May 15th, Bike To Work Day
05-01-08, 10:17 PM
#28
New! With Self Loathing!
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Yea, Siu!
05-02-08, 06:30 AM
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Maybe I'll volunteer to help out this year. Anyone know how I can get hooked up?
05-02-08, 08:55 AM
#31
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I'll be out there. Although I am not sure if any of the bike stations will be out there that early. I'll be out there at 5:30 am.
05-02-08, 09:38 AM
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05-02-08, 09:46 AM
#34
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05-02-08, 01:17 PM
#35
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There's a contact e-mail on the BtWD page:
https://www.bayareabikes.org/btwd/ind...page=index.htm
I think most of the volunteers work for CalTrans or something, but I'll bet they could find a place for you.
05-02-08, 10:42 PM
#37
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The Woodside High School Cycling Club is hosting the second annual bike to school day.
05-04-08, 07:04 PM
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Could, but too slow.
I checked the schedule once and my commute (either Santa Clara, Lawrence, or Mountain View stop on the south end, and Belmont or Redwood City on the north end) only has like 1 train per *day* (in each direction at anywhere normal commute times) that stops at both sets of places. And then once you're on the train, it goes slow. I managed to make it home in just over 95 minutes the other day, and going north just over 105 minutes. Biking to the train, then the fudge factor of having to be there with enough time to not miss it, then riding the train, then biking again, just ends up being too much of a hassle. And then I'm still spending money -- I'd rather drive if I'm going to have to pay to commute
I love driving, just would like more fresh air, keep the miles off the car, and get a good workout.
I checked the schedule once and my commute (either Santa Clara, Lawrence, or Mountain View stop on the south end, and Belmont or Redwood City on the north end) only has like 1 train per *day* (in each direction at anywhere normal commute times) that stops at both sets of places. And then once you're on the train, it goes slow. I managed to make it home in just over 95 minutes the other day, and going north just over 105 minutes. Biking to the train, then the fudge factor of having to be there with enough time to not miss it, then riding the train, then biking again, just ends up being too much of a hassle. And then I'm still spending money -- I'd rather drive if I'm going to have to pay to commute
I love driving, just would like more fresh air, keep the miles off the car, and get a good workout.
05-05-08, 12:42 PM
#39
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Could, but too slow.
I checked the schedule once and my commute (either Santa Clara, Lawrence, or Mountain View stop on the south end, and Belmont or Redwood City on the north end) only has like 1 train per *day* (in each direction at anywhere normal commute times) that stops at both sets of places. And then once you're on the train, it goes slow. I managed to make it home in just over 95 minutes the other day, and going north just over 105 minutes. Biking to the train, then the fudge factor of having to be there with enough time to not miss it, then riding the train, then biking again, just ends up being too much of a hassle. And then I'm still spending money -- I'd rather drive if I'm going to have to pay to commute I love driving, just would like more fresh air, keep the miles off the car, and get a good workout.
I checked the schedule once and my commute (either Santa Clara, Lawrence, or Mountain View stop on the south end, and Belmont or Redwood City on the north end) only has like 1 train per *day* (in each direction at anywhere normal commute times) that stops at both sets of places. And then once you're on the train, it goes slow. I managed to make it home in just over 95 minutes the other day, and going north just over 105 minutes. Biking to the train, then the fudge factor of having to be there with enough time to not miss it, then riding the train, then biking again, just ends up being too much of a hassle. And then I'm still spending money -- I'd rather drive if I'm going to have to pay to commute
I love driving, just would like more fresh air, keep the miles off the car, and get a good workout.Is your commute North or Southbound?
Your selection of available stations doesn't make sense - Santa Clara, Lawrence, Mountain View, but not Sunnyvale? RWC or Belmont but not San Carlos?
I'd love to help. Depending on where you start and finish, honestly the train is probably a lot faster and more convenient than you've calculated. I'm not against riding the whole way, but on the days you don't, if you take the train instead of the car, big win..
05-05-08, 12:44 PM
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I don't believe I have class that morning. If I don't, I'll be riding. I can't wait for semester end so I can start commuting again.
05-05-08, 01:53 PM
#41
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Various conductors have told me that Caltrain hits close to 80mph with baby bullets (supposed to be 72 mph, but sometimes they go a little faster if they were a couple mins behind), and the express trains hit around 68 mph.
Try to go that fast in rush hour traffic.
I get from Hillsdale in San Mateo to Downtown San Jose in 33 minutes via baby bullet and 42 minutes via express. On the train, I can make phone calls, eat breakfast, go through paperwork, read, etc...
