New Job = New Commute! (OH yeah!)

phatch · Post by **phatch** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:45 pm

Hi everyone!

I'm on cloud 9 right now.. Because I just got an offer for a job 5 miles from home! Compare this to my previous job, which was 30 miles one way...

Needless to say, I'll be SCOOTIN' every day next year! Yee haw!!

How long is your commute?

AlleyOops · Post by **AlleyOops** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:49 pm

Thats awesome!!! My office is about 30 miles (just over an hour on the scoot.. a little toooo far) BUT I work from home full time, so only go in about once a month or so for a meeting or whatever.

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:55 pm

Lucky you! Sounds fun and congratulations on the new job!

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:25 pm

My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.

Fortunately, I can always opt to take the scenic route up through the hills. I'll often do this on my way home.

BeefSupreme · Post by **BeefSupreme** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:29 pm

My job is exactly 1 mile from my home. After getting my scoot a few months ago, I really wish I had a longer commute (weird right?) When my lease is up in may I may just move someplace further away so I can actually enjoy traffic.... Im so messed up in the head.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:44 pm

10-15 miles would have been perfect. 5 miles? Why, that's just a teaser!

You'll probably pass work one day and just keep on going!

Uncle Groucho · Post by **Uncle Groucho** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:05 pm

My commute is about 6 miles each way, 90% of which is shaded suburbia and single lane roads zoned for 35 mph; it's pretty heavenly.

If I found another job that was more than 20 miles away, I'd have to look at a cage...

Kriztof · Post by **Kriztof** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:05 pm

"You'll probably pass work one day and just keep on going" <- This made me laugh

12miles for me... 20min and a Dunkin Donuts Coffee stop.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:06 pm

ericalm wrote:My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.

My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:10 pm

congrats!

Mine is also a 5 mile commute, and I love it. It's just enough to be fun, but not a burden when it's cold or whatnot.

hence why I scrapped the car...

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:30 pm

Mine's 6 miles each way with several different route possibilities. When the roads are dry, I take the twisty road with a view. When it's wet, I take the faster straighter route. I prefer the twisty scenic route, but I don't like leaning on those turns on wet pavement.

stASH · Post by **stASH** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:37 pm

I've got a 9 mile commute that takes about 20 minutes. Sometimes I even use the bike I have to pedal.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:57 pm

TVB wrote:
ericalm wrote:My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.
My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.

It's usually more like 25-30 minutes or so, which puts it pretty much at the same time/mile as yours. 45 minutes with a coffee stop.

Coming home the direct routes are when things can get very slow because I have a choice of two one-lane roads that are often backed up. (They run parallel on wither side of the 101 freeway.) On the way in, one of them is two-lane so I can split much of it.

But, like I said, the scenic route is pretty dang nice.

hal888 · Post by **hal888** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:03 pm

Mine is about 16 miles each way, and usually takes about 45 minutes. By choice, I take a very rural route past horse farms and open fields, with only the last 3-4 miles through city traffic. A more direct route involves riding on road heavily used by commuters and delivery trucks, and in the end only saves about 15 minutes.

DCUNITED4LIFE · Post by **DCUNITED4LIFE** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:48 pm

stASH wrote:I've got a 9 mile commute that takes about 20 minutes. Sometimes I even use the bike I have to pedal.

6 Miles in Richmond too and yes, I pedal the bike as often as possible. Scoot if I need to be home in less than the 30 min it takes on the bicycle.

DCUNITED4LIFE · Post by **DCUNITED4LIFE** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:50 pm

ericalm wrote:
TVB wrote:
ericalm wrote:My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.
My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.
It's usually more like 25-30 minutes or so, which puts it pretty much at the same time/mile as yours. 45 minutes with a coffee stop.

Coming home the direct routes are when things can get very slow because I have a choice of two one-lane roads that are often backed up. (They run parallel on wither side of the 101 freeway.) On the way in, one of them is two-lane so I can split much of it.

But, like I said, the scenic route is pretty dang nice.

Roads backed up? I thought it was legal to lane split in CA? I guess this isn't true for the oncoming and going lanes?

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:55 pm

hal888 wrote:Mine is about 16 miles each way, and usually takes about 45 minutes. By choice, I take a very rural route past horse farms and open fields, with only the last 3-4 miles through city traffic. A more direct route involves riding on road heavily used by commuters and delivery trucks, and in the end only saves about 15 minutes.

I have a remote office that I go to once a week. Now that it's warm, I sometimes commute the 35 miles each way. I too take a much more indirect route than I have to (obviously the highway is out too...). It takes a few minutes longer but the drive is gorgeous and I have fun.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:03 pm

DCUNITED4LIFE wrote:
ericalm wrote:
TVB wrote: My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.
It's usually more like 25-30 minutes or so, which puts it pretty much at the same time/mile as yours. 45 minutes with a coffee stop.

