On the commute today

[DrMekon]

I suspect the gods were punishing me for enjoying some Glenmorangie I was given a little too much last night, and certainly the barley wine chaser may have been ill advised. However, on a particularly grim section, I noticed an old guy up ahead on a MTB with mudguards, sat bolt upright and not getting much closer. I put some effort in, but he wasn't getting nearer very quickly. The thought flashed though my might that he was on an electric bike, but that thought was immediately followed by the realisation that if I alliowed myself to think that, I'd feel like a wuss when I passed him and he had tree trunks for thighs. I got on the drops and got my head down. Finally I caught him. I was relieved to see that his bike had a Bionx kit on it.

[Regulator]

I commuted in by car today...

I forgot to put the cover on my Brooks last night and it got soaked.   

[dkahn400]

Took the racing bike this morning on an impulse. An effortless 5kph increase in speed over the Dawes, and brakes that actually stop you. Perhaps I should use it more.

[Zipperhead]

I had to stop another cyclist this morning and have a chat with her.

3 times I saw her go up the inside of coaches (different coaches), the first two times the coach was at an angle to the kerb, front nearer, so when it moved the gap was going to get smaller - which it did.

The third time was on a right hand bend (Parliament Square) where there were railings on the left. She went through small gap between the front of the coach and the railings, and of course the coach moved but she was oblivous to it.

After I chatted to her and told her how dangerous going up the inside of large vehicles is and how many cyclists die that way she said "Thank you, I didn't realise".

I didn't say it, but I thought that if you don't realise how putting yourself in a position like that is dangerous, you shouldn't be using the roads at all. Not even as a pedestrian.

[Wendy]

You're a gentleman of the road.  Top marks to you for making that effort.

[mrcharly-YHT]

^+1

And "not realise it was dangerous"?

How? Are people really that oblivious? I'm gobsmacked.

[MikeFromLFE]

Still scoping out routes to my new place of work on the wrong side of Leicester. I managed to discover an extra hilly finale to my ride this morning ("Lets try this road it looks like its going in the right direction and it won't be as busy as Coleman Road" yeah right....)
I'm quite impressed that I can now make it in 40 minutes, but I do need to be on my 'number 2' steed 'cos that's got enough gear range to cope with the lumpy bits on the eastern side of Leicester City.
At least the office here has plenty of space for changing, and the odd-bods in the other offices don't look at me quite as strangely when I arrive soaked in my cycling gear as they did when I was at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
For the record, my route is from Leicester Forest East to Leicester General Hospital - I'm generally going via Aylestone Meadows and Knighton Lane.

[2_Flat_Erics]

I didn't say it, but I thought that if you don't realise how putting yourself in a position like that is dangerous, you shouldn't be using the roads at all. Not even as a pedestrian.

A possible future candidate for a Darwin award?

[ktcita]

I had to stop another cyclist this morning and have a chat with her.

Well done for being brave enough to "have a chat"... sometimes I want to but am afraid they'll just be aggressive back to me.

[Ham]

On the way home, High Holborn junction Chancery Lane. Lights change, I stop, another goes through. Dozy girl wandering across the ASL shouts out "oy Red Light means stop".  I chipped in "Yes, red light means stop light that one there for pedestrians". She had the grace to smile.

[Riggers]

?

[Ham]

?

If I hadn't made myself clear (and reading it again maybe I didn't), it was the normal heavy traffic melee of cars bikes and pedestrians. This pedestrian chose to shout at a cyclist who went through a red-ish light (ie, it had just changed, arguable if he had crossed the line before, but I was stopping) while she at the same time was wandering across the road against a red signal for pedestrians.

[Nuncio]

On yesterday's return a policeman told me I couldn't continue.  I said that I could and would.  And did.

The more accurate version. In Trebanos, a chap was telling Pontardawe-bound drivers that they wouldn't be able to get through, and they were dutifully turning round..  He told me I probably could get through.  A bit further, and I could see the road blocked by fire tenders and smoke pouring from a house.  I stopped to ask a fireman and he said I could get by on the footpath.  A bit further a policeman stopped me and politely told me I couldn't get through.  I say: "But he said I could!".  "In that case, no problem".

[clarion]

I took a different route to work this morning, avoiding Tooting & Balham a bit.  I was surprised how much slower it is routing across the Common.

Paused to hand out some leaflets.  Still at my desk before 0900.