How is that slow?
Try to go that fast in rush hour traffic.
I get from Hillsdale in San Mateo to Downtown San Jose in 33 minutes via baby bullet and 42 minutes via express. On the train, I can make phone calls, eat breakfast, go through paperwork, read, etc...
How is that slow?
05-06-08, 11:30 AM
#42
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Wow. I leave my house in SF, ride 3 miles, ride the train, ride from Mountain View to work in Sunnyvale (5 miles) and get from home to work in 80 minutes, tops. Almost every train stops at Mountain View, and those that don't stop at Santa Clara. Ditto Redwood City, vis a vis San Carlos.
Is your commute North or Southbound?
Your selection of available stations doesn't make sense - Santa Clara, Lawrence, Mountain View, but not Sunnyvale? RWC or Belmont but not San Carlos?
I'd love to help. Depending on where you start and finish, honestly the train is probably a lot faster and more convenient than you've calculated. I'm not against riding the whole way, but on the days you don't, if you take the train instead of the car, big win..
Is your commute North or Southbound?
Your selection of available stations doesn't make sense - Santa Clara, Lawrence, Mountain View, but not Sunnyvale? RWC or Belmont but not San Carlos?
I'd love to help. Depending on where you start and finish, honestly the train is probably a lot faster and more convenient than you've calculated. I'm not against riding the whole way, but on the days you don't, if you take the train instead of the car, big win..
The milk runs are inconvenient because they are slow. If you factor in the fact that I'm going out of my way to get to Caltrain, and that I have to plan a 5 minute buffer to avoid missing the train (and then having to figure out which station the next train stops at if I *do* miss it), plus the 40 minute train ride, I'm probably saving zero time versus riding the whole way.
The more normal trains are faster but more awkward to plan. I have a highly irregular schedule, so there are a ton of variables to track. On the way north, the 323 stops at Mountain View, then Hillsdale (a bit too far north). Next train is the 225 which stops in Sunnyvale and Mountain View, and then San Carlos. 227 stops everywhere down south, but only Redwood City and Hillsdale up north. 329 stops in Sunnyvale, but then only Redwood City on the north end.
The southbound trip is even more complicated because I could leave any time between 4 and 7. Apart from the few milk run trains, a glance at the schedule tells me that the stops are even more scattered.
As far as I'm concerned, the problem with Caltrain is the schedules operate almost without rhyme or reason. While the trains run at very regular intervals during commute hours, they seem to rely on chaos theory to determine which stations they will serve. If you miss a given train, you are either stuck waiting an hour or more, or trying to figure out where the next one stops. If you can take a baby bullet, it's great. Ditto for having an origin or destination at Diridon or SF, where at least you know that every train stops at either your origin or destination.
If I have the time to take the train, I have the time to bike, and it costs me nothing.
If I don't have the time to bike (or I find the weather conditions unfavorable, or whatever), the train does nothing for me.
I do appreciate the offer to help, but in the end, with the train, I'd have to plan everything around the train schedule -- that would be great if it made up for it by making my commute more convenient, but it doesn't.
05-06-08, 01:04 PM
#43
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I commute northbound in the mornings (within about a 2 hour window), southbound in the evenings (within a 3 hour window). I left off Sunnyvale and San Carlos just because I couldn't remember off the top of my head, not because they're not options. I had definitely considered all available options when I looked at the train option seriously about a year ago (back when I started this job). I looked up the schedule again and it's marginally better than I remember, but the only reliable options are the milk run trains, which take 40 minutes to travel about 18 miles.
The milk runs are inconvenient because they are slow. If you factor in the fact that I'm going out of my way to get to Caltrain, and that I have to plan a 5 minute buffer to avoid missing the train (and then having to figure out which station the next train stops at if I *do* miss it), plus the 40 minute train ride, I'm probably saving zero time versus riding the whole way.
The more normal trains are faster but more awkward to plan. I have a highly irregular schedule, so there are a ton of variables to track. On the way north, the 323 stops at Mountain View, then Hillsdale (a bit too far north). Next train is the 225 which stops in Sunnyvale and Mountain View, and then San Carlos. 227 stops everywhere down south, but only Redwood City and Hillsdale up north. 329 stops in Sunnyvale, but then only Redwood City on the north end.
The southbound trip is even more complicated because I could leave any time between 4 and 7. Apart from the few milk run trains, a glance at the schedule tells me that the stops are even more scattered.
