Commuting - What's Better: Inbound or Outbound?

Riding in on theis beautiful spring morning it occured to me that I really do enjoy the inbound trip more, on the whole, than the outbound. Traffic is less concentrated. It's always daylight. It's never sweltering and often it's the nicest part of the day. At night the drivers seem more aggressive and careless, traffic is denser, the air is dirtier.

Or maybe it's just that my outbound ride has more nasty left turns.

Anyway, this seemed like an easy topic for a simple poll.

RichC

I am new to commuting. I think I continue to push myself on the way in. I know I have plenty of time, but still want to get there fast.

I like the outbound most, because I can stop and get breakfast or shop the garage sale.

Inbound, definitely inbound for lots of reasons, going down hills instead of up em, its a cooler, more pleasant ride, and I haven't just worked for 8-10 hours

I always enjoyed the ride to work in the morning the best. Yes, less traffic. The ride home always seemed anti-climatic....in the morning I could always look forward to the ride home later.

It has to be outbound.
Outbound means I'm outta that torture den!! :crash:
But I have to agree with the others who say the ride in is nicer.
It's the destination I dread. :(

Outbound, because there's a hot bath and a cold glass of wine waiting for me! :D

And because I often cycle in alone, but have company on the way home.

Inbound, definitely, because there is less traffic. (I typically arrive at the office before 06:30 and leave sometime after 16:00 or 17:00.)

I voted for inbound to work, because there is less traffic at 6.30, there is a bit more downhill than uphill, the wind is usually with me and I can watch the sun coming up. The worst part is stopping when I get to work.

On the other hand in the evening I have time to try out other less direct routes which adds variety to the rides, and there is more chance of meeting people I can chat with as I ride.

Inbound is best for me since i have about a 25 min ride before i really hit the traffic. its nice to ride throught the neighborhoods in the cool mornings. by the time i hit the big intrersectons i'm ready to hammer. the reverse is true on the way home. It's already hot in the afternoons (Austin Tx). its been in the 90's. I hit a major intersection with an interstate 5min into my ride home and it's at the top of the biggest hill on my route. Whaaa! the good part is after the first 20min on the way home i can relax and ride however i want. by this time i have excercised my work deamons out and fell relaxed and am looking foreword to a beer. still the ride in is the sweet one.

how bout them gas prices! HA!

Cael

I used to think outbound, but there's been a fierce wind blowing in my face for the last few weeks when I come home, so I'm going to have to switch to inbound. I don't know, though. There seem to be fewer joggers on the bike path when I ride home, which is really nice.

andy

Its about equal for me...
Mornings are cooler not as hot....although your going to work (not the best destination)...

Getting off is a bit nicer because you're finally leaving work...thing is when you're FINALLY off, you get to ride home <ergh> im a waiter so i stand all day.

Its all good

Originally posted by Rich Clark
Riding in on theis beautiful spring morning it occured to me that I really do enjoy the inbound trip more, on the whole, than the outbound. Traffic is less concentrated. It's always daylight. It's never sweltering and often it's the nicest part of the day. At night the drivers seem more aggressive and careless, traffic is denser, the air is dirtier.
This about sums it up for me. But in the final analysis, "it's all good."

Yes, the mornings are definitely sweetest. But the afternoons allow me to pass motorists, instead of the other way around.

:D

It's funny how many of you are saying that the traffic is heavier on the way home. I have the opposite. I ride in peak hour both ways, but the ride in definitely has the heavier traffic.

The ride in is less congested and I'm fresher.

The ride home means I'm off to see my wife and kids.

It's all good.

all good for me, going to college is about the same traffic as going home, and it is all mostly flats. 24 hour cities never really have times when there are no people out. ;)

While I enjoy the early morning ride in, I've always noticed that I experience more instances of rude and unsafe motorists in the morning than in the afternoons. I would think it would be the opposite, but I've come to believe that people are under more time pressure in the mornings.

For me the inbound is WAY better. 5km downhill the rest is flat. I don't even ride home as it is dark by 5.30pm now and the hills roads are too busy and narrow for peak hour traffic.

I think the traffic is heavier in the afternoon as everyone leaves work at 5.00pm sharp, so the roads are fairly busy. In the mornings people have to drop off kids, run errands etc, so they tend to start work more staggered.

Remember this is Australia, working back late is not part of our culture.:D

CHEERS.

Mark

Originally posted by Dutchy


Remember this is Australia, working back late is not part of our culture.:D


It's 7:00pm and I'm still here at work. I guess I'm not very cultured.

I find drivers slightly better in the evening, and enjoy the lack of time pressure, but the mornings can be wonderful too. I cycle in to work fairly often but don't always cycle the whole way home...

Tricky choice, so I'll go for the third option.

Richard