Originally Posted by gharding

I saw the San Fran commute pictures and I thought I'd try it on the opposite coast. My commute is 100% urban, I start in the UES on 79th and 2nd and head all the way down 2nd, over to Broadway, then all the way down Wall St.
Here we go..
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0455.JPG
Starting off down 2nd ave. Traffic isn't too bad, but construction and buses make the lanes on the side crazy.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0456.JPG
My bike.. Specialized Sirrus. I like it :)
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0457.JPG
Heading into midtown, traffic doesn't look too bad, but that's near the end of the redlight so it's backed up.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0458.JPG
I learned after riding this route for the first time to STAY ON THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD for this part. I got stuck on the left because traffic is constantly flowing into that tunnel making it hard for a bike to get through.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0459.JPG
Once you get more southern, traffic gets crazier and they have traffic cops. They're pretty nice to bikers in my experience.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0461.JPG
The 2nd ave bike lane. Cabs, stopped trucks, pedestrians, and glass seem to occupy a lot of this.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0462.JPG
Near the end of 2nd ave. I head right on E. Houston (pronounced how-stun) St. and then take a left onto Broadway.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0463.JPG
Soho with another biker. Traffic on Broadway is really backed up. At points, I get to fly by stopped cars. One of those double decker tour buses killed a lady on a bike right outside my office two years ago. I try to steer clear of them.. they seem less-forgiving than MTA buses.

Originally Posted by gharding

Continued..
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0464.JPG
A little bit of congestion there that I get to avoid. Wee.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0465.JPG
I guess more of Soho. Traffic really cleared up in this part and I had a nice whole lane to myself.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0466.JPG
A lady jaywalking, screaming into her cellphone. Biking through here sucks. Construction narrows the road, people everywhere, and some dude dragging his lunch cart against traffic in the middle of the road.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0467.JPG
Wall St., finally. Very congested with people at the top, so I get stuck walking my bike down till it turns into an actual road. On the left is the Trump building.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0468.JPG
This is a shot in the opposite direction. The Trinity Church at the very top, NYSE is on the left, Federal Hall (with a statue of George Washington (woops!)) on the right.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0469.JPG
Wall St and Water St., right near the coast. Helicopter coming in for a landing on the pier right next to my office.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0470.JPG
My "parking spot" outside the Citibank building, because my building doesn't have a bike rack.
http://www.cogjam.com/images/commute/CIMG0471.JPG
Office, sweet office. Forgot to rotate this one, so just tilt your head to the left.
Overall, I like my commute. I like riding in traffic.. it gives me a different perspective than just being a pedestrian. I think it certainly helps my attitude as a pedestrian (before, I'd think the biker was being a jackass and getting in the way, but it's really just about rushing to get the light so you're not stuck in a ton of traffic). I think it helps with the confidence as well, and it's a great alternative to the subway (oh, sweet sweet sunlight!)

Originally Posted by AEO

So, being inspired by other photo shoots and being yelled at for obeying the law on my bike, I figured I would bring my camera along with my ride to work. My commute area is constantly backed up because of the volume and poor (old) design of the road. It's faster through the area with a bike than it is with public transport or car. Taking these shots added about 5min to my commute.
This isn't peak rush hour, it's around 9:30am~10:00am
more here: http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/a...kes/commuting/
So, before I bore you with non-stop drabble... here's my commute. Minus a few blocks because it's very boring until the first shot.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning001.jpg
bike lane closed? There ought to be a sign that says this before there's no where else to go. Stupid city :mad: traffic needs to filter into one lane. Got passed dangerously close, also illegally and also yelled at.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning004.jpg
yeah, it's over a crest/bridge, one lane each way, bike lane closed, I just take up a full lane :-)
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning005.jpg
...aaand passed illegally, but with a safe margin and no yelling or honking.:( (This is the exact shot I wanted) car that passed me gained a total of... 3 secs, thank you kind sir!
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning007.jpg
about 100m away. I'd take a shot of what kind of obstacle I have to avoid, but I need two hands on my bars for that. (if you haven't noticed, rails... that split off.) Also nearly got side swiped by a parking enforcement car... still doing good.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning011.jpg
cars trying to pass a streetcar... after the intersection and street car... no more traffic! Amazing!
then a slight S curve... still good...
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning015.jpg
Aaaandddd... stuck, if only my bars were still 38cm and not 40.5cm I just might be able to squeeze through this... lol
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning018.jpg
passed the bus and truck... that's a YMCA you see there to the right. Then tagging along with another commuter... I think I'll stay behind her for a bit... Squeezing through parked cars and cars stuck behind street cars... see, smart people use bikes to not get stuck in this traffic...