As far as I'm concerned, the problem with Caltrain is the schedules operate almost without rhyme or reason. While the trains run at very regular intervals during commute hours, they seem to rely on chaos theory to determine which stations they will serve. If you miss a given train, you are either stuck waiting an hour or more, or trying to figure out where the next one stops. If you can take a baby bullet, it's great. Ditto for having an origin or destination at Diridon or SF, where at least you know that every train stops at either your origin or destination.
If I have the time to take the train, I have the time to bike, and it costs me nothing.
If I don't have the time to bike (or I find the weather conditions unfavorable, or whatever), the train does nothing for me.
I do appreciate the offer to help, but in the end, with the train, I'd have to plan everything around the train schedule -- that would be great if it made up for it by making my commute more convenient, but it doesn't.
The milk runs are inconvenient because they are slow. If you factor in the fact that I'm going out of my way to get to Caltrain, and that I have to plan a 5 minute buffer to avoid missing the train (and then having to figure out which station the next train stops at if I *do* miss it), plus the 40 minute train ride, I'm probably saving zero time versus riding the whole way.
The more normal trains are faster but more awkward to plan. I have a highly irregular schedule, so there are a ton of variables to track. On the way north, the 323 stops at Mountain View, then Hillsdale (a bit too far north). Next train is the 225 which stops in Sunnyvale and Mountain View, and then San Carlos. 227 stops everywhere down south, but only Redwood City and Hillsdale up north. 329 stops in Sunnyvale, but then only Redwood City on the north end.
The southbound trip is even more complicated because I could leave any time between 4 and 7. Apart from the few milk run trains, a glance at the schedule tells me that the stops are even more scattered.
As far as I'm concerned, the problem with Caltrain is the schedules operate almost without rhyme or reason. While the trains run at very regular intervals during commute hours, they seem to rely on chaos theory to determine which stations they will serve. If you miss a given train, you are either stuck waiting an hour or more, or trying to figure out where the next one stops. If you can take a baby bullet, it's great. Ditto for having an origin or destination at Diridon or SF, where at least you know that every train stops at either your origin or destination.
If I have the time to take the train, I have the time to bike, and it costs me nothing.
If I don't have the time to bike (or I find the weather conditions unfavorable, or whatever), the train does nothing for me.
I do appreciate the offer to help, but in the end, with the train, I'd have to plan everything around the train schedule -- that would be great if it made up for it by making my commute more convenient, but it doesn't.
Because this is not commuting, A&S, or LCF I am going to retract my comment.
Last edited by murphstahoe; 05-06-08 at 01:21 PM. Reason: argh
05-06-08, 01:19 PM
#44
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I'm trying very hard these days to be less of an asshat but sheesh.
2000 cyclists a day make it work and their only complaint is that there isn't MORE room for bikes.
Train 329 - "Oh man it only stops in Sunnyvale and Redwood City" - in SEVENTEEN MINUTES. That's at least 25 minutes drive at rush hour. If you miss it - it costs you a whole 15 minutes. If there is a wreck on the 101, you will be delayed at least twice that.
I almost never miss a train. My commute to the train from my house in SF varies by less than 2 minutes. On the south end, the variance is even less - there is far less variance on a bike due to traffic because we just bypass the traffic.
Can't memorize the schedule? Use this tactic.
https://kwc.org/blog/archives/2005/20...rain_tags.html
Granted I don't know your exact addresses, but wow. I'm sorry but if you need to put that much work into justifying not taking the train, well, you are the automakers and Oil companies wet dream.
2000 cyclists a day make it work and their only complaint is that there isn't MORE room for bikes.
Train 329 - "Oh man it only stops in Sunnyvale and Redwood City" - in SEVENTEEN MINUTES. That's at least 25 minutes drive at rush hour. If you miss it - it costs you a whole 15 minutes. If there is a wreck on the 101, you will be delayed at least twice that.
I almost never miss a train. My commute to the train from my house in SF varies by less than 2 minutes. On the south end, the variance is even less - there is far less variance on a bike due to traffic because we just bypass the traffic.
Can't memorize the schedule? Use this tactic.
https://kwc.org/blog/archives/2005/20...rain_tags.html
Granted I don't know your exact addresses, but wow. I'm sorry but if you need to put that much work into justifying not taking the train, well, you are the automakers and Oil companies wet dream.
Commuting by bike and public transportation isn't for everyone. If you told me 2 years ago I'd riding my bike to work, I'd laugh at you. But now, if you tell me to drive to work, I'd ask why? I have a bike.
