Worst Drive Commute, Chicago For the Win! ;-)

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/financiallyfit/traffic-pain-10-cities-...

 

 

My Commute Costs me a burrito! ;-)

 

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Permalink Reply by Shay on January 29, 2011 at 5:37am

Wow!  

 

I have recently switched from driving to work most of the time to taking the CTA most of the time. Public trans takes longer, but I'm finding I'm a happier person reading a book on the bus and the L instead of seething in traffic.  I try to drive only when I have to now.

 

This spring/summer I'm aiming to try biking to work for the first time.  There are some issues I have to work out (mainly, finding a place to shower 'cause I'm a sweaty biker - also need to buy some panniers for hauling stuff).  I doubt I'll bike every single day, but I'd like to aim for 2 days a week at first.  I'm pretty excited to try it out!  It helps that my new boss is a bike rider who rides from Wicker Park to Hyde Park all spring/summer/fall.  He's given me a few pointers on how to commute from Logan Square to HP.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on January 29, 2011 at 5:46am
Yay Shay! ;-) Keep up the good work! ;-) The everyday commute gets easier once you get the hang of it like anything else. ;-)
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 29, 2011 at 6:18am

I actually like driving a car most times.   I'm far from anti-car.  I'm also into motorcycling both as recreation and commuting longer distances.  But driving in the this city and the nearby burbs is not at all fun.  There are just too many people and too many cars on the road to make it anything like fun.  It is better than walking, and when one has to go where Metra and the L don't go into the burbs it's really the only way since riding a bike is often just too far.  Riding a bicycle to Madison to check on my folks is right out...

 

Within the city, if the L doesn't go there then the fastest easiest way to get around is by bike. I don't even think about driving in town -not a car or even a motorcycle. 

 

My wife takes the L to work often because we are right on the Logan Square stop and her work is right on another Blue Line stop downtown.  It's a quick 20 minute ride on the train -much faster than riding her bike.  But she still does that occasionally for the enjoyment and exercise even though it is much more of a PITA to drag the bike out from inside at both ends and dealing with gearing up and such.  For her the L is much easier/less bother than even riding the bike.  A car would just be out of the question.

 

People who drive a car around this city regularly are crazy -the bike is easier/quicker/less frustrating.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on January 29, 2011 at 6:24am

James you're right that a car is on occasion needed and also correct that it's not nearly as needed as people think it is. With all the transit options in the city people who "have to" drive juast haven't tried anything else. ;-)

 

Jason, .... baby wipes huh? ;-) Good note. ;-)

Permalink Reply by S on January 29, 2011 at 6:26am
The gym has showers that you can use although it's a bit expensive if you just want to use the showers and don't want to workout. I'm surprised there aren't facilities for residents to shower/change around.  You might be able to use those.

Shay said:

Wow!  

 

I have recently switched from driving to work most of the time to taking the CTA most of the time. Public trans takes longer, but I'm finding I'm a happier person reading a book on the bus and the L instead of seething in traffic.  I try to drive only when I have to now.

 

This spring/summer I'm aiming to try biking to work for the first time.  There are some issues I have to work out (mainly, finding a place to shower 'cause I'm a sweaty biker - also need to buy some panniers for hauling stuff).  I doubt I'll bike every single day, but I'd like to aim for 2 days a week at first.  I'm pretty excited to try it out!  It helps that my new boss is a bike rider who rides from Wicker Park to Hyde Park all spring/summer/fall.  He's given me a few pointers on how to commute from Logan Square to HP.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 29, 2011 at 6:54am

When my wife bought our current condo the proximity of an L-stop was a major factor.  The Blue Line is underground here, as well as the entire station, which means it is out of earshot and not as much of an eyesore as one that is elevated.  We are only about 75M from the actual platform of the station (as the worm burrows) but the entrance stairs going down to the station are about a block away in either direction. 

 

I can sometimes just barely hear the trains rumbling by in the quiet of the night due to the fact that we have a garden unit (in the basement) and the earth conducts sound well. But it's very nice to have a nice warm underground station just right next door in the winter but not have to have that super-loud train sound and station announcements every few minutes all day and night.  I guess a lot of people don't think of these things when they buy/rent -or perhaps other things are more important to them. 

 

So yeah, the L is very convenient for us if where we are going is near where the L goes.  If not then the bicycle is more convenient.  In the summer I usually take the bike anyhow as it is much cheaper than the L ;)  I can't imagine taking a car everywhere and paying gas AND the new ultra-high parking rates that aren't even going towards city services but instead go to some private company who bought Daley's "Payday Loan" lease deal and now get to reap the benefits for the next 75 years at the citizen's dime.

Permalink Reply by Shay on January 29, 2011 at 6:57am
Yeah, my new boss told me there are showers in the BSLC for the med students.  I work with the medical school on lots of stuff, so I need to find someone and ask if I can have access.  I don't want to pay to join the U of C gym.

S said:
The gym has showers that you can use although it's a bit expensive if you just want to use the showers and don't want to workout. I'm surprised there aren't facilities for residents to shower/change around.  You might be able to use those.


 

Permalink Reply by Shay on January 29, 2011 at 7:04am
This is a good idea, but baby wipes don't help sweaty, mashed-down helmet hair.  :)

Jason Smajda said:
Yes Gabe, baby wipes. They are a decent alternative when showering isn't an option, used them in the field when I was in the Army
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 29, 2011 at 7:08am

The solution to helmet hair is to remove the hair from the equation.

 

Cut it short  or shave it bald :-D

Permalink Reply by Vilda on January 29, 2011 at 8:28am
Sorry James, I like Shay's hair ;-) Jason, wasn't bein critical of the baby wipes just hadn't done it before. ;-) Would be a good thing for swamp ass for sure ;-)
Permalink Reply by S on January 29, 2011 at 8:55am


Shay said:
Yeah, my new boss told me there are showers in the BSLC for the med students.  I work with the medical school on lots of stuff, so I need to find someone and ask if I can have access.  I don't want to pay to join the U of C gym.



 

Yeah, the gym membership is expensive if you just want a shower but if you're actually going to use the gym, it's one of the less expensive ones in the city especially if you consider the facilities that are available.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on January 29, 2011 at 9:52am

I'd ask around about shower access, as the university does try to vaguely encourage alternative transit. (I know a guy who gets a credit of some sort for walking three blocks to work.) There is probably someone who can hook you up, though whether you can find out who they are is a different question.

 

Also, the gym is sweet, especially if you like to swim.

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