Brain activity while commuting: zoned out or day dreaming?
08-29-14, 08:32 AM
#1
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Brain activity while commuting: zoned out or day dreaming?
Its funny but I find that on my commute into work, I find that I am thinking about and composing my entry for the "How was your commute today?" thread while on the bike.
What about you?
What about you?
08-29-14, 08:47 AM
#2
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On routine commutes, it's often work related.
08-29-14, 09:19 AM
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OMG!
Not devoting all 5 senses and every thought process 100% of the time to the rocket science-like complexity of riding a bicycle? Doncha know you might die! Haven't you heard about Darwin! BTW, I listen to audio books when I ride, thinking about BF would be distracting.
08-29-14, 09:45 AM
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In jest- paraphrasing some of our brother posters who believe that cycling cannot be done safely unless it is done on a perfectly equipped and operated man-machine:
OMG! Not devoting all 5 senses and every thought process 100% of the time to the rocket science-like complexity of riding a bicycle? Doncha know you might die! Haven't you heard about Darwin!
BTW, I listen to audio books when I ride, thinking about BF would be distracting.
OMG!
Not devoting all 5 senses and every thought process 100% of the time to the rocket science-like complexity of riding a bicycle? Doncha know you might die! Haven't you heard about Darwin! BTW, I listen to audio books when I ride, thinking about BF would be distracting.
Since I encounter you on many threads I read on various Forums, may I ask what kind of riding do you do? Commuting? training? meandering?
I describe myself as a decades-long, year-round commuter and occasional centurian (mostly in-training); formerly a tourist, including a cross-country ride.
JfB
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 08-29-14 at 09:48 AM.
08-29-14, 09:52 AM
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I zone out at times but mostly I keep an ear out for traffic and my eyes open for debris along the highway.
In the morning, when there is less traffic, I will ride in the highway (off the shoulder) when I can. There's almost never any junk in the lanes. I count on hearing traffic approach from behind and often look back anyway to be sure. When they are coming I move back onto the shoulder with the miscellaneous junk such as shredded radial tires and the resultant tiny metal pieces that flatten bicycle tires.
I know if I get hit by someone I will die as they will be doing at least 60mph if not 75mph. So it behooves me to pay attention.
In the afternoon there is way too much traffic to bother getting into the lane. Then I am more likely to mentally drift though there is still the debris to watch out for -- but I'm pretty sure I do both simutaneously.
In the morning, when there is less traffic, I will ride in the highway (off the shoulder) when I can. There's almost never any junk in the lanes. I count on hearing traffic approach from behind and often look back anyway to be sure. When they are coming I move back onto the shoulder with the miscellaneous junk such as shredded radial tires and the resultant tiny metal pieces that flatten bicycle tires.
I know if I get hit by someone I will die as they will be doing at least 60mph if not 75mph. So it behooves me to pay attention.
In the afternoon there is way too much traffic to bother getting into the lane. Then I am more likely to mentally drift though there is still the debris to watch out for -- but I'm pretty sure I do both simutaneously.
08-29-14, 10:18 AM
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I tend to be more aware of what I'm doing and the environment, but I think that comes from being a biker for so many years before I resumed bicycling again.
08-29-14, 10:54 AM
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I live in L.A......No daydreaming for me,I'll die.
I save the daydreaming for touring in the desert or out in the middle of nowhere.
I save the daydreaming for touring in the desert or out in the middle of nowhere.
08-29-14, 11:10 AM
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My commute is mostly on roads and MUP's through a state park that bisects the city, past a reservoir and its dam.. Right now my commute is well past dawn so there's no wildlife about, and the sky is clear. It's pretty but it's the same pretty every day. It's boring but it beats driving. I listen to the news. It's better in spring and autumn.
08-29-14, 11:14 AM
#10
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I often think about where I'm going to ride after work or at the end of the week "just for fun". I'm fortunate to ride exclusively on back country roads at 4-4:30 in the morning where there's next to no traffic (occasionally I'll come across a tractor or a lost traveler)
08-29-14, 11:25 AM
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I-L-T-B,
Since I encounter you on many threads I read on various Forums, may I ask what kind of riding do you do? Commuting? training? meandering?
