Tales from today's commute....

[Supersuperleeds]

I missed the forecast rain

Also today was a bit of a milestone for me as I completed my 500th 100km in a day

 

[aferris2]

I missed the forecast rain

Also today was a bit of a milestone for me as I completed my 500th 100km in a day

No. That's some commute!

 

[RoubaixCube]

Mechanical issues on the way home - Cyclesurgery sabotaged my bike when i left it there for them to fit a set of SKS mudguards on. front derailleur not shifting up or down properly. Only choice is to pick the big ring, avoid hills and deal with it.

though todays personal best is a sustained 22mph for 2-3minutes though i think it was down to a tail wind because I was carrying:

1.3Kg's worth of chocolate (sweet precious cargo...), my waterproofs (gloves, cap, overtrousers, rain jacket) my castelli thermal jersey, and some work clothes (softshell & a shirt) and my Kryptonite new york lock in a rack bag secured to my seat post.

Im surprised i actually overtook a fair few people tonight given the weight that i had on the bike. The back end did feel fairly heavy though that was because of the kryptonite lock.

Along the way i did have a guy in a 4x4 screaming some jibberish at me about me being so slow that i shouldnt be on the road and that i should stop and wait for him to get his bike so he can show me how fast he can ride. I was scooting along at an average of 15-16mph on flats and topping 20-22mph when i really decided i needed to push it.


Not the best night but not the worst either. I think this is the first proper time someones decided to roll down the window and waste their breath on someone who isnt even paying any attention.

 

[Origamist]

Tough going. End of the week commute, strongish headwind and a single speed bike shod with ice tyres did not make for a fun commute. 14.3 mph! On the plus side, the rain never materialised.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Light rain on the way back this afternoon, I was expecting a downpour so got off lightly I think!
A steady ride home, I'm riding a Reliability trial at the weekend and need to save some in the legs, these boys are bloody quick!
Another 200+ mile commuting week completed, everything is rosy at the minute!

 

[Tin Pot]

Idiot pedestrian tried to kill us both yesterday. Never even looked right, just stared left and marched out from behind some kind of signage.

I'd call him a c...codger. An old codger. So instead I just said "Hey." As the rear wheel slipped round to my left, and skidding round him, I performed a touch of ballet to stay upright.

Attempts on My Life This Week:

Motorists: 2
Pedestrians: 1

 

[RoubaixCube]

Idiot pedestrian tried to kill us both yesterday. Never even looked right, just stared left and marched out from behind some kind of signage.

I'd call him a c...codger. An old codger. So instead I just said "Hey." As the rear wheel slipped round to my left, and skidding round him, I performed a touch of ballet to stay upright.

Attempts on My Life This Week:

Motorists: 2
Pedestrians: 1

an everyday occurrence around where i work. The other day, there was a lady who was crossing the road that was too busy with her eyes glued to her mobile phone and a set of headphones over her head, almost got taken out by a bus because she wasnt looking. Bus had to emergency brake and give the lady a blast of the horn and she had the arrogance to glare back at him with an extremely dirty look while he was stopped there waiting for her to cross while the lights we're green & he had right of way...

Honestly, some people need to learn the hard way with a long stint in A&E, scarred or maimed for life before they learn some manners and above all, common sense... Making sure the road is clear before they cross.

London needs barriers or railings separating the pavement from the road to make sure people who are too busy fiddling with their mobile phones to watch where they are going dont end up under the wheels of a moving vehicle.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Ugh. That is a spectacularly unpleasant thing to say, and it undermines your self-righteous stance by a long way.

Sad, but true. How else can you curb such behaviour unless you get police to be more pro-active and start handing out fines? Police already cant be arsed to pursue those who use mobile phones while driving and if the police do decide to up their game and actually start doing their job and issuing fines for such behaviour they will get a lot of hate from the public who will no doubt label it as a money grabbing scheme.

blindly crossing busy roads with moving vehicles aside - I have been 'walked into' on more than one occasion and even almost knocked off my feet by the same people who I share public walkways with. Half the time im greeted with an angry look and a grunt of displeasure for interrupting them and making them look up/away from their phones rather than an apology.

