As a compliment to the 'what may annoy you when commuting' thread, how about what makes you happy?

I'll put the standard answers up front. Fresh air...exercise in what would have been wasted car time...

For me it just feels more free somehow. Even though I can go further and faster in the car, there is something about being in the open air with nothing holding me back but my own legs.

The feeling of independence knowing that traffic congestion and road closures do not affect me.

And

Free parking.

There are a handful of days out of the year when you catch the sunshine coming through the morning fog and it is absolutely amazing! The beauty of nature as seen from your bike seat is tough to beat!

Ryan

When the weather finally gets nice enough that I don't have to put all my cold weather gear on in the morning, and carry it all home in the afternoon.

Almost there.....

Also, I work on a military base, and a normal drive of my commuting distance should take ~20 mins. However, the way they do "security" these days, I spend 20 minutes just sitting in line waiting to get through the gate. Being able to ride past all that traffic makes me feel good in the mornings.

My average drive commute is ~35 mins. My average bike commute is 28 minutes (and getting faster as I get back in shape).

Good one! I beat a ridiculous traffic jam last week caused by fire trucks responding to something. Had every street for blocks jammed up at rush hour.

I cut behind a Wal Mart and a Lowes diagonally between the clogged streets. What would have been 20 minutes in the car getting by all this was 2 minutes on the bike!

there is one particular road that if i'm going in the direction of downtown i always take cause of how fun it is.

bit of a breakdown:
very slight slope
always have the wind in your back
2 lanes plus a narrow bake path shared between cars, trams and pedestrians
road is almost always really busy
lots of pedestrians and drivers making either really inconsiderate or dumb moves.


all of this makes for a really really fun ride when going full speed and riding somewhat recklessly.

They just let you through the gate because you're on a bike?

Or do you get to go to the front and use the pedestrian entrance with 2 people in line?

I bike up to the front, and cut in about 2 cars from the guard shack.

I should try to count some day, but if I had to guess, I probably passed about 45-50 cars that were sitting in line this morning.

Seeing wild turkeys in the morning and blasting through rush hour traffic in the afternoon.

Getting exercise and getting to work. Just the sheer efficiency of the whole thing. Two birds...

I like how the biking wakes me up in the morning so I'm not a zombie when I arrive at work.

And I like how its such a good stress reliever on the way home so when I walk in the door I'm not bringing any of that baggage home to my family.

Not requiring a car, i.e. hassle.

I get a lot of exercise as I run next to the seaside every morning.

Depending on what time I go into work, I'll pass 100 cars in traffic in the bike lane.

Being somewhat environmentally friendly is nice as well.

Where I live, a bicycle is the simplest option, which is why most use one to get to work.

All of the above, and ... serendipitous encounters with other cyclists or commuters. It's funny, but if you would ask me, I'd say I don't like to ride with other people or groups. But whenever I run into someone on the road, I always chat them up. Sometimes they reply, and it's fun, learning how other folks do their commuting and cycling. Makes it a little less lonely, I guess.

I rarely see someone else cycling when I'm commuting. (Weekend joyriding is a whole different story)

And the 'being alone' part is one of my favorite things about the commute on the bike!

Waking up on the way in, de-compressing on the way home. Exercise is built into my daily routine, and it "costs" me half the time I exercise because driving the car would take up the other half. And this time of year listening to the birds, especially the last 3/4 mile, is just icing on the cake.

And convenient parking. SUV and pickup drivers fight over parking around my office, some of them end up over a quarter mile away, and I just roll up to 50' from the front door.

Yesterday.

1. The fantastic smells of all the flowers blooming,
2. Was waiting a traffic light, all of a sudden hearing a very unique sounding bird next to me in a tree. Totally caught my attention

Ducks and Turtles (yesterday)



I use a MUP for my commute so it is about the freedom and not having to wait behind the car in front of you. It also helps that it is usually empty.

Ride in - pre-dawn peace and quiet.
Ride Home - not being in that traffic.

Getting to work under my own power, 20 miles each way of bicycling, which is time I'm not spending waiting in traffic, going to the gym, or otherwise doing something less fun to get fit. Loving the feeling of just pedaling and enjoying the day.

Joe

When all the lights turn green just when I need them. ESPECIALLY left hand turning lanes!!

Wild animals foraging in the morning.

Stress relief as I am able to just enjoy the ride. Stress greets me at home and at work. But it has to get pass the endorphins first!

The ability to really enjoy a sunrise or sunset in the clouds. Usually I can't enjoy such when driving. No time to slow down and enjoy the sites. But while pedaling? Awesome.

Definitely the exercise, and being outside in the sometimes sunshine. Saw a deer off the highway yesterday. I'll have more things to make me happy in three years, when the Humboldt Bay Trail is finally, finally completed.

Exercise

MTB skill or roadie speed

Wildlife sightings

Alone time, outside time

This community here

I like that it turns my commute into mandatory exercise. There's no crashing onto the couch and being too lazy to head to the gym or out for a run - the exercise is in the trip to and from work! The time before and after work is 100% guilt-free in that respect.

smugness.
...... after thinking about it some more..... smugness. I get to be smug. It's completely the wrong reason.