Commuting weather diary

Iwannahurl

Usual school run. Light drizzle, which caused some mild grumbling in the ranks at first but was ultimately no bother at all. Definite precipitation, but no rainfall recorded by IRUSE. Four motorists in a platoon drove through red light as pedestrians tried to cross.

inisboffin

Yesterday: Walking day, rain when I was leaving, but luckily wasn't in a hurry so left a dry half hour later.
Evening - dry nice walk home. Traffic mild both directions.

Today - it was raining and arriving wet not an option so took lift. Traffic sluggish but not horrible. Out for the day now.

Patrickheg

Will be interested to see how you analyse and publish the results. Will you only use your own or combine all the other posters?

Gremlinertia

Is there someone here that analyses weather, bar one poster who takes rainfall snapshots?

I must get on to this thread more often as i walk, cycle and bus across the city at least four days a week.. I will say one thing for my experience over the last decade or so, it does rain here and can be fierce inhospitable at times, it's always for brief periods though.. My biggest problem has always been wind, I think i will properly try to keep up my commute to help level out this thread..

gordongekko

I had a lovely stroll alone the prom this morning in beautiful conditions. Galway is a beautiful sight early on a crisp spring morning.

Iwannahurl

Patrickheg wrote: »

Will be interested to see how you analyse and publish the results.

Will you only use your own or combine all the other posters?

Publish? Which journal should I aim for, do you think?

Once this exercise is completed I'll be using my own set of consecutive daily weather reports, because I can stand over each and every one (no recall bias etc). If anybody else decides to create a similar set of verifiable daily weather reports, they can do their own analysing and publishing eventually. I'd be only delighted to read such daily reports, and to critically review the published article.

=====================================

89th consecutive commuting weather diary entry:

Usual morning school run. Was hoping to leave early, for last day of school before Easter break, but mega-faffing caused big delay. Glorious sunshine while getting ready, but dark clouds gathering as we finally set off. No rain during outward leg, or on way back. Traffic very light. Not sure why, but it may have been simply because of the lateness of our departure (eg congestion evaporates once school run is complete, or nearly so).

Iwannahurl

Gremlinertia wrote: »

I will say one thing for my experience over the last decade or so, it does rain here and can be fierce inhospitable at times, it's always for brief periods though.. My biggest problem has always been wind, I think i will properly try to keep up my commute to help level out this thread..

"Level out" what exactly? And do you mean by "level out" anyway?

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Once this exercise is completed I'll be using my own set of consecutive daily weather reports, because I can stand over each and every one (no recall bias etc). If anybody else decides to create a similar set of verifiable daily weather reports, they can do their own analysing and publishing eventually. I'd be only delighted to read such daily reports, and to critically review the published article.

Wait, so you're only taking into account your own posts on this thread? Why not just keep a diary at home?
I thought you were looking for a representation of everyone's experience. I think most people posting on here have tried to post within a day (same as yourself).
If that's the case is it not better to just post a thread where only you posts?
Using only your posts on this thread, you're going to either have a skewed report of what Galway weather was like that day for people 'making trips' (ie only valid for the exact trip you took and time you took it) OR you are going to have a bunch of different experiences which tell us...well, that we have different experiences on some days!

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

Wait, so you're only taking into account your own posts on this thread? Why not just keep a diary at home?
I thought you were looking for a representation of everyone's experience. I think most people posting on here have tried to post within a day (same as yourself).
If that's the case is it not better to just post a thread where only you posts?
Using only your posts on this thread, you're going to either have a skewed report of what Galway weather was like that day for people 'making trips' (ie only valid for the exact trip you took and time you took it) OR you are going to have a bunch of different experiences which tell us...well, that we have different experiences on some days!

As I said in the first post, feel free to do your own.

It's enough work for me to go back over every one of my commuting weather reports (most if not all of them consecutive, contemporaneous and verifiable) and tally the results.

Do you expect me to do yours too (assuming they exist)?

inisboffin wrote: »

I think most people posting on here have tried to post within a day (same as yourself).

