Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2500096 times)

Adrian · « **Reply #5700 on:** 20 May, 2011, 06:56:25 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 20 May, 2011, 11:24:03 am

I have had that lie before (though not from the Met, I admit). I was almost knocked off my bike by a speeding Royal Mail artic on Scott Hall Road one night. I rang up immediately, and was told categorically that there were no vehicles there. There have been a couple of other occasions.

To be fair to them they probably get right fed up with taking the flack for MI5 (or whatever) using vehicles painted up as Royal Mail, BT OpenThing, British Gas, Dynorod etc.

Ham · « **Reply #5701 on:** 20 May, 2011, 08:41:11 pm »

I sent a mail to the Doctor's Laboratory, following meeting one of their motorcyclists around Bank:

"I can't remember seeing a motorcyclist giving a hand signal and looking back before manouvering so that he didn't take out any cycling numpties (paraphrase), he's a credit to your company"

Thing2 · « **Reply #5702 on:** 20 May, 2011, 08:54:59 pm »

My commute this morning was brightened by a nice police man. The lad who overtook me on the narrow winding road up over the downs should really have thought twice about doing so given that the car coming the other way (who had to stop because of his manoeuvre), had blue lights on the roof and the word 'POLICE' written on it. The police car came past me with sirens and lights a few seconds later, and I passed him having a word with the driver about 5 minutes up the road

It's a shame the policeman missed the car who had his wing mirrors folded in. It's the second time recently I've seen cars being driven like that on that road...

rower40 · « **Reply #5703 on:** 20 May, 2011, 08:59:46 pm »

Waiting to cross a busy gyratory system on a Toucan crossing, with Columbus trailer attached. Another bike pulled up behind me, towing a Burley Lite kiddie trailer.

How often does that happen outside the Netherlands?

peterc · « **Reply #5704 on:** 20 May, 2011, 09:57:59 pm »

Seem to be meeting people on the road these days to chat and share the ride with at the rate of about one a week. This being the sticks (where people say god morning to each other every when using other modes of transport, it's still nice to have a few miles of chatting.

Life in the sticks seems v'ry different to the stories I read here of London.

benborp · « **Reply #5705 on:** 22 May, 2011, 04:19:16 pm »

Two very pleasant days of commuting over the weekend. The journey in to work has taken about two thirds of the usual weekday time on pleasantly empty roads. This morning was particularly lovely - the roads were still glistening from the overnight rain but the skies were clear and the sun was warm even in the slightly blustery wind. All this led to the first few miles being quite fragrant until I got to Camberwell where the aroma of fried food and stale beer overwhelmed the delicate bouquet of honeysuckle.
Blustery wind turned to squall on the return which was exciting rather than traumatic.

tonycollinet · « **Reply #5706 on:** 22 May, 2011, 10:56:26 pm »

Quote from: Thing2 on 20 May, 2011, 08:54:59 pm

My commute this morning was brightened by a nice police man. The lad who overtook me on the narrow winding road up over the downs should really have thought twice about doing so given that the car coming the other way (who had to stop because of his manoeuvre), had blue lights on the roof and the word 'POLICE' written on it. The police car came past me with sirens and lights a few seconds later, and I passed him having a word with the driver about 5 minutes up the road
It's a shame the policeman missed the car who had his wing mirrors folded in. It's the second time recently I've seen cars being driven like that on that road...

I remain amazed by the number of drivers who are prepared to overtake me on blind bends on my commute. Especially on RH Bends, where I can see further than them (I am further left, and further forward) and I can't see if anything is coming. Basically they are simply gambling that nothing is coming. I've seen it go wrong twice (in three years). In both cases a collision narrowly avoided by the car coming the other way stopping in the grass verge - normally accompanied by much locking of wheels and spraying of mud.

I reckon I get an average of 1/day.

Gandalf · « **Reply #5707 on:** 23 May, 2011, 06:34:09 am »

Were the errant drivers to be shown video footage of this stupidity I can guarantee it would be the cyclist's fault for 'holding them up'.

TheLurker · « **Reply #5708 on:** 23 May, 2011, 07:57:24 am »

The wildlife was out to get me this morning. I missed one suicidal squirrel by small fractions of an inch and some feathered git decide to use me for target practice.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #5709 on:** 23 May, 2011, 09:22:42 am »

Quote from: rower40 on 20 May, 2011, 08:59:46 pm

Waiting to cross a busy gyratory system on a Toucan crossing, with Columbus trailer attached. Another bike pulled up behind me, towing a Burley Lite kiddie trailer.

How often does that happen outside the Netherlands?

You should spend more time in York.

I think I was about the 2nd person in york to get a kiddie-carrying trailer. Now it's not uncommon to see a convoy of them. 10-15 at a time turn up at my youngest's school, along with with bakfiets etc.

