Tales from today's commute....

[400bhp]

Nice change today. I had a few meetings in Manchester centre so donned a shirt, some cargo pants and my Gore windstopper and threw some pants and shoes into a bag and pottered along the canal. It really is surprising how quickly I can get out of an office meeting from Manc and back home - 45 minutes. I couldn't do that in a car, tram, bus or train.

 

[400bhp]

There's something strange going on, for the last week and a bit I've had the problem of incredibly timid and risk averse drivers refusing to overtake, to the point that it's downright embarrassing. I've tried turning and nodding, waving, moving pointedly to the left and all manner of things to indicate that its safe to pass but they just sit there for most of the three mile stretch I do on a b road.

I can understand them being cautious if they didn't know the road but at night the lights of oncoming cars show the general arrangement of the road ahead and there's plenty of opportunities to pass.

Thankfully in each case the balance has been immediately redressed and the people held up by the low-confidence driver have taken their frustration out on my elbow with their wing mirrors so nothing has really changed.

Check your shorts -gaping hole in them?

 

[400bhp]

And boy.. the traffic this morning in SE London was horrendous. Looks like everyone has decided to drive to work rather then use other means. Traffic jam after traffic jam this morning. It made for slow progress.

Falling price of petrol?

 

[Simontm]

Again a trip to Wimbledon then home. All well and good road wise, there was technically a numpty - numpty count 1 - but the van driver was so apologetic for not only trying to hit me but also the car just in front of me, I felt kinda bad for him!
On the way to Kingston, some poor sod without a tyre lever so stopped - although was quite surprised I was so equipped

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I have no idea what the temperature was this morning but three things told me it was very very cold.

(1) I had to stop and use my pocket warmers.

(2) I preferred to bike up hill and not down, as going up hill my face didn't feel like someone was trying to sandpaper it off.

(3) My water bottle was frozen when I got to work.

Whilst its been cold this week I don't think its been too bad this winter, I've yet to arrive at work with my beard iced up, though on Sunday when I arrived at my cafe stop I found that the cold had got into my face muscles and I had trouble talking and making sense. I know when its been really bad, its when both my water bottle and beard have frozen up and my mouth has stopped working properly.

 

[Keith Oates]

This week I started to commute to my new (as in different city) office and although the temps are very low it was good to start cycling again. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Truth]

Again a trip to Wimbledon then home. All well and good road wise, there was technically a numpty - numpty count 1 - but the van driver was so apologetic for not only trying to hit me but also the car just in front of me, I felt kinda bad for him!
On the way to Kingston, some poor sod without a tyre lever so stopped - although was quite surprised I was so equipped

An apology goes a LONG way! I always accept it with a smile, even when I ended up going over some blokes car roof a couple of years ago!
Well perhaps the apology wasn't accepted with a smile that time but it was still accepted!

 

[Simontm]

Every Wednesday I have to pick my daughter up from school so every Wednesday I am reminded of why I commute by bike:

Four days a week: 7: Leave house
7.50-8: Arrive Croydon
8.15: Showered and sitting at desk with coffee

Wednesdays: Leave house at 7;
7.15-7.25: Stand on platform for 5-10 minutes hoping that the train isn't late. Sit next to woman with elbows out as she does her makeup or a bloke who legs cannot possibly be able to spread that far surely and have his shoulders grown?
7.35-7.40: Check watch to see whether I should jump out at Wimbledon and get tram or risk the change at Clapham Junction. Bloke is now doing splits and is accompanied by someone who hits me round the back of the head with a rucksack.
7.55: Clapham Junction. Give up trying to be polite and force my way off the train and pass the idiots on the platform who don't realise that people do actually need to leave the train. Leap up the stairs, dodging ditherers and standees. Down the next platform steps, glaring at those coming up who don;t seem to realise that some people actually need to get onto platform.
7.58: Get train/ 7.59: Miss train and wait 12 minutes for next one
8.15: Still waiting for a spare platform for the dedicated London Victoria-East Croydon train.
8.20: Arrive at East Croydon
8.30: Arrive at office
8.35: Sitting at desk with coffee.

If raining -
Four days a week: Arrive at desk in nice dry clothes
Wednesdays: Sit in wet trousers, hoping they'll be dry soon.

At that ladies and gentlemen is why I commute!

 

[MisterStan]

Back at work after a couple of days of looking after my daughter, who's been ill. Obviously a nice headwind to welcome me back - really felt like hard work despite a few days rest for the legs.

I had a new headset fitted to the commuter last week, the bike felt like new this morning!

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Tyre went down again at about 10 mins from work, so got off and put some more air in it.

A kind motorist then stopped and got out to see if I was okay and it was non other than @martinclive !

Top bloke!

Anyway put some more air in it and limped to work. So my normal out the trap start at the lights at Castle Hill was stumped by the tyre and everyone with shopping baskets left this lycra lad behind!

Got to work, used the track pump and then I finally heard the slow hiss.

Smallest of little thing inside the tyre. I will have to get new inners cause I can't find the to patch.

Unreal.

Plus a lovely head wind and lashings of rain. The novelty of this winter weather has definitely worn off.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

We missed the snow that was forecast, 15 miles further north and its absolutely belted it down so a guy at work tells me. Slush in places and the roads were really wet but without being icy. I managed to get 3 miles in before taking a loop back home, I'd not put my buff on and my face was too cold. Another day of Winter ticked off... C'mon Spring, lets be 'avin ya! !

 

[ianrauk]

2 degress when I left this morning but it was milder overnight so no frost or ice thank gawd, Wet roads though. Traffic much better today then previous days.
Made for quite a nice commute in. @deptfordmarmoset , added the new bridge to my commute this morning. They've done a good job. Quite nice round the back of Waitrose (oo err missus).

 

[MichaelO]

2 degress when I left this morning but it was milder overnight so no frost or ice thank gawd, .

Actually felt quite "warm" heading into London this morning, helped by a gentle tail wind. Very enjoyable commute.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

Never commented in this thread but....
Miserable! Freezing rain and hailstone, strong winds, legs didn't want to work after the night shift, more close passes than I've had in 5 years - worst ride ever. Bleugh, off to bed night night

Rant over

 

[MisterStan]

Plus a lovely head wind and lashings of rain.

Despite both the Met and BBC saying it would be dry!