Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Ever had one of those days where you just think sod it, why do I do this?

Never.

 

[ianrauk]

Numpty all the gear, no idea cyclist this morning in Deptford. Decided to fail miserably at a trackstand by creeping forward and forward into the junction... not noticing a police motorbike waiting at the junction next to him. I did point it out to the numpty but he just laughed. Well I had the last laugh as the cop pulled you over. Muppet.

 

[martinclive]

and even one guy in full looking winter kit including a buff up to his eyes

Saw one of them too - we were expecting snow further down the busway!

 

[summerdays]

I had my quickest ride of the year on my way in this morning.... I think it helped being overtaken by an electric bike right at the start.... never managed to catch them up but kept pace from a distance ... so they were able to go faster than 15 mph though they were peddling the whole time.

Nice and warm!

 

[Exile]

First day back on the bike after what feels like forever (and probably isn't too far from it), first day riding after having changed the brake pads, first proper near miss of the summer. The kind where you actually start trying to work out the best was to come off it's so close.

I was riding towards the junction outside Trafford Bar station, one car turns right, across my path, plenty of space, not a problem. Car behind them judges the gap and also turns across me. Not as much space but still nothing remarkable. Car behind them follows right behind. I can't see the driver, so they obviously can't see me. Start scrubbing speed, the driver will almost certainly see me once the car in front isn't blocking the view, right?

Except he's not even looking in my direction, so it's anchors on, unclip, hope. Stop about a foot short of his front wing. Breathe out. Mutter something I shouldn't repeat on a family friendly forum.

Driver remained completely oblivious throughout, drove off down Seymour Grove without a care in the world. I wished I had something stronger than coffee with me.

 

[13 rider]

Third commute today 6.8 miles in still cold in the morning but managed short sleeved top but long bottoms. Glad I biked in road closure would have meant a 3 mile detour but straight through on the bike no sign of any workmen .lovely ride back this afternoon 9.8 miles in glorious sunshine .Beginning to get more organised and now carrying less stuff but still don't like a rucksack due to sweaty back syndrome considering luggage options .

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Ever had one of those days where you just think sod it, why do I do this?

Started off fine, someone far too fresh and eager overtaking me on the Portsmouth Road as I was warming up then past Surbiton it began...

Numpty 1 - Some idiot on a mountain bike comes bombing round under Berrylands on my side causing me to brake hard and get a foot down sharpish, to which I earned an "eff off" from the hooded pillock.
Numpty 2 - Another cyclist on the A3 underpass, again on my left causing me to swerve into the ped lane - actually very lucky because we were meeting just at the point where you can't see anyone coming because of the angle of the slope and roof.
Onto Worcester Park, so far so good until, Numpty 3 - van reverses into main road, on a bend, behind parked cars and nearly causing me to go into its side
Numpty 4 - Woman decides that she is going to try and pass me before a speed bump, with parked cars both sides of the road and a bus coming the other way. I presume the sight of the bus made her change her mind as she braked at the last second as I was trying to work out where the hell I was going to go.
Numpty 5 - A school mum overtakes just as we get to a traffic island then Numpty 6 - Bloke, 2 seconds later decides to overtake me on the blind bend. So jamming on brakes in quick succession
Numpty 6 - Young lass decides to overtake as we entered a pinch point
Numpty 7 - Ped walks straight out without looking
Numpty 8 - as I turn left to go through the ponds at Carshalton, car in road decides it is happiest on the wrong side of road (must be related to the cyclists)
And then to top it off, somewhere past Carshalton a grinding and clicking starts on my front wheel. So a noisy remainder of a trip to work (appears to be the disk brake needs adjusting so will do that before going home tonight)

<sigh> Somedays

This isn't meant as a dig bud but you seem to have more issues in the space of an hour than I've seen in four years! Think really critically, can you do anything different that would cause any of these issues not to be issues?

 

[ianrauk]

This isn't meant as a dig bud but you seem to have more issues in the space of an hour than I've seen in four years! Think really critically, can you do anything different that would cause any of these issues not to be issues?

Agreed, it's a heck of a lot of bad interactions for one day let along a month or year.
I can count on one hand the amount of numpty drivers that have peeved me off this year. I also have a long road with pinch pointS running it's entire length. I don't know what others are doing different to me to get overtakes as I only ever get hassle once in a blue moon with car drivers trying to squeeze past or race me through the PP.

 

[Simontm]

This isn't meant as a dig bud but you seem to have more issues in the space of an hour than I've seen in four years! Think really critically, can you do anything different that would cause any of these issues not to be issues?

By not riding the correct side of the road/path? By not being on the road in the first place?

Seriously, this was the worst in a long time. Some kind of madness. I do this route every day and have done for nigh on a year. Most days maybe one or two if unlucky - rising especially in wet weather to maybe 4. All those today were actions by other road users that I had to react to. You say think critically...

