Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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Lovacott
Über Member
I commuted in London for over ten years and you learn to expect the "unexpected".
If someone overtook me just before a left hand turning, I expected them to cut across my path and turn left in front of me. Most didn't, but maybe one in one hundred did.
As I passed parked cars with people in them, I expected a door to suddenly open right in front of my face. Most didn't, but maybe one in one hundred did.
One in one hundred drivers are either complete idiots or simply anti cyclist but it's hard to tell who are the bad ones until they do something stupid.
So it's best to assume that they are all idiots about to do something stupid just in case they happen to be that one in one hundred as above.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
Nearly got taken out by a badger on the return leg this evening. Damn thing bimbled out from the verge on an unlit lane and I just managed to swerve roud it with the rear wheel locked up. I don't fancy its chances for the future as it's in an area where cattle are kept.
Its not often I get overtaken on my cycle commute.. let alone by a Brompton rider.... pulling a trailer laden with stuff...wtaf? 
He couldn't make it stick though
. Had a chat. He was off to the dump. Jolly good fun.
On another note. Woman on an electric scooter decided to cut in front of me at a junction, forcing me to to an emergency stop. She was totally oblivious at everything around her.. I tried to have a word but she was wearing headphones. So the universal language of a shoulder shrug had to suffice.
He couldn't make it stick though
. Had a chat. He was off to the dump. Jolly good fun.On another note. Woman on an electric scooter decided to cut in front of me at a junction, forcing me to to an emergency stop. She was totally oblivious at everything around her.. I tried to have a word but she was wearing headphones. So the universal language of a shoulder shrug had to suffice.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Nobody in charge of any sort of vehicle should wear phones, except maybe bone conduction jobbies, for precisely this reason.
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
So true!
Far too many riding wearing them too
Recently there seems to be a lot of drivers wearing them too, around here!
In both ears too!!!
confusedcyclist
Veteran
Got honked at this morning by a motorist who took objection to my primary road positioning at a junction traffic light, bizarre as he was the one who had stopped in a yellow hatched box right behind me. Yet he still saw fit to jab his fingers to indicate I should have been in the 3 meter bit of painted lane that usually precedes cycle box ASLs. The car in front was going left and I was going straight, so I wasn't going to move in front of the other motor and put myself in that position of being left hooked at the off for this dimwits convenience.
At first I ignored him, then he kept beeping, so I had to react. I turned around and firmly stated "No! I'm not moving there, it's a filter lane, and it isn't mandatory. By the way, you shouldn't have stopped in the yellow thatched box. Next time please stop sooner. Nice one, thanks!" I think the irony was lost on him suggesting I was positioned wrongly in the wrong road. I half expected a punishment pass after, but he actually gave me a very wide birth and sheepishly avoided all eye contact. Nothing more queer than folk.
At first I ignored him, then he kept beeping, so I had to react. I turned around and firmly stated "No! I'm not moving there, it's a filter lane, and it isn't mandatory. By the way, you shouldn't have stopped in the yellow thatched box. Next time please stop sooner. Nice one, thanks!" I think the irony was lost on him suggesting I was positioned wrongly in the wrong road. I half expected a punishment pass after, but he actually gave me a very wide birth and sheepishly avoided all eye contact. Nothing more queer than folk.
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
MOIST !
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
And breezy for me on the homeward leg.
GeekDadZoid
Über Member
Been a mixed bag of commutes this week, some very wet and some in lovely sunshine. My current commute is about 7 mins on the bike so it really doesn't matter so much on the way home but as I don't get changed at work it's best if I can avoid heavy rain on the way in.
Last night I had to make a 5 mile detour for my first vaccine jab, managed most of the route on a combination of cycle paths and footpaths, had to walk the last 500m as it was not suitable for cycling.
The standing water was deep in lots of section but my hub brakes didn't care.
Got some funny looks turning up for my jab in a biblical downpour on my bike wearing shorts.
Last night I had to make a 5 mile detour for my first vaccine jab, managed most of the route on a combination of cycle paths and footpaths, had to walk the last 500m as it was not suitable for cycling.
The standing water was deep in lots of section but my hub brakes didn't care.
Got some funny looks turning up for my jab in a biblical downpour on my bike wearing shorts.
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
The forecast for London yesterday was "light showers", so I wasn't particularly bothered by the first spots of rain as I departed on bike from the York road exit of Waterloo station.
Except it turned biblical. That set the scene for various showers during the day.
Getting fed up of the weather, although the forecast looks alright for the next week. Not sure I trust it.
Except it turned biblical. That set the scene for various showers during the day.
Getting fed up of the weather, although the forecast looks alright for the next week. Not sure I trust it.
HarryTheDog
Guru
- Location
- Basildon Essex
Had my first group dance lesson for months last night and it went badly and I was fuming with the instructors attitude at flying through lots of stuff without ensuring over half the class had actually got it. I was so mad I got a crap nights sleep fumming. So instead of geting up at early enough to get to work for 8 I was up a hour late, then I rushed, loaded the car, got to my parking spot, dragged the bike out then realised I had left my entire back pack at home. drove back and by the time I had cycled the 18 miles from my parking spot was 2 hrs late!.
It was a slog into a headwind but had a little surreal moment. I was going down the infamous cable street towards tower bridge keeping up with traffic. A white van driver kept pace with me and started to shout encouragement through his window ( the road is one way and the cycleway is on the drivers side ie right) egging me on. At the lights turned out he was italian and a cycling fan. He then tried to convince me Pantini was the best cyclist ever despite the drugs. He had the sometimes typical attitude, they were are all on drugs etc so why make a fuss about the past.
Looking forward to tailwind home.
It was a slog into a headwind but had a little surreal moment. I was going down the infamous cable street towards tower bridge keeping up with traffic. A white van driver kept pace with me and started to shout encouragement through his window ( the road is one way and the cycleway is on the drivers side ie right) egging me on. At the lights turned out he was italian and a cycling fan. He then tried to convince me Pantini was the best cyclist ever despite the drugs. He had the sometimes typical attitude, they were are all on drugs etc so why make a fuss about the past.
Looking forward to tailwind home.