I describe myself as a decades-long, year-round commuter and occasional centurian (mostly in-training); formerly a tourist, including a cross-country ride.
JfB
Since I encounter you on many threads I read on various Forums, may I ask what kind of riding do you do? Commuting? training? meandering?
I describe myself as a decades-long, year-round commuter and occasional centurian (mostly in-training); formerly a tourist, including a cross-country ride.
JfB
As an adult mostly as a commuter to work as well as using bike for transportation about town (though not as some sort of LCF ideologue since I almost always owned a car), to include 6 years in Philadelphia, 2 years in Oregon, 10 years in Germany, and 12 years in Illinois/Iowa. The last 2 years (happily retired) for daily rides to the gym/swimming pool for back stretching exercise and local shopping and utility trips (library, post office,bank, etc.) Also included in the past work life, 1 year of cycle meandering in relatively confined work locations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I've been around and find numerous "advice" posts from some BF posters to be so provincial as to be laughable.
Last edited by I-Like-To-Bike; 08-29-14 at 12:44 PM. Reason: cleanup typos
08-29-14, 11:36 AM
#12
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Curious. I hadn't noticed the news being seasonal as you say.
My mind will sometimes wander, especially if something big is going on at home or work or whatever. And yes, sometimes I see something that I note to myself that I should put this on the forum.
My mind will sometimes wander, especially if something big is going on at home or work or whatever. And yes, sometimes I see something that I note to myself that I should put this on the forum.
08-29-14, 11:48 AM
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As a youth, daily to include all areas of Philadelphia until the day I turned 16.
As an adult mostly as a commuter to work as well as using bike for transportation about town (though not as some sort of LCF ideologue since I almost always owned a car), to include 6 years in Philadelphia, 2 years in Oregon, 10 years in Germany, and 12 years in Illinois/Iowa. The last 2 years (happily retired) for daily rides to the gym/swimming pool for back stretching exercise and local shopping and utility trips (library, post office,bank, etc.) Also included in the past work life, 1 year of cycle meandering in relatively confined work locations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I've been around and find numerous "advice" posts from some BF posters to be so provincial as to be laughable.Formerly a daily commuter including
As an adult mostly as a commuter to work as well as using bike for transportation about town (though not as some sort of LCF ideologue since I almost always owned a car), to include 6 years in Philadelphia, 2 years in Oregon, 10 years in Germany, and 12 years in Illinois/Iowa. The last 2 years (happily retired) for daily rides to the gym/swimming pool for back stretching exercise and local shopping and utility trips (library, post office,bank, etc.) Also included in the past work life, 1 year of cycle meandering in relatively confined work locations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I've been around and find numerous "advice" posts from some BF posters to be so provincial as to be laughable.Formerly a daily commuter including
Thanks for that reply; quite a wealth of experience. This July a subscriber on the Fifty-Plus Forum, rtool (Dick) came to Boston for the Sixth Annual Fifty-Plus Forum Ride, and I tried to give him some "advice.":
…I had promised myself as I did last year, that I would not take the participants out onto the streets of Boston, since I live downtown…
As mentioned, Dick had come with a low-riding recumbent trike, from Fairborn, Ohio, small, probably rural town I imagined, and now at the end of the Path we were facing the busy mean streets of downtown Boston at rush hour….Dick, as he was during the entire weekend, said “Fine, you lead the way.”
So we made our way, mostly on crowded sidewalks with some hazardous street crossings. Eventually I had to give up and go onto the streets. Dick had no problems with street riding, and actually seemed to prefer it. Later on he said it’s really no problem, and has cycled streets around the world such as Munich and London, so I realized, “What’s Boston?”…
…Finally he revealed that he is a certified Cycling Instructor by the League of American Cyclists and taught safe, including urban, cycling to adults and children. As a decades-long, year-round urban cyclist, I proudly told him I learned by experience, and he replied, “It shows. You made some mistakes out there.”
