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Original poster

Who is your "on the way to work" buddy

162 replies

cjt110 · 11/12/2018 09:57

There's a lollipop man on my route to work. I pass him daily, in my distinctly coloured car, and have begun to wave to say hello daily and he waves back. I know I'm running late as he leaves his "post" at 9am.

OP posts:
Katisha · 11/12/2018 18:07

I had some actual friends on the train - we all caught the same one every day and eventually broke the commuters rule and spoke to each other. The others have left the daily rail challenge over time - only me left standing. Usually literally...

MsAwesomeDragon · 11/12/2018 18:10

I have "trudging man". He is always walking along a road without pavements. I pass him every morning, and rain or shine he is trudging (that's the only word to describe his walk). No smile or wave, as he's usually soaking and miserable.

GrumpyOldMare · 11/12/2018 18:13

I get the train then cycle to work.

There is bike guy,we are usually on the same train home (sometimes on the same train out if I need to be in a bit earlier)and he's started saying hi sweetie or hi princess,when I get on,which is lovely. I normally sit near him and we chat about our days.Nice guy.

There is another guy who works in a furniture shop in a town 2 stops after mine.He's also a nice guy,he'll carry my bike over the bridge for me(if he hasn't got his).His wife drops him off at the station and picks him up at night and always says hello to me when we both walk out together.

FoxInForrest · 11/12/2018 18:31

An old man I see on a hill. Judging by his 'look', 70s was his peak decade.

happyclutterchucker · 11/12/2018 18:35

At the moment, NDN as we both leave the house at the same time. Wh have a chat while we are scraping windscreens Grin

In the past, my commute took me past a pond, and there was a heron standing there at the water's edge every morning.

Blibbyblobby · 11/12/2018 18:36

There's a moped delivery guy I used to see on my old commute. He was faster than me on my push bike but I'd often catch him at the lights and we would smile and nod.

I have a different commute now but occasionally a random moped courier will beep and wave at me, and I am just wondering what the problem is but he lifts his visor and it's Moped Guy.

Kelsoooo · 11/12/2018 18:40

Awww I've found my people.

Other Qashqai woman, pulls right out of her side street onto my main road, I always let her out. Only see her in the morning, at 703 am. We obviously both leave at 7.

Busstop man, didn't see him for a few weeks, even mentioned it to DH "not seen busstop man in a while, hope he's ok"....saw him the next day, and was so excited I waved at him. He now thinks I'm a weirdo. Only ever on my return home from work.

BoswellandForshort · 11/12/2018 18:46

Kelsooo Your post has made me think: Once I was waiting at the bus stop in the rain and this complete stranger pulled up beside me and asked if I wanted a lift. I declined because she might have been a murderer but I’ve always wondered who she was. Now I’m wondering if I was her commuting friend and she’d crossed the commuting-friend-boundaries

tierraJ · 11/12/2018 18:48

Man who looks like Phil Mitchell aged 70 with a fat English Bull Terrier.

Always comments on my weight loss, not sure why.

DannyZuko · 11/12/2018 18:56

We have horse hugging lady. Every day we pass her on the nursery run. She pulls her car up on the kerb outside the gate to the field where (presumably her) horses live and the two of them run over to her like puppies. Then she cuddles them. If she’s not there we are early (or horribly late). So sweet 🐎 🐴

HollyandIvy87 · 11/12/2018 19:29

I used to commute on the train for an hour, and made several friends. One was a woman, but we lost touch after she moved away. Another was a middle aged man and we got on really well just chatting for an hour, I was sad when we didn't commute together anymore.

bakebakebake · 11/12/2018 19:31

A lady with a greyhound and terrier.
A lady who goes to buy a newspaper.
A lady in a red coat.

I speak to the top two but the red coat lady always looks miserable.

mouse26 · 11/12/2018 19:32

Lots of people walking dogs, there's french bulldog lady, and 2 jack Russell's lady, and then there's smiley mum who's kids are at a completely different school to mine but we know one of us is late if we don't pass at a certain point

bakebakebake · 11/12/2018 19:39

I also see a man who dresses like a cool pirate walking his two very large (but friendly) dogs. I see him morning and afternoon on my school run.

He wears leather waistcoat, striped trousers, dr martens, bandana. That sort of thing! He totally rocks the look.

