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How far do you ride to work?

STCPO

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Location
McKinney, Texas
I'm toying with the idea of taking a new position within my company that will force me to commute approx 35 miles across some of the worst traffic jams Dallas has to offer.

For the past three years I've pretty much ridden the bike to work on a daily basis unless there was ice on the roads. It is my intention to keep this trend going if I take the new position.

I'm curious to hear some of your combat commuting experiences and am I nuts for even considering this?

For those that live in DFW, the new commute would take me from McKinney to Irving.

Pete
 
I commute 35 miles one way in one of the worst traffic nightmares in America. I-35. I leave the house at 6:00 and arrive in about 45 minutes. My wife makes the same trip an hour later in 1.5 hours. Coming home at 7:30 the following day, I'm going opposite of traffic and it takes about 30 minutes. If I had to do the real rush hour, the bike would stay in the garage.
 
txcpl said:
I'm curious to hear some of your combat commuting experiences and am I nuts for even considering this?
To answer your question.... naw - not nuts but there has to be an increased risk factor involved. Your attention to everything around you must be sharper at all times and expect to take some sort of evasive action everyday.

My daily commute (not bragging but.... well keep reading) is 7 miles... or 14... or 43 depending on the route I take. It will cover 4 lane divided highways and/or farm-to-market roads. Some twisties and some slab depending on the exact route. It's a real dream ride some days.

BUT..... just this week alone I have been approached by cages crossing the centerline (oncoming) at least 6 times in the last three days. Not sure if it is the moon phase or what but my normally docile drive has become a bit of a challenge. I suspect this would be magnified in the big city. Bottom line IMHO would be to acknowledge the increased risks and weigh in the increased fun factor of more miles per week - the decision is yours.
 
the new commute would take me from McKinney to Irving.
I agree with our bandit-riding friend, the new route will definitely have more pucker factor. No chance to relax until the stand is down.

My daily commute is 12 miles with some of the most bizarre drivers in the area. Max speed is 45 mph, though.

My wife just started a new job 35 miles away. She rode her Aprilia Atlantic the last 3 days from SW Arlington to just west of the Texas Motor Speedway (Justin). Bad sections are I820 and I35W. Only saving grace is she leaves early and stays late.

My son went down going east on I635 at I35E last January. It was cold and he was inexperienced, but the idiot cagers played a major part. You are probably in a better position experience-wise, but I am just a hair away from saying "don't do it - save the bike for the weekends", but not quite...
(economics and heart)
 
I live only about 7-8 miles away from my work. When traffic is normal it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get to work and about 15 minutes max to get home. I take the bike whenever I can.
 
Ajax said:
I live only about 7-8 miles away from my work. When traffic is normal it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get to work and about 15 minutes max to get home. I take the bike whenever I can.

I'm about the same, but I pay $1 on the tollway to get to work so I don't have to deal with construction and lights that might make me late. On the tollway, I can pretty accurately gauge what time I'll be pulling into the parking lot.

I don't ride all the time, but as often as I can because I get the best parking spot in the lot (about ten feet from the front door) when I do.
 
I agree with txbanditrydr.... if you do it... be extra careful. Alot of increased risk.

I'm fairly lucky.... I ride about 9 miles to the office, and it's pretty much all 75 (SW Allen to central Plano), and I usually go in around 10, so it's a quick and easy trip.

I've done the "Irving thing" for years back in the 90's... never liked it... car or otherwise :-(
 
I commute from North Garland to Uptown Dallas. It's about 25 miles one way. The thing is, my commute is during off hours. Still, traffic can be a bit of a pain some days. I actually enjoy the ride. I'm an agressive rider and am usually doing 15 20 MPH fasetr then most of the traffic around me. I find I have a lot less problems with cars and trucks barging into my lane at those speeds. It's when I'm keeping pace with traffic that it seems to get dangerous for me.
 
txcpl said:
am I nuts for even considering this?

Uhmmm, YUP, pretty nuts IMHO. :-P

The added risk outwheighs what ever enjoyment one might actually get from riding on 121/tollway-161/635 IMHO.... Now if there was a 35-mile route to work on some isolated two-lane twisty roads...... :lol:

In my case, for whatever reason, I cannot seem to get as focused as I'd like to be, riding back from work; this and the fact that there are no fun roads between Allen and Mesquite has me driving, not riding, on my ~40 mile commute on the Passat, which BTW has been consistently giving me 36+MPG down/32MPG back on REGULAR!!!!!! Of course I get on 75 before 6AM (no AC), try to get back home before rush hour, keep it at 65MPH and try to avoid using the brakes at the usual slow down spots.....

I'd say you are better off taking that big, fat, signing bonus check :rofl and trade-in the gas guzzler F150 on a fun little commuter like a Mini Cooper, or a VW Beetle, or even a Hybrid (fun in the sense of watching the ECM manage power to/from the DC motor/battery/Gas engine).

~10MPG difference and Urban Jungle saddle time is not worth the risks IMHO. I am sure Kim and the kids would agree :chug:
 
txcpl said:
For those that live in DFW, the new commute would take me from McKinney to Irving.

