Commuting priorities? Distance, scenery or safety?
Originally Posted by
johngwheeler
I started bike commuting a couple of months ago, and have started to consider different route choices and the factors that influence these…
So I've started to wonder whether I should err on the side of caution and choose quieter roads, even if this involves a longer distance.
Another consideration is scenery - quiet suburban roads are generally justprettier and have more parkland to cross than busy thoroughfares. Perhaps mycommute should involve more agreeable surroundings?
What are your priorities when choosing a route?
John.
I have described my commute on the thread “Describe Your Commute.”
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
Kenmore Square, Boston to Norwood over 30 years
Route: Reverse commute from downtown on four different routes of a minimal distance of 14 miles, each defined by a different hill; can expand to about 30 miles to train
Environment: In order of hill difficulty: Gritty (but safe) urban, pleasant suburban, pleasant urban, ritzy suburban
Hills: One moderate hill on each route, then smaller hills; estimate only about 1-2 miles flat
Frequency: Variable over the decades; currently about 50% in winter; 75% nice weather (work is an obstacle)…
My routes are about the safest non-MUP routes I think that I have read about…the reverse commuter direction on residential and light commercial roads, early in the AM, and after evening rush hour, well-tended in the Winter; and some MUP. Nonetheless, I was hit from behind on a wide, low-volume residential, suburban road. 
My four major routes are all of a minimal distance of 14 miles. Since I ride for fitness, with the commute my only time to ride, I can extend them for up to 30 miles as time and energy permit,through some of the nicest cycling areas in Metro Boston. I even go into work on Saturdays for a short time at my convenience via extended long routes of over 40 miles.
Regarding scenery, I prefer interesting to pretty, well-satisfied on an urban commute. Most people assume that you see more on a bike than in a car, but I have posted:
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
I'm very motivated by novelty, and stymied by boredom on a bike, but I do have the motivation of commuting to work. I have found that when I drive my frequent, decades-old routes I often notice things I had not seen before. I think it’s because I can look around at more than just the road surface when driving.
So when the commute [route] is getting too familiar, I just raise my head higher and look over a wider field of view….
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 04-19-17 at 11:04 AM.