On the commute today

[itsbruce]

Nippy this morning. No more commuting in short sleeves. There goes the cyclists tan.

[Wendy]

Nippy this morning. No more commuting in short sleeves. There goes the cyclists tan.

Mine lasts all year now.

[simonp]

First commute in some time without a trailer in tow. Oh, the acceleration.

[gordon taylor]

I came across young man with his legs and arms covered in blood on the way home - way out down some deserted lanes in the near dark. I stopped and he explained, loudly, that he was a self-harmer. He also showed me the empty packet of paracetemols that he'd just eaten. I'd actually seen a slow ambulance a few minutes previously - I phoned 999 and they said they were already looking for him (he'd called in himself but didn't know where he was.) I was able to give proper directions, we walked towards town a bit (me keeping my bike between us) and a police car and ambulance soon found us.

The police officers knew him by his first name and were extremely careful about searching him until they found his razor blade. The guy was shouting that he wanted to be sectioned.

I got a thank-you-thumbs-up from an officer, so I left them to it and rode homewards, counting my blessings.

Sad.

[tiermat]

I came across young man with his legs and arms covered in blood on the way home - way out down some deserted lanes in the near dark. I stopped and he explained, loudly, that he was a self-harmer. He also showed me the empty packet of paracetemols that he'd just eaten. I'd actually seen a slow ambulance a few minutes previously - I phoned 999 and they said they were already looking for him (he'd called in himself but didn't know where he was.) I was able to give proper directions, we walked towards town a bit (me keeping my bike between us) and a police car and ambulance soon found us.

The police officers knew him by his first name and were extremely careful about searching him until they found his razor blade. The guy was shouting that he wanted to be sectioned.

I got a thank-you-thumbs-up from an officer, so I left them to it and rode homewards, counting my blessings.

Sad.

You prove once again you are a good man, Gordy. (ETA, not that you needed to, we all know it )

I agree it is very sad, but the best the police will do is keep him in over night then send him home....

[Feanor]

The new Maxx-D got it's first outing this evening, on the commute home.
A 'proper dark' up-and-over the Cairn o'Mount.

I had it on the 'Medium' setting for the slower stuff, and turned it up to 11 for the descents.

I have to report, it is awesome.
The descents become do-able at speed.

The back lanes which are pitch-dark are illuminated almost in the manner of a car.

Happy Bunny.

--
Ron

[DrMekon]

Came up against a numpty with a pair of magicshines on full blast on a country lane.  My feelings on the matter were expressed without reservation.

[itsbruce]

Mine lasts all year now.

You do have to take care over the dosage with Viagra.

[Feanor]

Came up against a numpty with a pair of magicshines on full blast on a country lane.  My feelings on the matter were expressed without reservation.

Yes, you need to turn them down on the lanes.
As well as being polite, it increases the run-time from 3 hours to 10 hours.

I reserve full-power for high-speed descents!

--
Ron

[CrinklyLion]

As I was approaching a junction where I turn right, often across stationary traffic, I checked, and indicated, and took the lane then checked and indicated and moved into the right turn lane.  Traffic wasn't stationary, but slow moving.  A rather large and rather orange HGV that was going the opposite way stopped completely, several yards back from the junction, and the driver flashed his lights and waved to me to make the right turn across the resultant large and empty space without even needing to put a foot down... and was rewarded with a very big grin and a wave. 

He then turned left, into the side road.  And waited patiently a fair way back behind me until it was safe, before passing me wide and clear.  And I got a little light show of indicators and warning lights and stuff after he'd passed.

Made me 

[rower40]

A rather large and rather orange HGV ...

It was the weekly henna delivery to the CrinklyDen.  So no wonder he drove so carefully around his best customer.

[Steph]

He's right. MAC. There is nothing anyone can do to make tossers like him any better on the road, nothing at all. If I had been less assertive, I'd have been under the wheels of his trailer.