Coming home the direct routes are when things can get very slow because I have a choice of two one-lane roads that are often backed up. (They run parallel on wither side of the 101 freeway.) On the way in, one of them is two-lane so I can split much of it.

But, like I said, the scenic route is pretty dang nice.
Roads backed up? I thought it was legal to lane split in CA? I guess this isn't true for the oncoming and going lanes?

You can only split between two lanes going the same direction. We're not so crazy that we allow riders to split between lanes of opposing traffic on one-lane streets!

One of the roads is one lane, one way, so no choice there. Most days it runs faster than the traffic on the adjacent freeway.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:20 pm

My commute is about 6 or 7 miles, from a residential area in south-city to near-downtown. First off, there's I-44 that's pretty much door-to-door, but Petey don't play that on the Buddy. No way am I getting in front of some Starbucks-addled rush-hour highway commuter!

I usually leave the house around 6:30 or so in the summer (no kids to dress/feed/get to school), and there's a major east/west street that gets me to work with a minimum of stop 'n' go. However, that street backs up when I leave the office (4:30 or so), and in the heat of the day it's not too much fun. My alternates are either a path with no traffic, but lots of stop signs, or a little bit out of the way alongside a major park with very few stop signs. The park is usually the winner.

At one point, STL had more 4-way stop signs per square mile than any other metro area. I suspect it's still right up there. It's kinda hard on the brakes and gas mileage.

cdwise · Post by **cdwise** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:23 pm

TVB wrote:
ericalm wrote:My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.
My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.

I used to live in LA. If I left for work at 7:40 I'd walk in my office door at 8:55. It was exactly 4 miles from parking space to parking space. On the other hand I could leave at 8:45 and walk in at 9:05. I told my boss that I was quite willing to stay later but unless there was a much better reason to be in the office before 9 than just that's when the office officially opened I wasn't sitting in traffic for an extra hour. My secretary could take a message.

Houston traffic can be just as bad though it has improved a little bit since they made I-10 22 lanes wide - yes, you read that correctly 11 lanes in each direction without counting the two lane access road next to it on each side.

Current commute - walk down the stair, into the kitchen for coffee and then sit down at my desk. Sometimes commute, 2 miles to local Starbucks to meet with a client or just a change of scene.

AlleyOops · Post by **AlleyOops** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:28 pm

cdwise wrote:
TVB wrote:
ericalm wrote:My commute is about 8 miles, but it's through some heavy traffic areas so can take as long as 45 minutes. When it's clear, half that time or less.
My 4-mile commute usually takes 10-15 minutes. I cannot conceive of an 8-mile ride lasting 45 minutes. Unless it involves stopping for ice cream or something.
I used to live in LA. If I left for work at 7:40 I'd walk in my office door at 8:55. It was exactly 4 miles from parking space to parking space. On the other hand I could leave at 8:45 and walk in at 9:05. I told my boss that I was quite willing to stay later but unless there was a much better reason to be in the office before 9 than just that's when the office officially opened I wasn't sitting in traffic for an extra hour. My secretary could take a message.

Houston traffic can be just as bad though it has improved a little bit since they made I-10 22 lanes wide - yes, you read that correctly 11 lanes in each direction without counting the two lane access road next to it on each side.

Current commute - walk down the stair, into the kitchen for coffee and then sit down at my desk. Sometimes commute, 2 miles to local Starbucks to meet with a client or just a change of scene.

holy crap.. 11 lanes each side? I grew up in Houston, but haven't lived there in almost 10 years. I had my first job there... that was a nasty commute!

Maximus53 · Post by **Maximus53** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:46 pm

My commute is 7 miles and a good day is 30 mins. Bad day 45 mins. Gotta love Chicago drivers... Doesnt matter car or scoot. So I opt for scoot as long as above freezing and not raining.

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:13 pm

Mine's about 21 miles one way. I wouldn't want it any shorter! Riding my scooter is the best therapy ever.

kmrcstintn · Post by **kmrcstintn** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:27 pm

I'm @ 8 miles...can squeeze out 10 miles if I have to take some side roads to avoid traffic snarls

SuperFlyBuddy · Post by **SuperFlyBuddy** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:50 am

Five mile round trip here. Two stop signs and two traffic lights (one of which is green 95% of the time). Being so close I ride home for lunch everyday so that helps curb the short commute jitters. After work I frequently take a longer route home.

Today my wife actually rode her scooter to work so I rode across town (~15 minutes) after work and met her so we could ride home together.

Capt_Don · Post by **Capt_Don** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:33 am

I work about 16 miles from the house and it takes around 30 minutes with lights and traffic. if the conditions are perfect I hit i-270 for an exit or two and can shave up to ten minutes off of my time, but end up adding miles, but the conditions have to be damn near perfect... if I get the slightest feeling to the contrary I stick to the default path... loving it!

Badgerbiker · Post by **Badgerbiker** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:31 am

Just started a new job also, 28 miles away. Buddy125 pulls it in about 50 minutes. Just rolled over 3K. Runnin' strong.