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Getting there

From home to work and beyond

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published April 6, 2005

JAMES "JIM' GONYEA, 57

THE STARTING LINE: Trinity Oaks, New Port Richey

THE FINISH LINE: On Mondays and Tuesdays, St. Petersburg College's Downtown Center on Fourth Street and Second Avenue N. On Thursdays, the SPC Seminole campus on 113th Street in Seminole. Wednesdays and Fridays, it could be any of the SPC campuses.

THE RIDE: A green 2003 Kia Sorento with 25,000-plus miles on it.

APPROXIMATE GAS MILEAGE: About 18 mpg.

THE ROUTE: I usually take East Lake Road south to I-275 and then south on I-375 to get the exit to the Downtown Center. To get to the Seminole campus, I usually take Bryan Dairy Road west after getting off the Bayside Bridge or from U.S. 19.

Do you ever vary your route? Rarely.

Distance/length of commute? At least 66 miles per day.

How long does it take? Depending upon destination and time of day, anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. It's always longer and less enjoyable going home in the afternoons.

Latest you can leave and still be on time? Sixty minutes if going to St. Petersburg - about the same if going to Seminole.

What time do you normally get home after work? Depending upon the location where I'm working that day, either 6 or 6:30 p.m.

Do you ever carpool? No, I don't know of anyone going my way on my schedule.

How long have you been commuting? One year.

Did you plan for a commute or did it just work out that way? I knew I would have to commute when I accepted the job with St. Petersburg College.

How do you occupy your drive time? Usually listening to talk radio - WFLA-AM 970 - and when I get tired of that, I go over to 680 AM and listen to the '50s music. Or I spend the time thinking about projects that I'm currently working on at work.

What do you like about the commute? The destination and the great vistas along the way - the view from Bayside Bridge!

What do you dislike? Bumper to bumper traffic, drivers preoccupied with talking on the phone, and reckless drivers.

Any daily rituals related to your commute? I have to get my cooler ready every morning, usually I have my lunch in there and I have to make sure I have my iced tea with me for the trip. And I have to start out early enough to avoid having to rush through traffic.

Is there anything that you do on the road that seems to annoy other drivers? Not to my knowledge - except for that one time when I ran into the driver ahead of me! She was not happy meeting me. Fortunately, she was not injured and the damage to her car and mine was easily repaired.

What do other drivers do that drives you crazy? Not paying attention to their driving - talking on the phone, reading while driving, putting on makeup, eating a sandwich. Driving too fast and changing lanes repeatedly and too quickly. Driving too slowly in the passing lane. Not putting seat belts on their children. Animals (dogs especially) hanging out the driver's window. Drivers falling asleep at a slow moving stoplight.

Weirdest thing you've ever seen while commuting? A young man - I believe a lawn care worker - riding a bicycle in circles in the back of a large trailer as the vehicle was traveling down the road with the trailer door wide open. I couldn't believe it!

[Last modified April 6, 2005, 01:07:18]