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c/daily-commute-stories

2

the_anthony•17h ago

Appreciation post: The guy who always waves from his porch on my morning drive

Every single day on my way to work in Cincinnati, I pass this one blue house. The old man who lives there is always on his porch with his coffee, and he gives a little wave to every car. It's a small thing, but it actually makes my day better. I've been doing this drive for about eight months now, and he hasn't missed a morning. Does anyone else have a regular friendly face on their route?

21

jordanblack•1d ago

Just saw a guy try to parallel park a moving van on 5th Avenue last Tuesday

Honestly, it was the most painful 15 minutes of my commute. This dude in a huge rental van was trying to squeeze into a spot meant for a compact car, blocking two lanes of traffic near Grand Central. He must have tried backing in like seven times, each attempt worse than the last. Has anyone else witnessed a parking disaster that brought the whole street to a standstill?

12

bennett.jana•1d ago

My train stalled in the tunnel under the river for 45 minutes yesterday.

We were packed in like sardines, no AC, and a guy near me started loudly explaining his entire fantasy football draft. I finally just put my headphones on and stared at the ceiling. What's your go-to move when you're trapped with annoying strangers?

22

adamr14•2d ago

Shoutout to the guy who used to run the 7:15 AM newsstand at Grand Central

About eight years ago, I was grabbing a paper from him every morning. One Tuesday, he looked at my coffee and said, 'You always get the same thing, but you never look happy about it.' He was right. He told me about a little cart two blocks over that did a better brew for less. I switched and my whole morning got better. Anyone know what happened to those old newsstands after they redid the terminal?

5

the_emery•3d ago

Saw a guy on the Red Line fix a flat with a coffee stirrer

This was Tuesday morning, maybe 7:45 AM. We were stuck between stations. Guy pulls out a bike tire tube, a patch kit, and a wooden coffee stirrer. He used the stirrer to spread the glue. Had the patch on in under two minutes. Whole car was watching. I always carry a full kit, but that was clever. Anyone else seen a weirdly smart fix on their train?

6

willowh20•4d ago

Overheard a guy on the train say his 45-minute ride is his 'thinking time'

I was on the 7:15 AM into the city yesterday and the guy next to me was on the phone. He told someone, 'No, I don't listen to music. That's my 45 minutes to just think about the day.' It made me realize I always blast a podcast the second I get on. I've been doing that for years. Maybe I'm missing out on something by filling every second. Does anyone else actually use their commute for quiet time, or is that just crazy?

0

uma_ellis•4d ago

Heard a guy on the bus say commuting is just wasted time

I was on the 7:15 express into the city yesterday and this guy in a suit was talking loud on his phone. He said his 45 minute commute was 'dead time' he could never get back. It got me thinking, because I actually like my drive. It's the only quiet part of my day before the shop opens. I see the same heron by the river bend most mornings. I don't think that's wasted. Does anyone else find their commute is a useful buffer between home and work?

25

riley43•8d ago

Showerthought: The guy on the 7:15 bus taught me to pack my own coffee

I was on my usual ride downtown last Thursday when a man spilled his full cup all over the seat next to him. It took him ten minutes to clean it up with napkins, and the whole bus smelled like burnt beans. I realized I waste five bucks and risk a mess every time I grab one on the way. Now I just make a thermos at home. Does anyone else have a commute habit they broke after one messy event?

3

jennifer_jenkins•9d ago

My old truck's heater gave out in a snowstorm on I-80 last winter

I was about 20 miles east of Rock Springs, Wyoming, driving my '98 Ford Ranger to the jobsite. The temperature dropped fast and the snow started coming down hard. My heater, which had been making a weird noise, just blew cold air all of a sudden. My hands were getting stiff on the wheel. I pulled off at the next exit, which was just a gas station and a closed diner. I remembered an old wool blanket I kept under the seat for my dog. I wrapped that around my legs, turned the defrost on full blast just to keep the window clear, and drove the rest of the way going about 40 miles per hour with my hazards on. It took me over an hour to go 30 miles. What do you guys do to stay warm if your car heater dies in the cold?

16

parker_price•10d ago

Warning: my bike chain snapped on the Market Street bridge yesterday morning and I had to walk the rest of the way to work.

It was a brand new KMC chain I'd only put on 2 weeks ago, and now I'm wondering if anyone else has had issues with their chains failing that fast.

19

young.nora•12d ago

My dad told me to take the 7:15 train to avoid the crowds

He said it would be way less packed than the later ones... so I got up early for a week to test it. Turns out, the 7:15 is the exact train that all the high school kids take from Maplewood station. It was a total zoo of backpacks and noise every single day. I went back to my old 7:45 train, which is actually quieter. Has anyone else gotten really bad commute advice from a family member?

30

taylorellis•14d ago

A bus driver in Portland waited 90 seconds for a runner, now I'm split on the whole thing.

Saw it yesterday morning. Person was a full block away, sprinting. Driver saw them in the mirror and just... stopped. Not at a stop. Middle of the street. Held up our bus and three cars behind us. Got me thinking. One side: it's just kind, helps someone out. Other side: it messes with the schedule, unfair to everyone already on board. That 90 seconds made me late to a stand-up. Where do you stand on bus drivers bending the rules like that?