ForgotTheBastardElfAgain · 11/12/2018 19:40

In my last job it was shopping bag lady. She was walking towards me along a busy road, carrying more bags than necessary at 8.30am. Where she was on the road was better than using the clock.
I took a year off on maternity and actually burst in to tears when I drove past her my first morning back. A whole year and it was like I’d never been off

ikltownofboothlehem · 11/12/2018 19:43

When I used to get the train there was Tired New Dad. I still see him around the town where we live but he looks like he's started getting some sleep these days.

Flyingarcher · 11/12/2018 19:52

Scraggy lady (very weatherbeaten), who never smiles who walks her greyhounds, collies, and assorted hounds along country lane towards her small holding.

Small peugeot 107 lady who I see each morning.

The red kites that fly across the downs. There are five now, whirling around. Bloody enormous when they go in front of your car. I was seriously worried about a tiny Fiat 500 behind me the other day. One of these birds is like a pterodactyl. Saw a heron this morning and the kestrel drop down for a kill. Brightens up my day to see so much nature near an urban area.

Sadly, I no longer see the bearded collie being walked. I'm hoping it is because I'm going earlier. I loved having a beardie day.

I used to see a girl walking to the bus stop each morning. Saw her through uniform years of GCSE then own clothes of college and no longer see her so presume she's gone to uni.

LakeIsle48 · 11/12/2018 20:02

Every morning on my way to work I pass a woman on her way to work (presumably). We now smile at each other. I have managed to identify her husband, daughter and dog. I rarely see the husband but if I do I get kind of confused. He doesn't see me as much as his wife does. Weird old situation. I thought I was alone but clearly not.

systemwwr · 11/12/2018 20:14

Not the commute, but the neighbours used to take their DD to the same after school activity as mine each week. They would often be on the driveway as we were setting off, me on crutches with my DD often in the pouring rain. Each time they'd drive right past us, take their child into class and drive past me again limping in the rain. I thought it was quite mean doing the exact same route when they had 3 empty seats, a 3 minute drive for them was a 20 minute walk for us on a winter day. I was relieved when we stopped going!

JohnnyKarate · 11/12/2018 20:17

Mine was red coat girl. We used to sit next to each other everyday on the train, I always knew I had to leave my office for the train when I saw her walk past the window in her red coat.

We only ever spoke in depth a handful of times but always sat next to each other without fail usually in silence. She listened to music, I watched Netflix.

When I got my new job I felt obligated to tell her so she wouldn’t worry as she always asked where I’d been when I didn’t get on the train. I miss my travel companion.

goforkyourself · 11/12/2018 20:20

I drive past Powerwalking Pat every morning at 6.50, rain or shine. Pat used to walk with 'Margaret' but I haven't seen Margaret for at least six months so I don't know if she's died or if they've just fallen out.

I'm so tempted to stop and ask Pat but she looks like a proper battleaxe Grin

JohnnyKarate · 11/12/2018 20:23

goforkyourself you must stop and ask Pat!!!

CrazyBaubles · 11/12/2018 20:23

I have 'nice builder man.' He drives a battered van with a building company name on its he stops every morning to let me out of the junction because the traffic is awful and I'd be there all day otherwise.
He gives a little bow / touches a pretend hat / salutes me when I say thanks Grin

'Smiler' - a man who works in the local McDs walks down the hill I live in every day no matter what the weather. He is always smiling.

Me and my boss's Route to work join together about 10 mins from the office. We have pretend road rage arguments - depending on where we are, I may refuse to let him out of a slip road or he may be infuriatingly slow going through lights in the hope they'll turn red by the time I get there Blush

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 11/12/2018 20:27

Cyclist man - I get the train at stupid o clock, and there's a cyclist who gets to the station just after me. We both hang out in the first class lounge until our train comes (I suspect he travels first class, I don't but I get into the lounge after buying a cheap 1st class single one stop, and I can then get free coffee and snacks - it works out cheaper than buying a coffee at the station)

LemonMousse · 11/12/2018 20:28

Angry husky man. The man is angry not the husky - it's mad keen to be my best friend as I always make 'hellloooo cute husky' noises at it. He on the other hand is always trying to haul it back and not allow it to be my friend.
He's mellowing though - I'm getting a grunt to 'lovely morning' or 'cold today' where I used to get a glare and it's allowed to sniff me now!