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Anyone commute year round from WC to downtown SF?

ElectricPrunes said:
Noooooo 880 is definitely the bigger crapshoot of the two. :laughing
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you think ? I've never done the bridge during commute :dunno

880 has got it all though; pissed off truck drivers hauling containers to/from the port, ridiculous on/off ramps, no shoulders, construction debris, lost tourists, cracks and ledges on the road surface, idiot motos like me, trucks with scrap metal/cars/gravel, sun directly in your eyes as you top some of the rises, *&^%$* buses in the "fast" lane, ???
 
planegray said:
but either way, you'll come to appreciate the hwy24 commute crowd.. pretty well behaved all in all.
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Definitely. Everyone knows the drill and there's very little lane changing going on. My arm would get tired waving thanks to everyone making room for me.
 
Lafayette is great, but not for nightlife. The Roundup is the only true bar although there are a few of cantinas and sports bars peppered up and down Mt. Diablo Blvd where the booze is flowing on weekend nights. WC is only 10 minutes away. But I liked not living where there are bars. I moved to Oakland and turned a 45 minute commute into a 15 minute commute. That and there is a better selection of schools in Oakland.
 
when i first got my job downtown/fidi/office cassual, i did a rough calc. estimated annual savings of moto to bart, then bart to embarcadero saved approx $2688 vs moto all the way.

assumptions:
1. 50 mpg
2. 28 miles miles round trip if bart, then 1580 annually on bart
3. 61 miles round trip if moto all the way, then 1608 annually on parking
4. Valve adjustment every 4600 miles
5. oil and filter every 3000 miles
6. front tire every 6000 miles
7. rear tire every 3000 miles
8. participation in the commuter check benefit thru employer and whatever tax savings that means for you

reality:
1. on my first day, i got an $80 parking ticket. 3 min late.
2. i was nervious nelly all day thinking someone would steal my bike etc.
3. my bike sits in the shade/covered, for free, at bart.
4. i have read 7 books in the course of the last year (game of thrones 3-5, a couple of industry books, other stuff) over the course of my two 20 min train rides
5. i typically nap on the way home nowadays. again, 20 minutes.
6. i ride everyday, regardless of weather.

bottom line: do the calcs for you. then weigh if the zone out time on the train could be beneficial for you some way. i wouldn't ride all the way to the city if i could avoid it for the daily commute (but would definitely moto instead of cage). it will probably also be more expensive to do so, and riding in the city during commute hours is probably funner on a scooter or a bicycle.
 
Hooli said:
Except eastbound just outside the Caldecott where you have that weird lane-switching crap going on. :nchantr
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...but at least you can expect it to be unpredictable! A lot of people switching to lane 1 to avoid the merging cars from hwy 13 on the right.

Local knowledge is valuable.
 
imdrax said:
Same goes for oakland/berkely not to mention I cant stand ethnic diversity or homeless people.:wow
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Jesus. Not sure I want to even bother giving you some tips now... you're uninformed about neighborhoods/areas and aren't coming across like someone I'd want to help. But since some other people will undoubtedly find this thread for advice, here's some. Source: Used to live in the city and now live in Oakland. I ride every day to SOMA and my wife rides BART to the Financial District.

  • Wear waterproof jacket/overpants or a suit like an Aerostich. To keep your fancy pants dry, roll them up a couple rolls on each side so they don't hang out and get wet at the bottom.
  • There's lots of parking, but pricing will vary. Street parking is awesome but you gotta get there early in good weather. I have a garage spot in SOMA for $100/month, but the place across the street wanted $200. There are open air spots for $50/month - look around get pricing.
  • Don't budget around Fastrak not catching your plate. It gets me almost every day, although I don't keep track of it very well and I don't both trying tricks to keep it from seeing my plate.
  • Get a topcase and maybe some small sidecases. You'll be able to throw your shoes/tie/faux hawk gel or whatever in there on the way in, and put your gear in there during the day. If you have your own space at the office, just store shoes, etc in the office and change when you get in. Folding packers help keep shirts/pants nice if you're trucking it in every day. This assumes you're not some douchebag FiDi intern in a cube - if that's the case, then you'll definitely need the luggage.
  • Get a faceshield with a pinlock insert to keep from fogging up.
  • Run sport touring tires. PR3s are awesome in the wet and I've almost no issues with them on the slippery metal around town. They're also great on the weekends for riding the twisties or riding to the WC nightlife AKA Starbucks.
  • Most importantly, if you split lanes with the same mentality you've exhibited in this thread, do us all a favor and ride BART.

By the way, there are lots of pockets of neigborhood-y areas in the east bay, even in Oakland and Berkeley. You might look at Alameda too - it's probably got just enough Mayberry for you.
 
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monkeyneck said:
  • Don't budget around Fastrak not catching your plate. It gets me almost every day, although I don't keep track of it very well and I don't both trying tricks to keep it from seeing my plate.
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I'd recommend everyone to check their statements at least once a month, because in the last 2 months, I've been charged twice $15 (3 axles), and 3 times $6 (car). If that happens, just fax them the details (415-956-1663) and you'll get a refund within 1 week :cool
 
tibo said:
I'd recommend everyone to check their statements at least once a month, because in the last 2 months, I've been charged twice $15 (3 axles), and 3 times $6 (car). If that happens, just fax them the details (415-956-1663) and you'll get a refund within 1 week :cool
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Not sure how everyone gets charged so much. I do no sort of plate obstructing and I only get charged 3-4 times a month and I cross the bridge 5 days a week.

I got charged over the Richmond bridge last weekend and 2 weeks ago I caged it 3 out of the 5 days and got charged. I had a $130 balance in Feb when I got the bike up and running, currently at $94.50.
 
imdrax said:
Yea but anywhere I would live in SF is crowded, dirty, and smells like vomit. Same goes for oakland/berkely not to mention I cant stand ethnic diversity or homeless people.:wow
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Is this post serious :laughing

you're from a college town on the west coast (SLO), and you can't stand ethnic diversity?

EDIT: never mind, I googled SLO and it's like 86% white
 
Hooli said:
Naw, she's from The 'Sco. :rofl

OP: BART.
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BART is a total fail if you have a bike. Depending on where you live in WC takign BART to SF is an hour plus experience. I stopped for gas this morning and still made it to my garage parking in 34 minutes.

As someone that needs to be in a suit on occasion, I just leave my suit in the office.
 
Reli said:
Is this post serious :laughing

you're from a college town on the west coast (SLO), and you can't stand ethnic diversity?

EDIT: never mind, I googled SLO and it's like 86% white
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Its not that im racist, but I have lots of nice stuff and I want to keep it that way.
 
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