Commuting weather diary

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

Yeah my commutes are not 'regular' times as in morning school run generally.
I do notice posts of 'dry' when I have experienced rain. I generally don't bother posting but yesterday there was such a notable difference I posted. It was a light hearted post about a parallel universe as yeah I'm well aware how changeable the weather is in Galway!
However many of us have odd commutes, and just like odd sleeping hours, sometimes feel hard done by when not 'counted', and if someone was looking back at a thread, might think it never rains!
Length of commute is totally a factor too. I might have a week of lots of small trips depending on what I'm up to.

The whole point is that during a short commute of, say, 4 km or less there is often no rain.

What I have posted so far is a factual account of what the weather conditions were like during my particular commute (and occasionally the OH's).

Of course Galway's weather is changeable. Sometimes it rains, but often it doesn't. That goes for everyone doing a similar commute, eg the 47% of Galway City residents living 4 km or less from their place of work or education, and holds true over time regardless of the hour of day.

When this diary has been completed (and I have an end date in mind, for my own contributions) I anticipate that the number of occasions on which rain fell during the school run primarily will be a small percentage of the total. I already know, from long experience, that the risk of a soaking on any one short trip is far less than people believe. My objective with this weather diary is to work out a few percentages.

Iwannahurl

antoobrien wrote: »

It's amazing the amount of days you report no rain/fail to report rain that other people get rained on.

Such as yesterday evening.

Enjoy that alternative reality.

antoobrien wrote: »

If it's already been reported as dry is there a need to reaffirm that report?

I will submit experiences that differ from other posters in order to give a more accurate reporting of the actual weather conditions on the roads.

But then when the recent storms aren't enough to keep some people off their bikes, should we be expecting rational discussion?

Ah right, so some of us are cycling in an "alternative reality" whereas antoobrien regularly drives in a state of consciousness characterised by "accuracy" and "rationality"?

Many if not most of your posts in this thread have been attempts to deny the validity of this exercise. Furthermore, you post when rain has fallen on your car (or you saw/heard about rain falling on someone else) but not when it has been dry. Accurate reporting and rational discussion? I think not.

I think it's clear to any reasonable person what your denial is really about.

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

. That goes for everyone doing a similar commute, eg the 47% of Galway City residents living 4 km or less from their place of work or education, and holds true over time regardless of the hour of day.

See I too fall into this category of distance but at a different (or multiple different) times of the day.
It may be simple random difference, but I do seem to find it wetter than you when I do my commute! I'd have to agree to differ on your " Sometimes it rains, but often it doesn't." line! That being said people go often go on assumption rather than experience. I think this is a great exercise though, and wish I could get it together to post enough to balance my own experience! I like to cycle as much as I can, and adding the time of day to stuff, seeing it dry too, actually does make me want to give it a lash (excuse the pun!) more than I did.

Iwannahurl

I have consistently and accurately reported, on an almost daily basis, the weather conditions I experienced during the morning school run.

Sporadic reports, whether of rain or otherwise, do not serve to improve accuracy, and without an 'audit trail' clarification and verification are not really possible later on.

My report for today, the 65th school day since starting this diary: Senior Infant returned to school, cycling own bike, after a few days' sickness absence due to a bad cold or flu. The IRUSE weather station, which anybody can check right now for verification purposes, shows that there has been no rainfall since 03:00. Additionally, when SI was setting out to school there was a large yellowish orb, shining in the eastern sky. Of course it may just have been a cyclist's "alternative reality" or even some Fatima-like apparition.

EDIT: a thought occurs. If anyone doubts the accuracy of any one of my weather reports, perhaps the simplest thing to do is post a (dated) screenshot of the IRUSE 12-hour Trend graph. While that won't confirm whether there might have been a local shower in any one area in, say, a 15-minute window, it might at least go some way towards explaining why, on occasion, some experience rain and others don't.

