Tales from today's commute....

[All uphill]

We arose with the 0645 alarm as usual but on getting downstairs it was actually 0720. Something had gone wrong, maybe a power cut. Still managed the usual ten mile route though.

Not much traffic about.

The Wales and West Utilities driver has been reported to police and employer. Didn't let it spoil the ride.

Bizarre when the little blue car passed with so much space.

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Ms AU was recently aggressively cut up by a Wales and West driver and reported it to the company. The call taker immediately apologised and later called back to say the male driver would like to speak with her on the phone, was that OK?

That seemed very strange to us. Facilitating a conversation between an abusively driving man and a vulnerable, cycling woman seems an odd thing to do. Maybe there was some idea of restorative justice, but it wasn't introduced that way.

Ms AU suggested they just sanction him and improve their training instead.

 

[wafter]

15.3 miles each way, so a little over 30 miles round trip. The way I go by car is another mile or so, but much faster roads.

Cool - about double mine then; good work!

 

[wafter]

Ms AU was recently aggressively cut up by a Wales and West driver and reported it to the company. The call taker immediately apologised and later called back to say the male driver would like to speak with her on the phone, was that OK?

That seemed very strange to us. Facilitating a conversation between an abusively driving man and a vulnerable, cycling woman.

Ms AU suggested they just sanction him and retrain him instead.

Funnily enough I had similar with an artic that mercilessly tailgated me (in the car), blowing the horn and flashing the lights for my doing 50 on a 60 limit road. I contacted the company in question via email who were very apologetic and asked me to call to discuss it with some bloke (who I assume was the driver, or maybe his manager).

I could see no good coming from that so just thanked them and told them knowing it'd been handled appropriately was enough. I agree; very odd..

 

[Arjimlad]

Ms AU was recently aggressively cut up by a Wales and West driver and reported it to the company. The call taker immediately apologised and later called back to say the male driver would like to speak with her on the phone, was that OK?

That seemed very strange to us. Facilitating a conversation between an abusively driving man and a vulnerable, cycling woman seems an odd thing to do. Maybe there was some idea of restorative justice, but it wasn't introduced that way.

Ms AU suggested they just sanction him and improve their training instead.

Good call. WWU asked me for my address and phone number when I emailed the complaint. Felt a bit risky handing that over.

 

[Arjimlad]

I used to work with/for WWU and I'd expect them to take this seriously and hopefully give you a decent response. Not sure if your camera (what do you use by the way?) is making that look more of a blind hill than it actually is?

Yes - a prompt apology has been provided: -

Firstly, I wish to offer you my sincerest apologies for any inconvenience or upset caused to you as a result of our engineer’s conduct.

I have identified the vehicle and the responsible party and forwarded your comments to the responsible local Area Manager to address. I can confirm that your complaint has been discussed with the individual concerned and with the team as a whole to prevent this situation from re-occurring.

Can't ask for much more.

I use a Drift Ghost XL. Parts of that hill are blind and there's a sharp right hand bend at the top too. An early safe pass is possible as the driver of the first car demonstrated.

 

[fossyant]

Sticky one last night so took it easy. Woke this morning to wet roads, but it started raining as soon as I got on the bike. Popped the waterproof on. Waterproof back off at the halfway point.

Did some temporary 'bush' pruning on the way - the bush is now 90% across the path, so I snapped a few branches back. Will need a few more goes to clear it. Just keeping my eye on a buddleia as that's getting a bit overgrown.

 

[biking_fox]

Rain all gone by the time I rode in. Wet roads. Already feeling muggy.

 

[wafter]

Sticky one last night so took it easy. Woke this morning to wet roads, but it started raining as soon as I got on the bike. Popped the waterproof on. Waterproof back off at the halfway point.

Did some temporary 'bush' pruning on the way - the bush is now 90% across the path, so I snapped a few branches back. Will need a few more goes to clear it. Just keeping my eye on a buddleia as that's getting a bit overgrown.

Good work with the pruning! Generally I only do the brambles since these present the most risk. Met a couple on the way home last night who were doing similar, so we had a little chat. I resisted the urge to pull out the secateurs to validate my claims

 

[Maylian]

Not ridden as much this week as I had wanted so yesterday I decided to do the extended commute route (30km). The morning ride in was pleasant as it was still a little bit cool when I set out. I decided to ride the same way home so I can meet my weekly commute target of 120km. The issue however is this route has a pretty steep hill (10-13%) that is closed off to cars, on the way in to work it's quite pleasant going down it, but going home it's almost at the end of my ride and my legs are always blown. I need to figure out a way of just spinning and grinding this hill out eventually.

Did the same route in this morning and definitely a bit cooler because of the rain, but also a lot more humid so drenched with sweat by the time I got to the office. Had some pickup truck driver mouthing off at me as I slowed to let him and some lorries turn into a side road (despite the highway code changes), which I found somewhat confusing, gave them a salute and carried on, probably something in the air today!

What was nice is that I saw two separate two wheeled commuters with their pooches heads sticking out of their backpacks watching the journey.

 

[fossyant]

Good work with the pruning! Generally I only do the brambles since these present the most risk. Met a couple one the way home last night who were doing similar, so we had a little chat. I resisted the urge to pull out the secateurs to validate my claims

I decided not to get the folding pruning knife out. It's good enough for cutting branches ! I carry it as I've been 'blocked' a few times by fallen branches on my route. I'll bend a few more next week though.

 

[markharry66]

Day off from cycling yesterday and back on it today. Usual Friday feeling ghost town, national working from home day. Offices empty and trains, hardly a car on the road this morning, but somehow on they way home tonight will be different story. Muggy this morning feeling hot before even got on the bike.

 

[biking_fox]

Been a very enjoyable week's commuting in. Good weather good roads. Long may it continue.

 

[Alex321]

Mostky good commute in this morning, but one close pass by an idiot who must have been doing well over 30, in a 20 limit (I was doing 19, and he was definitely more than 10mph faster as he passed about 18" away at most).

No camera on the bike at the moment, so I couldn't report it.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I ventured out for a lunchtime 'faux commute' yesterday and will possibly be dong the same today.
Much more relaxed.

Edit: I did venture out this lunchtime. And despite less traffic in general, it was not such a relaxed 'faux commute'.

I found myself playing leapfrog with the same set of drivers on the main road out of town - which starts to get a bit awkward. If you stay behind them, it is inconvenience to you, as another slew of drivers push past during the few hundred meters the traffic actually flows between junctions. If you keep filtering past when you get the opportunity, at least you are making good progress.

Anyway, the resulted in a few close passes - one of which was very close, just as I was negotiating some particularly nast pot holes.

Unfortunately for the culprit, I had the Techalogic DC-2 Pro along for the ride and I've just made my first close pass report to the police with video evidence to back it up.

170° field of view; although I've cropped the image

Potholes

I think he's drawn closer to me whilst executing the pass because of the oncoming traffic; the road is quite narrow at this point because it has just passed over an old narrow grade II listed bridge.

 

[palinurus]

Sometimes, if I leave the industrial estate by the back way- along a quiet lane, I pass a man walking his dog, often with a cat following alongside. Finally spoke to him today.

The cat's not with you today?
- Harry? he stayed home, it's probably too hot for him.
How far does he go?
- He usually turns off just up here.