in your neighborhood, in your neigh...bor...hood.
One advantage to riding a motorcycle to work everday is the opportunity to wave at people in your neighborhood. The lady down the street who walks her dog every morning but struggles to keep him under control as I do my best not to aggrevate the situation. There are two people that walk along the country road I use to commute and every time I pass I always get a wave from both of them. I don't know who they are and they don't know me, but a friendly wave does make for a more pleasant morning. The joggers, walkers and bicycle commuters you see everyday. I find that everyone is more apt to wave when you are on a bike instead of in a car. "You meet the nicest people on a...."
I am on a schedule, I have to be at work at a certain time, I leave the house the same time everyday and I take the same route to work everyday. You get to learn everyone else's schedule as well and I can usually tell if I am running a little bit late or not. I refuse to put a clock on my bike but I know that if I pass and wave to the rider on the BMW DualSport on a certain part of my route and not on another, I know I need to either hustle or I am able to slow down a little bit. I can usually count on a couple of other bikes too, the Gixxer and the unknown bike behind the Vetter fairing, but that BMW rides rain or shine, my constant. It's funny because I am somewhat disappointed when I don't see him. Funny, even strange I know, but I wonder if I am part someone's schedule, routine or clock.
Corvallis is a college town and the students are back in town for orientation. I believe the city population increases by 17,000 or more when school is in and you can sure tell by the traffic congestion, it is as if someone opened a gate or something. New students, lost in an unfamiliar town, all trying to find their way to class or wherever kids need to be. But, I get used to it and I adjust my schedule by leaving a little bit earlier, arriving home a little bit later and being a whole lot more patient. The students will coordinate their schedules, find their rhythm and eventually become part of the neighborhood and part of my daily routine for another year.
We'll see how my positive mental attitude is after my commute home Thursday evening with the OSU game day traffic backing up both major arteries into town.
I don't travel on a fixed route like I used to. I still remember doing a similar thing, though. I'd see certain cars or bikes at a particular place and time. It's almost as good as a clock.
ReplyDeleteSlowing down for, and waving at folks using the road, such as joggers, seems like a great way to build positive PR, too.