As mentioned, Dick had come with a low-riding recumbent trike, from Fairborn, Ohio, small, probably rural town I imagined, and now at the end of the Path we were facing the busy mean streets of downtown Boston at rush hour….Dick, as he was during the entire weekend, said “Fine, you lead the way.”
So we made our way, mostly on crowded sidewalks with some hazardous street crossings. Eventually I had to give up and go onto the streets. Dick had no problems with street riding, and actually seemed to prefer it. Later on he said it’s really no problem, and has cycled streets around the world such as Munich and London, so I realized, “What’s Boston?”…
…Finally he revealed that he is a certified Cycling Instructor by the League of American Cyclists and taught safe, including urban, cycling to adults and children. As a decades-long, year-round urban cyclist, I proudly told him I learned by experience, and he replied, “It shows. You made some mistakes out there.”
08-29-14, 12:16 PM
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As a professional driver I always make it a conscious to stay focused when on the road, it just naturally carries over to when I'm riding a bike or motorcycle. The rare occasion that I drive a car I'm super focused because they are death traps.
08-29-14, 12:20 PM
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I sometimes zone out a bit, but a close pass or hitting a pothole brings me back
08-29-14, 12:22 PM
#16
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I think of blog posts or journal entries during the ride. I forget about them once I am home. 
08-29-14, 12:38 PM
#17
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I constantly struggle to keep bicycling as one of the few activities that force me to live in the moment. Years ago, when I was building a website of good local bikeways, I ruined just about every ride stopping to jot down notes or take photos every few minutes. And then, once I got back on the bike, all I could think about was how I was going to word the paragraph about the last section of bikeway or roadway I had just ridden. The same used to happen when I first got involved in these forums. Every minute of every ride was devoted to thinking about how I was going to write about it later.
Now, when I commute, I play music (over a speaker, at a very reasonable level, so don't pounce on me) and I focus on interacting with the drivers, walkers, and other cyclists around me, sort of acting as an ambassador for cyclists. Now that I no longer have time to ride all the cool bikeways around the country, I regret that I hadn't enjoyed them fully while I was on them. But I make sure to experience every sight, sound, and smell along my route to work every day.
Now, when I commute, I play music (over a speaker, at a very reasonable level, so don't pounce on me) and I focus on interacting with the drivers, walkers, and other cyclists around me, sort of acting as an ambassador for cyclists. Now that I no longer have time to ride all the cool bikeways around the country, I regret that I hadn't enjoyed them fully while I was on them. But I make sure to experience every sight, sound, and smell along my route to work every day.
08-29-14, 01:43 PM
#18
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Last year, I participated in a 2-day/2-metric century event and there was a guy riding a recumbent that had speakers on the handlebar right in front of him, I thought that was cool (besides seeing a recumbent for the first time).
08-29-14, 02:55 PM
#19
contiuniously variable
I am so used to riding everywhere that my brain seems to know when to "tune in" a bit more vs stay more spaced out, it's kinda like laying awake with eyes closed, you can sense everything, but you're off in your own lil world. When i really need to hunker down & climb a hill at speed or if i'm redlining, my brain sharply focuses everything onto that effort, without me needing to consciously change my frame of mind. I am really fortunate that my brain seems to work like this, as it has definitely saved me numerous times from errant motorists, massive road holes, and even being caught in a freak hail storm.
- Andy
- Andy
08-29-14, 03:04 PM
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Half of my commute is in the early evening where I am pretty vigilante watching for traffic and the other half is usually after 2 am with fairly empty roads. So I end up zoning out a lot while riding until I hit that pothole or run over that a stick. Then I just get upset with myself for not paying more attention.
08-29-14, 03:51 PM
#21
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Too many dangers lurking around. I try to stay focused and alert. Just few days ago I was almost hit by a car in the parking lot of my apartment building. The only thing that prevented me from being hit was my very fast reflex.
08-29-14, 04:24 PM
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Brain activity while commuting?
I rarely have brain activity period. 
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08-31-14, 01:58 PM
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I'm actually studying for my next licensure exam (EPPP) while riding. I passed my last (National Counselor's Exam) test in November 2013 after about 4 months of riding listening to audio study materials, hopefully it works on this next test!