Tales from today's commute....

[lutonloony]

interesting combination this morning. Chap on MTB with helmet cam (nothing against any of those things, if that's your thing), however when we arrived at 4way traffic lights due to roadworks, he decided that they obviously didn't apply to him. Amused myself with the thought that could the police use his cam as proof of his misdemeanour

 

[lutonloony]

Had an interesting couple of commutes yesterday. Took on Beacon Hill, at 800ft the highest point around me. Knocked 2mins off my best for the ascent (4miles) and then went in reasonably hard to work. Came back home pushing hard and held 20mph for 13miles of it...impressed with myself.

Does anyone else here occasionally ride harder for the odd commute?

some days the legs just decide to go for it, nothing to do with me, they seems to have their own schedule. Other days when I feel all is good, the legs say no!

 

[ianrauk]

I got stopped by the cops today... for speeding. Down Church Hill in Bromley. I could see he had a speed gun pointing at me and they waved me in. After my last couple of interactions with cops after the plastic lid/hi-viz debacle I wasn't going to stop but thought might as well. Fair play to the cop, he wasn't at all aggressive, in fact quite the opposite. Smiley and friendly.
He asked me how fast did I think I was going. I said I know how fast I was going, 38mph. He said did I know this road is a 30mph zone of which I said of course, But that's for motor vehicles. He replied yes that's right, but as a word of warning please take it easy down this hill. He then said that I looked like a very competent cyclist who obviously know's what I am doing and wished me a safe and nice onward journey. Blimey.


A very nice commute it was too. Very little traffic, nice fresh legs from not having cycled yesterday. There was also quite a gaggle of cycle commuters on the route this morning. The nice, warm weather certainly brings them out.

 

[winjim]

Stopped at a junction waiting to join the DC. RLJer comes steaming through, all fancy Pinarello with deep carbon wheels. Passed him at 30mph a minute or so later, on my heavy steel with the mudguards and Carradice bag. Next set of lights he RLJed again and turned off the DC. I wonder if he was really going that way or if he was just embarassed.


Yeah yeah, I know it's not a race, blah blah blah.

 

[winjim]

I got stopped by the cops today... for speeding. Down Church Hill in Bromley. I could see he had a speed gun pointing at me and they waved me in. After my last couple of interactions with cops after the plastic lid/hi-viz debacle I wasn't going to stop but thought might as well. Fair play to the cop, he wasn't at all aggressive, in fact quite the opposite. Smiley and friendly.
He asked me how fast did I think I was going. I said I know how fast I was going, 38mph. He said did I know this road is a 30mph zone of which I said of course, But that's for motor vehicles. He replied yes that's right. But as a word of warning please take it easy down this hill. He then said that I looked like a very competent cyclist who obviously know's what I am doing and wished me a safe and nice onward journey. Blimey.

Sounds reasonable enough.

 

[Gixxerman]

On my ride in, I met a charming man in a black Audi here:-
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.2...4!1sZfGd5Z1sez1nC4_QU0kVgw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
I was travelling in the direction shown, obviously on the LHS of the road where the "Ahead only" road marking is shown. I was wearing a hi-viz gillet and it was a bright morning with excellent visibility.
He was coming out of the road to right where the silver softop is shown.
As you can clearly see, this is a give way.
I was at a position almost directly opposite the side road, when our man drives out without stopping and almost drives into me. I managed to swerve to the left to avoid the collision as I was on my folding bike and not going that fast (10mph-ish). If I was going at road bike speeds of 20+ mph, the result would have been different I think. When he stopped at the red lights further on I went along the drivers side on his car. His window was open and he was on the phone. I asked him if I was invisble as he had almost drove into me. His response was to tell me to "F**k off". I suggested that maybe if he wasn't on the phone he might have a better chance of seeing me, to which he replied "F**k off". I never shouted or swore at him, even though I certainly wanted to, so I certainly did nothing to deserve his response. I realised that there was little I could say / do with a bell-end like him. So I left it at that. Just wish I had a camera as the footage would be sent to the plod.

 

[ianrauk]

Sounds reasonable enough.

Indeed.. back story to this.. and I think it's in this thread somewhere. Is that a few years back I was stopped by very aggressive policeman who berated me for not wearing a plastic hat or custard jacket and his parting shot was that he hoped he didn't have to scrape me off the tarmac one day.

 

[Leaway2]

Started off and it began to rain. Nothing too bad. Then it got heavier, so I stopped and put on waterproof. 2 mins later it had stopped. It was a quiet road so I took off the waterproof without stopping. 2 min, started raining again .
Sod it.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

My commute was a battle of wills today. I got to the turn off point past which I'm either committed to The Hill I've been using to train for next month or I wimp out and take an easier option, and I very nearly chose the latter. Anyway, I've ridden up The Hill twice so far this week, so a good start to the week.

 

[Leaway2]

My commute was a battle of wills today. I got to the turn off point past which I'm either committed to The Hill I've been using to train for next month or I wimp out and take an easier option, and I very nearly chose the latter. Anyway, I've ridden up The Hill twice so far this week, so a good start to the week.

If you click on the picture. Then drag the mouse down. This will "flatten" the hill and will make easier to ride up.
You are welcome.

 

[tallliman]

@Leaway2, if it were that easy, why don't we all do it?

 

[Jenkins]

Exploding inner tube on the way in to work this afternoon. It split along a seam which had been rubbed by a spoke hole exposed by poor rim tape (Superstar Components wheel) and blew the tyre off the rim.

 

[ianrauk]

A second evening of lovely tailwinds for the ride home. I had a drafting fairy along the A21 tonight. Indicated to him to take a turn but he just sat there. OK, we were coming up to Bromley Hill, I made sure I slowed down enough for him to not resist an over take and so it was. He led up the hill and I sat on his wheel. We were then overtaken by a racing snake, he was quick. I managed to jump on his wheel as he over took us leaving the fairy behind. A couple of hundred yards and the snake had stretched the elastic and was gone. Fair play to him. The fairy was nowhere. All in all, jolly good fun.

 

[Spartak]

Due to the North Westerly wind this evening I changed my regular commute.

Leaving Portbury Dock I joined the busy A369 towards Bristol, luckily there is a new cycle path alongside this road so I used that.

Then I crossed the Clifton Suspension Bridge before descending the 1:6 Constitution Hill, across Millennium Square where there was a good crowd watching the Olympic swimming in the 'fanzone'.

There was a great busker playing an electric guitar on Peros Bridge near the YHA so I stopped for a couple of minutes to listen.

Then I joined the Bristol / Bath cycle path to join lots of other commuters on our journeys home.

 

[rivers]

Due to the North Westerly wind this evening I changed my regular commute.

Leaving Portbury Dock I joined the busy A369 towards Bristol, luckily there is a new cycle path alongside this road so I used that.

Then I crossed the Clifton Suspension Bridge before descending the 1:6 Constitution Hill, across Millennium Square where there was a good crowd watching the Olympic swimming in the 'fanzone'.

There was a great busker playing an electric guitar on Peros Bridge near the YHA so I stopped for a couple of minutes to listen.

Then I joined the Bristol / Bath cycle path to join lots of other commuters on our journeys home.

The cycle path leaving Bristol at rush hour is busier than the A4