Tales from today's commute....

[AndyCh]

The traffic was simply abysmal through the SE London wastelands this morning. Due to overnight rain the roads were very wet, filthy too. The bike's covered covered in road grime and muck, so's me.

Agree with that. Everyone appeared to be driving like a bugger too, or maybe that was just my intolerant mood this morning. I was glad to get on to Q1 for a bit of peace. Lots of bikes out today though, cold and damp is not putting many off.

 

[Jenkins]

It was unexpectedly dry here at 05:30 but a quick check of the rain radar app showed that the rain that should have cleared through by then was later than forecast and was just about to hit. Full waterproofs and a cap to keep the rain out of my eyes took care of the downpour and strong winds, with just soaking wet gloves to dry out.
Still got the incredulous look from my manager when the "surely you drove in today" question was met with a negative response.

 

[All uphill]

Wish I'd kept my Marin too. First bike I bought myself. Still had all the original parts when I sold it.

Agreed!

I've turned my 1995 Marin Stinson into a tourer and it's great. Tange steel frame, new gears, 36 spoke wheels and a nice respray. Perfect for me.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Well, that was really rather moist. And jolly bracing too, by Jiminy!

On the plus side, my posh new Showers Pass waterproof has been excellent during all the recent positively eschatological weather.

 

[Arjimlad]

White Audi A2 driver ... don't you just know she'll be using the handheld phone ?!

Browsing a shopping site whilst waiting at and driving up to busy rush hour roundabouts.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Cold ride in this morning, wore my supposedly ultra warm Assos Bonka tights for the first time this year. They are a bit like putting a wet suit on and initially not that warm. I had a balaclava on shoe covers and all the kit.
Off course the first other cyclist I met was in football shorts, and T shirt and a undone waterproof, flat trainers but on a rather expensive looking Trek Domaine. We ended up having a chat. He had spent all his money on the bike and was now regretting not buying some warm kit as his ears especially were ruddy freezing. He had done some research though and was interested in my opinion on tyres as whatever it had come with was giving him punctures every week. He was thinking of Marathons of course, I gave him my usual recommendation of Michelins Power endurances, as fat as would fit on the bike. I also pointed out that his bike had other gears apart from the biggest one, as he was muscling and grinding it everywhere, even when he stopped he was still on the 3rd biggest ratio gear, apparently I was not the first person to point that out.

 

[C R]

Warmer than forecast in here, regretted wearing an extra layer. Bright and sunny too.

 

[Jenkins]

Just above freezing first thing - ice on the cars, but thankfully nothing on the roads. Now it's raining and I'm due to finish in just over an hour.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Took a half day holiday to enable an extended commute today to take the opportunity of a dry ride for a change after near drowning twice yesterday.

46 miles through the peaks before work warms the cockles of the heart! Lots of water running across the roads.

 

[hennbell]

Freezing Rain here on the Canadian prairies so no bicycle today. Even though I installed studded tyres, water on top of ice means put the bicycle away. Don't drive the car unless you have too.

If I had a fat bicycle with studded tyres then I might give it a go.

 

[Mike_P]

Worked at home yesterday and contrary to the weather elsewhere they had finally completely removed sandbags by today that caused a partial closure of a cycle track last week. Had a feeling the bike was behaving itself too much - chain jumped off the small cog and got jammed on the way home Fortunately had a pair of vinyl gloves in the rucksack to undertake the release of it

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

My Very Own 'Idiot Of The Day'
(belatedly)

Riding to work on Tuesday morning, circa 04:45
I was on Aberford Road (A642); having left Ferry Lane, & was riding towards Wakefield


As I approached The Graziers pub, where there's a central island (for the inenbriates coming out of the pub??), a white van appeared in my peripheral vision
At the island itself, numb-nuts squeezes past, with barely any reduction in speed
With a great rattling of metal, then at the narrowest point, where I'm also out to avoid the grate that's there (in pic, by the 'sandwich board sign) the plant trailer, he's towing with a mini-digger passes far too damned close

Sadly, he ignored (or didn't hear/see) my shouts/gesticulations
And I couldn't see any company markings on the van

What a cock-womble!!!!


Behind the camera, or north-east on the map, intersects the M62 @ jct 30
https://www.instantstreetview.com/@53.70244,-1.479362,217.16h,-12.11p,0.79z

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Senior Management is starting to realise, since she started riding to the Office, that some of the tales, of drivers I tell her aren't embellished

I just nod sagely, with empathy, resisting saying
"I Told You So", or "Welcome To My World"👼

 

[skudupnorth]

You can tell the clocks have changed along with some motorists skills in driving ! Lost count how many close passes, being pulled out on and the classic last night when some halfwit in a crappy little Shitroen van blundered across my right of way on a mini roundabout and got shirty when he had a very bright Cateye blinding him in his side window 😆😆😆
Stay safe everyone, they live and breed amongst us and have been given driving licences 😳
On a plus note, I cleared the 4k miles mark from my yearly target of 4.5k so I’m happy at being ahead of target even after the ten week lay off for my old farts operation in June

 

[Grendel]

Friday morning cycle into Edinburgh, when someone comes up behind me in a 4x4 and starts sounding the horn. So I stopped and went back to ask what the problem was. The tweed jacketed toff riding on board nodded towards a nearby cycle path and said "get on your cycle path!" before putting the foot down and disappearing. Twat.