Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2462355 times)

cygnet

  • I'm part of the association
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20000 on: 10 November, 2017, 07:13:22 pm »
Fair enough but they were no signs, no warnings and a lot of cyclists were speeding and slowing down erratically to slip into a single file procession. Really badly thought out  as well lacking in foresight.

Oh I agree, and not an awful lot of reflective stuff on (i.e. none) considering they're solid black pointy bits in the middle of the path.

Lord Mayors parade is tomorrow too so at least they should be gone on Monday
I Said, I've Got A Big Stick

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20001 on: 10 November, 2017, 09:17:22 pm »
It's horrible when it happens once. I have to fight the urge to ride in the gutter, and I'm usually a bundle of nerves for a bit. Three of them would probably have me walking.

Christ, I must be a tad too used to close passes.....

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20002 on: 10 November, 2017, 10:12:20 pm »
Going straight through a roundabout, and driver approaching rab from my left, decided they wouldn't stop but 'anticipate' my speed (badly), so nearly taking my back wheel out.   Have to say this happens when I'm in the car too, they can't possibly just slow up... and wait.

Anyway, started wear silk liners under mitts to avoid wearing full gloves for the time being.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20003 on: 11 November, 2017, 06:45:22 am »
TBH, I don't think close passes are a result of drivers failing to see you.  They've seen you and correctly judged the exact amount of room that probably won't result in their vehicle actually touching you.

Ignorance, sure.  Malice, occasionally.  Failure to anticipate, quite often.  But not so much failure to see.

Definitely. That's one of the reasons why London cabbies are some of the worst - they are very good at knowing how big their vehicle is and getting as close as possible.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20004 on: 11 November, 2017, 09:06:52 pm »
Quote from: Kim
TBH, I don't think close passes are a result of drivers failing to see you.  They've seen you and correctly judged the exact amount of room that probably won't result in their vehicle actually touching you.

Ignorance, sure.  Malice, occasionally.  Failure to anticipate, quite often.  But not so much failure to see.
Oh yeah, no doubt about that.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20005 on: 13 November, 2017, 07:50:42 am »
It should have been an uneventful early commute in, but I had one of those "two punctures in quick succession" annoyances.  On Friday evening, I had a slowish puncture, shortly before I arrived home, so managed to just get there.  Luckily, I remembered it last night, so replaced the inner tube.  I searched the inner tube for the hole, and the tyre for some debris, but couldn't find either (although the inner did very slowly deflate), so I just hoped it was something small and sharp, which had been left on the road.  About 2 miles into my commute this morning ... whoosh ... rapid deflation.  I was worried that it was whatever I had failed to find on the previous evening, but it was a damned great big piece of glass, about 7 or 8mm long, very very clearly stuck in the tyre.  That's the second time in succession, where I've had two clearly unrelated visitations just a few miles apart.

On the plus side, I had my first totally squeak free commute in over a month.  It's taken me a long time to work out, that both the left hand crank was loose and the left hand pedal bearing were wearing out.  They both squeaked, and at almost the same frequency, which at least explains that I wasn't utterly failing to solve the crank squeak problem. :D  The cheap Egg Beater pedal would have cost almost as much to repair as to replace, so I just screwed a new pedal on, which took about 20 seconds !
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Riggers

  • Mine's a pipe, er… pint!
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20006 on: 13 November, 2017, 12:24:10 pm »
^ Tim-o, I seem to be mirroring your troubles.

Yesterday, having pumped up the-bloody-slow-puncture-but-it'll-do- front tyre again for a bike-ride yesterday, things gathered pace a few miles away, so I sat down on a bench to repair it ("Finally!" my bike says). 3 punctures repaired.

Tried to fettle the bloody squeaky rear disc brake, and which initially, I did think, successfully. It wasn't of course, but I'll look at this evening – if I can be arsed. Each revolution is squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak . . .  abates somewhat . . . then . . .  relevant silence – brilliant! . . . squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak . . . "bollocks."
Certainly never seen cycling south of Sussex

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20007 on: 14 November, 2017, 05:33:12 pm »
I hate psyclepaths.  Only just managed to stop when a pedestrian walked straight into my path tonight (wasn't going fast but brakes were poor in the rain) then had to avoid an unlit MOTORCYCLE being ridden through one of the pikier estates.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20008 on: 15 November, 2017, 07:54:37 am »
Yesterday evening, another puncture in the rear tyre, which was very slow, so I managed to pump the tyre up halfway home, and just continue.

When I got home, I pumped it up hard, to see if it would stay up, and immediately heard a hiss, probably from the valve.  Further inspection, revealed that the rim was coming away from the wheel.  :o

I think the rim issue is independent of the slow puncture, but I had to abandon cycling today because I didn't have a suitable spare wheel available.

At least I noticed the rim, mainly because the tyre was pumped up, before it failed catastrophically.  When I've had rims fail previously, I've been lucky, but I'd prefer to not have it happen at high(ish) speed !

A pile of bits ordered, so I can change the wheel out, and change inner tube/tyre if necessary.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20009 on: 15 November, 2017, 08:43:42 am »
Found one of those bottle cage tool boxes in Ashton Court this morning.  If you think you know whose it is, let me know

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20010 on: 15 November, 2017, 10:31:49 am »
Low speed spill this morning, turning right out out of a T (from stationary) and the bike just slid out on the damp & greasy road. Sprung to my feet and stepped on to pavement to put the chain back on by the time the 1st car in the queue came past, slowed and asked if I was OK. I was. Bike has a scuff on the handlebar end now.
Annoying and embarrassing.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20011 on: 15 November, 2017, 01:33:24 pm »
I feel your pain, sg37409. I did similar last year on a spot of ice.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20012 on: 15 November, 2017, 07:19:42 pm »
Driving behind a cyclist this evening - he indicated right, so I hung back nicely, and as he turned across the road he lost his back wheel and lowsided. Greasy cold road, and box junction lines on it, so leaning the bike over carried risks... I stopped, but he got up straight away and said he was OK, so I carried on. Seems like just the sort of weather that allows these accidents to happen.

