Started commuting!

My long awaited wish/goal of commuting to work by bike came to reality about a week back

Distance: about 11 kms one way
Traffic : medium to high
Time taken: about 35 minutes

Logistics were the only hurdles: 1. to carry the laptop bag or not 2. no shower at work place 3. Carrying change cloths/towels

Made an unplanned first commute - just took off with the laptop bag; lunch and in regular dress - carried the required inners to be changed. Decided to ride cool and slow so that I don't sweat too much. It wasn't pretty tough in my route [murugeshpalya - airport rd - inner ring road - koramangala - dairy circle] except for the road block in EGL - otherwise would have preferred going through EGL instead of Airport rd. The roads have decent ups and downs and luckily the traffic was't bad on the first day. Reached about 5 minutes earlier than my usual commute in car!

Made the next two commute trips with better planning - left the laptop / change cloths at work the previous day. It definitely was much easier - but guess I have to get used to carrying the laptop bag along.

Issues faced on the road:

1. In a traffic jam, it wasn't easy to pass through and over take the jammed traffic [unlike what I thought before]
2. Took onto the walk path [either pushing or riding] to go ahead of the regular traffic when stopped [was helping in avoiding the eunuchs - who seem to become more troublesome in traffic for bikers]
3. For sure was planning to go along with the traffic. Was a bit confused about crossing the traffic when its red - but then got comfortable to wait and move when its safe
4. Autos are even more terrible now!
5. Taking a right turn in signals - getting ahead of the stopped traffic from the left and moving to the centre seemed to be a saner choice
6. Crossing the road - decided to just go ahead and take a U-turn instead of crossing the median with the bike [I just don't get how people cross the meridian at EGL!! these folks have to get a walkover bridge!! this place is one example of gross neglect from private / govt bodies!]
7. Slow moving vehicles mostly fail to switch on indicators while already on left and are trying to park
8. All the time was travelling during peak times [9-10am; 5-6 pm] - looks like a pollution mask is a must - planning to get a totobobo next week [missed the appointment this week]. Also have to try to re-schedule my commute timing.

Thanks to all the folks who have contributed to the Commute section in BZ

Hoping to commute 2 days a week going forward