Tales from today's commute....

[RoubaixCube]

What is SoL ?

Sh!t Out of Luck

 

[ianrauk]

I have an apology to make to the cycling community in general.
This morning I had an interaction with Mr Angry and pushed his buttons, resulting in exactly the reaction I was expecting!

It all started a few sets of lights earlier when he pulled up in the far right lane at a gyratory system, 90s techno music blasting and then zoomed away from the lights, before cutting left in front of the 4 or 5 cars that had queued in the correct lane and then abruptly stopping at the back of a line of cars waiting to leave at the next exit. I filtered down the right side of the queue and neatly slotted in just in front of Mr Angry just as the traffic got a green and began to move. It was a very tidy move, there was lots of time to perform the manoeuvre without getting close to, or surprising anyone. Partway around the next corner, several car lengths later, Mr Angry's brain eventually began to clunk into action and he suddenly realised I had just done to him what he had done to the other traffic a short moment earlier, and that's not fair because he's supposed to be in front at the back of the queue of cars ahead! At this point cue a loud and obnoxious display of his indignation with lots of horn blasting and shouty swearing out of his open windows. One comment he made that I would have loved to have had more time to discuss was that 'It's d!ckhead cyclists like you that get run over'! I would like to hear him explain how, when I knew where he was, he knew where I was and the only way he was going to run me over was to crash into the back of the car in front. Basically, my only danger in that situation was that my presence and actions caused Mr Angry to flip and drive into me on purpose (I know this is a possibility in light of recent high profile cases ).
Anyway, a bit of lighthearted fun for me, all in a days work as it were and I wouldn't normally dwell on such an incident and certainly wouldn't deem it worthy of taking the time to post on here, but!
As I rode away thinking to myself what an obnoxious Neanderthal he was it dawned on me that I had just wound him up to breaking point before sending him on his way in his metal killing machine. This is the reason for my apology. He clearly has an issue with other road users and particularly 'd!ckhead cyclists' and I realise I may have just set him up to take out his hatred on the next cyclist he encounters. I hope not and I'm sorry

No need to apologise. It's motons like that, that will be angry at anything, peds, cyclists other vehicle drivers. If he was like that with you, then he's like that with others. He'll be brown bread soon with a burst heart artery anyway.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Rear gear cable snapped on the way to work today resulting in 11 miles of hard work including one 1 in 10 hill which I just got up.

Phoned the LBS and asked if I took it in would they do it while I waited. No one told the mechanic, but he still did it for me

Also got to see my new frame (Tricross died on me last week) nice black with red flashes Diverge frame. Specialized did offer me a Roubaix frame, but it wasn't the disc version so I had to turn it down

I know I am a Specialized fan, but they now have me as a customer for life. I thrashed it for three years doing over 41,000 miles on it in all weathers when last week I spotted a crack in the frame. Straight away they said no worries we'll sort a new frame out. Only downside is I'm going to need at least a new front wheel as the front fork is a straight through axle - though it is carbon, the Tricross fork was ali.

 

[dhd.evans]

Chainrings are creaky today, not sure why. Will tighten up after lunch.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Sort off a little earlier today to get a nice sunny morning ride in..only 8.5 miles but a very nice day...might try a different way home later..

 

[donnydave]

Overtook another cyclist on the Cambridge guided busway, he shouted at me for being too close and not using my bell. I slowed down and apologised, which seemed to confuse him a bit. He explained that people "like me" zoom past too close without consideration for others and that kids and mums with pushchairs use the path so I should be more considerate. I apologised again and said he seemed to be keeping well to one side of the path and I thought it was safe, then apologised a third time. He seemed to have dissapated his angry steam and we parted ways with him wishing me a good evening.

Now, from the safety of the internet, I thought about what I said with regards to thinking he was clearly sticking to one side of the path and in hindsight I reckon he saw an opportunity to generate an incident on purpose just because he wanted to have a moan at someone. He was pootling along in steady fashion but doing a grand job of sticking clearly to one side of the path, glanced over his shoulder as I approached noisily, coughing and changing gear so I thought my bell wasn't necessary as this chap seemed to know what he was doing and had clocked my presence. Just as I was about to get level he repositions himself in the middle of the path so it ends up being a close pass.

I know lots of people have different bell ringing policies, my own personal one is that sometimes a bell seems a bit unecessary if you're sure everyone is aware of whats going on. I've rung my bell on people who are sticking to one side before and they've leapt across like a startled animal to the empty side so I tend to try judge each situation as it approaches. This time I didn't account for Mr complainypants... oh well. I know what he looks like now so next time I see him I'll ring my bell like a complete mad man

 

[13 rider]

Managed my longest commute this morning 20.8 miles and stranglely it was one of my fastest on the hybrid 15.7 mph . Coming home up the steady climb from the island I was trying to chase down a lady rider who was just pedalling steady and I wasn't closing the gap hit the steeper bit and she just accelerated up the hill as she turned off at the top my suspsion was confirmed it was an E bike my easy work off the hill though

 

[gaijintendo]

Helmet saved me again today. This time from a nasty bump whilst standing up after locking up in the bike shed. That galvanised beam could have done some damage!

 

[dhd.evans]

Pleasant headwind set against the backdrop of a left hook... i despair!

 

[Dec66]

I don't like grassing people up, I really don't.

But, Mr. BN64EGU, I'm afraid your antics in trying to nudge the back wheels of the cyclists in CS7 this morning, in an apparent attempt to precipitate a multiple crash, means that I'm going to have to make an exception in your case.

Thanks for displaying your Private Hire Licence so prominently.

 

[13 rider]

Had to use my cattle herding skills this morning . Came round a corner to be greeting by 10 cows in the middle of the road !! . They behaved themselves and I managed to get them off the road and into a field . Might not have been the right field but better than the road . Cost me a couple of miles due to lack of time but still managed to beat my biggest month mileage

 

[DaveMental]

Beautiful morning for a ride in today, making good times this week given less traffic due to half term

 

[NorthernDave]

Had to use my cattle herding skills this morning . Came round a corner to be greeting by 10 cows in the middle of the road !! . They behaved themselves and I managed to get them off the road and into a field . Might not have been the right field but better than the road . Cost me a couple of miles due to lack of time but still managed to beat my biggest month mileage

Did you ask them to moo-ve?

 

[Leaway2]

Had to use my cattle herding skills this morning . Came round a corner to be greeting by 10 cows in the middle of the road !! . They behaved themselves and I managed to get them off the road and into a field . Might not have been the right field but better than the road . Cost me a couple of miles due to lack of time but still managed to beat my biggest month mileage

Did you ask them to moo-ve?

"Cost me a couple of miles due to lack of time but still managed to beat my biggest month mileage"

I think he is milking it.

 

[J1888]

Is it the warm weather that is bringing out the worst in some car drivers? Seen what seems like a rise in more dangerous driving.

A fair bit more poor cycling too.

Maybe I'm imagining it, but getting a bit fed up