Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Phew. Another hot one this morning. I keep telling myself to take it easy on the ride in but that bloody naughty little SCR devil just keeps on popping on to my shoulder and shouting into my ear 'GO ON, GO ON, GO ON'...... Result... getting to work a sweaty mess.

 

[fossyant]

WFH today as it's daughter's 21st and we're doing lunch out. Means I can pop out for lunch.

 

[straas]

Lovely day! noticed a bit of flapping from the back and my orlieb pannier had started to come away from the rail, the internal nut had come away from the bolt - not sure if this is a common occurrence?

Put it vaguely back together and carried on in.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

It was a bit warm by the time I hit the asphalt at 0730. Not that I am complaining.

Roads for some reason seemed busier today. The traffic was queuing up to leave the estate. I took primary position in the queue of vehicles turning left. Older lady driver had perhaps though she might pass me on approach to the junction - she came to a stop behind me with her car straddling the centre line of the road.

The next case of carbrain occured a couple hundred meters before yesterday's dangerous overtake (no response from the police since filing the report on-line). A close pass from a VW T5 driver, who I'm sure was also speeding. He took the next left and parked blocking the footway, before disembarking and heading into the local shop, presumably to pick up his copy of The Telegraph. I may have said some words loudly in respect to his tomfoolery - which were ignored. Almost as good as an apology, as far as these things go.

Third carbrain incident was a motorist giving me the horn. I was leaving a cycle track and turning left onto the road. I didn't signal, because it's a precarious junction; as in reality you leave the cycle track by turning right onto shared footway to reach the dropped kerb and then do an about turn (180 degrees) onto the road. With only 100 or so meters visibility before the next bend. You really have to keep your wits about you and my hands were covering the brakes in case I had to abort at the last moment. As I rode into the road and turned left as sharply and tightly as possible, carbrain came from the right (so opposite side of the road) and gave me the 440hz serenade.

Thankfully after that, it was plain sailing, if a little bit sweaty as I failed to stay within heart rate zone 2.

 

[fossyant]

Lovely day! noticed a bit of flapping from the back and my orlieb pannier had started to come away from the rail, the internal nut had come away from the bolt - not sure if this is a common occurrence?

Put it vaguely back together and carried on in.

It does happen occasionally.

 

[Maylian]

It was a bit warm by the time I hit the asphalt at 0730. Not that I am complaining.

Roads for some reason seemed busier today. The traffic was queuing up to leave the estate. I took primary position in the queue of vehicles turning left. Older lady driver had perhaps though she might pass me on approach to the junction - she came to a stop behind me with her car straddling the centre line of the road.

The next case of carbrain occured a couple hundred meters before yesterday's dangerous overtake (no response from the police since filing the report on-line). A close pass from a VW T5 driver, who I'm sure was also speeding. He took the next left and parked blocking the footway, before disembarking and heading into the local shop, presumably to pick up his copy of The Telegraph. I may have said some words loudly in respect to his tomfoolery - which were ignored. Almost as good as an apology, as far as these things go.

Third carbrain incident was a motorist giving me the horn. I was leaving a cycle track and turning left onto the road. I didn't signal, because it's a precarious junction; as in reality you leave the cycle track by turning right onto shared footway to reach the dropped kerb and then do an about turn (180 degrees) onto the road. With only 100 or so meters visibility before the next bend. You really have to keep your wits about you and my hands were covering the brakes in case I had to abort at the last moment. As I rode into the road and turned left as sharply and tightly as possible, carbrain came from the right (so opposite side of the road) and gave me the 440hz serenade.

Thankfully after that, it was plain sailing, if a little bit sweaty as I failed to stay within heart rate zone 2.

I had a weird interaction on my ride yesterday, approaching a mini roundabout with a car (blue) in-front of me wanting to go left, I positioned myself behind and to the right of the car so I could carry straight on once the traffic flowed normally. There was a taxi (red) approaching from our "right", so we were giving way to take the same turning as the car in-front of me. Now I'm convinced the taxi just wanted to disrupt my momentum, as mid-mini roundabout he stopped to give way to the car in-front of me, no other justification I can think of.

