Tales from today's commute....

[Miquel In De Rain]

Hello! First post in here, although it could be my last for a little while too. I have one month off commuting, being a student is great. Saw the chance you guys have to complain about the things that happen on the commute, so I had to join in. Been commuting for about a year and 3 months now, but this is the coldest it's been, and the first time I've really had to deal with ice. The roads are gritted from my doorstep (is there a smug smiley?) but the last two days it wasn't enough.

Had to use my "back up" lights today, as my proper relatively expensive (for the brightness) lights failed again, 3rd time now. The other light isn't really a back up light, I use it like a full beam on a car, but i had to use it on its own today, tilted down. 3x U2 makes for grumpy drivers and cyclists

I'm a soft Southerner by the way, I commute to Canterbury, but I'm told that Canterbury was the coldest place in England Tuesday night, so we're not that soft.

Welcome Jon2,seem to remember I started cycle commuting when I was 17,no intranet then.I don't think the cars were as bad either.

We had crap lights then and Red Light jumping hadn't been invented.

 

[Jon2]

A lot of cars have been nice to me this week actually, especially on the icy bits. It's thick ice and slushy in places, so it's obvious why I'm on the wrong side of the road. If car drivers are usually a few bad, lots of average and a few good, then this week most of those average ones have been good.

 

[400bhp]

slowwww commute in this morning. Mostly because of a headwind and not feeling 100%.

 

[thefollen]

Really dark and dingy in London this morn. Traffic seemed different somehow.

Apart from that, pretty hungover and uneventful. Took it nice and easy. Reckon I'll hit this headwind on the way home!

 

[fossyant]

Back on the road today. Had a play with the 3xT6 unit - deffo off road light - ran it on 1/3rd power (1 T6 lit) and it was bright ! Still didn't stop an idiot pulling out on me when I was doing 30, tapped on his window and thanked him for his great driving ! Filtering in traffic, I noticed an impatient guy turning his car onto the pavement to drive along it, I was now infront so just stopped in the queue, turned round and he was driving with all 4 wheels down the pavement - shouted 'it's a f'ing pavement' at him - he just carried on

 

[400bhp]

Back on the road today. Had a play with the 3xT6 unit - deffo off road light - ran it on 1/3rd power (1 T6 lit) and it was bright ! Still didn't stop an idiot pulling out on me when I was doing 30, tapped on his window and thanked him for his great driving ! Filtering in traffic, I noticed an impatient guy turning his car onto the pavement to drive along it, I was now infront so just stopped in the queue, turned round and he was driving with all 4 wheels down the pavement - shouted 'it's a f'ing pavement' at him - he just carried on

Where was that (pavement driving) on your commute?

Must keep an eye out for cars on the TPT

 

[fossyant]

Where was that (pavement driving) on your commute?

Must keep an eye out for cars on the TPT

Manchester Road, Junction with A34. Bonkers.

Cars on the TPT - hmmm it's other cyclists (not naming names Potsy) getting in my way !

 

[BSRU]

Back on my main commuter this morning, good to have a selection of gears again and so much pleasure being able to ride at normal speed.
Although it was fun riding the ice bike with no ability to change the rear gear, certainly a good workout for my legs.

 

[Graham]

Just to thread hog, which may be interesting - me/Potsy's 'unknown at the time encounter' - we do spot each other on the road.

We both use an off road path, and road route, and we 'bump into each other occasionally'.

Anyway I've been using an off road route, by the river, to get to and from work. It's the Trans Pennine, and can be a bit muddy, so on goes full guards (this year's addition) - the mud is like concrete though.

I see the odd cyclist and maybe one or two pedestrians. Say a cheery hello to dog walkers in the mornings, nevr any issues and all is good.

But at night:-

You go from trying to spot a pedestrian in pitch black, to a bike with a 'candle' on it, to what me and Potsy are running - you can ride as fast as you can and see anything, so slow down, re-aim lights and pass - the ped's really appreciate it as you don't suddenly sprout upon them.

There are the odd folk that cycle in pitch dark with flashing bright lights, even two T6's on constant can't compensate. I'm sure me and Potsy saw each other a fair distance out, as there was just 'light' coming out from the bikes (normally it' a little white glint), so we both aimed down as we'd seen each other, but the idiots that ride down there with no lights - sorry I've obliterated YOUR night vision, but get a light !

Peds appreciate the light from behind, I can pick them up early, but head on I can drop the lights to the floor straight away as soon as I spot the dark shadow.

Bro'mance flourishes in South Manchester.....

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Back on my main commuter this morning, good to have a selection of gears again and so much pleasure being able to ride at normal speed.
Although it was fun riding the ice bike with no ability to change the rear gear, certainly a good workout for my legs.

I feel your pain, but I decided to take the ice bike to finish off the week of commuting on it. My legs are deffinately feeling it today though!

 

[Christopher]

Overslept this AM, but a good commute all the same. Blew snot over the windows of an illegally-parked Mercedes SUV, mocked a Dazzle Dan cyclist (it was past 9AM!) so two good things. Still ice around. Only bad thing was seeing a dead cat at the side of the M6 J29 roundabout. It had a collar around its neck, obviously someone's pet. Sad.

 

[BSRU]

I feel your pain, but I decided to take the ice bike to finish off the week of commuting on it. My legs are deffinately feeling it today though!

Pain as if I had cycled twice as far on my usual bike, still just means I sit down and try spin the pain away.

 

[potsy]

My legs are aching more than usual after 6 days of ice bike commuting, took the Tricross today as it looked like warming up a bit, and I needed the extra carrying capacity to bring some goodies home from work
6kg of panier makes a difference doesn't it?

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Only 5.6 miles this morning, but averaging moving speed was over 16 mph. Christmas do tonight and chucking it down so not sure if I will be doing 15 miles tonight

 

[MoG]

Bro'mance flourishes in South Manchester.....

Sorry, I must have missed what lights you use. Pray tell. Thanks

Edited to note - question was aimed at Fossyant !