Originally Posted by AEO

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning023.jpg
!!! not a smart idea... turning left from the right most lane onto the sidewalk, especially when a car is turning left.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning027.jpg
another street car... they go fast sometimes, but not often. I got left in the dust... but only because I'm weighted down by my camera :) Little Italy at College st. coming up... nice residential area with exceptionally good food, except for the amount of parked cars all day long.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning033.jpg
... and it's kinda narrow here... good place to get a door prize, but not for too long because...
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning037.jpg
bicycle lane!
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning041.jpg
This guy isn't double parked, but actually he can't decide if he WANTS to park or not, and not signaling his intentions...
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning045.jpg
Intersection at Bathurst St. and College. street car tracks all over the place. :)
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...morning050.jpg
And after that congestion, it's all smooth sailing to my work.

Originally Posted by notfred

So, I only do my commute three times a week, because my schedule lets me work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, today was a "work from home" day, but at about 3:30 I was getting a little restless and decided to go out for a ride. I decided I'd do my commute to work, and take some pictures so I could show them to you guys on the internet.
This isn't really my normal commute route, but a route that was suggested by a coworker who lives in the same neighborhood. It's about 7 miles to work by this route. After I got there, I took my normal route home, which is about 5.5 miles. The whole trip was about 12 miles long (roughly) and took right about an hour (including stopping for traffic, etc). I challenge anyone to find a faster way to get across SF and back by any other means of transport!
Anyway, here are the pictures. Note that I took a lot of them while moving without stopping, so they're not exactly perfectly composed.
Here's my bike. It's what I'll be riding for the duration of this photo tour. Now, let's go!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/3...f396b89398.jpg
This is Lake Blvd. at 20th Ave, right by my house. It has bike lanes.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/3...005e332ca8.jpg
Further down Lake. So far, flat, straight, and has bike lanes.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/3...fa20e84c19.jpg
Ok, now I've turned left onto Arguello, here's my first hill. It's sort of steep, but it's really short - only one block, really. (it's steeper than the picture makes it look like. If you click the picture and look at the bigger version, you can see better.)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/3...70d5a138c6.jpg
At the top of the hill, you'll find the Presidio.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/146/3...9e16bfa70b.jpg
The Presidio has trees and things.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/3...cd08a0145d.jpg
Looking out from the Presidio, you can see the top of the Palace of Fine Arts, and Alcatraz in the background.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/3...a79b6f2e79.jpg
At the bottom of the hill in the Presidio.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/105/3...b59e5a78b7.jpg
One more.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/109/3...1972bac121.jpg
There's downtown off in the distance, that's where I'm headed.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/3...070de19779.jpg

Originally Posted by notfred

Looking back behind me, there's this big red bridge.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/3...24e2a02be0.jpg
Heading out of the Presidio
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/115/3...cda1b72c49.jpg
Here's some boats parked by the road.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/145/3...c02814c3b2.jpg
Here's Alcatraz.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/3...05f4a75eec.jpg
The city over there is getting closer.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/175/3...abf3a727d0.jpg
Here's... some pirate ship or something. I'm sure someone else knows more about this ship than I do. It looks cool, though. Alcatraz one more time, in the background.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/121/3...20e3309c10.jpg
One street up from the Embarcadero. I don't actually know what this street is called. It has cool green streetcars. You have to watch out for the cobblestones and train tracks, though.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/177/3...5834f94b93.jpg
Here's the Embarcadero.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/3...446bfd5f53.jpg
Action shot, looking down.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/187/3...e013c051b1.jpg
One more shot of the Embarcadero.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/36...995099.jpg</a>

Originally Posted by notfred

2nd St and Mission. If I was going to work, I'd go about two blocks up the street to the left. But I'm not, so I'll turn right instead and head back towards home.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/3...ad0e6980a7.jpg
Market Street. When riding on Market Street you have to watch for: train tracks, trains, buses, cars, pedestrians, and other cyclists, all going all directions at once.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/3...472e5dcb7f.jpg
Heading up Geary, away from downtown.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/3...95a5ec9ba5.jpg
First hill on the way home. It's a pretty small hill.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/181/3...7820d3351d.jpg
More uphill, still not bad.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/3...99077d3f3d.jpg
So I made it to the top, now I go back down :)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/101/3...e170324b97.jpg
At the bottom of the hill, I turn right onto Divisadero. Here's Divisadero.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/3...47d16d75ba.jpg
Then I turn left onto California, and have one more hill to go up. This is the biggest hill on my ride home.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/3...5115891891.jpg

Originally Posted by notfred

At the top. It's all downhill from here.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/118/3...bb520a7fb0.jpg
Welcome to the Outer Richmond. Five more block to my house.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/3...097bf250f7.jpg
Here's a picture of me, immediately after finishing my ride. Just because.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/153/3...bd0afb4d37.jpg
So, there you have it, 12 miles in about an hour. That's what the San Francisco afternoon commute is like on a Tuesday afternoon in January. I hope you like my pictures.

Originally Posted by Nicodemus

too many stickies already