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Old 05-02-06, 11:50 AM
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genec
genec
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: West Coast
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Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2

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Sometimes I do... but frankly it is a lousy bike ride filled with fast cars on multilaned roads... it does very little to lower my blood pressure.

My commute is on 45+MPH multilaned (4-6 lanes) roads that are very crowded, noisy and hilly. Not to mention all the fast intersections and business driveways... and of course the irratated rush hour drivers.

Part of my commute requires I get on the interstate (legal) and about 2 miles of my commute have been under construction (and sometimes underwater) for the 4 years I have been at this location.

All told, as a bike ride, it rather sucks. On the plus side, it is only about 8.5 miles each way, and it can be much faster on bike than in car to commute, depending on the time of day. For instance, I have had early evening obligations at 5 or 6 PM that I would not have otherwise been able to attend if I tried to drive to them. (well unless I left the office at 2-3 in the afternoon). I have then bike commuted and found, not to my surprise, that the motor vehicle traffic was at a complete standstill along every road I rode. In fact, this was my justification for commuting for many years to a different location that shared some of the same route... One particular road and intersection would typically be at a standstill for upwards of 45 minutes to an hour while motorists used this "shortcut" to a different freeway on ramp. Meanwhile, I would "zoom" past these waiting motorists at a whopping speed of 8MPH while climbing a steep hill... I never failed to make it to the top of the hill before motorists at the bottom could crawl up it. I found that quite amusing. It was probably the high point of that commute.

These days I do most of my riding on a very nice wide bike path just a few miles from my office... Quick 20 mile round trip at whatever pace I choose... with very little chance of meeting intersecting motor traffic... unlike the commute, where my focus has to be on traffic, not riding intensity (speed).
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