Oooh, that's frustrating!!  Did you get his number and report him to SMART (Surrey's answer to Roadsafe)?

http://www.drivesmartsurrey.org.uk/contact.asp

Ooh! I shall bookmark that one!

Posted. Car number was FD56LFH. Man's A ....

[Wendy]

Steph, you're awesome, thank you!!   

I googled his plate, no videos apparent just yet.   

[Steph]

Not only that, I had two calls from Surrey plod thanking me and explaining the system. 

[Redlight]

Cycling in to my new job for the first time today.  Still haven't worked out the optimal route from Blackheath to Trafalgar Square but I'll see how the traffic feels and follow my instincts .  Wonder if my new colleagues are quite prepared for the sight of me in Lycra....

[her_welshness]

Cycling in to my new job for the first time today.  Still haven't worked out the optimal route from Blackheath to Trafalgar Square but I'll see how the traffic feels and follow my instincts .  Wonder if my new colleagues are quite prepared for the sight of me in Lycra....

Sounds like a tidy commute Redlight 

[Si_Co]

Well this weeks commute's have been totally uneventful, and thoroughly enjoyable, up until today, guess they've been saving them up, had THREE attempted left hooks all from driver's of a certain three lettered german car maker, all with so much condensation on the front windows I'm amazed that they could see any junctions at all. Think I need an airzound, I'm a bit hoarse from shouting "NO...NO..STAY RIGHT...STAY RIGHT" 

[vorsprung]

loverly morning here in Devon

[fuzzy]

I arrived at work this morning with a silvery sheen coating the leading edge of everything I wore and carried and with dew dripping of the front of my helmet

[Ham]

I arrived at work this morning with a silvery sheen coating the leading edge of everything I wore and carried and with dew dripping of the front of my helmet

You of all people should know you can get arrested for letting it all hang out......

[fuzzy]

I arrived at work this morning with a silvery sheen coating the leading edge of everything I wore and carried and with dew dripping of the front of my helmet

You of all people should know you can get arrested for letting it all hang out......

Ham, you are a wag

[DrMekon]

Too warm in 3/4 bibs, baselayer, armwarmers and a S/S top. The marathon winters are mocking me from the corner of the garage.

[simonp]

Too warm in 3/4 bibs, baselayer, armwarmers and a S/S top. The marathon winters are mocking me from the corner of the garage.

Looking like warmest November since records began, they are saying.

This can only be considered a good thing.

Unless you happen to have a house at or near sea level.

[Rimnod]

Sighting the crest hill through the darkness I push on relieved to see the end of steepest part of my challenging commute home.  The darkness is all enveloping, silent apart of the breeze shaking down the last of the leaves and a dog barking in the far distance.

Without warning something nudges the back of my bike pushing the rear wheel off the road and into the gravel and broken shards of tarmac that make up the gutter. Trying to remain upright I hear something stumbling and crashing in the undergrowth to my left. 

Because of the curve I find myself with both wheels on the verge struggling to twist my left foot out of the pedal, wondering if a soaking in the drainage ditch is to follow.

Coming to a less than graceful halt on the edge of the ditch I find myself looking round and seeing only darkness, the silence has returned and I’m left wondering if the deer found the incident as shocking as I did.         

[Redlight]

Cycling in to my new job for the first time today.  Still haven't worked out the optimal route from Blackheath to Trafalgar Square but I'll see how the traffic feels and follow my instincts .  Wonder if my new colleagues are quite prepared for the sight of me in Lycra....

Sounds like a tidy commute Redlight 

'twas wonderful, just to be back on the bike and not on the cattle truck train.  I went straight up the Old Kent Road.  It was fine all the way to the Elephant and Castle, then my lack of knowledge of Southwark came into play so I think I took a slightly circuitous route to Waterloo Bridge    I came home along the Embankment and over Tower Bridge - at least I couldn't get lost that way.

Looking forward to tomorrow!