Author Topic: Commuting (Read 3169 times)

NorthWestern · « **on:** 24 July 2014, 10:07:02 am »

Not counting vans,trucks,service vehicles etc over 90% of cars I pass have a single occupant I am very surprised by the lack of bikes on my daily commute. What keeps people in their cars then?

Hot summer days like today I would expect loads on the roads, leaving the car at home, but nothing, I didn't pass a single biker on the motorway today and the opposite side of the M6 only yielded 4 bikes going the other way (and 3 of those I recognize from my all year riding).

It's not exactly a biking black spot here either, if I leave work late I see stacks of them enjoying the evening sun.

Frosties · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 July 2014, 10:47:43 am »

I've seen similar on the M3/M4. The main thing that surprises me is the number of riders who sit in their lane and will not filter on a motorway.

If you're round the Birmingham area of the M6, know to all for being chocka, then maybe it's the filtering that puts them off. Just my 2p.

NorthWestern · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 July 2014, 11:01:07 am »

Aye I see the odd non-filtering biker on the motorway, I guess if they are doing that then they may as well be in the car... I am not judging here, just curious to know why people don't take advantage.

A guy at my work always has an excuse for not coming in on his bike, me, I love riding and the reduction in travel time - up to 30 mins quicker each way some days

Frosties · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 July 2014, 11:20:12 am »

Quote from: NorthWestern on 24 July 2014, 11:01:07 am

A guy at my work always has an excuse for not coming in on his bike, me, I love riding and the reduction in travel time - up to 30 mins quicker each way some days

Maybe offer to ride in with him one day, could be the "I'm not safe on a motorway" issue.

rustyrider · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 July 2014, 11:34:47 am »

Maybe they look upon the bike differently? My bike is a toy to be taken out and played with for fun when I want and I consider riding a bike on a motorway to be one of the most boring things there is. No fun in that at all. Especially when the weather is hot, why swelter inside the necessary protective gear when you could be sitting in an air conditioned car?

Some use a bike as much as possible, others use it when they want. A toy rather than a means of transport. I mean, where's the fun in arriving at work dripping wet or sweating buckets depending on the weather?

bigralphie · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 July 2014, 12:04:48 pm »

I used to ride to work all the time.

I just cant be arsed changing in and out of bike gear these days so only take it on "dress down Fridays " if I don't have any meetings

Fazer Forever · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 July 2014, 12:33:18 pm »

When I worked in a factory I rode to work virtually every day as I had to get changed anyway before starting work.
Now I work in an office it's more trouble than it's worth to use the bike. I only live 3 miles from where I work and
although my journey time would be faster on the bike, when you factor in everything else before and after the actual
travelling I'm sure it would take me longer on the bike than in the car. I even have to move the car to get my bike out!

woodwizzard · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 July 2014, 12:43:34 pm »

I have a company vehicle so don't get the chance to commute on the bike. Used to years ago when a bike was my only transport. Sun, rain and snow, rode in it all. I'm one of those strange riders that quite likes motorway riding. No road to read as such, but reading and predicting what everyone else is up to or about to do keeps the mind focused. When the traffic is heavy but moving, I set myself a filtering limit of approx 35mph, anything over and I stay in lane. I see plenty filtering at higher speeds, but that is what I feel safe at.

positron · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 July 2014, 01:45:48 pm »

I switched from public transport to motorbike commute some four years ago - every day, all weather, mostly motorway commute. Plenty of filtering, especially as I get closer to Dublin. My office had no parking, so it was either public transport or expensive multi story car park if you were to drive in. I could park the motorbike right outside on the footpath, so I was really onto a winner there.

However, we moved office location further away, and now my commute is mostly motorway, and there is underground parking, and to step off the car to the lift to my desk would be all in less than 100 steps / 2 minutes, compared to walking in dripping, pealing off layers of wet bike gear, trying to dry whatever water got in, and spending rest of the day with a damp crouch... it's seriously tempting to take the car to work.

I am still sticking with the bike though. Car aggravates my bad back and of course it's less fun.

Fazafou · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 July 2014, 02:56:39 pm »

I commute on the M25 and there's a 50 limit at the roadworks past south mimms. On a bad day the car would take over 2 hours to get home whereas the bike is 45 minutes.

No competition really

fireblake · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 July 2014, 04:52:03 pm »

Driving my truck in solid traffic yesterday I noticed this guy in the outside lane and sitting behind the cars. After a few minutes he decided that his 2 piece leathers were getting unbearable so he started to filter. After another 2 minutes I passed him on his inside, he was filtering between lanes and I was in the middle lane still in heavy traffic.Some people are just not meant to filter I suppose

Mickey

Fazafou · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 July 2014, 04:59:01 pm »

I'd seriously think about giving up biking if I couldn't filter.

