Tales from today's commute....

[oiljam]

Wow. Just got in from my nightly commute and it were like an ice skating rink in parts. Even struggled to pedal without the back end twitching. Not a nice feeling. Front end was also unstable so just had to slow right down or I'd have been off. Ice-road riding can only lead to disaster . Better get a trike on the Christmas list fast

 

[jagman.2003]

Good ride home last night. The last commute of the year. Pretty heavy rain, but with a great tailwind so just didn't care. Kept warm enough.
Glad I didn't ride in today. Roads have alot of black ice patches. With no gritting.

 

[BSRU]

It's that Friday feeling again, as in driving standards take a nose dive.
My theory is the British tradition of Thursday night works drinks maybe a factor, especially the last Thursday before Christmas.

Still, in old money, passed 8,000 miles for the year, it was only a few years ago I was only cycling 1,000 miles in a year.

 

[GrasB]

Nice 45 mile ride to work... a bit fresh but fast

 

[MisterStan]

It was a bit fresh this morning, especially with wind chill. First week in a while that i've done the full 5 days of commuting. Legs are surprisingly OK, they were a bit tired Wednesday though.

 

[simon the viking]

Commute from hell tonight..... in a hurry as I was taking little-un to his Beavers (as in little scouts) Christmas party and.....
Apart from being very wet had a visit from P******e fairy a mile from home.... blew tyre back up with Co2 pump and got another half mile before flat again.... in this time got stuck in traffic due to accident so..... (sorry) resorted to pavement cycling as I was losing precious air went flat 1/2 mile away from home no more co2 and thought no point using normal pump so ran pushing bike in spd shoes with still slightly dodgy ankle (see post a few days ago in this thread) got home with Mrs V standing at door saying "Come on where have you been we've got to go"

Arrghhhhhh commute this morning was a reverse of last night. I fitted new inner tube checked tyre for any of P******* fairies teeth she may have left in the tyre and went to work.... got 2 miles and had flat again tried to blow up with CO2 pump to get home and blew the valve out! wasn't willing to risk last inner tube as there must be something I didn't spot in tyre..... so ran 2 miles home pushing bike and got in car arrived at work just 10 mins late.

Must remember to text Mrs V or she will think cars been nicked when she gets home.....

 

[HLaB]

Bit icy this morning and given it was my 2nd last commute of the year that reinforced my decision to take it easy.
I also had the stereo-typical 'look through you', a young driver female driver slowly scanning but on their second scan she decides to pull out as she was scanning a 2nd time good job I was a slow moving object in the primary.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

33 miles this morning on the ice bike was hard work, very icy in places and completely clear in others. Must be getting stronger as I wheel spun twice from setting off positions

 

[potsy]

Was icy here too the car windscreens were very frozen over, made me slow down from my usual blistering pace

Couple of colleagues commented on a particular mini roundabout that cars were sliding about on, I'd gone over it without noticing

 

[GrasB]

Couple of colleagues commented on a particular mini roundabout that cars were sliding about on, I'd gone over it without noticing

Sounds like summer tyres on frosty roads. Which is why I changed to my winter tyres on the Alfa.

 

[Bodhbh]

Down here in salisbury, was mild and hammering down rain last night. So I didn't expect the ice this morning, or would have used studded tyres. 2 offs - first on ice for 4-5 years - but fine.

After the first off, a woman stood beside her car - who watched it - shouts something at me. I thought she was asking how I was, but as I walked over turns out she was asking why I came off. I told her it was ice, thinking it was kinda obvious as there was frost all about. "oh", she said, as I noticed her car had mounted the pavment, "I wondered why I kept slipping on the road"

 

[martinclive]

Legs are surprisingly OK, they were a bit tired Wednesday though.

...............then I joined him for Thurs and Friday and for some reason his legs have recovered

 

[Frood42]

Last commute before Xmas last night.
Someone seemed disappointed... (the "heavens" opened with a downpour of rain, mixed with thunder and lightning)




Went for a short 10 leisure miles this morning (sun was out ) to make it 8000 miles for the year (first full year commuting)

.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Had the day off Wednesday and was so ill I ended up not going to work Thursday which was the first time in nearly 6 years
So took it steady this morning as still felt a bit queasy!
But bloody chilly

 

[potsy]

Bet @fossyant is glad he's off today, chaos out there on the way home.
So many cars blocking junctions in a bid to get through the lights, never done so much filtering on a Friday lunchtime before, can only imagine what it's going to be like in rush hour

Felt like one of those alleycat racers at times(albeit in slow motion) as I weaved left/right down the middle, good fun but wouldn't want to do it every day