3

sarah_patel25•14d ago

Heard a guy on the bus say he never looks at his phone during his ride

He was telling his friend it's the only quiet time he gets all day. It made me think, when did we all decide our commutes had to be filled with scrolling? Has anyone else tried leaving their phone in their bag?

18

annaw73•15d ago

Saw a guy on the train today with a full-on portable office setup

I was on the 7:15 AM express from Stamford into Grand Central this morning, and the guy in the seat across from me had his whole work station going. He had a laptop on a little tray table, a second phone propped up, a power strip plugged into the outlet, and was even on a video call with his camera on. He had one of those little clip-on ring lights too. It was wild to see someone so fully dialed in while we were moving at 60 miles per hour. He was totally unfazed by the conductor announcing stops and people squeezing past. I guess if your commute is over an hour each way, you gotta make the most of it. But it made me wonder, is that the future? What's the most dedicated work setup you've seen someone pull off on public transit?

13

milacraig•16d ago

Just realized the 8:05 bus has been running 7 minutes early for the past month

The driver told me they changed the starting point to avoid construction on Maple, and now I'm always waiting at my stop. Anyone else notice their bus schedule shift without warning?

19

the_lee•16d ago

The left lane exit on I-5 that cut my time in half

My commute into downtown Seattle was always a crawl after the Mercer Street exit. I noticed a few cars darting into the left lane just before the exit, which seemed wrong. I tried it last Tuesday and it uses a separate, faster lane that merges back after the off-ramp. It saved me about 12 minutes. Has anyone else found a weird lane rule that actually works?

17

west.miles•17d ago

A deer in the median on I-90 taught me a new driving trick

I was heading east near Spokane last Tuesday when a big buck just stood there, frozen in the center grass. Instead of swerving, I tapped my brakes twice to flash the lights for the truck behind me, then held steady and passed it. Has anyone else had a close call with wildlife that changed how you handle the road?

18

jamie770•18d ago

Can we talk about the left lane on the 405 being for passing, not cruising?

I drive from Long Beach to Santa Monica every day, and half the cars just camp there going the speed limit. It backs everything up for miles. What's your take, is it okay to just chill there if you're not speeding?

21

hart.sage•21d ago

Warning: My bike chain snapped on the bridge over the Willamette this morning

Had to walk the last mile to work in the rain (of course) with grease all over my hands. Anyone know a good bike shop in Portland that won't charge an arm and a leg for a quick fix?

14

masongonzalez•21d ago

Saw a guy on the 7:15 train to Boston reading a book upside down

He was totally focused, turning pages like it was normal. It made me wonder if he was just messing around or if he actually reads that way. Has anyone else seen something like that on their ride?

18

michael_jenkins39•26d ago

The right lane on the I-5 bridge is not a passing lane, people

I drive over the Columbia River bridge every morning from Vancouver to Portland, and I see the same thing each day. People treat the right lane like it's a fast lane to get ahead of the trucks, then they cut back left at the last second. The right lane is for exiting to Hayden Island, not for passing three cars and forcing your way back in. It backs up the actual exit and makes merging a mess. I've timed it, and over a month, that move only saves maybe 45 seconds on a good day, but it causes so much brake-tapping behind you. So here's the debate: is using the exit lane as a personal passing lane just smart, aggressive driving, or is it plain rude and actually slower for everyone? What's your take on bridge or highway exit lane etiquette?

20

rowan658•27d ago

Changed my mind about the 7:15 bus after a rainy Tuesday morning

Last week, I was stuck waiting for the 7:15 bus in a downpour, totally soaked. This guy in a bright yellow raincoat saw me and just waved me over to share his huge umbrella without saying a word. We stood there for maybe eight minutes until the bus came, and he just smiled and got on a different bus. I used to think that route was just full of grumpy people trying to get to work, but that one quiet guy proved me wrong. Anyone else have a small moment on their ride that just flipped a view they had?

8

rubyshah•28d ago

Honestly, I just paid $15 for a 'shortcut' bus route that took me past the same coffee shop three times.

Ngl, the driver got lost and circled the block for twenty minutes before admitting he was new, so what's the weirdest detour you've ever been on?

15

dylanh52•29d ago

Overheard a guy on the train say his commute was 'the only quiet time he gets all day'

He was on the phone, telling someone he actually looks forward to his 45 minute ride from Jersey City. It made me realize we all treat this time so differently. Do you try to make your commute useful or is it just dead time you have to get through?

29

nathan_lopez69•1mo ago

The guy at the 6 AM gas station who knew my route better than I did

So I'm fueling up at this truck stop off I-80 in Nebraska, right, bleary-eyed at like 6 AM. This older guy in a beat-up Ford pulls up next to me, gets out, and just nods. He says, 'You're heading west, yeah? Take the 76 split, not the 80, past Sidney. Construction's backed up the main route for 12 miles, but the state patrol's letting trucks use the shoulder on 76 to get around it.' I was stunned, because my GPS hadn't updated that yet. We talked for maybe five minutes while the pumps ran, and he knew every pothole and weigh station for the next 200 miles. It was this tiny moment of pure, unasked-for help from a total stranger that saved me a huge headache. Has anyone else ever gotten a random, perfect piece of commute advice from someone you'll never see again?