Really? Who else has done a daily diary along the lines outlined in the OP? I confess that I didn't spot it, but I'm willing to go back and look again.

.

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Do you expect me to do yours too (assuming they exist)?

.

Nah, I don't expect you to do anything
I just thought the purpose of the thread was that you wanted to get a balanced view of what people experienced when they took a trip. I suppose people can still see that from looking at posts, I just assumed you were going to look at all the data (whether proportionally or not). But I'm definitely not 'expecting' you to do anything - it just might make it less interesting for me to post now.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Really? Who else has done a daily diary along the lines outlined in the OP? I confess that I didn't spot it, but I'm willing to go back and look again.
.

I don't commute daily, nor even the 'regular' five days when I do, but I generally travel daily. If anything I tended not to post when getting a lift, or going a 2 min distance, given what the thread was about. But then I tried to post more often, particularly when 'outside' in weather (both good and bad). You've asked people to post their experiences, and you've posted yours. On a given day the different experiences often vary. What I meant by 'most people tend to post within a day' was not *every* day, but within a day of their journey (you mention the inaccuracy of recall, so that's the point I was making). That might have been a confusing way of phrasing it. By "build up a picture" (a phrase you used in your original post), I took it to mean more than one colour!

There is often qualification in posts of rain a lot and how tolerable it is depending on what the age or type of commuter, or how little it is bothersome. As I've mentioned before, to some people, getting wet is getting wet. Anything significant enough to make clothes damp do effect how they choose to travel that day, because of work, work facilities, or other factors. I'm just not sure how useful the thread is (for you) vs your own personal data in terms of coming to a conclusion, if all you take into account is your own posts. You obviously (evident as you now number them too) make the most posts.

Iwannahurl

I'm not sure what people mean by "balance" and "level out".

It's a fairly simple process: post an account of your commute every day (preferably regular short trips of 4-5 km and under), noting key details such as the distance, duration, weather conditions and whatever else is of relevance or interest. If at all possible make sure that the weather conditions can be verified.

When you have accumulated a sufficient number of reports, tally the results (I haven't reached my pre-determined end-point yet*).

The method is straightforward. Perhaps the biggest challenge is continuity and persistence.







*On the subject of end-points, one important detail I would point out is that the commuting weather diary is prospective not retrospective.

inisboffin

Fair enough. You started the thread. It's just of way less interest to me if it's simply to represent one person's (and occasionally, for you, your OH as you mentioned) experience. That being the same for everyone. Perhaps I misunderstood the point of it as looking at collective experience, which interests me more for some reason.

Patrickheg

inisboffin wrote: »

Wait, so you're only taking into account your own posts on this thread? Why not just keep a diary at home?
I thought you were looking for a representation of everyone's experience. I think most people posting on here have tried to post within a day (same as yourself).
If that's the case is it not better to just post a thread where only you posts?
Using only your posts on this thread, you're going to either have a skewed report of what Galway weather was like that day for people 'making trips' (ie only valid for the exact trip you took and time you took it) OR you are going to have a bunch of different experiences which tell us...well, that we have different experiences on some days!

This is what I feared. This was not outlined at the beginning. Many many posters have wasted their time contributing to what looks like a vanity exercise for the OP! OP should have used a blog.

@OP; By published I mean I have a feeling that your results(and only yours) will be published by yourself for a very very long time on many corners of the Internet discussion boards and will be presented as an impartial and indept survey when in reality it was anything but considering that anytime anyone presented a different account of the weather to you they were told that they were wrong.

In light if the admission by the OP I think it's tine to lock this up.

gordongekko

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Publish? Which journal should I aim for, do you think?

Once this exercise is completed I'll be using my own set of consecutive daily weather reports, because I can stand over each and every one (no recall bias etc). If anybody else decides to create a similar set of verifiable daily weather reports, they can do their own analysing and publishing eventually. I'd be only delighted to read such daily reports, and to critically review the published article.

