out of shape because someone in front of me isn't knocking the pedestrians out of the way fast enough is just not how I was raised. Being an @$$ because someone caught you endangering children, well I guess that's the new "Grand Theft Auto" way.

[yngswen]

My commute is, in its straight-line form, a 10 mile straight shot from the 'burbs to what is still the outskirts of the Denver metro. Traffic and its foolishness can be avoided by leaving early. It also allows the luxury of chosing the cage, a m/c or a bicycle commute.:bolt

Here's the trick... Who are people talking to on their cell phones at 6:30 in the morning? What topic is so urgent that it has to be addressed at this hour and so unexpected that you couldn't leave earlier to call from the office? If these were isolated cases I'd understand, but it seems that one-in-four drivers is on the phone. :blah

[kreinke]

25 miles, no more than 3 stop signs. few if any cars, but lots and lots of deer. sheesh. Some mornings during rut I see 2 to 3 doz.

[shakeybone]

I have a 25mile, 45 minute commute, on a nice day with the bike I can make it about 100miles long to get home.
All back roads, about 5 miles at 50mph is the fastest.
The most common traffic jam I hit is about 5 miles from my house when the mother goose crosses the road from the field to the pond with her young.

[Belquar]

I have a 50 mile commute one way. Use to have a 17 mile commute one way. The times that I travel are not bad. I come home after midnight and leave around lunchtime so I don't deal with "rushhour". Fastest time ever....27 min. Slowest 2 hours. Usually make it in about 45 min.

Sitting in traffic....not for me. I would lose my mind if I had to do it regularly. My folks live in Fairfax, VA. My dad works for General Dynamics. His office was in Rosslyn. About 12-15 miles away. He could leave work at 5:00 and get home at 7 or he could leave work at 6:30 and get home at 7. He opted to stay later always.
His office recently moved and is now in walking distance. He figures he got back nearly a month of his life with his new commute.

Every time we go visit them, I am reminded why I could not live in the Northern Virginia area.

[GrafikFeat]

I noticed a guy weaving and tail-gating his way through the few cars on the road. Before my anger could fully develop I was at work.

That comment stood out enough for me to comment.
Why would your anger develop? There is more at play here than some clown tailgaiting, etc.

I commute 108+ miles a day. 90% on 2 wheels. Barely law abiding as well...
That being said, to let someone anger me over driving... Well it ain't gonna happen.
You pull up behind me to tailgate I'll letcha go by.
The thing here in Seattle is to be a moving road block.
No one moves to the right in the passing lane. It's the passive/aggressive BS. I just go around 'em. They look up in their mirror and wave you off... Buddy, I'd go around you BUT you ARE in the passing lane.
The other thing common here is to speed up when you change lanes or merge. Then they act as if they were cut off. WTF?

So when you say "Before my anger could fully develop I was at work." Well it just seems you have other issues and it really doesn't matter where you live. Traffic ain't the issue here.

Just my observation.

[AKBeemer]

Traffic ain't the issue here.

Just my observation.

Danke schone Herr Freud:gerg , but remember sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
:laugh :laugh :laugh

[GrafikFeat]

Danke schone Herr Freud:gerg , but remember sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
:laugh :laugh :laugh

Aye!
Kick back and enjoy it!
Life's too short.
http://thumb2.webshots.net/s/thumb2/3/88/4/26138804TWlOxhqobt_th.jpg (http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1026138804033448122TWlOxhqobt)

[pffog]

Down a flight of stairs, to the kitchen for breakfast and coffee, than 20 steps to the office. Life is good.

[cathdeac]

There are some Spainards who invested in Toll Roads here in Texas. They don't really take you anywhere, except to the Traffic Jam quicker.

My Kommute to the Kubehell has been better...

Anyway, lately I've been doing it all "remote" and working from home... so my "kommute" is only 40 feet... 60 if I add the Coffee Pot route.

As for "other" drivers, I try to stay away from them...but there are plenty of opportunities if I wanted to "partake".