On the commute today

[Arno]

This morning on the brand new segregated  cycle track along lea Bridge Road, had to brake to avoid a collision with a van who climbed onto the cycle track so he could park on the pavement behind it....
Apparently he didn't see me.
Recklessness beyond belief.
Not sure I would want  my kids to ride there.

And 2 minutes later back on the road this time, got squeezed onto the gutter by a car joining from  side street on the right, another smidsy incident. All this Despite the  cyo lit up  in front.
Sigh.


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[toontra]

This morning on the brand new segregated  cycle track along lea Bridge Road, had to brake to avoid a collision with a van who climbed onto the cycle track so he could park on the pavement behind it....
Apparently he didn't see me.
Recklessness beyond belief.
Not sure I would want  my kids to ride there.

And 2 minutes later back on the road this time, got squeezed onto the gutter by a car joining from  side street on the right, another smidsy incident. All this Despite the  cyo lit up  in front.
Sigh.

They spent a fortune installing the hard segregation for cyclists on Lea Valley Rd.  If a van driver had done that to me I'd have been bloody furious and would be taking photos for further action.

[TJG]

This evening set a scary new record for the closest I have ever come to being wiped out by a crazy motorist. The driver of a large 4x4 pickup decided to overtake the wrong side of a traffic island just as I was heading through my side. They must have passed within 6 inches of me while doing 30+ mph in the opposite direction. I cannot believe they saw me and considered that a risk worth taking which means they were putting all their focus on just getting past the vehicle in front and they may even have collided if there was a car coming up the hill faster than they were expecting and not a skinny bike.  I think what shocked me the most looking back is how inured to this kind of incident I have become. 18 months ago I was barely able to continue riding due to the massive spike in heart rate and wobbly legs after a close pass.  This morning I think someone clipped a loose pannier strap that was flapping about and I just rode on thinking, "I wonder if that flicking sound was my loose strap or a stone flicking up, serve them right if that scratched their car, shall I stop and sort it out?  Meh it's not raining."   
When i got to work the plastic bit was gone from the strap so it was probably not a stone!   My wife normally gives me a lift to work on a Tuesday so maybe by Wednesday the thought of getting back on my bike will leave me a gibbering wreck.  At the moment  I cannot think of anything I would like to do less than go and sit by myself in a big metal box in a traffic jam.

A while ago my wife said she wanted me to put cameras on the bike and I thought why bother, it won't make me any safer and my general impression is S Yorkshire police are not too bothered about cyclists.  Now I wish I had them, even if just to show people in the office that I am not bullshitting when I tell them about things like this and ask them to drive a bit more considerately and stop counting driving time as a chance to schedule a few conference calls!

[Jurek]

This morning on the brand new segregated  cycle track along lea Bridge Road, had to brake to avoid a collision with a van who climbed onto the cycle track so he could park on the pavement behind it....
Apparently he didn't see me.
Recklessness beyond belief.
Not sure I would want  my kids to ride there.

And 2 minutes later back on the road this time, got squeezed onto the gutter by a car joining from  side street on the right, another smidsy incident. All this Despite the  cyo lit up  in front.
Sigh.

They spent a fortune installing the hard segregation for cyclists on Lea Valley Rd.  If a van driver had done that to me I'd have been bloody furious and would be taking photos for further action.

I'm guessing that as it was in the morning, Arno is referring to the town-bound cycle track, rather  than the (costlier) Essex-bound  one on the opposite side of the road.

[bludger]

This evening set a scary new record for the closest I have ever come to being wiped out by a crazy motorist. The driver of a large 4x4 pickup decided to overtake the wrong side of a traffic island just as I was heading through my side. They must have passed within 6 inches of me while doing 30+ mph in the opposite direction.

This happened to me on Saturday night doing deliveroo on my own road. I had the hi vis on and a full set of lights, made no odds.

Didn't even stop to say sorry.

I have been thinking of packing cameras too but they're not cheap and my shifts last hours.

[Deano]

Gorgeous crescent moon on the way in this morning - with what I think was Venus passing across it

[Arno]

This morning on the brand new segregated  cycle track along lea Bridge Road, had to brake to avoid a collision with a van who climbed onto the cycle track so he could park on the pavement behind it....
Apparently he didn't see me.
Recklessness beyond belief.
Not sure I would want  my kids to ride there.

And 2 minutes later back on the road this time, got squeezed onto the gutter by a car joining from  side street on the right, another smidsy incident. All this Despite the  cyo lit up  in front.
Sigh.

They spent a fortune installing the hard segregation for cyclists on Lea Valley Rd.  If a van driver had done that to me I'd have been bloody furious and would be taking photos for further action.

I'm guessing that as it was in the morning, Arno is referring to the town-bound cycle track, rather  than the (costlier) Essex-bound  one on the opposite side of the road.

Yes it was London bound. They are both the same age though no? i.e. Some segments still being build in both directions.

The van might have been owned by one of the shopkeepers who presumably might have been  able  to park near his shop legally before the track was build.

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[Nuncio]

Gorgeous crescent moon on the way in this morning - with what I think was Venus passing across it

Yes, Venus, burning bright.

