Side Effects of Commuting

meanredspider
meanredspider Posts: 12,337
edited August 2014 in Commuting chat
An amusing observation by a colleague got me thinking about the side effects of commuting

I was walking from our office across the square to the cafe where I often get lunch. As I left the office it suddenly started raining quite hard. The colleague, watching from the cafe, commented that I made absolutely no reaction to the rain - continuing to walk at the same pace in the same way. He surmised that someone that's ridden up Alpe D'Huez 6x isn't bothered by a bit of rain. I told him that a few years of commuting by bike was what made the difference.

But it's got me thinking about what other things have been side effects of commuting by bike. Thoughts?
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Comments

  • leedsmjh
    leedsmjh Posts: 196
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike
  • fatsmoker
    fatsmoker Posts: 585
    Optimism and positive thinking, happy when I arrive at my desk, happy when I leave as well.
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    When I'm stopped at traffic lights on my Vespa. Takes a huge mental effort not to reach down for my water bottle.

    Sometimes I fail.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    It makes me very farty.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • gingaman
    gingaman Posts: 576
    leedsmjh wrote:
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike

    +100
  • adam0bmx0
    adam0bmx0 Posts: 263
    gingaman wrote:
    leedsmjh wrote:
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike

    +100

    Agreed, makes me a much more observant and considerate pedestrian.
    If the bar ain't bending, you're just pretending
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    The rain thing is a good one. One of my colleagues was complaining about the downpour this afternoon, I left the office thinking how much I'd like to ride in flanders in this weather, that would make me a badass.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

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  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    When driving in: "I wish I was on the bike"

    That.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
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    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    adam0bmx0 wrote:
    gingaman wrote:
    leedsmjh wrote:
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike

    +100

    Agreed, makes me a much more observant and considerate pedestrian.

    Cuts both ways. Makes me somewhat intolerant of other pedestrians when they don't...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    meanredspider wrote:
    An amusing observation by a colleague got me thinking about the side effects of commuting

    I was walking from our office across the square to the cafe where I often get lunch. As I left the office it suddenly started raining quite hard. The colleague, watching from the cafe, commented that I made absolutely no reaction to the rain - continuing to walk at the same pace in the same way. He surmised that someone that's ridden up Alpe D'Huez 6x isn't bothered by a bit of rain. I told him that a few years of commuting by bike was what made the difference.

    But it's got me thinking about what other things have been side effects of commuting by bike. Thoughts?

    I have the opposite of this.

    My colleagues take the tube so a quick 3 min walk to the tube in the rain is no biggie.

    Is a ballache for me. Really don't like riding in the rain. Still prefer it to the tube, but not that much more.

    I therefore know more or less to the hour what the weather forecast says at any given time.
    _
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Always on time, the Bike simply isn't effected by traffic weather etc.

    unlike car/bus/train which get caught in traffic get cancelled etc.

    For a given distance I know how long it will take, and it doesn't alter.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Don't like the rain and traffic, too hairy, but when I ride along the canal, it's actually nice... I am lucky enough to have tailored my commute so that it's 1 mile of road and 12 of river/canal path
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Don't like the rain and traffic, too hairy, but when I ride along the canal, it's actually nice... I am lucky enough to have tailored my commute so that it's 1 mile of road and 12 of river/canal path
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Don't like the rain and traffic, too hairy, but when I ride along the canal, it's actually nice... I am lucky enough to have tailored my commute so that it's 1 mile of road and 12 of river/canal path
    left the forum March 2023
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,490
    I thought that repeating posts was against the rules? :lol:

    Shoulder check - Check.
    Being happier - Check.
    Being slimmer - Check.
    Being harder - Check. (Weatherwise :oops: )
    Being the office expert in weather - Check.
    Tan lines continuously topped up - Check.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Don't like the rain and traffic, too hairy, but when I ride along the canal, it's actually nice... I am lucky enough to have tailored my commute so that it's 1 mile of road and 12 of river/canal path

    My route is barely Half a mile of quiet back streets and the rest is Bushy Park, quite often I don't see any deer let alone any one else.