OK. N1: Perhaps I should have been on the other side of the path, the wrong side. Or maybe even on the pedestrian side where people go up and down the stairs to get onto the station - I always slow down at that point because of pedestrians and the cul-de-sac turnaround at the bottom of Berrylands station as you leave the tunnel.
N2: Perhaps, again I could have gone on the right hand side in anticipation for a selfish bike path user that I couldn't see because of the angles involved with the ramp. Had already slowed down because of a pedestrian.
N3: I'd already anticipated as I caught a look at his van though the parked cars, hence nearly went into the side rather did as I spotted him.
N4: Just a numpty,
N5 & 6 Perhaps I could have taken a stronger primary but then again I have been shoved off the road on that route by those who couldn't give a sh1t about other road users.
N7: Nope, nowt I can do except not hit them.
N8: ditto.

Bear in mind I have always included myself in the numpty count if I thought I had been the pillock.

Just one of those days.

 

[Simontm]

Agreed, it's a heck of a lot of bad interactions for one day let along a month or year.
I can count on one hand the amount of numpty drivers that have peeved me off this year. I also have a long road with pinch pointS running it's entire length. I don't know what others are doing different to me to get overtakes as I only ever get hassle once in a blue moon with car drivers trying to squeeze past or race me through the PP.

I envy you. Try the A232 from Nonsuch down to Carshalton. I changed my route as I genuinely thought that one day I was going to get killed if I continued on that road. My route nowadays can be nice, drivers can be lovely. Other times, sheer stupidity, impatience, ignorance..

 

[LoftusRoadie]

Sometimes on the towpath near Tottenham Hale I get overtaken by a guy. To let you know he's coming he starts whistling tunes - this morning it was The Wurzels, "Combine harvester" - took me back to the mid 70s! In fact I kept singing it for the rest of my commute. Wonder if he does requests
Oh and 2 idiots along Whitechapel Road - happened within 5 minutes of each other. Both trying to cycle on the inside of a left turning lorry/van. Generally I find the cycle/car/bus/lorry relationship pretty good along there but this was scary to watch. Both decided to stop once they saw the lorry/van turning but it was a close run thing.

 

[ACS]

Going home last night. Espied another rider some distance off, given that I rarely see another cyclist I decided to chase on and see who it was or perhaps it was a touch of silly commuter racing, take your pick. As I closed I realised it was young lady riding a flat bar road bike. At the bottom of a longish drag I passed said 'hello' and pushed on at a steady rate. 3/4 of the way up the drag I lost interest distracted by the sight of a kestrel hunting and a buzzard being mobbed by crows.

As I crested the hill the young lady shot passed me grinning from ear to ear. I picked up my pace and quickly caught up. As I started to overtake and came along side her for the second time, she smiled and said to me "I know...I know, never bounce a larger older man, on a steep hill with a following wind. Could not stop laughing.

 

[fossyant]

'Larger older man' the witch.

 

[summerdays]

Agreed, it's a heck of a lot of bad interactions for one day let along a month or year.
I can count on one hand the amount of numpty drivers that have peeved me off this year. I also have a long road with pinch pointS running it's entire length. I don't know what others are doing different to me to get overtakes as I only ever get hassle once in a blue moon with car drivers trying to squeeze past or race me through the PP.

It could be the area?

I go through various different pinch points but I have one double set which give me more grief than the rest of them put together. It's also an area where you see lots of drivers without seat belts, unrestrained children and drivers going the wrong side of the island.

 

[Full Metal Sprocket]

After two weeks away doing special commutes Woodford way on the Audax I was back on the fixie today back on the usual route.At Mile End,flashed by a Chelsea Tractor due to him not liking my front flashing light due to weather being overcast early on.Doesn't seem he was too impressed with the flashing as he passed me from the opposite direction and was looking at me while I was wondering what the feck was up.Im using two CREE Trustfire TR801's* and haven't had this problem too many times,say once or twice.I'd guess he'd never be happy,if it isn't this then he'd be part of the SMIDSY brigade.Then left hooked by BMW outside my workplace.On way back taxi signalling right coming out of Roupell Street then quickly signaled left and decided to go left right in front of me.Luckily I had seen his wheels pointing to the left and guessed what was going to happen.Few swearwords as cabbie was so unaware I was there.Still oblivious as he tootled off.Then caught in jam at Aldgate and stuck behind a big red bus the van behind me decided to toot his horn.I guessed I must have been getting in his way although he couldn't go anywhere anyway.Eventually I got past the bus by scooting up the cycle lane.Funny though a pedestrian in a buggy waiting to cross at the lights but couldn't due to one of those people carriers blocking the lights said to me I looked a bit stressed.No,bit cheesed off at being tooted at but realised I should settle down a bit.

*=Generally during the night I have one flashing and one steady but this morning I had just one flashing cree running.