A lovely crisp clear dry cold morning ride in. A grotty damp drizzly murky commute home.

[Paul]

A horse!

An escaped horse!

Running!

Running towards me!

Running towards me on the shared use path that's about 1m wide!

An escaped horse, running towards me, on a shared use path that's only 10 cm wider than it is!

Thank Jove I was on the bloody road.

It was a bit unnerving even so, but if I'd been on the path - as I sometimes am - it would have been brown trouser time.

[Nuncio]

... or 'AG2R short' time, maybe.

My bottom half has been back to just shorts and and sandals these past couple of days. It's been warm enough, and there's less to dry out.

[Joe.B]

Not really on the commute as I was working from home today, or at least was supposed to be when in fact I took off on the bike to do some Christmas shopping.  On the return and while making a bit of a dash to get to little Joe's school on time a yappy little dog of some type decided to pick a fight with my bike and ended up under my rear tyre.  I'm guessing that the bloody thing was fine as it continued to chase me down the road.  The fancy cocktail glasses just bought for Mrs B and sitting in my pannier didn't come off quite so well.

I should add that I was on the road and not hurtling along the sort of shared path where you tend to be on guard for yappy little fur balls.

[Steph]

Gorgeous crescent moon on the way in this morning - with what I think was Venus passing across it

Bit sort of impossible, that... but I get your point.

Riding home about 0715, couple of flurries of very fine SNO.

[rogerzilla]

First dry road for a while.  Very good ride home on the big yellow Harry Quinn.  It is a perfect fixie (right BB height, CoG well back) and the position is just right on the drops.  Pretty fast getting up to speed, too, despite Durano Plus tyres.

[Si S]

A load of abuse off a motorcyclist on the A57 for not using the cycle lane, which then escalated somewhat a hundred yards later at the roundabout when he failed to perform a lifesaver and tried to filter into a space that I was already using to filter, what an angry individual, I don't think laughing at him helped.

[mustgettaller]

Gorgeous crescent moon on the way in this morning - with what I think was Venus passing across it

Bit sort of impossible, that... but I get your point.

Riding home about 0715, couple of flurries of very fine SNO.

Beat me to it. Venus passing across the face of the moon would have been distinctly scary! But like Steph, I think I know what you meant. 

[TheLurker]

This

Road was still closed at 16:20 so I had a little detour through Ampney Crucis and saw some really rather nice xmas lights in the village. Added a tiny bit more climbing to the ride so that was helpful.

Second time in as many weeks the road has been shut along that stretch because of an RTI.  Some pillock managed to roll his or her car in the wooded section between the Crown and Witpit lane.  HTF they managed that competely baffles me.

[Si S]

That wind would have been a bit grim without a dose of the lurgy, the million dollar question is why the hell does the regular e-biker always sit on my wheel when it's blowing a sodding gale, he's quite happy to share the work when it's pleasant.

[Feanor]

Unexpected icefest on the way in meant a couple of long walking sections.

I can usually judge the conditions based on how things are at home, but I know the country road I take is significantly colder and holds ice much more than my street.  Got it badly wrong today. Thought it was mild enough but oh no.  Minus 2.5 on the cold country road, and like a skating rink.

[Paul]

Yep. Much trickier than expected. A little rear wheel slide wasn’t enough to take me down but ensured I was fully focused for the rest of the ride.
 

[Paul]

 Old Testament rain.

Makes me wonder why I left the side vents on my otherwise adequately waterproof jacket open.

 

[Si S]

There's either a decent tailwind or I'm finally getting over the lurgy, asked for a bit of power and there was enough there to catch onto the back of a passing bus  , not been able to do that for a week or so.

[Peat]

Unexpected icefest on the way in meant a couple of long walking sections.

I can usually judge the conditions based on how things are at home, but I know the country road I take is significantly colder and holds ice much more than my street.  Got it badly wrong today. Thought it was mild enough but oh no.  Minus 2.5 on the cold country road, and like a skating rink.

Well, on Monday I got to work at 0630 and it was just wet. I went out for a coffee at 0800 and nearly went A over T because everything had frozen over.

[Nuncio]

No rain, no gales, no ice, not that cold, just a bit damp. A mundane and soggy way to top 10,000 miles for the year.

[quixoticgeek]

Physio has told me to take it easy this week. I'm not allowed out of zone 2. Had the slowest rides to and from work the last couple of days. Unexpected side effect: not getting warm enough...

Cycling slowly and being overtaken by muggle cyclists is weird...

J

[Chopper]

Didn't check the forecast or even look out the window before setting off yesterday - but even if I had done it was only looking to be a drizzly grey day.

By the time I left work it was raining pretty hard, and going up the first hill I saw the first flash. The storm intensified, with constant lightning all around as I slogged up the second hill. I was hoping I might be able to hide in a church on the other side, but as I neared the top there was a lightning not 100 yards ahead.  I lost all nerve and shot back down the way I came, to the village I had just passed. I sheltered under a gatehouse for the better part of an hour, setting off once I judged hypothermia more likely than a lightning strike.

I was pretty shaken up when I got home, but a hot shower and large glass of whisky soon revived.