    Bike is a older MTB so has huge amounts of grip/braking/stability so wet days are fine, I have reasonably powerful lights since I need to see not just be seen which traffic tends to give if anything more room on wet/dark days.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    roger merriman wrote:
    Always on time, the Bike simply isn't effected by traffic weather etc.

    unlike car/bus/train which get caught in traffic get cancelled etc.

    For a given distance I know how long it will take, and it doesn't alter.
    Didn't work for me tonight. Punctured; wet, so not necessarily easy to fix the tube, so replaced with spare #1. Pumped that up, turned out to be pre-punctured (user error) so went for spare #2. Must have wasted nearly 10 minutes faffing around. This wasn't a one-off either, I have to deal with this sort of unplanned delay several times a year...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    I'm hungry all the time and I instinctively know where the nearest cake is.

    And the rain thing and shoulder checking.
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    TGOTB wrote:
    roger merriman wrote:
    Always on time, the Bike simply isn't effected by traffic weather etc.

    unlike car/bus/train which get caught in traffic get cancelled etc.

    For a given distance I know how long it will take, and it doesn't alter.
    Didn't work for me tonight. Punctured; wet, so not necessarily easy to fix the tube, so replaced with spare #1. Pumped that up, turned out to be pre-punctured (user error) so went for spare #2. Must have wasted nearly 10 minutes faffing around. This wasn't a one-off either, I have to deal with this sort of unplanned delay several times a year...

    Has only Happened 3 times in 5 years, thus far, two where Glass hiss jobs, and last one I had quite a lot in my panniers and pinch flatted hitting a kerb far too fast/hard.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Summer rain? Love riding in it. Was disappointed this afternoon when I rode out of the downpour (I thought it had stopped but the view from above mine back into town showed it was still raining hard) - what's not to like about a short ride in warm rain watching all the pedestrians cowering under their umbrellas?
    Faster than a tent.......
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    I race people even when walking along the pavement, gradually accelerating if I detect someone on my shoulder.

    I get colds less often than when I used PT, but my God when I get them they hit me hard as I tend to ride through the first bit of "sore throat denial".
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  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    When driving I lift my bum off the seat every time I go over a pot hole or rough bit of road. True.
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Appreciation of form. Im getting to know which wheels to follow by instinct now.

    And when buying tshirts or shirts I am disappointed by the lack of pockets to stash stuff in.
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Smokey Bacon wrote:
    And when buying tshirts or shirts I am disappointed by the lack of pockets to stash stuff in.
    And disappointed that not many of them are fitted.
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
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  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    It has made me even more acutely aware of my wife's terrible driving. She seems to have no spacial perception at all and has frequent near missed quite frequently. She is also crap around cyclists, despite being one herself.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • Widgey
    Widgey Posts: 157
    I know all the little connecting roads that can be used as cut throughs.

    Driving has become boring, nothing to think about. Approach a hill and don't have to think what gear, heart rate, quality of the road, potholes, length of the hill. All to simple.
    Dry Bike
    Wet Bike
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    leedsmjh wrote:
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike
    I've always done this when walking, it's just considerate to check that you're not going to walk in to someone when changing line. I've just carried it over when I started cycling...side effect = safer!
    Felt F1 2014
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    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
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  • memsley89
    memsley89 Posts: 247
    leedsmjh wrote:
    A marked tendency to shoulder check even when not on a bike

    I shoulder checked when I stepped off a spin bike in the gym last night :oops:
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  • drawblood
    drawblood Posts: 36
    Sometimes...while pushing the shopping trolley around Sainsbury's, I do find myself shoulder checking and often flicking my right elbow to let the impatient lady behind take her turn at the front... just sometimes!!
    Would get down on the drops more if the gut wasn't in the way!
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    drawblood wrote:
    Sometimes...while pushing the shopping trolley around Sainsbury's, I do find myself shoulder checking and often ******* my right elbow to let the impatient lady behind take her turn at the front... just sometimes!!
    I can't stop myself pushing the trolley around with my hands on the hoods. Even though it's clearly designed for hands to go on the tops, that just feels wrong. That's unless I'm pushing it up a ramp in the multi-storey car park, of course, in which case hands on the tops suddenly feels right...
    Pannier, 120rpm.

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