Tales from today's commute....

[alecstilleyedye]

claimed a very decent scalp; three cervelo-mounted british cycling development riders (or impostors in full kit); beat them in a race over the railway bridge at parrswood on the a34 south of manchester (after they'd sat on my wheel since beating them up the previous railway bridge).

they only got ahead of me when they started riding rather more recklessly in the traffic than i was prepared to…

 

[Simontm]

And today it was water melon, water melon fog. Anyone else getting this more and more some sort of weird sweet smelling fruity vaping fogs in traffic? Some of them when they puff look like the cars on fire! Something I object to inhaling something that's been through someone elses lungs?!

Putty. I thought of your post as I was heading home and thought the air smelt of silly putty

 

[Simontm]

Ok ride home if a bit warm. Stupid thing was I lost my bearings and completely rode past the Hyde Park turn off so ended up going down embassy alley to get back en route.
Numpty count: 0

 

[galaxy]

Had to ay off, so more a Ultillity ride, Drs for a checkup, then a flu jab, few errands to run, but all done the bike, nice feeling when i got home and slipped the bacon into the gridle pan.

 

[Simontm]

Very foggy at the first part of the ride with visibility down to around 30 yards in places. Thought I took it easy in but my legs and phone say otherwise!

Numpty count:0

 

[Smithbat]

Very cold on my short foggy commute this morning, @Simontm You may have had a numpty count of zero, but I had one. Followed a taxi round a bend and he stopped dead, no indication nothing. I didn't say anything but the pedestrian on the pavement had a small go at him for not looking in his mirrors and seeing me. I thanked him for his chivalry and carried on.

 

[Arjimlad]

Climbing past slow-moving/stationary traffic last night and passing on the right, when a car veered out towards me nearly knocking me off & forcing me into oncoming traffic.

He knew I was there & left a gap for me to get past then closed it down as I passed. In future I won't take those gaps if envy is going to make people put my safety in danger.

 

[Simontm]

A quick ride home today as I had to get my daughter to the climbing wall. Traffic was a weird mixture of empty roads then packed.
Numpty count: 4
two cars overtook on the blind bends with oncoming traffic - cue slamming of brakes and swearing on my part.
one car decided to pull out in front of me to turn right with no exit so stopped there and then - again cue slamming of brakes and swearing
The last was a mini that had no concept of giving way to the right - cue much...oh you get the idea

 

[Moodyman]

Well that was hard work. Evening commute - just couldn't get warmed up. Been a few months since I last looked forward to the hilly section (to warm up).

The air was so cold and dense it felt like riding through treacle.

 

[Slick]

A bit like that on the first few miles of my commute this morning, but it did seem to lift a bit as I crossed the Clyde. My trip home proved a bit more tricky, and I'm sure that a good few of the cars try and pass me as close as they can and certainly without having to go to the hassle of actually crossing the white line. One in particular seemed to catch me more unaware than most when out the corner of my eye I realised something was getting way too close. Turned out to be one of those huge forward mounted tour bus mirrors, and I don't mind admitting to quite a wobble when I saw the tonnage of steel that it was attached too. I did consider if it was really worth it at one point, but I'm guessing we all have days like that from time to time.

 

[Twizit]

Cold. Very.

Oh, and an almost unbelievable left hook by a white van in Kingston - one of those where you're thinking "no, he couldn't be that stupid could he.... no, of course not.... no one would try that..... oh..... oh right.... he really is going..... oh *******" - cue much grabbing of brakes and warming the chill air with a few choice expletives

 

[Ciar]

Very fresh this morning loved it

 

[Simontm]

Knees couldn't get warmed up on the way into Kingston nor when I got to Richmond and Kew so settled back into a comfort ride that still entails overtaken most people - oh, Mr Entitled on your dragged out of garage bike and football shorts from when that was trendy? I am overtaking you, not racing
Numpty count: 0

 

[Velow]

Anyone else still braving the shorts on the commute? A couple of warmer days have had me confused on what to wear.

 

[Leaway2]

Brrrrrrrrrr