HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
A bit dreich today so I lowered my pace a bit, especially in town. I was quite glad when I got the classic right hook from an oncoming car.
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Daughter rode to school with me today which made a change & was rather good.
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
Lovely ride in this morning. The lightest of drizzle for the first couple of miles, then a very gentle breeze largely behind me for the rest of the journey. Home bound ride spoiled a couple of driver's using an allocated cycle lane to gain a few metres and by a Jaguar driver passing me a few centimetres from my leg, when there was no other traffic or road obstruction, so the full width of road could have been used. Let's see what Greater Manchester police make of it.
RoadRider400
Some bloke that likes cycling alone
First ever tale of my commute.
Cycling home today I reach a certain section of my route. Its where the foot/cycle path passes near to a lake. To the other side is a building that has high fencing all around it. So all you have to proceed on the journey is this path and a small amount of grass to either side. Today after another deluge of rain a good 10 metres of this path was submerged several inches underwater and the grass verge not much better off. Upon approach I see a woman just exiting the end of the flooded path, her boots seemingly had done little to keep her feet dry. But credit to her a few inches of water was not going to prevent her onward journey presumably home.
Standing just before the flooded section of this path was a youth in his mid teens. Immaculate hair and wearing evidently new white fabric trainers, paper white I would have called them. I stopped just before the flood and surveyed the scene and then proceeded to cycle straight through even if I did have to lift both feet from the pedals and rely on momentum towards the end. I stopped and turned to see this lad still weighing up the certainty of turning his pristine trainers a mild shade of turd, against the alternative of a 1 mile walk back to the closest detour.
For all I know he might still be there.
Cycling home today I reach a certain section of my route. Its where the foot/cycle path passes near to a lake. To the other side is a building that has high fencing all around it. So all you have to proceed on the journey is this path and a small amount of grass to either side. Today after another deluge of rain a good 10 metres of this path was submerged several inches underwater and the grass verge not much better off. Upon approach I see a woman just exiting the end of the flooded path, her boots seemingly had done little to keep her feet dry. But credit to her a few inches of water was not going to prevent her onward journey presumably home.
Standing just before the flooded section of this path was a youth in his mid teens. Immaculate hair and wearing evidently new white fabric trainers, paper white I would have called them. I stopped just before the flood and surveyed the scene and then proceeded to cycle straight through even if I did have to lift both feet from the pedals and rely on momentum towards the end. I stopped and turned to see this lad still weighing up the certainty of turning his pristine trainers a mild shade of turd, against the alternative of a 1 mile walk back to the closest detour.
For all I know he might still be there.
Last edited:
HarryTheDog
Guru
- Location
- Basildon Essex
Yesterday had a bit of a shouting match with a guy on a 3 wheel motor scooter , I was going into a S bend when I became aware of him, I got around the first left hander but he came up beside me and went into the right hander first. Not a problem apart from he couldn't handle his steed and slowed suddenly as he wasnt taking the bend well, I nearly rear ended him. I only shouted whoah. He went mental slowed his bike and instead of having a go at me personally just gave me a tirade against all cyclists. He rode beside me gobbing it off, one of his last remarks was that he was on a motorbike and was always faster than a cyclist. I replied with, "not into that bend were you?". He huffed and puffed and knobbed off.
On the way home my Garmin lost sattelites continually, ran into @Heigue'r on the way home again and we chatted in the rain.
This morning GPS on Garmin totally gave up. The three wheeled knob went past and said nowt, I then caught him at some lights and we just studied each other. Looks like I am going to be running into this guy a lot, at least he is keeping his gob shut and looks like he is unlikely to do anything silly.
On the way home I used Strava on my phone but forgot to stop it when I jumped into my car. When I loaded the ride I realised my mistake and had 40 fresh KOMS, I was flagged in 10 seconds!. Cropped it though and order was restored to the Stravaverse.
On the way home my Garmin lost sattelites continually, ran into @Heigue'r on the way home again and we chatted in the rain.
This morning GPS on Garmin totally gave up. The three wheeled knob went past and said nowt, I then caught him at some lights and we just studied each other. Looks like I am going to be running into this guy a lot, at least he is keeping his gob shut and looks like he is unlikely to do anything silly.