Arfa · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 July 2014, 05:20:12 pm »

You lot should pop down to London! It's a whole other ball game. As soon as winter is over and the sun comes out, the streets are teaming two wheel folk, be it bikers, scooters or cyclists. Filtering is par for the course, if you don't, you don't actually get anywhere.

woodwizzard · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 July 2014, 05:34:06 pm »

You lot should pop down to London!

Erm, no thanks, thats why the countryside exists

Dead Eye · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 July 2014, 05:40:32 pm »

I'll be starting this hole commuting malarkey soon

Planning to mostly use the bike to get to the new office, but I think I'll opt for the car in heavy rain :P There's a lot of parking, but getting a space for the car is a nightmare if you don't get there super early. I also have the advantage that I don't really need to dress-up for work - so I can get away just wearing a t-shirt and my kevlar jeans

fireblake · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 July 2014, 05:47:34 pm »

Or pop up.
I was a courier in London for a couple of years so done a bit of filtering in my time

Mickey

mr self destruct · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 July 2014, 10:55:36 pm »

My commute is the whole reason I learnt to ride. They decided to build a press shop on our car park two years ago and bought some land 3/4 mile away to use as our new car park. Walking to and from there more than doubled my journey time so I did my CBT and bought a 125. Then realised my non-motorway route took even longer than walking from the car park, but by then I was hooked and did my full test.

Today, there has to be a bloody good reason for me to take my car.

Quote from: woodwizzard on 24 July 2014, 12:43:34 pm

I set myself a filtering limit of approx 35mph, anything over and I stay in lane. I see plenty filtering at higher speeds, but that is what I feel safe at.

What speeds are folk happy filtering at on motorways then? Personally my limit is 25mph as I have next to no experience and am still fairly unconfident, but I'm regularly passed by a guy on a Daytona 675 who rides the white line at well over 50. That seems insane to me, but it could just be me being a pussy.

Ravenscar · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 July 2014, 11:11:51 pm »

I commute most days, St Albans into Central London. It's been hot recently but I'd rather be a bit warm on the bike than in a train. Despite taking the same route every day, each journey is different. I just enjoy being on my bike. Keep relative speeds low, eyes to the front and assume everyone's an idiot. :-)

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 July 2014, 12:55:00 am »

I travelled in to work yesterday (Glasgow) at 1pm. After all the warnings about the Commonwealth Games traffic and so on, I though I better leave early. It took me and extra 2.5 minutes. That . is not a typo either. I film everything and my camera has a timer. Two and a half minutes more with 3x the population of the city. And my workmates? They were at least 30 minutes longer. And they say to me "you must be mental riding one of those things". I say to them "not as mental as spending 10% of my life sitting in traffic"

woodwizzard · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 July 2014, 06:19:38 am »

35mph isn't the speed I filter pass stationary/very slow traffic at, I just trickle through nice and slow, waiting for that door to open etc. When all traffic in all lanes is moving 35 and above I tend to stay in lane.

fireblake · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 July 2014, 08:25:55 am »

I filter up to about 40mph but my speed past the cars would be slightly faster than they are.

Mickey

Dead Eye · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 July 2014, 08:30:33 am »

Same here - I'll happily filter up to about 40 mph but I'm only ever travelling about 10 mph faster than the rest of the traffic

Fazafou · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 July 2014, 08:40:15 am »

Depends what you mean by filtering, I 'move through' the traffic at motorway speeds sometimes, but that tends to be an overtake/undertake etc flow rather than true filtering. Sounds bad, but on the m25 people hog lanes so it becomes the norm.

Spent 6 years commuting to central London and agree it's a different world. Actually enjoyed it and it hones your skills no end.

Tried my hand at courier work but only lasted 3 days. It's a tougher job than I expected and having tried it they have my respect and I make room for them when they're coming by.

fireblake · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 July 2014, 08:59:56 am »

My years as a courier were fantastic but I became blasé to speeding in heavy traffic. I really don't know how I survived.

Dead Eye · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 July 2014, 05:34:11 pm »

I agree with what you say about the M25 traffic - I tend to lane swap to get around the crazy people who stick in lanes 3 and 4 doing 65mph...

In all but the heaviest of traffic I tend to find lane 2 and 3 the quietest, with lane 1 being occupied by trucks and lane 4 with everyone who wants to go fast, but whom aren't really getting anywhere

For filtering, I would reference it as passing between two vehicles who are literally side-by-side - otherwise it's an overtake / undertake as you say