=====================================

89th consecutive commuting weather diary entry:

Usual morning school run. Was hoping to leave early, for last day of school before Easter break, but mega-faffing caused big delay. Glorious sunshine while getting ready, but dark clouds gathering as we finally set off. No rain during outward leg, or on way back. Traffic very light. Not sure why, but it may have been simply because of the lateness of our departure (eg congestion evaporates once school run is complete, or nearly so).

your choice of language is the reason you are criticized. Unless you are live blogging while on the bike you clearly have to use some recall basis. And define 89 consecutive commuting days?

gordongekko

maybe this needs to be moved to a different forum as the op is only posting for themselves. Cycling forum or a blog forum or something like that.

Mr_A

Maybe people shouldn't read it if it annoys them so much.

I don't see why the OP has some obligation to use input other than their own when putting together a report. As has been pointed out, the same option is open to everyone else.

gordongekko

Mr_A wrote: »

Maybe people shouldn't read it if it annoys them so much.

I don't see why the OP has some obligation to use input other than their own when putting together a report. As has been pointed out, the same option is open to everyone else.

True but if its only relevant to the people who travel between the ops house,where their kids go to school and their place of work then its not supposed to be in the Galway forum.

inisboffin

Mr_A wrote: »

Maybe people shouldn't read it if it annoys them so much.

I don't see why the OP has some obligation to use input other than their own when putting together a report. As has been pointed out, the same option is open to everyone else.

For me it's not so much annoyed as thinking I was contributing to something different. OP started the thread and that's grand, I just have less interest in this format.

Iwannahurl

gordongekko wrote: »

maybe this needs to be moved to a different forum as the op is only posting for themselves. Cycling forum or a blog forum or something like that.

Patrickheg wrote: »

This is what I feared. This was not outlined at the beginning. Many many posters have wasted their time contributing to what looks like a vanity exercise for the OP! OP should have used a blog.

@OP; By published I mean I have a feeling that your results(and only yours) will be published by yourself for a very very long time on many corners of the Internet discussion boards and will be presented as an impartial and indept survey when in reality it was anything but considering that anytime anyone presented a different account of the weather to you they were told that they were wrong.

In light if the admission by the OP I think it's tine to lock this up.

You seem terribly concerned about posters wasting their time, yet the only use of your own time in this thread has been to criticise and undermine. Not surprising that, given that you made your contempt for the exercise clear as long ago as November.

What I see here is a very clear, deliberate and quite possibly orchestrated attempt to derail the thread.

If people wish to post on-topic in the thread they are perfectly free to do so. The suggested mode of doing so has been readily apparent from the start, and if people were unable or unwilling to follow the proposed template then that is a matter for them.

Iwannahurl

gordongekko wrote: »

True but if its only relevant to the people who travel between the ops house,where their kids go to school and their place of work then its not supposed to be in the Galway forum.

Incorrect. Anyone resident anywhere in the city within the suggested radius (4-5 km or less) of work or education was free to post their own daily weather diary from the start.

I have posted consistently from the beginning, as per the suggested format. If nobody else chose to do so, and that omission limits comparability, that is not my doing. I can't make other people post their own reports, and I can't be held accountable for information that other people chose not to submit.

gordongekko wrote: »

Unless you are live blogging while on the bike you clearly have to use some recall basis. And define 89 consecutive commuting days?

No, I think it's easy to recall what the weather conditions were the same morning, or earlier the same day, or even yesterday. It's when trying to recall the last week or month, or trying to qualitatively sum up a longer period ("it was a very wet winter") that recall bias becomes an issue. That's why I made it a diary, and stuck to that format as best I could.

89 consecutive days means 89 school days since I started the thread. There were a number of sick days (one, a Friday iirc, that I may have left out). AFAICR I mentioned the weather on the sick days, because that's what the conditions would have been like if doing the school run. By way of example, one simple metric that I intend to report after my end-point is reached (note: my end-point, not others'), is whether Senior Infant cycled or not. That's definitely an indicator of weather conditions, since SI does not cycle in the rain.