[thorny]

Intersting conversation with a bus driver on the way home last night after he overtook me, honking his horn, as the road was narrowing on the approach to Hammersmith Bridge (narrow stretch lasts about 200m, including bridge).
Me: "Why did you honk your horn at me?"
Him: "Because I didn't want to be stuck behind you over the bridge"
Me: "Would you have prefered it if I got off the road for you?"
Him: "No, but I needed to get past you"
Me: "Yes, but we're now sitting at the same set of lights"....
Then the lights went green and we went our separate ways, neither of us particularly enlightened...

[Oaky]

On the way home, High Holborn junction Chancery Lane. Lights change, I stop, another goes through. Dozy girl wandering across the ASL shouts out "oy Red Light means stop".  I chipped in "Yes, red light means stop light that one there for pedestrians". She had the grace to smile.

LOL, although, whilst the red light is mandatory for traffic, I thought that the pedestrian red light was advisory only?  I could easily be wrong though -- wouldn't be a first.

I commute along there too, at least in the morning (East to West), but in the evenings, I'm normally going W to E along strand/fleet st/fetter lane.

[L CC]

Last night I was lumbering up Alpe d'Ixworth, a single lane road, and the car coming the other way didn't slow or pull in or do any of that stuff. The driver gave me a filthy look as she passed. I was a little scared tbh, it's a long straight drag she must have seen me for miles. Then I realised it was ex husband's current wife. Aiming at me. Nice.

[clarion]

You are right, Oaky.  Pedestrian lights are advisory, as I have to remind myself every time I turn left into Tooting Broadway.

But it's still funny.

[citoyen]

LOL, although, whilst the red light is mandatory for traffic, I thought that the pedestrian red light was advisory only?  I could easily be wrong though -- wouldn't be a first.

We don't have the crime of jaywalking in this country. You can cross the road when and where you like. Unless the bastards have stuck metal barriers along the side of the pavement "for your safety". But you can, in theory, just walk down the middle of the road if you like. As long as it's not a motorway.

But yes, it's still funny.

d.

[Oaky]

This morning, I pulled into an ASL on London Wall, at the junction with Moorgate, I think.

There were two motorbikes in there. My mind went through the usual set of questions that I'd like to ask (I never do, it's usually buses, black cabs orAddison Lee drivers in there when I think these) "That's a nice push bike:  how many gears has it got?  can I have a go? etc.", when I noticed that a) one of them was a police motorbike and b) the officer was giving the other motorcyclist a sound bollocking over something or other.  I didn't catch whether it was over being in the ASL, but like to think it was.

I had one minor "whoooah" moment when I was overtaken quite close by a courier motorbike on Kingsway, but I can't decide if I or he should have done anything different there or not.

I was in the right hand lane of two which widens to 3 at the lights, on the stretch down to  Aldwych (I basically pull up at the lights and hop off to walk to the office from there).  I had taken the lane (dead centre), overtaken a bus and was doing about 28mph 29.2mph (just checked) at the time (although starting to think about slowing down for the lights) in what I assume is a 30 zone.  (I was aware of the motorbike behind, having just checked over the shoulder to do the bus overtake.).

I guess he could have stayed behind.  Alternatively (and I suspect more correctly) I could have moved to the left lane in preparation for pulling up to get off at the lights.

[alexb]

I didn't say it, but I thought that if you don't realise how putting yourself in a position like that is dangerous, you shouldn't be using the roads at all. Not even as a pedestrian.

A possible future candidate for a Darwin award?

Please don't make jokes like that. I know it's just a bit of fun, but think about what you're actualy saying.

[Ham]

I thought that the pedestrian red light was advisory only?  

I knew that at the time, but I would have put hard cash that the girl didn't. She didn't even know the crossing light was red ;-)

For interest, I'm also pretty sure that roadworks lights are advisory only, too.

[hatler]

For interest, I'm also pretty sure that roadworks lights are advisory only, too.

And isn't that due to some ridiculous technicality that there is no Stop line ?

[Tim Hall]

For interest, I'm also pretty sure that roadworks lights are advisory only, too.

Hi Ham. Small world, innit.

I'd say they're not. Traffic orders and such like  are needed to place them Or so I understand.

<fx:fwse>

Highway code, he say:

109
Traffic light signals and traffic signs. You MUST obey all traffic light signals (see 'Light signals controlling traffic') and traffic signs giving orders, including temporary signals and signs

(My bold added)

[dkahn400]

I knew that at the time, but I would have put hard cash that the girl didn't. She didn't even know the crossing light was red ;-)

Observe pedestrians waiting to cross at a pelican or toucan crossing. It is quite rare for any of them to even glance at the lights. The gaze is generally fixed down the road watching for a gap in the traffic. The red or green man doesn't seem to be a consideration for most.