Just have to hoot!
 

I just did my first commute today! Four and a half miles each way, a quarter mile with a lot of traffic, but it went rather well. I am hooked!

Before long you will be wanting to either move house to be further away, or change jobs for the same reason!! :)

a

:beer:

How are you with the traffic? Okay?

Go spudz!

Congrats Spudz and welcome to the commuting club. There are a lot of people here who have recently started commuting and all of us are hooked. Keep it up and very quickly you will find the ride is easier than you ever thought possible. Keep us posted on the progress you make.

Traffic isn't a problem for me. I made sure to get out and get used to having vehicles whiz by my elbow before I decided to commute. Once I felt comfortable with that, I figured I'd be okay. So far, so good.

Cheers Spudz!!! Welcome to the fold from another commuter newbie convert!

Congrats,

4.5 miles is a good beginning distance. My commute to school is about that length. It takes me much longer to get to work.

As far a vehicles whizzing by your elbow, do you take the lane? When I started commuting I rode too close to the curb and cars passed me in the same lane I was traveling in thus they were pretty close to me when they passed. If you take the lane by getting far enought off the curb that the cars have to go into the next lane to pass you, you'll get more space and the ride will be more pleasant. It seems counter-intuitive at first, but it works, and in most states it is legal.

Congratulations again, it's better on a bike.
--AK

Yes, I do take the lane. What I meant by the vehicles whizzing by my elbow is that I wanted to get used to the idea of having that much metal coming from behind me, at a much higher rate of speed than I, going past me. Even if it is in the next lane. Just a comfort thing, I suppose.

Good job.

Nothing improves the enjoyment of life like having some quality recreation time at the beginning and end of the workday, instead of time wasted in a normal commute.

That is so true! I never feel like a bike commute is wasted, not even when I ride in a thunderstorm to discover that class has been cancelled. I would have been pissed had I done that in my car.

Congrats Spudz! I also did my first commute of 4.5 miles today as well and it was way better than doing it in my car.