Pete

Hmmm, telecom & Irving... You don't work for the big red V do you?

Back on topic, I think my commute daily runs about 8 miles round trip. 2 miles to work, 2 miles home for lunch so the 13 year old dog doesn't pee herself, 2 miles back to work, etc.
 
McKinney to Irving doesn't sound like it will be pleasant. I imagine lots of sitting in traffic. Keep your current job position, assuming your happy right now it might be best to stay happy and ride the bike.

I live right by 121 and have to cross it twice a day. It is always backed up in The Colony and the tollway isn't supposed to be finished until 2008. You probably would do better to ride G Bush towards Irving and then sit in traffic on 35E until you hit 635, I don't know when G Bush is supposed to connect to Irving. Last time I saw it they had a ways to go.
 
Actually... Here's what I read about G Bush/190 between 35 and 635:

Construction Date: Open to traffic on Sept. 9, 2005.
Date Updated: August 2005
 
30 miles one way. It can be harsh from time to time and Houston drivers are selfish and stupid, but it's still my favorite way to travel.
 
:tab They'd have to offer me a BIG raise to get me motivated to make that ride. EVERY time I have ridden in the DFW area inside the loops, I have had to make numerous avoidance maneuvers of serious magnitude to avoid being rear ended, side swiped, flat run over, etc,... This is even the case when on the big ugly GS. The good thing about the GS is that I am up high and can see all around me really well. It has great brakes and power for those avoidance issues. It also absorbs crappy construction zone pavements like they aren't even there. Unless you just like the challenge, I agree that the few extra mpg don't make it worth the increased risk.

:tab Now my commute is out into the woods on a decent little FM. You might think this makes for a nice safe ride... The problem is there are three or four large prison units out that way as well. Guards late for work are dangerous in the extreme!! Often times they will be running in packs of four to five cars at high speeds. There are accidents out there on a pretty regular basis. Heaven forbid it rains... :suicide:
 
pete, my ride is abou 16 miles each way (from far north plano to forest lane/75 (TI). i have found a route that is more interesting than the highways and even with the stop lights, it still takes about the same amount of time (unless i leave really early). the ride to work is always better than the ride home (less traffic, less heat).

i started taking this route even on the days i take my car. seems much more relaxing. plus there are a few curves along the route that i look forward to.
 
txmedic said:
If I had to do the real rush hour, the bike would stay in the garage.

You've seen too much, but at least you still like to ride.

It was a long time after I stopped investigating accidents before I thought about getting another bike. My commute takes me through the 45/35 construction and man, do people take too many chances. Lane jumpers are the worst.

My commute is only 12 one way, but I get to make runs to the datacenter which adds another 20 or so.
 
My commute from driveway to parking spot is just a tick over 20 miles. I drive up 35W everyday, takes me about 45 minutes, more depending on traffic.

Kim
 
Driveway to parking lot is 32 miles, fortunately it's only half slab.
 
I have to take the long way to make it 10 miles.

Straight there I'm at work in less then 5 minutes.
 
I'll post on this one. I live in S. Arl. and work on the outskirts of Downtown Dallas - Hampton/I30. It's 48mi roundtrip and I use the scoot 2X a week.

My choices are: I20 to Mt Creek Parkway to Loop 12 to I30 or I20 to Cooper to I30. Total time is 35-40 min.

Truthfully, I kinda enjoy it. I'm in a much better mood when I arrive at work when I take the scoot. You have to be constantly vigilent and no doubt I have had some close calls but I hope that would make me a better rider. Praying about it and knowing my eternal destiny doesn't hurt either. ;-)

With fall approaching and gas prices rising, I anticipate using skoot 3-4X a week.

I'd do it but that is only my opinion, hope it helps in your decision.
 
When I leave my driveway I'm "at work".

Don't hate me.......... :angel:
 
Just know that if you choose to do it on the bike, you have to be sure you are on your game. It's doable, just takes a bit of planning.

As for commute, depends on where I am going. Used to commute 200 miles for the week and 200 back on the weekend. Lately, it's only 100 miles each way, but there and back in the same day. Again, it's not everyday. More often, 50 miles each way. None of these are in Dallas-level traffic. Houston is tons better than Dallas.
 
30 miles one way - Spring Cypress to HWY 249, streets to HOV entrance at 290 and West Little York, HOV to I-10, get on 6-10 to Hwy 59 North, exit Weslayan. 45 minutes at 5:30 am, Sometimes one hour to get home same way at 3:30p. If it wasn't for the HOV I don't think I would ever make this ride. But I must confess, I don't do it during the hottest months of the summer because of the mess on 6-10 trying to get around the Galleria.

Background on me: married, husband rides a Goldwing + XR650L, I have a VTX 1300 and am currently looking for a dual sport too. Someday, I would like to trade the cruiser for a sport tourer. All my jackets are textile and I don't do patches.
Georgia
 
I'm about 35 miles 1 way.Live in Justin and work in Irving,right by Texas Stadium.Getting to work is not bad,going home is the bad part.
 
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