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What makes you happy when commuting?

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What makes you happy when commuting?

Old 06-18-19, 11:54 AM
  #151  
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Out drinking til 1:00 am with hockey buds and calling into the office “sorry, late, flat tire on my commute “
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Old 06-18-19, 02:29 PM
  #152  
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Cruising on the trails, enjoying the sunrise, the wildlife, the sounds of birds. Short the sights, sounds and smells of nature. But also the grills getting fired up in the neighborhood. That always makes me hungry on my way home.
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Old 06-19-19, 08:31 AM
  #153  
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Spent the morning with my wife and son, he wanted to ride our neighbor's motorized (children's) tractor.

Then pedaled to my office and along the way a disgruntled motorist trapped in their car felt it would be wise to scream obscenities at me from their car. Normally I'm all for some fun verbal exchanges. Today I just acted as if I didn't even hear them. It felt really darn good, The Ignore might be my new move in such situations. Not one where someone is operating their vehicle lawlessly and endangering me, I'll speak up then, but just some jerk casually screaming at people on bikes?

It's comical to me though. Does somebody think a person out enjoying a bicycle ride, getting some exercise, not relying on a a car is actually going to care what they want to scream at them? I sure didn't.

I also always want to ask, Hey, how many cyclists did you have to wait for? Or yield to? Or not drive into today? Oh, just one! Guess how many motorists nearly killed me by driving illegally?

Anyway, big smile on my face for my entire commute for just ignoring them!

Last edited by nayr497; 06-19-19 at 09:36 AM. Reason: +
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Old 06-19-19, 09:37 AM
  #154  
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Originally Posted by nayr497
Spent the morning with my wife and son, he wanted to ride our neighbor's motorized (children's) tractor.

Then pedaled to my office and along the way a disgruntled motorist trapped in their car felt it would be wise to scream obscenities at me from their car. Normally I'm all for some fun verbal exchanges. Today I just acted as if I didn't even hear them. It felt really darn good, The Ignore might be my new move in such situations. Not one where someone is operating their vehicle lawlessly and endangering me, I'll speak up then, but just some casually jerk screaming at people on bikes.

It's comical to me though. Does somebody think a person out enjoying a bicycle ride, getting some exercise, not relying on a a car is actually going to care what they want to scream at them? I sure didn't.

I also always want to ask, Hey, how many cyclists did you have to wait for? Or yield to? Or not drive into today? Oh, just one! Guess how many motorists nearly killed me by driving illegally?

Anyway, big smile on my face for my entire commute for just ignoring them!
I've also tried the trick of responding to someone cursing me out by acting like I misheard them. I'll yell back something like "Oh hey, man! Yeah its' a great day! Thanks, buddy!" with a big smile on my face as though I thought they were saying something positive.

Drives an angry person insane! Here they are irrationally angry at you and now they think you're happy!

It's positively evil.
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Old 06-19-19, 09:38 AM
  #155  
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clean roads
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Old 06-19-19, 10:16 AM
  #156  
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Took a different route in today. It's nice to see new things. Experience new, or different roads.
Every ride is a mini adventure. I get to tune in to my surroundings.

Though it isn't something that makes me happy, I am more aware of the homeless. Their plight, whether self-induced or not, becomes more real to me. I make an effort to smile at them. To say good-morning. To even offer some time if I have it.
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Old 06-21-19, 05:58 PM
  #157  
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Today while riding a bee started flying in front of me, like 2 feet ahead in similar speed, so I could see it clearly while it was flying.
It lasted some 3 secs. That was cool
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Old 06-22-19, 03:14 PM
  #158  
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Originally Posted by Skipjacks
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.
I’m down hill on the way in, it wakes me up for the day. Uphill all the way back and washes away a stressful day. I wish I could commute both ways everyday, but we have a kiddo so we rotate driving with drop off and pickup. Wife doesn’t ride. Maybe when the kiddo is in High School we can change that. Would be nice to bike pool. The downside is it’s 26 miles each way. It’s an hour and a half in and two hours or more back. That’s a long time for a teenager to be home alone with opportunities to get into trouble. Not trying to sound like a hover parent, but teenagers need supervision and mom and dad not home until 7 or so can’t be a good thing. She plans to ride to school. It’s about 6 miles each way, so I’m getting her or putting together a bike for her when she tops out in height in a year or so.
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Old 06-24-19, 07:16 AM
  #159  
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When somehow the stars align and I leave the house 15-20 minutes early so instead of pushing the bike hard to get to work fast I can take a longer more meandering rider at a slower more relaxing pace. That is a glorious way to start the day!
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Old 06-24-19, 10:59 AM
  #160  
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Originally Posted by Skipjacks
When somehow the stars align and I leave the house 15-20 minutes early so instead of pushing the bike hard to get to work fast I can take a longer more meandering rider at a slower more relaxing pace. That is a glorious way to start the day!
That happened to me a week ago when I left early in time to get to the office early enough to be ready for a guy to show up and buy something I'd advertised on CL. I got there 15 minutes early pleased to have enough time to be ready for him and cool off in peace and quiet but found him waiting for me.....
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Old 06-25-19, 10:25 AM
  #161  
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Oh man, YES, leaving early is sooooo nice. But, with two dogs, a cat, a three year old son, a wife...no matter how much prep I do the night before, something always comes up and I'm rarely out the door early!

