Tales from today's commute....

[summerdays]

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.

That implies that the cyclist is always at fault in that situation and that no lorry would overtake on a corner squeezing the cyclist

 

[RoubaixCube]

As @summerdays says, you're assuming the situation arises from the cyclist putting themself in a dangerous position, which is a bit sad really.

Youre saying it like its never happened before. I see cyclists doing it every day on my commute

 

[Origamist]

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.

This is a thread about commuting. Why you would want to pollute it with some sick, violent fantasy about a pedestrian suffering harm, is beyond me.

 

[summerdays]

Youre saying it like its never happened before. I see cyclists doing it every day on my commute

I've seen cyclists do it, but equally I've been put in dangerous positions by the actions of lorry drivers, or witnessed it happening to other cyclists.

 

[Origamist]

Anyhow, to go back to the beginning of this exchange on barriers, not only no because cyclists can and have been crushed against them. More importantly than that is the increased sterility of the public space. Creating a corridor for cars with a parallel corridor for pedestrians makes for increased isolation of drivers, with increased detachment from the danger they bring. Much better to have to anticipate that a fellow human may cross the road and accommodate that.

Yes, what's more, the DfT's study on the effect of guardrails found the following:

"Thus, while there is no conclusive evidence that the inclusion of pedestrian guardrailing at any type of pedestrian crossing or junction has any statistically significant effect on the safety record..."

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../328996/ltn-2-09__Pedestrian_guardrailing.pdf

This was part of the rationale for removing large quantities of guardrailing in London and eleswhere.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Mod note: This thread is about tales from todays commute not pedestrians and the Highway Code or the merits/pitfalls of barriers. Feel free to start another thread if you want to discuss those points.

Back on topic from this point onwards please.

 

[martint235]

Mod note: This thread is about tales from todays commute not pedestrians and the Highway Code or the merits/pitfalls of barriers. Feel free to start another thread if you want to discuss those points.

Back on topic from this point onwards please.

Yes go start your own thread!! This one is mine!!

Anyhow, despite it being wet I quite enjoyed that. Did get soaked though! Only one muppet who turned right into a side street across the front of me. He was told what I think of his parentage. Other than that fairly uneventful. Is it a teacher training day today cos the traffic was still light?

 

[summerdays]

Only one muppet today - me!!! I contemplated changing my gear cable recently and didn't.... today it snapped!!! Lots of grinding up hills then getting off and walking!

 

[ianrauk]

Grim commute today. Quite heavy rain when I left home. Fortunately it changed into drizzle after a short while. Still grim though. Went the short route for a change.
Saw another regular cycle commuter on the ride in. A funny chap, he's continually looking back if you are behind him. As I couldn't be arsed to SCR this morning I just held back. Every now and then I would get closer to him. He would look back then he's spin like buggery only for me to catch him up again and repeat. S'funny.

 

[HarryTheDog]

It was only after 8 miles did I realise I had left my rear brakes in the “open” position after cleaning this weekend. Luckily it was whilst trying to brake behind a car with a gap on the outside for me to fit down. Stopped and closed the brakes.

Going through Barking a guy on a single speed nearly caught me whilst sat at the lights. I left him miles behind going up the hill out of Barking and forgot about him. He reappeared a while later and I let him draft me up the nearly mile long straight from the A406/A13 roundabout. He then did the decent thing and went to do his turn on the front. However he had no mudguards at all and I decided I did not want a face full of dirty water so backed off. I later went past and left him behind ensuring he did not get a draft this time as he did not thank me or say hello after me dragging him along before. Plus he should get some flippin mudguards!

Arrived at work damp, but it was fairly warm.

 

[Tin Pot]

+1 on Grim. And the usual Monday morning grumpy drivers.

Legs and back feeling it at about 1.5hrs after yesterday's half mara

 

[subaqua]

I love my Nightvision jacket. it keeps me warm and dry.

I also hate the bleedin thing as its so good at keeping the water out it runs it onto my thighs which mean i get sopping wet legs. time to look for some waterproof trousers that dont make me boil in the bag .

apart from that a very quiet commute, looks like the wet weather kept lots off the bike.

 

[Origamist]

Cool at around 1C but no rain or ice. Normal commuting bike was deployed but noticed rust on the chain (from last week's salt spreaders no doubt), so gave it a quick wipe and lube and hey presto, a smooth drivetrain again.

Am finally about to go for a single ring up front. A 52t Sram Rival 1 paired to a 12-27 cassette (I'm sticking to a regular rear mech as it seems overkill and expensive to get the fancy one).

 

[subaqua]

Deploy Rainlegs!

it never used to be too bad when i rode in wearing padded shorts and the longs as i would be getting changed into "normal " clothes. I made the decison last year to wear as much normal as possible to prove a point to 2 muppetts in work about not being a MAMIL . the craghoppers walking trousers are now dry after hanging up for an hour in the office . but having to fetch a 2nd pair of undercrackers defaest object of travelling light.

I did consider a rain cape , but I am not sure that is any better at looking normal !

I couldn't possibly comment.

you could comment. but being a diplomatic sort you wont

 

[HarryTheDog]

Top tip when taking a hurried shower at work, take a towel in the shower room with you. I forgot this top tip this morning, drying yourself with paper towels just isn't the same.