Patrickheg

To be fair i find inisbofffins evidence more trustworthy and credible. It's clear he is an advocate of cyclists and public transport and communicates his findings in a more neutral manner so has nothing to gain by being selective with his weather reporting which I think we have seen from both sides of this argument.

OP I really hope you are not going to take the results of your "survey" and publish it all over boards and represent it as some kind of scientific survey.

inisboffin

I do think these 'local showers' which Iwannahurl mentions do play in to this discussion. And are possibly way more at the heart of discrepancies.
If I set out on a 15 min commute and a heavy shower descends for 5 or 10 mins and soaks me, I am still soaked.
If I leave my house in nice weather with no raincoat but a shower hits me for the final 5 mins I am also still soaked.
Someone only travelling 10 mins of those same journey routed could miss the showers and see sunshine. Surely that plays in too?
Galway is much wetter than Dublin. That's my experience as a cyclist. I cycled more in Dublin than I do in Galway. That's due to weather, safety and distance. That's not a grumble per se, just a fact for me. I love cycling *some* routes in Galway.

Iwannahurl

Patrickheg wrote: »

To be fair i find inisbofffins evidence more trustworthy and credible. It's clear he is an advocate of cyclists and public transport and communicates his findings in a more neutral manner so has nothing to gain by being selective with his weather reporting which I think we have seen from both sides of this argument.

OP I really hope you are not going to take the results of your "survey" and publish it all over boards and represent it as some kind of scientific survey.

And the denial goes on.

You've already made your opinions clear, and not in a "neutral" manner by any means.

To repeat, yet again: the purpose of this thread is to serve as a commuting weather diary (as indicated by the title) and in the main it consists of brief factual reports of the weather conditions encountered during the daily commute. Some people, such as myself, post consistently on an almost daily basis. Others post occasionally, in the appropriate spirit. Others just post to snipe, make vague and unsubstantiated allegations, and attempt to undermine the exercise.

What's with all the denial and fabricated accusations of "selective reporting"? Could it possibly be that some people just do not want this exercise to reach a conclusion they don't want to hear?

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

I do think these 'local showers' which Iwannahurl mentions do play in to this discussion. And are possibly way more at the heart of discrepancies.
If I set out on a 15 min commute and a heavy shower descends for 5 or 10 mins and soaks me, I am still soaked.
If I leave my house in nice weather with no raincoat but a shower hits me for the final 5 mins I am also still soaked.
Someone only travelling 10 mins of those same journey routed could miss the showers and see sunshine. Surely that plays in too?
Galway is much wetter than Dublin. That's my experience as a cyclist. I cycled more in Dublin than I do in Galway. That's due to weather, safety and distance. That's not a grumble per se, just a fact for me. I love cycling *some* routes in Galway.

I wouldn't use the word discrepancies. Different experiences, maybe, but they are spatial and temporal in nature. It rains at some times but not others. It may be raining in one place but not in another, at the same time. I don't think there is anything remarkable about that, and I said as much in the OP. In fact, it's the whole point of the thread. Yes, we all know it rains a lot in Galway, but that does not mean we inevitably get rained on during short commutes of 4 km or less. In fact, my (educated) guess is that the number of rained-on short commutes is actually a minority of the total.

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I wouldn't use the word discrepancies. Different experiences, maybe, but they are spatial and temporal in nature. It rains at some times but not others. It may be raining in one place but not in another, at the same time. I don't think there is anything remarkable about that, and I said as much in the OP. In fact, it's the whole point of the thread. Yes, we all know it rains a lot in Galway, but that does not mean we inevitably get rained on during short commutes of 4 km or less. In fact, my (educated) guess is that the number of rained-on short commutes is actually a minority of the total.

I was replying to the fact that both dry journeys and wet journeys were being 'doubted' - whether directly or by inference - by other posters! Therefore the phrase 'any perceived discrepancies' may be clearer.
And yes, I would highlight you yourself do stress the point of the thread wchich is about personal experience (which is great) rather than assumptions OR educated opinions.
I'll keep posting when I can.

Iwannahurl

I don't know how the numbers will stack up until I do the final tally (of my contributions) but I do know what my experiences have been so far.