Wendy · « **Reply #5710 on:** 23 May, 2011, 09:25:17 am »

That's awesome mrcharly! I wish I'd see that many here in S. London.

clarion · « **Reply #5711 on:** 23 May, 2011, 10:09:56 am »

At Clapham South this morning, I saw a motorcycle cop booking a motorist.

I don't know what he must have done for the Police to take any notice of a motoring offence - clubbing unicorns to death with kittens soaked in babies' tears, perhaps?

Ham · « **Reply #5712 on:** 23 May, 2011, 11:20:58 am »

The o-so-ironic celeste top got its first outing today.

What I didn't realise (until I read the small print) that this version is delivered along with an obligation to drop anybody on a real Bianchi that looks like they don't know quite what they are doing. So be it.

alexb · « **Reply #5713 on:** 23 May, 2011, 11:26:08 am »

I got my legs ripped off by a slip of a girl who I see from time to time and occaisionally chat to. I'm faster than her in a straight line, but she's totally fearless and zooms through gaps where I brake!

She's planning to do a FNRttC one month, so perhaps Simon can persuade her to stop at red lights!

itsbruce · « **Reply #5714 on:** 23 May, 2011, 11:34:54 am »

Riding fixed, by any chance? If so, sounds like somebody I know.

clarion · « **Reply #5715 on:** 23 May, 2011, 03:34:23 pm »

Um...that's getting quite windy now, and it's only 90mins till we go home!

Tourist Tony · « **Reply #5716 on:** 23 May, 2011, 03:37:10 pm »

Just got in off the shopping run, four panniers, a long-flap camper and the rack. Horribly, horribly windy, the sort of ride where you find your mouth hanging open as if stunned. The drivers, of course, have modified their behaviour to allow for sudden gusts sideways.

Yeah, course they have.

Wendy · « **Reply #5717 on:** 23 May, 2011, 03:59:23 pm »

Yes, the wind was fairly extraordinary yesterday. Quite nerve-wracking on the odd gust.

Weirdly, my bike, despite having an excessive of side-facing surfaces (tailbox, disc wheel, deep rim front), doesn't seem any more affected by the wind than my Langster. Maybe it's the height, but otherwise I don't really understand why.

TheLurker · « **Reply #5718 on:** 23 May, 2011, 04:22:03 pm »

Only 5 mins 'til I head off and I'm hoping that it'll be mostly tailwind and that hedgerows on the last 4 or 5 miles from Quenington where it'll be mostly sidewind will have enough leaf on them to kill the worst of it... fingers crossed. What I can't work out is whether I need to set off with my galoshes &tc on or to not bother...

marcusjb · « **Reply #5719 on:** 23 May, 2011, 05:30:54 pm »

Much respect to the skill of the scooter rider (and I am usually amazed by the lack of skills of most scooter riders!) in missing the numpty cyclist who decided on a dramatic direction change in moving traffic with no thoughts of looking over their shoulder, indicating etc. - I probably let out a little screech of horror as I thought I was about to see someone get squished. Well done to the scooter dude anyway - how he managed to avoid cyclist and stay upright I'll never know. He pulled over at the traffic lights (afore-mentioned cyclist continued on his merry way straight through them) and he did seem a little shaken when I had a little chat with him.

Hope the cyclist survived to reach their destination.

Next numpty was just outside Buckingham Palace - red light at the pedestrian crossing on Constitution Hill - lady who'd blown every red light from Hammersmith onwards and was still behind me (is it me or is it always the slow ones that seem to blow the lights?) saunters down in the outside lane, straight over lights dodging tourists etc. Shame there was a police van coming the other way really. Swift U-Turn and off they went (she ignored them flagging her down) - so hopefully they caught up with her and have dealt with her.

The commute back from town was even more horrific - as I had to drop my bike off at Condor for some new frameset action, I had to take the tube back - first time in months I've been on the tube (went on the Overground earlier in the year somewhere).

Anyway - hope everyone's rides back tonight are ok - looks pretty dicey out there with the wind, and I know we've not got it too bad down here.

GruB · « **Reply #5720 on:** 23 May, 2011, 06:08:18 pm »

Headwind into work, made me late.
Rain and a tailwind home made me wet.

SlowCoach · « **Reply #5721 on:** 23 May, 2011, 07:46:23 pm »

Well that was exciting !!! I think that it's the first time I've ever been blown up hill. Claypath isn't the steepest hill around in Durham, but its's getting pretty close. I found myself freewheeling up it with the wind on my back...

clarion · « **Reply #5722 on:** 23 May, 2011, 08:00:42 pm »

Horrible wind.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #5723 on:** 23 May, 2011, 10:18:34 pm »

It was at the point where you start to worry about bits getting blown off trees.

I'm getting fed up with this wind - it seems to have been every day for nearly 2 months now.

Redlight · « **Reply #5724 on:** 23 May, 2011, 10:24:07 pm »

Quote from: Sergeant Pluck on 23 May, 2011, 10:18:34 pm

I'm getting fed up with this wind - it seems to have been every day for nearly 2 months now.

Have you tried peppermint Rennies?