On the way home I used Strava on my phone but forgot to stop it when I jumped into my car. When I loaded the ride I realised my mistake and had 40 fresh KOMS, I was flagged in 10 seconds!. Cropped it though and order was restored to the Stravaverse.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
You just never know with drivers like that, will they or won't they ...
This is something I often see; unfortunately it's usually lasses who are guilty. But another thing is the number of helmet wearers who have the straps hanging loose around their chin.
My 'rule' is that if you can shake your head and the helmet moves easily, then it's too loose and won't do the job if you come off.
And then there are those who wear a Benny hat or similar under their bash hat so it ends up perched on top of their head. What good do they think that will do in a fall I wonder - ?
Wait, that's not how a derailleur is meant to look:
Pulled off from some lights with torque last night, must have flexed the frame, wheels and hanger in the perfect storm. Derailleur caught the spokes and got taken along for a ride. Oops.
Singlespeed this morning instead!
Pulled off from some lights with torque last night, must have flexed the frame, wheels and hanger in the perfect storm. Derailleur caught the spokes and got taken along for a ride. Oops.
Singlespeed this morning instead!
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
I'll put this here, as it's about a commuter...
Visiting Maritime Greenwich today, much walking and gawping done, as you do.
On return leg to Cutty Sark DLR station, stopped at lights-controlled crossing. Lights change to let us across. There are maybe 50 people crossing, it's rush-hour. And a nobber on a cycle tries to ignore the red and thread his way through 50 pedestrians.
Well, for me, I lost it. I got right in his way, stopping him, and then, nose to nose, said, "It's on RED".
Then stalked off. I didn't look to see what he did next, in case I really REALLY lost it and tried to stuff him in a litter bin.
I'm normally a total shrinking violet, but, and I know some of y'all don't think this way, this really does not help the image of cycling. I would not have remotely had the nerve to be such a total s***head.
Rant over.
Visiting Maritime Greenwich today, much walking and gawping done, as you do.
On return leg to Cutty Sark DLR station, stopped at lights-controlled crossing. Lights change to let us across. There are maybe 50 people crossing, it's rush-hour. And a nobber on a cycle tries to ignore the red and thread his way through 50 pedestrians.
Well, for me, I lost it. I got right in his way, stopping him, and then, nose to nose, said, "It's on RED".
Then stalked off. I didn't look to see what he did next, in case I really REALLY lost it and tried to stuff him in a litter bin.
I'm normally a total shrinking violet, but, and I know some of y'all don't think this way, this really does not help the image of cycling. I would not have remotely had the nerve to be such a total s***head.
Rant over.
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
An update on this driver at #29,266 who seemed not to understand the words irony and highway code.
After a couple of email exchanges, the customer engagement manager for Transport for Greater Manchester, whose van it is, sent an email which among other comments included, "....The individual member of staff has been identified by the Fleet Manager...........This behaviour falls well below the standard that we would expect of TfGM employees. I can assure you that the appropriate action will be taken if necessary to ensure this does not happen again...."
I suspect also being asked by Cheshire Police to identify the driver may have also prodded the Fleet Manager to act.
After a couple of email exchanges, the customer engagement manager for Transport for Greater Manchester, whose van it is, sent an email which among other comments included, "....The individual member of staff has been identified by the Fleet Manager...........This behaviour falls well below the standard that we would expect of TfGM employees. I can assure you that the appropriate action will be taken if necessary to ensure this does not happen again...."
I suspect also being asked by Cheshire Police to identify the driver may have also prodded the Fleet Manager to act.
Starchivore
I don't know much about Cinco de Mayo
- Location
- Halifax, West Yorkshire
I appreciate the irony of these things very much. For example people with prominent "baby on board" stickers, asking other road users to take special care near them, flying past cyclists without hardly moving out.
"Please treat me carefully and as a vulnerable road-user even though I'm not going to play nicely myself with actual vulnerable road users.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
As the forecast for today was good, yesterday I prepped my best bike, popped the mudguards on it etc..
Of course, that guaranteed a soggy commute !
Had a fast pass that felt too close, but on looking at the rear footage, although the driver certainly didn't leave 1.5m from me, it was not all that close.
50mph meant it felt worse than it was.
Of course, that guaranteed a soggy commute !
Had a fast pass that felt too close, but on looking at the rear footage, although the driver certainly didn't leave 1.5m from me, it was not all that close.
50mph meant it felt worse than it was.
