Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Lovely morning for a commute. I started out with LS shirt and windcheater, half way in, once warmed up nicely and off came the windcheater. Traffic a bit lighter today too which was a bonus.
Had a wheelsucker on the A21 with a creaky bike, stuck to me like glue for a good distance. I could tell when he was putting the effort in

 

[MisterStan]

What a cracking morning, sunny, not too cold, slight headwind. Loads more cyclists out today. And no twats in Transit Connects.

 

[Origamist]

Weighty tailwind meant a 19mph + average, but was a bit warm (6C) and was too lazy to take off my gilet!

Lovely moment when a buzzard took off on the verge next to me and flew parallel at roughly the same speed for 30m - it was only about 5/6 metres to my left.

Not one bad pass either. A great ride...

 

[Exile]

Nice commute in. SS and arm warmers this morning, felt just about right once I'd warmed up, maybe a little too hot towards the end if anything. Certainly feeling like spring out there now.

Bit of point making with a persistent RLJer along Whitworth Street. No words were exchanged, but I did enjoy passing them repeatedly between the lights. I'd like to imagine my constant leapfrogging might lead to a change in their ways, but I doubt it.

Felt a bit too much like I was toying with them when I dropped though the backstreets, only to reappear ahead as we reached the A56/Mancunian Way roundabout, so I just pushed on a little harder and left them behind.

 

[Keith Oates]

Heavy frost for going into work this morning so was fairly well wrapped up but coming home this evening it was very mild let's hope the real cold has gone for this year.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[400bhp]

A bit too warm for my kit this morning, but couldn't be bothered having a second lot of semi clean clothes hung up around the house so I put up with it.

Had some clown with very poor driving skills (poor observation and low level aggression) make 2-3 poor manouvers on the rat run through Hale I use. He clearly knows the area otherwise he wouldn't have been using the rat run, but conveniently forgot that there was a T junction around a blind right hand corner when he tried to overtook but failed 50 yards from the junction (I was taking the lane). He then tried another overtake as we left the junction, failing again because there's a car coming the other way (road is nowhere near wide enough for 2 cars and a bike). At this point he'd beeping but is now level with me for an inordinate amount of time (I hate it when drivers stay level and are in the process of an overtake).

Again, he clearly forgot about the traffic in front of him and the speed bumps which slowed him down to a pace less than I was travelling at.

Mouthful given - farkin idiot.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Another cracking days riding, quickest AM ride of the year at 20+ average, and a really mild evenings return trip. I can only hope the forecast tomorrow doesn't materialise...

 

[BigAl68]

Left for work late at 5.30am and it was lovely cycling into the sunrise. Journey home was a bit windy but I had a kestrel fly past me and then a big buzzard. It's days like this that makes me feel good life. And now I have 5 days off and hope to get some big rides in.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Had a wheel sucker for over two miles tonight, I wouldn't have minded but not a word of thanks or offer to have a go in front.

 

[Hacienda71]

46 miles today with one broken spoke, three close passes, two people who felt it appropriate to sound their horns and drive at me because I had filtered past them when stationary resulting in me suggesting they should leave by fornicating and that they like to pleasure themselves.

 

[ianrauk]

46 miles today with one broken spoke, three close passes, two people who felt it appropriate to sound their horns and drive at me because I had filtered past them when stationary resulting in me suggesting they should leave by fornicating and that they like to pleasure themselves.

I really do think we are lucky commuting in London as car drivers (or the great majority of them) know how to drive around, and with cyclists compared to other parts of the country. @Origamist , now you are a fully blown norverner, would you agree?

 

[Origamist]

Mudguard bracket snapped at the rear on the way home, but the stays held up and I got home with a percussive rattling...That's the fourth set of SKS guards I have ruined over the years.

A few spots of rain nr Byley, but it didn't amount to anything. The wind was swirling, but not against me all the way as I had imagined.

Got passed at Tatton by some guy in a Merc doing 90mph + . He did overtake mainly in the opposing lane, but the turbulence was still enough to make me deviate, and nothing like the usual 60 - 70mph crowd along there.

 

[Origamist]

I really do think we are lucky commuting in London as car drivers (or the great majority of them) know how to driver around and with cyclists compared to other parts of the country. @Origamist , now you are a fully blown norverner, would you agree?

I think driving standards on rural roads in the NW are generally very good. It's just that the speed differential, blind corners and close passes can make things seem a bit scary. In London, most roads are 30mph or 20mph and congestion means that motor traffic is often moving at half that speed. Most London drivers accept the reality that cycling is usually the faster mode of transport and are accustomed to cyclist behaviour.

However, in suburban and urban situations up here I think the lack of commuting cyclists leads to a lack of understanding and frustration when cyclists filter as it's not the norm as in London and quite a few motorists take umbrage. Some shout or pass closely to vent their frustration and inadequacy. There's also not much in the way of bus lanes up here and the cycling infrastructure is generally poor. Oh, and the state of the roads in Cheshire East are "disappointing".

 

[Hacienda71]

I think driving standards on rural roads in the NW are generally very good. It's just that the speed differential, blind corners and close passes can make things seem a bit scary. In London, most roads are 30mph or 20mph and congestion means that motor traffic is often moving at half that speed. Most London drivers accept the reality that cycling is usually the faster mode of transport and are accustomed to cyclist behaviour.

However, in suburban and urban situations up here I think the lack of commuting cyclists leads to a lack of understanding and frustration when cyclists filter as it's not the norm as in London and quite a few motorists take umbrage. Some shout or pass closely to vent their frustration and inadequacy. There's also not much in the way of bus lanes up here and the cycling infrastructure is generally poor. Oh, and the state of the roads in Cheshire East are "disappointing".

Agree that the urban and suburban areas are where people have issues. A lot of drivers think a cyclist shouldn't filter and that they must overtake you even if you are travelling at 25 mph plus in a 30 zone and there is stationary traffic 100 yards ahead. It is too confrontational.
On a separate note I rode the out leg of J2/1 on my way to Knutsford tonight. I can't believe how badly it has detriorated in the last few months. I am not sure I will race on that this year unless Cheshire East start to sort out the roads. They are diabolical.

 

[HLaB]

A bit of a hazy start this morning but it soon burnt off, the planet was maybe feeling the heat from my hilly start; straight up Swine Hill. There's a bit of a plateau at the top and I snapped this hoping that the red sun would show, I guess not.

The ride was undulating for the next 8miles (circa 400ft of climbing) then nearly downhill or flat for the next 15 miles. It was nice and warm in the sunshine :-)

Tonight was a bit of a contrast again. Left the office late and with grey and gloomy sky, it started getting dark from the start and even if I hadn't took the 6miles detour it still would've been pitch black at the end.