I think I may have to augment my trip reports from now on in order to counter the naysayers.

By the way, the focus is not on wet or dry days but on wet or dry commutes. There is a significant difference between the two which is critical to any discussion on this topic.

inisboffin

Fixed that in my post.

gordongekko

The problem you have is we just don't believe you anymore. When we are all experiencing rain yet see your posts talking about glorious dry days I just roll my eyes to heaven.

Iwannahurl

gordongekko wrote: »

The problem you have is we just don't believe you anymore. When we are all experiencing rain yet see your posts talking about glorious dry days I just roll my eyes to heaven.

Who's "we" and "all"?

To repeat, yet again, the focus is not on wet or dry days but on wet or dry commutes. My kid's 3 km school run takes about 15 minutes one way by bike. Assuming a 30-minute round trip (it's actually less than that) the school run takes up just 2% of a 24-hour day. As I have said repeatedly, it's perfectly possible to do a short commute without being rained on, even on a very showery day.

You've had numerous opportunities -- over 65 school days and even more work days so far -- to post your own daily account of your own commute, complete with description and evidence of the weather conditions.

Can you link to any examples of where (a) you posted on-topic in this thread, and (b) where it can be shown conclusively that I claimed it was not raining when in fact it was raining?

That's the nub of it. What you believe is beside the point, and you can roll your eyes to heaven all you like. If there have been occasions when I did the school commute by bike in the rain, yet claimed it was dry, why did neither you nor anyone else take the opportunity at the time to post evidence to the contrary?

What I see here is not rational argument or genuine contrary opinions, but a deliberate attempt to undermine the exercise by pretending that it's based on falsehoods. If you don't accept what I post as factually accurate, then demonstrate where I am incorrect. If you think I'm lying then just say so, but you'll have to make a convincing case. On the other hand, if you just don't like the thread, who's forcing you to read it?

inisboffin

Couch day today
Weather looked nice out the window though!

Iwannahurl

Appeared to be a nice sunset this evening, but I didn't have a good view.

Red sky at night?
That can't be right.

gordongekko

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Appeared to be a nice sunset this evening, but I didn't have a good view.

Red sky at night?
That can't be right.

appeared to rain most of the day but luckily no cyclists on this forum appeared to head out into it.

snubbleste

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Appeared to be a nice sunset this evening, but I didn't have a good view. Red sky at night?That can't be right.

Iwannahurl

Foggy this morning. 0.2 mm rain 06:00-07:00.

Iwannahurl

snubbleste wrote: »

http://f1.thejournal.ie/media/2014/03/weatehr2-2.jpg

reap-a-rat

It's lovely weather to be out in alright - I was walking home from work yesterday evening and it was bliss - so refreshing. Haven't been keeping a diary but I know it's been ages since I've walked home and it hasn't been either windy or raining or both. Just lovely perfect weather. Heading into town after a while and again I can't wait to just get out in it! Long may it continue (for even the few days!).

Iwannahurl

Since nobody is doubting the actual weather...

Usual school run, SI on own bike. Lovely sunny day. Left home late, light traffic.

Iwannahurl

reap-a-rat wrote: »

Haven't been keeping a diary but I know it's been ages since I've walked home and it hasn't been either windy or raining or both.

What time would you normally be walking home in the evening? What approximate distance and duration?

reap-a-rat

Iwannahurl wrote: »

What time would you normally be walking home in the evening? What approximate distance and duration?

Depending on the day of the week it varies - Monday and Wednesday it's 6.30/7pm. Walk 3km and takes around 30 mins. The other days I'm earlier than that.

Iwannahurl

reap-a-rat wrote: »

Haven't been keeping a diary but I know it's been ages since I've walked home and it hasn't been either windy or raining or both.