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Usual school-work run. Small amount of rain, but no bother for Senior Infant.

Only in "small amounts"?

gordongekko

Iwannahurl wrote: »

You seem terribly concerned about posters wasting their time, yet the only use of your own time in this thread has been to criticise and undermine. Not surprising that, given that you made your contempt for the exercise clear as long ago as November.

What I see here is a very clear, deliberate and quite possibly orchestrated attempt to derail the thread.

If people wish to post on-topic in the thread they are perfectly free to do so. The suggested mode of doing so has been readily apparent from the start, and if people were unable or unwilling to follow the proposed template then that is a matter for them.

so once again this has nothing to do with Galway and only relevant to your household. I find it a bit insulting for you to claim you have perfect recall of events and the rest of us don't. I for one have got soaked on days you have not have any issue with rain. Its only since you were challenged on it that you have started to see some rain.

And do you not commute on days that kids are off school? How do you manage to stay indoors for so long?

inisboffin

Right. A little disappointed, whether or not it wasn't clear, or misinterpreted what was indicated, I thought this was more communal than OP stated. But the fact that I am actually disappointed by this means I need to step away from the internets for a bit! LOL!
More fun if I'm just doing it for myself to write it in a moleskin and tell you all

Initially I tended to not post on days where weather is too bad and got a bus or lift, so that would make data change (and to my mind in favour of worse weather)! However I cannot *prove* that and it may have echoes of recall so I am just posting from the dailies.

Single trips: 39
Percentage wet (I got wet with water whether icy or liquid, which came from the sky): 62
Percentage dry: 38


Them's me facts - enjoy

Mrs OBumble

If people have such a problem with this, then why do they just not read the thread??? It's really not that difficult to ignore threads that don't interest you. Looks like pointless sniping going on here, IMHO.

inisboffin

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

If people have such a problem with this, then why do they just not read the thread??? It's really not that difficult to ignore threads that don't interest you. Looks like pointless sniping going on here, IMHO.

I think people thought it was something other than it is.
But you're right. It's like touching a wet paint sign...


...that is dry in some places
(couldn't resist)
*gets (waterproof) coat*

sonandheir

Trip: work commute 22km round trip 3 days this week
Mode: cycle.
Weather: dry
Comment: nice weather this week
Wet: 3/52= 6%
Nice: 49/52= 94%
Too Dangerous: 0/52= 0%

Lundar.

Iwannahurl,

keep it up mate, Personally i would post myself but for other reasons I can't do so atm, so i like reading this thread almost daily, Reminds me of what i go through daily, Some days are great ,others are ok, and a few real nasty days. It nice to have a snapshot of the weather over the winter and spring, it goes to show that you can cycle most days of the year.

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

Single trips: 39
Percentage wet (I got wet with water whether icy or liquid, which came from the sky): 62
Percentage dry: 38


Them's me facts - enjoy

So just to be clear: are you saying that you kept a record of each and every one of your trips as this thread progressed, amounting to 39 trips with none left out? And that by chance it turned out there was rainfall during no less than 62% of those trips? Are all these commutes recorded in this thread?

Or is it the case that of 39 trip reports you selected to post in this thread, 24 of them were selected reports of rainfall?

There is a difference...

Gremlinertia

I have this thread followed, have to say it's been quite rare that i get utterly soaked going to and from work, i don't keep records because i work weird shifts so couldn't really compare with the general work patterns of most for the week.. If i were to mention one thing that makes my walks to and from various sites annoying, it'd be the incessant wind we suffered for a while over december, january and february..

Iwannahurl

I'm not trying to be a curmudgeon or whatever, but I would not agree that the wind was incessant for three entire months.

Sure it's windy in Galway, but not constantly for a whole season. Strong cold winds make cycling and walking very unpleasant, but there are many days in all seasons where nasty wind is not a dominant weather feature.

That said, I found the wind this evening to be bitterly cold. Should have worn my scarf.