Tales from today's commute....

[Origamist]

Really quite warm this morning (16C), but with a nice tailwind.

Roads to Knutsford were busier due to an incident on the M6, but not one poor pass.

Garmin seems to be playing up. Gave the wrong date for a ride I did on Monday.

 

[donnydave]

Nice ride in today, it was dry in St Ives, but got damper the closer to Cambridge I got. Arrived early, so threw in a loop at the top of town - apparently there was a thunderstorm last night! The new Station Cycles shop on Barnwell road was badly flooded, 3 fire engines on site pumping water out - traffic was total chaos that end of town. Heading up out to Fen Ditton, there was further evidence of heavy rain - localised flooding and lots of debris in the road. Once again I slept through it all!

@kevin_cambs_uk arrived at Swavesey just as we were leaving, so cycled to town with him, had a good chinwag.

We had a bit of thunder and lightning in Earith but I didnt know it had rained until I got to the science park and our work car park was flooded and general debris washed up all over.

One thing of note happened, cycling down the last bit of road before I got to work, some old duffer busting his guts to get past me then just as his back wheel is level with my front, he cuts left and I have to swerve and brake. I draw along side and say "could you please make sure you've finished passing me before moving left?" (honestly that's exactly what I said) amazingly his response was "oh, sorry!" and gave an apologetic smile.

On the way home last night on the guided busway there were a couple of lads walking together, keeping far left and occasionally shoulder checking so you would think they were nicely aware of all the bikes buzzing around, commendable behaviour. Until I come up to pass them, keeping as far right as possible, then one of them decides he's seen something interesting in the bushes and aburptly turns and walks across the path, luckily his mate grabbed his arm and pulled him back. No doubt someone would say I should have rung my bell but honestly who dings their bell at absolutely everyone they meet? You can get a sense of the ones who are aware and those who are not, and half the time if I ding my bell they wake up and wobble all over, generally if they are keeping well to one side I often don't bother ringing my bell and just pass them as wide as possible. Saying things like "passing on your right" doesn't work for me, I just get confused looks as my foreign accent makes them think I'm casting a curse on their family and all their descendants.

 

[Ciar]

Windy oh yes windy in my face again... when will it stop ;-) all in all normal ride in no real issues legs aching looking forward to the return journey with no wind *ha* and a glass or ten of vino to relax sore legs.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Cycle home last night was fine until I was climbing a 100ft hill ( end of Wigley Bush Lane) where there is a traffic calming pinch point thingy near the top. I shoulder checked van a little way behind, I took primary through the pinch point then swung left after it to give the van loads of room to get past. My reward was him cutting in on me so hard I feared for my life and ended up taking avoiding action up the thankfully convenient dropped kerb.

Got called out last night so ended up with a late start today. Got such a close pass from a young lady in a fiesta that I felt the wing mirror. She conveniently got stuck in traffic with her window down so I had a calm word with her. She had not seen me at all and had no recollection of ever passing me. Her excuse..... The 2 dogs on her passenger seat were playing up and distractd her. when I told her it was best to put them in the boot ( hatch back) she went all gobby on me. Yeah dogs are far more important than some sad old cyclist.

 

[LoftusRoadie]

Coming out of Victoria Park at the roundabout that leads down Grove Road, I was cycling round the roundabout and saw a Transit van waiting to enter. I then heard him fire up the engine and could see he was entering the roundabout. A quick (and very loud) shout of "Oi" and tbf he stopped and raised his hand in acknowledgment he was in the wrong.
A couple of hundred meters down Grove Road he drew up beside me, with his window open and apologised again - SMIDSY. It's difficult for me to be angry when people apologise like that - probably because it's so rare!

 

[rdfcyclist]

Why was wibbly-wobbly traveler weaving wearly in front of me? Trapped behind a sleepy or drunk cyclist going the exact speed of the pedestrian in front of them, I found it difficult to not to shout 'speed up or GTFO my way.' Luckily, I passed them before anything like this happened.

 

[Simontm]

Winds to the left of me, winds to the front of me but never, it seems, shall I have a wind to my rear
After navigating through the carnage that was Sutton rec (loads of teenage kids with their random walk patterns), I was confronted at another park by a bunch of kids who began walking slowly towards me blocking the cycle and ped paths. So I'm afraid I was rather rude and carried on cycling making them for probably the first time in their lives actually have to move for someone else.
Sticking to roads throughout the hols, it's quieter
Numpty count: 0

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Wonderful, beautiful, lovely, If I could do one commute forever more it would be coming home tonight. That perfect combination of sunshine, a tiny breath of tailwind, they've relaid the surface of the steep lumpy bits I go up, it's beautifully smooth now & my long straight bit was totally quiet so I got that dancing on the pedals light touch going all the way along. Happy days.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Cycle home today, no dramas. First 7 or 8 miles were kept interesting by me at first following a guy in Sky shorts and a white top. If I got anywhere near him he would surge away up to probably around 26mph, then slow again. I half wondered if he was playing with me. He was sprinting out of every bend and after any obstacle he had to slow for. I caught him at some lights and he seemed to want me to lead off.
We were farly evenly matched, both stocky non racing snake build and similar age. It was a nice uphill drag so I decided to open the legs up and nailed it to 24mph. He did not respond and was left quite far behind, I was unsure as to whether it was lack of ability or if he had a plan. He slowly caught me over the next 3 or 4 miles and we ended up at a set of lights together again. He now seemed to want to lead off as he was halfway across the junction before the lights changed. He disapointed me by turning off at the next junction.
I left out the Wigley Bush lane hill after yesterdays incident.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I'm not liking this! On the return leg today I accelerated out of a junction and felt something twinge down the Achilles on my right foot, absolutely bloody killing me now! Time to rest up a little methinks, don't want to cause any serious damage. Was having a cracking ride until then too. My little 5 year old lad had learnt the names of all 50 states of America and he keeps testing me when I get home, the extended commute gives me time to practice!

 

[RJG]

Overtaken by a hard-tail on a mile straight, but passed him later. Had a pleasant Friday chat when overtaking. He jumped on to the pavement at red lights, which was disappointing. I like to think that pro-cycling commuters should adhere to the rules that drivers do.

 

[Drago]

Working this weekend, and for the first time in my life I'm heading the leader board on one of my Strava groups for this weeks rankings, which has spurred me on.

So cycling in today the combination of factors was bad - sun was shining, and it was a weekend. This meant all the fair weather TKW's were out wobbling around the road, and nearly every single one wanted to try and race. Chumps. If they rode their bikes more often they might have a chance, but as it happened...

However, one good moment. Saw a Dad out with his litte girl in the bike trailer, which made me smile. They were both enjoying themselves and it was refreshingly honest and unpretentious compared to the twots who dress up as Chris Froome but ride like Thora Hird.

 

[Simontm]

However, one good moment. Saw a Dad out with his litte girl in the bike trailer, which made me smile. They were both enjoying themselves and it was refreshingly honest and unpretentious compared to the twots who dress up as Chris Froome but ride like Thora Hird.

Oi! I resemble that remark

 

[Drago]

You're a little girl in a bike trailer?

 

[Simontm]

You're a little girl in a bike trailer?

Well....