Tales from today's commute....

[chqshaitan]

due to me being new to commuting , I probably have gone a bit overboard with lights and hi vis stuff, but in my view, better safe than sorry atm. I have a flashing light on the back of my bike, and another on my back pack. also one flashing light on the front of my bike.

 

[Christopher]

Nasty RTA this week, looked like a 2-car collision where someone pulling out of a goods yard got hit in the side by someone else whipping around the blind corner just before it. Police and ambulance there +1 wrecked car - this down a supposedly quiet industrial cul de sac.

Also The Man done marked out solid white chalk lines along the sides on the one nasty bit of cyclepath I use, where it is very narrow with a terrible surface for ~100m, so it looks like they will be widening and smoothing the path there - although the diversion to avoid the path works means going along some nasty roads instead.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Took the ice tyre off the back wheel and slapped the normal tyre back on, thankfully should get the spare wheel fixed tomorrow, though I am getting a dab hand at putting both winter tyres and marathon pluses on wheels now.

28.5 miles of warmish and uneventful commuting, managed well over 15mph despite the headwind, no need for lights again.

 

[2wheelsgeth]

Lovely ride in this morning. I had a BMW 5 series and a Porsche Cayenne give way to me voluntarily within a mile of each other. I think this might be a sign of the impending apocalypse...

 

[I like Skol]

Arghh!!!! Another visit to the tarmac this morning. Quite a few scrapes and bruises this time . Just going around a roundabout at about 15-20mph, not a sharp turn, when my bike dissapeeared from under me. I picked it up and walked back to the scene of the crime and the road looked bone dry. I pulled off my gloves and it felt dry to the touch but as I turned to walk back to the pavement I nearly went A over T! The road was really slippy and I can only assume it's due to all the recent gritting?
I did a few 'test' skids during the rest of my journey and sure enough the road was unpredictably greasy in some areas. I've never known it look so dry yet be sooooo greasy.

Tore my shorts and bent my house keys (they were trapped between my thigh and the tarmac!) but the bike appears ok apart from some scuffs to the handlebar ends.

Take it easy out there folks

 

[jarlrmai]

Better ride in after a few seat adjustments, I am booking a proper fit now.

I have a lot of enforced leave coming up so I am going to try to use it well by going for lots of rides (don't want to lose that commuter fitness)

 

[jarlrmai]

I've been noticing the road being slippery recently also

 

[MisterStan]

Arghh!!!! Another visit to the tarmac this morning. Quite a few scrapes and bruises this time . Just going around a roundabout at about 15-20mph, not a sharp turn, when my bike dissapeeared from under me. I picked it up and walked back to the scene of the crime and the road looked bone dry. I pulled off my gloves and it felt dry to the touch but as I turned to walk back to the pavement I nearly went A over T! The road was really slippy and I can only assume it's due to all the recent gritting?
I did a few 'test' skids during the rest of my journey and sure enough the road was unpredictably greasy in some areas. I've never known it look so dry yet be sooooo greasy.

Tore my shorts and bent my house keys (they were trapped between my thigh and the tarmac!) but the bike appears ok apart from some scuffs to the handlebar ends.

Take it easy out there folks

Again? I hope you don't have the 'comes in threes' issue.

 

[fossyant]

Arghh!!!! Another visit to the tarmac this morning.

Ooch.

Which corner was it so I can be careful as I'm likely to be out at weekend also.

 

[GrasB]

Arghh!!!! Another visit to the tarmac this morning. Quite a few scrapes and bruises this time . Just going around a roundabout at about 15-20mph, not a sharp turn, when my bike dissapeeared from under me. I picked it up and walked back to the scene of the crime and the road looked bone dry. I pulled off my gloves and it felt dry to the touch but as I turned to walk back to the pavement I nearly went A over T! The road was really slippy and I can only assume it's due to all the recent gritting?
I did a few 'test' skids during the rest of my journey and sure enough the road was unpredictably greasy in some areas. I've never known it look so dry yet be sooooo greasy.

Tore my shorts and bent my house keys (they were trapped between my thigh and the tarmac!) but the bike appears ok apart from some scuffs to the handlebar ends.

Take it easy out there folks

hum.... may I make a suggestion?

 

[fossyant]

hum.... may I make a suggestion?

Stop swearing !

 

[I like Skol]

hum.... may I make a suggestion?

No, you may not!

I am harbouring desires for another bike but it will definitely be the 2 wheeled variety.

 

[GrasB]

No, you may not!

I am harbouring desires for another bike but it will definitely be the 2 wheeled variety.

but it was solve the 'vertically challenged' problems you're having?

 

[Hacienda71]

Feel like a real, bona-fide commuter after tonights homeward commute. Ended up on the deck after being left hooked

No harm done and I feel a bit sheepish for getting caught out in such an obvious manner. I was filtering up the left of traffic as it queued and shuffled towards temporary traffic lights. I usually go on the right but tonight everyone seemed to be giving the marked cycle lane an extra wide berth so I went on the left. A motorist suddenly signaled and simultaneously turned left without thinking/checking (decided on a shortcut to avoid the roadworks maybe?) and despite my best efforts to stop I bounced noisily off the passenger door and mirror. All very amicable and we exchanged details 'just in case' but the thing that really got me was his parting comment "you should really wear a helmet to stop this sort of thing"?!?!?! WTF does that mean? If I wear a helmet will it stop me from being knocked off?

Rest of the journey was fine but I need a new plastic plug for one of my bar-ends

You should have suggested he needed some glasses to avoid being a smidsy.

 

[I like Skol]

I will be revisiting the SoC on my way home shortly (hopefully not such a close visit this time!) as I managed to leave one of my gloves at the site. I was nearly at work by the time I realised my hands were numb due to the cold and I only had one glove about my person.