Like a prima ballerina in clogs.
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Oh famous last words.....a couple of weeks back, Honda is back in the garage- one gremlin dealt with, another popped up, hopefully (finally) sorted this week, so I was on my Yamaha YBR for the commute. Going through Botley High Street, contraflow in place, going west, eastbound traffic queued up. There's a bus in front of a junction. Guy in a Land Rover Discovery pulls out of the side road right in front of me, I'm doing 25 mph...RIP Yamaha, I get away with a bruised right foot, though it could have been so much worse of course. Two days off work, then for nine days I've been riding home on the Litespeed. 9.30 finish, I've been making it at eleven or just before (best time 1:22). Train (at 10.22!) gets into Fratton at 1054, so I'd get home at eleven or so....no contest. A colleague did claim I was hard to see. Bright rear light, reflectives on the pannier and my jacket, rear reflector on the bike...more visible than trees, foxes, road markings.....it's been good though, roads quiet & I had only had one 'get out of my way you peasant' horn blast in 180 miles. Back to a 125 on Monday (just bought a Yamaha FZR).
[QUOTE 5368631, member: 21629"]
Came back home via that busy main road - cars overtook me giving me loads of space. Looks like drivers cannot understand in the darkness where the hell that cyclist exactly is on the road. 5 rear lights also probably divide me into a group of cyclists.
..[/QUOTE]
“Wait - make that *five* bikes”
Came back home via that busy main road - cars overtook me giving me loads of space. Looks like drivers cannot understand in the darkness where the hell that cyclist exactly is on the road. 5 rear lights also probably divide me into a group of cyclists.
..[/QUOTE]
“Wait - make that *five* bikes”
Beautiful ride in this morning, around about 12degrees with the wind on my back. After lifting my bike off the roof and getting ready to roll, I realised I had forgotten my helmet so I looked more cultured with just a cycle cap on. It was actually my sun glasses that I missed most!
Slick
Guru
My commutes have been sporadic at best, so I was delighted to get the chance this morning which was near perfect conditions that saw me having to stop halfway there to lose the jacket which is only really any good on the first couple of miles to keep the chill off the arms. Coming home was better than usual as the sun was out and a chunk of dual that usually leaves you fighting for space is getting re-tarred so closed to traffic but a cyclist could get through no hassles. Tomorrow is the last day of the week forecast to be dry both ways, so I think I will take the bike tomorrow again. 
Old Walrus
Guru
- Location
- Hassocks, West Sussex
Today, the day before the three village schools return, let mayhem commence!
Dec66
A gentlemanly pootler, these days
- Location
- West Wickham
Lots of the schools back today, so South London traffic back to its usual choked level .
Man down at the construction site by the Ministry of Sound. Orange Brommie. Ambulance lowering a stretcher, Rider on the floor with half a dozen people round him. Looked like a bad one, I hope and pray he's OK.
Man down at the construction site by the Ministry of Sound. Orange Brommie. Ambulance lowering a stretcher, Rider on the floor with half a dozen people round him. Looked like a bad one, I hope and pray he's OK.
IKR. MIL came in this morning to mind the kids and said it was nippy, didn't believe her so went out in 3/4 bib longs, LS top and fingerless gloves. Immediately came back in and added a baselayer whilst looking around for my autumn gloveys... couldn't find them so toughed it out on the way in. It's going to be 14 on the way home tonight apparently and i'll be overdressed!
confusedcyclist
Veteran
Close call this morning on Leeds Bradford SuperDuperCycle Highway. Driver passes but fails to stop at the junction on this segregated cycle path. This has happened to me a few times at this junction. This was the closest to a collision yet, luckily I was travelling relatively slowly and her turn wasn't so acute. I think the placement of the bus stop is a bit of a hazard. It makes it harder for less forward thinking motorists to gauge what's moving up the inside, that doesn't excuse the drivers lack of attention here. The lady was very apologetic, claimed she was distracted by a car following her, that was a questionable excuse! I said that she was lucky it didn't end badly for us both, and all was forgiven but pleaded that she be more careful in future.
Luckily I tuned up my front brake last Friday. I have mechanical discs calipers which gradually become less responsive as the pads wear, that is unless they are dialled back in. A sharp reminder on how emergency stops can come at any time and one should always be prepared, keep your brakes in tip top working order people!
View: https://youtu.be/kPwh_PIcGto?t=474
Luckily I tuned up my front brake last Friday. I have mechanical discs calipers which gradually become less responsive as the pads wear, that is unless they are dialled back in. A sharp reminder on how emergency stops can come at any time and one should always be prepared, keep your brakes in tip top working order people!
View: https://youtu.be/kPwh_PIcGto?t=474
Last edited:
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
VENT
"Why aren't you on the cycle path !" ....
Apparently it was the start of a civilised conversation, not a bullying intimidation tactic, indicated to me by the fact that he sped on past jabbing across the passenger pointing at the shared use facility .... He didn't hear my answer, but did hear the 'pr**k!' appended to the end. A little bit further on he pulled over wanting to continue the conversation.
"What makes you better than those using the cycle path"
"You do realise it cost £500,000"
"It's safer than the road"
"I ride every day, I would use it"
"If I didn't have my son in the car I would get out and give you what for"
....
Argghhh, I know I shouldn't get riled, but it's so hard to to respond sometimes :-(
"Why aren't you on the cycle path !" ....
Apparently it was the start of a civilised conversation, not a bullying intimidation tactic, indicated to me by the fact that he sped on past jabbing across the passenger pointing at the shared use facility .... He didn't hear my answer, but did hear the 'pr**k!' appended to the end. A little bit further on he pulled over wanting to continue the conversation.
"What makes you better than those using the cycle path"
"You do realise it cost £500,000"
"It's safer than the road"
"I ride every day, I would use it"
"If I didn't have my son in the car I would get out and give you what for"
....
Argghhh, I know I shouldn't get riled, but it's so hard to to respond sometimes :-(