If i have to message or use my phone while im out walking, I'll either step out of everyones way for a moment or i'll walk behind the friends im out with, not balling it down the street with phone in hand and my eyes glued to it.

But each to their own opinion.

You have that the wrong way round. The barriers need to be removed so that drivers of moving vehicles have to take account of more vulnerable road users and not knock them over.

There are currently no barriers - thats why you get pedestrians stepping out in front of moving traffic and bicycles on occasion. Ive certainly experienced it on more than one occasion. lights are green but there are still people crossing the road totally oblivious of the massive two tonne chunks of metal that are just hurtling towards them. Some actually lift their heads and see whats coming but still in their infinite wisdom decide to stroll across the road.

 

[longy65]

Ugh. That is a spectacularly unpleasant thing to say, and it undermines your self-righteous stance by a long way.

The only person I see as self righteous is you!

Pedestrians don't have a right to ignore the Highway Code or act in an arrogant manner, they have a duty of care to themselves and others.

 

[longy65]

@RoubaixCube and @longy65, these are old arguments that have played out on here again and again. Look them up, if you can be bothered, but it would be nice to lay off the stuff about people deserving to be maimed to teach them a lesson.

There you go again!!! Why would I start looking up old threads?

The post, told a little tale of a pedestrian acting in an ignorant and arrogant manner, now to me it looked like she saw no wrong in her action, however by making the bus do an emergency stop how many passengers could of been injured?

How do you teach these morons a lesson?

 

[RoubaixCube]

but it would be nice to lay off the stuff about people deserving to be maimed to teach them a lesson.

Isnt that normally the case though??

If a person doesnt look when crossing the road and gets knocked over - who else is to blame but themselves? Is the driver/rider/cyclist at fault because the pedestrian couldnt use their own eyes and ears?

The pedestrian becomes a victim of their own actions and for every action there is a consequence. They might have been lucky the first few times. oncoming vehicles might of made an emergency stop, the driver rolled down the window and had a good shout at the pedestrian, but If the pedestrian doesnt learn from that then their luck will simply just run out. They are risking their lives by playing a game of 'chicken' on a busy road without knowing it.

As morbid as my opinion is, thats the truth. Theres nothing 'self-righteous' about it. If a person isnt willing to use their eyes and ears when crossing the road. Then they suffer the consequences. Its always unfortunate when somebody gets hit but you have to ask yourself...... Whose fault was it?

 

[longy65]

It is the fault of the person capable of inflicting the most harm, who should be looking out for those who are more vulnerable and likely to behave unpredictably. Of course.

Stop, Look, Listen.....use the Green Cross Code!

I think you have a very misguided idea of whom is responsible for their actions in this case.
If the pedestrian had been knocked down injured or heavens above been killed, the fault would not have been the bus drivers I can assure you of that.

But the consequences of an idiots actions can last for ever!

 

[Tin Pot]

Stop, Look, Listen.....use the Green Cross Code!

I think you have a very misguided idea of whom is responsible for their actions in this case.
If the pedestrian had been knocked down injured or heavens above been killed, the fault would not have been the bus drivers I can assure you of that.

But the consequences of an idiots actions can last for ever!

No, it's you who has it wrong.

And it's your mentality that gets people killed.

 

[longy65]

No, it's you who has it wrong.

And it's your mentality that gets people killed.

My mentality???

Please enlighten me, as I don't think it's ok to go around driving into or over people.
But I sure as hell don't believe it's my right to walk out into traffic and think bollocks to all drivers they should stop for me!

 

[RoubaixCube]

No thanks. Too many opportunities for cyclists to be crushed against them by left turning lorries.

That honestly depends on a few things but not squeezing yourself in between the pavement and lorry would be a good start. I'll either let them go first or I'll filter up the otherside of them and not put myself at risk.

Secondly, barriers can be placed with a little room for cyclists. But if a lorry is going to mount the pavement anyway then thats a different story