Tales from today's commute....

[HLaB]

A pretty uneventful pm commute, a couple of snow flurries came in but by the time I got out of the office it had passed and it was quite a nice evening so I used up the last of the light and extended my commute in to the country I opted for the cycle farce at Castor for the first time as for the first time I encountered cars and the barrier down the middle of the road would stop them overtaking and on the fixie I wouldn't have been the fastest up Love's Hill

 

[clarion]

Where did all that snow come from?

 

[subaqua]

Where did all that snow come from?

I went out to unlock the bike and was "oh " rang a mate in stratford and he said "it bright n sunny here" wasn't when i got there

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

The worst ride of the year into work this morning as I was fully laden with a rucksack of stuff, found it really hard going. Fast forward 8 hours to the best ride home of the year. A round trip of 65 miles with the only downside being my HR strap played up big time, all the way home at an average of 51BPM.....hmm, I don't think so somehow......

 

[Supersuperleeds]

The worst ride of the year into work this morning as I was fully laden with a rucksack of stuff, found it really hard going. Fast forward 8 hours to the best ride home of the year. A round trip of 65 miles with the only downside being my HR strap played up big time, all the way home at an average of 51BPM.....hmm, I don't think so somehow......

65 miles round commute is a proper ride

 

[GrasB]

All good again apart from one thing

the ****ing s***ty British weather

What's not to like about our weather? I mean come on, it was snowing & sunny at the same time

 

[donnydave]

Guided busway was a bit icy this morning, I straight-lined lots of ice with no problems but then got to the end of the busway turning onto Milton road and had a complete idiot moment: I slowed to walking pace so I could look at the traffic on the road but for some reason decided to try and turn, immediately fell off. What annoys me more than falling off (no injuries to speak of) is that my coat is no longer pristine and my waterproof overtrousers now have a large section which isnt waterproof. Luckily I fell on the pannier side so no damage to bike.

While I'm at it, there's a bloke I see almost every day coming the other way, flourescent yellow jacket and red helmet, jeans. I've given up trying to get a hello, good morning or just a nod from him, he never gives any response. A split second before I fell off I saw him about 50 yards away coming up Milton road to turn onto the busway. He rode straight by with me on the floor, not a word. Old man with dog (they somehow always appear at these moments?!) was very nice and helpful.

 

[dodd82]

First ride for a few weeks, for varying reasons that I won't bore people with. Boy was it tough. Combination of reduced fitness levels, a recent cold and the freezing conditions meant that my lungs felt like a 70 year old smoker's by the top of the hill.

As always, the journey starts with an uphill battle, typical close passes from the big cars, and ends with a nice easy ride down a canal path watching the sun rise over the frosted countryside. Even had a heron walk in front of me!

Morning spoilt slightly by an altercation with a bus driver on the first part - he was slow close that i tapped on his window. Caught him up at the roundabout and advised him that his driving will kill someone. Just considering a complaint to his bus company.

 

[BSRU]

Wet roads yesterday evening combined with a sub-zero night meant I was on the ice bike this morning, lovely, sunny, no real wind and a balmy -4 when I left the house .

 

[MisterStan]

Very cold this morning, a lovely hard frost on all the cars and plenty on th ground too. No ice to speak of though really. Took a loop into Cambridge City for a change, aside from a bit of a close pass from a bus, not a bad run with the traffic. Glorious sunshine for the whole ride too.

 

[ianrauk]

Gave a driver the fright of her life this morning. Coming up to a junction I sensed a car to my right overtaking. Then slowly moving towards me squeezing me to the kerb. So had to hit the brakes. From behind I could see she was on the phone. So overtook and banged on the roof of her car. Think her head hit the roof it made her jump so much.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

31 very cold and frosty miles this morning. Lovely riding through the countryside with the sun blazing and everywhere white over.

Lots of apologies to the cyclist that I nearly crashed into on the cycle path, my fault should have rang my bell as I steamed by.

 

[fossyant]

Some silly commuter racing this morning. I was taking it easy down the hill just after leaving home - 28 mph on the fixed, just spinning away. Guy on a road bike flies past then starts freewheeling. Bit of agressive filtering from him, I'm still taking my time. Get to the lights at the bottom, and he gets through and I stop at red. He then looks round to see me stopped, so he eases right up and freewheels on the flat.

Right then. Off I set, brisk pace. Get 'pipped' from a mate in a car, so I stop at the next set of lights for a brief chat. Said rider is just in front. Off we set and he's now toasted, never to be seen again. That will learn you !

 

[glenn forger]

[QUOTE 2360308, member: 1314"]Traffic jammed up most of the way from Balham to Clapham Common. 3 car crash just south of Clapham Common.

Met a bloke who I talk to occasionally:

“I had an incident yesterday. I was in the bus lane between New Malden and Worcester Park when the bus just stopped, not at the bus stop, this old man got out and I rode into him. My shoulder still hurts. He was shook up and bleeding from his head but he didn’t want an ambulance. It was the bus driver’s fault."

Then I met Sitting Duck and rode down together from Clapham Common to Southwark.

Dry and sunny, a bit cold.[/quote]

I've seen that on Bishopsgate, a bus stopped randomly and let people off, a COL copper on a bike rolled up and said to the bus driver "This isn't a bus stop!" and the look of conflicting emotions on the bus driver's face was priceless!

"Cyclist scum, but copper, errr"

 

[BSRU]

Some silly commuter racing this morning. I was taking it easy down the hill just after leaving home - 28 mph on the fixed, just spinning away. Guy on a road bike flies past then starts freewheeling. Bit of agressive filtering from him, I'm still taking my time. Get to the lights at the bottom, and he gets through and I stop at red. He then looks round to see me stopped, so he eases right up and freewheels on the flat.

Right then. Off I set, brisk pace. Get 'pipped' from a mate in a car, so I stop at the next set of lights for a brief chat. Said rider is just in front. Off we set and he's now toasted, never to be seen again. That will learn you !

I think it is that time of year again when the hibernating roadie types appear on the road but fail to realise they are not as quick as they once were.