And yes, ignoring irrationally angry people is really darn fun
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Old 06-25-19, 04:29 PM
  #162  
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My commute in takes me along the sea front in Burnham at around 7 in the morning - it's very quiet and a nice time to stop and watch the sea.
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Old 06-26-19, 06:40 AM
  #163  
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It made me happy this morning when I didn't cut the squirrel in half when it ran between my wheels at full speed.

I was doing 20mph and a squirrel ran right between the wheels. Somehow he managed to get through that gauntlet without touching either tire. And that made me happy...because I would not have enjoyed cleaning squirrel carcass out of my frame.

Last edited by Skipjacks; 06-26-19 at 11:25 AM.
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Old 06-26-19, 10:50 AM
  #164  
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Yesterday, the forecast said risk of thundershowers this afternoon.

Today, my weekly long ride to downtown Toronto, the forecast was sunny all day 20% pop.
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Old 06-27-19, 10:04 AM
  #165  
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unlimited miles per gallon!
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Old 06-28-19, 06:19 AM
  #166  
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Originally Posted by bd772
unlimited miles per gallon!
I only get about 15 miles per gallon. We're talking about beer, right?
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Old 06-28-19, 11:34 AM
  #167  
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light traffic
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Old 06-28-19, 11:53 AM
  #168  
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Seeing other bike commuters. It's a rare sighting in this neck of the woods.
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Old 06-28-19, 01:49 PM
  #169  
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Very busy at work and coming back to late home this week, so skipped riding from Tue. I see people riding while driving and want to go there - Looking for a refreshing weekend ride - will be short probably since will be working some
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Old 06-28-19, 09:48 PM
  #170  
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Originally Posted by Moe Zhoost
I only get about 15 miles per gallon. We're talking about beer, right?
Right! Some IPA!
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Old 06-29-19, 09:30 AM
  #171  
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Originally Posted by nayr497
Oh man, YES, leaving early is sooooo nice. But, with two dogs, a cat, a three year old son, a wife...no matter how much prep I do the night before, something always comes up and I'm rarely out the door early!
That's one thing I made peace with early on. It seems I'm always rushing to get out the door no matter how much prep I do earlier, yet I get to work on time 99.99999% of the time and it's OK when I don't.
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Old 06-29-19, 10:37 AM
  #172  
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Old 06-29-19, 11:32 AM
  #173  
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^^^ nice commute!!!
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Old 06-30-19, 05:29 PM
  #174  
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Originally Posted by Skipjacks
When somehow the stars align and I leave the house 15-20 minutes early so instead of pushing the bike hard to get to work fast I can take a longer more meandering rider at a slower more relaxing pace.

That is a glorious way to start the day!
Originally Posted by no motor?
That happened to me a week ago when I left early in time to get to the office early enough to be ready for a guy to show up and buy something I'd advertised on CL.

I got there 15 minutes early pleased to have enough time to be ready for him and cool off in peace and quiet but found him waiting for me.....
Originally Posted by nayr497
Oh man, YES, leaving early is sooooo nice. But, with two dogs, a cat, a three year old son, a wife...no matter how much prep I do the night before, something always comes up and I'm rarely out the door early!
Originally Posted by no motor?
That's one thing I made peace with early on.

It seems I'm always rushing to get out the door no matter how much prep I do earlier, yet I get to work on time 99.99999% of the time and it's OK when I don't.
I have flexible working hours, within reason, to do what needs to be done, and I’m usually the first one in by about an hour. However,
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
For the first few years when I started commuting to work, I would dream that I had to be there for a critical procedure the first thing in the morning, and I was too far away to get there on time.

Much like that paradigmatic dream of going for a final exam, and can’t find the room / didn’t attend the class.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-30-19 at 10:49 PM.
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Old 07-02-19, 07:43 PM
  #175  
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What make me happy on my commute? When I find tools or money on my commute.
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