Living Car Free - stress vs. Stress

For those of you about to ride,
how is your stress compared to when you drove?
When I heard the traffic on the tens this morning I realized it's been a long time since it mattered at all.
People at work go on about The Traffic, The Traffic.
Dodging potholes and squirrels is small, cars a little bigger, but the after effect is better.

Cycling is more mentally relaxing no doubt due to the exercise involved.

As a motorist, I am very relaxed and patient. I don't mind one bit being stuck in a jam or driving slowly.

Seeing all the waste does get to me a bit though.

Al

Each morning's bike ride to work is like a new adventure. The air is good (especially when riding away from traffic...), weather is now cool but dry. I arrive at work relaxed and can hardly wait for the ride home. Stress? :)

Yesterday I was visiting a girlfriend and her six year old daughter asked her " Mommy, how come the only time I hear you say bad words is when you drive the car?"

I used to get somewhat stressed commuting. That was because I was reacting to getting cutoff, nearly clipped, drivers shouting obscenities at me, etc, etc. And I believe the stress was having an accumulative effect on me over the years. Until I almost got in a fist fight with a young, hot-headed, 'race-car' driver, that is.

It was then that I realized it was no longer worth reacting. My serene mood achieved while cycling, was gradually being taken from me. Things had to change - it was really starting to stress me out. That was about a year ago (I think). But that stress was still a lot less than when I drove.

My stress level has reduced since I changed jobs. Now I live four miles from work. A difficult day is greatly reduced once I get on my bike and ride. Riding my bike has helped out a great deal.

Gas, the price of a can of beans.

Stress you ask? Remember the term "Road Rage" was invented by
car drivers!!:eek::eek:

I ride to relax every chance I get.....both in a car and on my trike. ;)

I used to get somewhat stressed commuting. That was because I was reacting to getting cutoff, nearly clipped, drivers shouting obscenities at me, etc, etc. And I believe the stress was having an accumulative effect on me over the years. Until I almost got in a fist fight with a young, hot-headed, 'race-car' driver, that is.

It was then that I realized it was no longer worth reacting. My serene mood achieved while cycling, was gradually being taken from me. Things had to change - it was really starting to stress me out. That was about a year ago (I think). But that stress was still a lot less than when I drove.

Reacting, you said it! This might be the key to much of what goes on internally.
Another guy who bikes to work frequently has encounter tales.
It makes you wonder how much of this is in our control, a sort of choice.
May cooler heads prevail.

Riding with traffic is its own stress, its a very different stress to driving in traffic. Driving is a toxic stress that corrodes your soul and frays your nerves - it leads to the sort of road rage that makes the 9 o'clock news. The riding stress is not like that, its more like a state of hyperawareness and constantly being on standby to take evasive maneouvers. It does start to wear me down on longer journeys, a bit like battle fatigue I would guess. But it's easily countered with a bit of open empty road and a good turn of leg speed to get it out of my system.

My daily commuting containg a couple of hours of riding on the cycleways and MUP's which are virtually devoid of foot traffic, and the few cyclists I encounter are experienced regular commuters. It's absolute bliss.

My stress level on my bike is 10 times the level it is in the car. Just getting out of this mentally defective neighborhood is a chore but not usually life threatening then the real stress begins. To get anywhere there is one 2 lane, no shoulder road fed by dead end streets on both sides and used by people to get around town. The mind set here is "if it ain't in a car then run it off the road or over it". That includes alligators, armadillos, nutrias, dogs, cats, raccoons, turtles, ducks, kids, pedestrians and any thing else that wanders on to the roadway without a car. Even a cop out of his/hers car is not safe.
Yeah riding a bike is very stressful. I have to force my self to do it. :(:mad: And tomorrow I'll probably do it again:eek:

I am never really stress when I leave for my ride, and most days I arrive at my destination relaxed. There is the odd time however that a car decides to try and take me off the road. I have a pretty good comute though. In the past I went through the downtown core of my city and was always in a bad mood.

I don't find it nearly as stressful as driving even when I'm pinched against a railing trying to stay upright on cornmeal snow and black ice. I say good morning to a reindeer every day! And there are moose around on the local trails. What's not to like? I'm livin' in paradise.