I'm curious. For the record, can you indicate on which dates during February (for example) it rained during your 30-minute walk home in the evening? Just rainfall, not wind.

reap-a-rat

I thought it would be an impossible task but for the Mondays and Wednesdays (when it's work I'm walking to and not college) I actually had mentioned in text messages whether or not it had been raining/I had got wet. So that's why only Mondays and Wednesdays are marked, but it's fairly high. TBH I didn't check if they were the outbound or homebound legs - though one message did state "I don't know whether I got more wet this morning or this evening" (and it was a clean text )

College days I seem not to mention the weather for some reason (it could be down to me rarely attending the lectures, so my trips in and out are about 2 hours apart) and 10 mins shorter than my work trip. I don't know.

Anyhow, make of the calendar what you will!

Iwannahurl

Thanks for that. I'll take a look later.

It turns out that there is a Met Eireann rainfall station in the grounds of NUI Galway. Perhaps that's the same one IRUSE operates.

As far as I know this means it is possible to ascertain the hourly rainfall on every single day since this commuting weather diary began. While that won't give a full account of the rainfall during short commutes (because the entire "hourly" rainfall amount could have fallen as a heavy 5-minute shower, for example) it will be useful for making comparisons with the daily diary reports.

Met Eireann also has a Synoptic Station in Athenry, and another in Mace Head. Neither will describe the weather conditions in Galway City during 15-30 minute commutes, but their Daily Station Reports will provide some indication of the general weather conditions in any given hour.

Ultimately, the combination of daily diary reports and data from Rainfall and Synoptic stations will be far more reliable than opinion, impressions and recall. I'm looking forward to collating the numbers...

Iwannahurl

reap-a-rat wrote: »

I actually had mentioned in text messages whether or not it had been raining/I had got wet.

Can you be more specific?

The focus of this weather diary is on the level of rainfall during city commutes. For example, there have been several occasions when it rained just before or just after my child cycled to school. There had been rain, but not during the actual 15-minute trip.

There's also the issue of duration and intensity. Did it rain for five minutes during your 30-minute walk, or for the entire trip? Was it a series of light showers, a persistent deluge or drizzle? Did you need to use rain gear, such as waterproof trousers or an umbrella?

reap-a-rat

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Can you be more specific?

The focus of this weather diary is on the level of rainfall during city commutes. For example, there have been several occasions when it rained just before or just after my child cycled to school. There had been rain, but not during the actual 15-minute trip.

There's also the issue of duration and intensity. Did it rain for five minutes during your 30-minute walk, or for the entire trip? Was it a series of light showers, a persistent deluge or drizzle? Did you need to use rain gear, such as waterproof trousers or an umbrella?

To be honest, I don't remember every specific commute from February - however, I know that I got soaked (properly soaked through) on at least 3 occasions, and just a little damp on the others. I would hazard a guess that only about on three or four occasions was it raining for the whole journey, and sometimes very heavy.

I do tend to get caught up in showers more than my boyfriend, for example - he walks 10/15 mins and I walk 30, I'll get wet and he won't. It's completely down to where you are and how long you are out, in my opinion. I have noticed a significant increase in the number of times I get wet now compared to when I was in college full-time, and I'd say it's down to distance.

I wear my rain gear VERY often, as in most mornings and evenings, because a lot of the time recently there's been a threat of rain or it's actually raining when I leave. Even if it's not, the likelihood of getting splashed by some of the traffic is massive so I take no chances.

Sorry I can't be more comprehensive - I really have too much else on my mind to be thinking back on the weather last month!

Iwannahurl

reap-a-rat wrote: »

To be honest, I don't remember every specific commute from February

...

I would hazard a guess that only about on three or four occasions was it raining for the whole journey, and sometimes very heavy.

...

Sorry I can't be more comprehensive - I really have too much else on my mind to be thinking back on the weather last month!

Yes, recall is unreliable and incomplete for sure.

It's why I try to post every day if I can.

When it's all done and dusted I will try to augment the factual daily reports with hard data from Met Eireann, if available. That will eliminate recall bias.

Iwannahurl

Day 68: usual school run. No rain.
Day 69: murky damp start to the day, but no rain.