Thankfully I ride appropriately and stopped, but thought the taxi drivers actions only served to slow down the flow of traffic and cause some confusion. The rest of my commutes this week have been lovely, if not being drenched in sweat by the end of them....

 

[cyberknight]

I had a weird interaction on my ride yesterday, approaching a mini roundabout with a car (blue) in-front of me wanting to go left, I positioned myself behind and to the right of the car so I could carry straight on once the traffic flowed normally. There was a taxi (red) approaching from our "right", so we were giving way to take the same turning as the car in-front of me. Now I'm convinced the taxi just wanted to disrupt my momentum, as mid-mini roundabout he stopped to give way to the car in-front of me, no other justification I can think of.

Thankfully I ride appropriately and stopped, but thought the taxi drivers actions only served to slow down the flow of traffic and cause some confusion. The rest of my commutes this week have been lovely, if not being drenched in sweat by the end of them....

View attachment 735375

i have a similar mini RAB where i turning right but 90 % of the time cars going straight on cut me up even if im in the car

 

[fossyant]

That was a warm ride in (first day this week and only two commutes this week). Took it steady, but still arrived in work in 42 minutes. Fastest is usually 41 minutes ! Must have had some solar power ! Went through a full bottle, then guzzled another half a bottle on arrival. Phew.

 

[Alex321]

That was a warm ride in (first day this week and only two commutes this week). Took it steady, but still arrived in work in 42 minutes. Fastest is usually 41 minutes ! Must have had some solar power ! Went through a full bottle, then guzzled another half a bottle on arrival. Phew.

Yep warm here too. 17-19ºC all the way in. And virtually no wind.

Traffic a bit busy once I hit Cardiff, but still a fairly quick ride.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

Now I'm convinced the taxi just wanted to disrupt my momentum, as mid-mini roundabout he stopped to give way to the car in-front of me, no other justification I can think of.

Don't ascribe to malice what can be ascribed to ingnorance/stupidity. I bet the taxi driver knew/recognised the driver of the car in front of you. Possibly hadn't even seen you?

Bit fresher here today, versus yesterday. Sun came out and soon warmed up though.
And a bit of wind to boot, which had me working a bit harder.

No close passes today 🎉
Looks like marmite and rice crispy surface dressing is going down on another road on my route though 😥

Had an indicating-left-but-going-straight-on carbrain to avoid. He wasn't proceeding particularly quickly but something just felt off about the situation, so I waited. Glad I did.

Also had an ambiguously-positioned-not-indicating-but-going-right carbrain to contend with.

 

[cyberknight]

Never mind next week back to rain and daytime temps the same as the night next week

 

[wafter]

This week has been great; extended rides both morning and evening, hoopery (that granted nearly killed me Monday), measured pub visits, loads of really nice interactions with people including this morning when clearing a few particularly invasive brambles on the tow path and a chap from the adjacent barge came to give me a hand..

Life's not without its low points but currently it just feels good to be alive, which is a feeling rarely encountered in recent years.

 

[fossyant]

'Measured pub visits' - hmm difficult to do, but well done !

 

[wafter]

'Measured pub visits' - hmm difficult to do, but well done !

Thanks! tbh it's necessity both out of the fact there's still a drive at the end of the ride, plus I'm off the beer and G&Ts are a tenner...

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I'm actually off work today and tomorrow.

So I extended the 'faux commute' loop a bit this morning. Although it is a loop, I seemed to get a head wind all the way around. Wound up stuck behind a couple of inattentive dog walkers for quite a while. I'm always checking behind me when I'm out walking the dog. Especially if I'm dawdling a bit.

Motons were reasonably well behaved - makes a difference going out after 9 am. However, I did get one trying to wave me out from a T junction - he was in a right turn filter lane and there was traffic - not sure what he expected. Never mind he was trying to turn into a road that was closed in the direction he wanted to travel - and very clearly signed as such. I was in the way as he wanted to drive on the wrong side of the road.

I do not understand why he could not just take the next right hand turn instead of ignoring the road signs and putting everyone at risk.