‘I made curtains on the train’: the commuters livening up their journeys ( www.theguardian.com )

The pandemic opened the eyes of many to the benefits of running or cycling to work – or “active commutes” – and some have kept up the habit.

No longer content with long drives or boring train rides, commuters have been seeking ways to make their journeys more productive and enjoyable.

lud ,

I always just listen to music and maybe scroll Reddit or more recently Lemmy.

Nowadays I often play on my Steam Deck. It makes the train ride go much faster.

Ephera ,

I always like to work on my laptop, when I'm on the train. It's great, because there's no distractions, not much else to be doing. If the train ride is long enough, I can really get into the zone and be more productive than I'm anywhere else.

FeatherConstrictor ,

I take the train to my new job and I gotta say I didn't expect to like working on the train so much. If you pass through any nnicd areas you have a nice view, the upper floors are quiet zones during rush hour, the seats are fairly comfortable. It's nice! The drive is about half the time, but even if I could drive there I wouldn't.

MicrowavedTea ,

It always seems weird seeing most people in busses/trains doing nothing. That's one of the biggest advantages of having someone else drive you.

SchmidtGenetics ,

Is enjoying the view not doing something? It’s not really something you get to do nor appreciate if you’re driving yourself.

MicrowavedTea ,

Sure, I guess I included the subway in "trains". Most of my commute does not really have a view.

SchmidtGenetics ,

Hey, I appreciate the view of a concrete wall as it wizzes past you, every once in a while is a door even!

Yeah definitely not doing that underground, so yeah fair point in those cases haha.

Ephera ,

Well, if it's a regular commute, you'll soon have seen everything there is to see...

SchmidtGenetics ,

Eh, people watching is always new, the scenes change depending on the sun and weather. Flowers don’t bloom forever. Lots to keep the view unique everyday.

user224 ,
@user224@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

I've been taking the same route twice a day for the past 3 years.

No less interesting so far.

Actually, I am so weird I have the whole route recorded on my phone (from the window) like 4 times, and yes, I did watch it at home numerous times, in real time without skipping. Just like a movie.

No, it does not get boring.

user224 ,
@user224@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

It’s not really something you get to do nor appreciate if you’re driving yourself.

I mean, you do, but it may decrease your and someone else's lifespan..

LordAmplifier ,

I used to read a lot on my way to uni and work, but I stopped at some point. My commute consists of three 15-minute train rides, and I just can't focus "on demand" like that any more, unfortunately. But I still enjoy daydreaming, which looks like(or maybe even is) doing nothing. Every day is filled with plans and things I need to do, it's actually nice to have some time to do nothing. But if my commute were one continuous train ride, I'd probably read a lot more.

MicrowavedTea ,

Fair enough, maybe it can be a nice break if you're otherwise very busy.

woop_woop ,

I like to sit and take a moment for me. It's a nice moment of calm either before chaos or to release tension from the chaos. So I looks like nothing, but it's zen

Num10ck ,

some people have a very rich inner life, or would love some relaxation time to work through things for themselves, or to strategize re-approaches, etc. it may look like nothing to an outside observer. some other people may look like they are doing something like reading or watching media but really they are zoning out the same.

Mannivu ,

When I was younger and attended university, I spent the time on the train reading. And that's what brought me back to reading books.

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