05-06-08, 01:27 PM
#45
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I wish my commute was longer so I can organize a Bike Bus!
https://www.sfbike.org/?bikebus_diy
https://www.sfbike.org/?bikebus_diy
05-06-08, 06:18 PM
#46
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Sorry, I didn't realize I was stepping on anyone's toes by criticizing the almighty Caltrain. I could understand your outrage if I came onto a bicycling forum just to explain that I'd rather drive an Excursion to work by myself rather than take an extra few minutes to ride my bike. But what I'm doing is not justifying driving, just saying that Caltrain offers me no advantages to biking, other than swapping time on the bike for time sitting indoors in exchange for money.
As for your example of missing the train and waiting 15 minutes, you're absolutely right, that's no big deal at all. But what if I'm shooting for the second train and miss that one? Now I have to figure out where and when the next train is. As the schedules clearly show, there's no guarantee that the next one will stop anywhere near my location, so I'm off chasing trains all of a sudden. Maybe it will be a minor hassle one day, but maybe it'll be a huge hassle the next. Don't even get me started on Caltrain engineers stranding me for hours in the middle of nowhere, at night, because they mistakenly thought I was the one who grabbed the handle of a train as it went by.
And none of this explains why I should take the train rather than just ride directly.
As I've already explained, taking the train will easily take as much time as riding my bike, it will cost more money, and be more of a hassle. Now explain how any of this would make me a more avid bicycle commuter?
By the way, my drive to work is 22 miles and rarely is more than 30-35 minutes at rush hour. Riding my bike is 28 miles and takes over 90 minutes, but I'm doing it anyway. Again, I'm not justifying driving, in fact I am only working towards biking more, now that I have figured out my best route. All I'm doing is saying that Caltrain does not aid my bike commute.
I'm the automakers' and oil companies' wet dream when I've got my car out on the track or at autocross anyway. The bike won't cure me of my love for cars, as it is another hobby and interest of mine. Not everyone can have the same purity and single-minded devotion to one hobby.
As for your example of missing the train and waiting 15 minutes, you're absolutely right, that's no big deal at all. But what if I'm shooting for the second train and miss that one? Now I have to figure out where and when the next train is. As the schedules clearly show, there's no guarantee that the next one will stop anywhere near my location, so I'm off chasing trains all of a sudden. Maybe it will be a minor hassle one day, but maybe it'll be a huge hassle the next. Don't even get me started on Caltrain engineers stranding me for hours in the middle of nowhere, at night, because they mistakenly thought I was the one who grabbed the handle of a train as it went by.
And none of this explains why I should take the train rather than just ride directly.
As I've already explained, taking the train will easily take as much time as riding my bike, it will cost more money, and be more of a hassle. Now explain how any of this would make me a more avid bicycle commuter?
By the way, my drive to work is 22 miles and rarely is more than 30-35 minutes at rush hour. Riding my bike is 28 miles and takes over 90 minutes, but I'm doing it anyway. Again, I'm not justifying driving, in fact I am only working towards biking more, now that I have figured out my best route. All I'm doing is saying that Caltrain does not aid my bike commute.
I'm the automakers' and oil companies' wet dream when I've got my car out on the track or at autocross anyway. The bike won't cure me of my love for cars, as it is another hobby and interest of mine. Not everyone can have the same purity and single-minded devotion to one hobby.
05-06-08, 06:30 PM
#47
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I wish my commute was longer so I can organize a Bike Bus!
https://www.sfbike.org/?bikebus_diy
https://www.sfbike.org/?bikebus_diy
05-06-08, 10:34 PM
#48
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I'm the automakers' and oil companies' wet dream when I've got my car out on the track or at autocross anyway. The bike won't cure me of my love for cars, as it is another hobby and interest of mine. Not everyone can have the same purity and single-minded devotion to one hobby.
05-07-08, 07:23 AM
#49
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I'm a regular bike commuter (well, I ride my bike to the BART station and then take the train into the city).
If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend giving it a shot: nothing like getting to the BART station and jumping on the bike for a quick ride home (much better than dealing with the cagers - even for the short drive home)!
If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend giving it a shot: nothing like getting to the BART station and jumping on the bike for a quick ride home (much better than dealing with the cagers - even for the short drive home)!
05-07-08, 07:44 AM
#50
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Off to make breakfast so I can hit up the bike. It's always so hard to adjust your schedule to get up even an hour early, seems that I can never start by going to bed an hour early -- the early rising has to come first, followed by the bedtime a day or two later.