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20013 on: 15 November, 2017, 07:48:18 pm »
Trying to cycle up the hill to The Asbestos Palace the other day. Had to give up, even with my full weight on the back wheel there wasn't enough traction to propel me up the incline. Sadly no one around to witness my impressive wheel spinning.

Coming down is also fun this time of year. Very, very gingerly.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20014 on: 15 November, 2017, 09:43:00 pm »
Driving behind a cyclist this evening - he indicated right, so I hung back nicely, and as he turned across the road he lost his back wheel and lowsided. Greasy cold road, and box junction lines on it, so leaning the bike over carried risks... I stopped, but he got up straight away and said he was OK, so I carried on. Seems like just the sort of weather that allows these accidents to happen.

I feel your pain and sympathise. 82 degrees today, cooler than yesterday anyway.  :smug:

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20015 on: 15 November, 2017, 09:53:42 pm »
Low speed spill this morning, turning right out out of a T (from stationary) and the bike just slid out on the damp & greasy road. Sprung to my feet and stepped on to pavement to put the chain back on by the time the 1st car in the queue came past, slowed and asked if I was OK. I was. Bike has a scuff on the handlebar end now.
Annoying and embarrassing.

Ah, not just me then.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20016 on: 15 November, 2017, 10:29:33 pm »
Low speed spill this morning...
Annoying and embarrassing.

Ah, not just me then.

Bad luck. I was quite glad of my flat pedals today, as the slide started I was already putting my feet down

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20017 on: 17 November, 2017, 10:47:08 am »
Saw my first velomobile IRL on the commute today, on Loampit Vale in Lewisham! (Hi if you're reading this.)
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20018 on: 17 November, 2017, 11:17:30 am »
Beautiful sunrise on this morning's commute. Did I have a camera? No. No, I did not  :(

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20019 on: 17 November, 2017, 12:09:11 pm »
The motorised traffic was having to detour around this bridge on my ride in this am:

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/incredible-pictures-show-how-bridge-790326

The guys on the bridge (local authority highways, I imagine) let me cross with the bike. No idea what the cause was, but it's at the bottom of a steep-ish hill (which has often been part of the Pie Run). If it was icy last night, that might explain it.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20020 on: 17 November, 2017, 12:11:40 pm »
Spinning silently alongside an owl following the roadside hedgeline for 1/2mile in the clear pre-dawn light.

Brought back to reality by a close pass a minute later.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20021 on: 17 November, 2017, 01:47:49 pm »
Spinning silently alongside an owl following the roadside hedgeline for 1/2mile in the clear pre-dawn light.

That would be pretty special.   

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20022 on: 17 November, 2017, 08:07:36 pm »
Beautiful sunrise on this morning's commute. Did I have a camera? No. No, I did not  :(

Wot no mobile?

Have just got to the stage where, when I think I have no camera, I remember my telephone is photographically empowered now.  Before it is too late instead of hours later..
Move Faster and Bake Things

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20023 on: 17 November, 2017, 08:08:40 pm »
Cold today but new gloves made it bearable.

On the way home a 4x4 driver found it necessary to drift across into the advisory, but narrow, cycle lane when there was plenty of space towards the painted centre line. A couple of gentle taps on their bonnet at the next lights and order was restored.
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20024 on: 20 November, 2017, 08:14:27 am »
The motorised traffic was having to detour around this bridge on my ride in this am:

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/incredible-pictures-show-how-bridge-790326

The guys on the bridge (local authority highways, I imagine) let me cross with the bike. No idea what the cause was, but it's at the bottom of a steep-ish hill (which has often been part of the Pie Run). If it was icy last night, that might explain it.

 :o

How did (s)he manage to hit both sides of that bridge?  It's suggestive of going too fast, since it's hard to see how you could have enough kinetic energy left after the first collision, to cause so much damage effectively rebounding off of a stone wall. ???


Beautiful sunrise on this morning's commute. Did I have a camera? No. No, I did not  :(

These days, I always carry a waterproof camera in the back pocket of my jersey (as well as the camera on my smart phone), and I have the GPS turned on, so it'll have an instant fix (and orientation!) added to the EXIF data of the image.  This has the side effect of recording the route of every commute, admittedly only with a 30 second time resolution.


My commute this morning was surprisingly good, considering it was raining when I left.  The rain stopped after a couple of minutes, so I just had to deal with the wet and inevitably crowded roads, filled with car drivers who seem to find wet roads an almost insurmountable problem, regardless of the UK's roads spending a significant proportion of the year like that.

I'm always amazed how much busier the roads get, when it's wet.  I guess a lot of motorcyclists and cyclists switch to a more covered form of transport, as well as the people who can't conceive of walking for 2 minutes in the rain, to the local railway station (and similar).

All that aside, it was good to get back to cycle commuting, after 3 days on public transport last week, waiting for replacement bits to arrive, so I could put a new rear wheel on the bike.  I replaced the wheel, swapped the freewheel over (after I managed to find the correct removal tool!), put a new "Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite II Folding Tyre" on, because the old one had enough wear and small slits in it that replacement was not very far away anyway, and a pair of new brake pads.  The old brake pads were theoretically reusable, but worn enough that they'd probably act a bit oddly on a different rim profile.  Cheap enough to replace, and I had to adjust them anyway, so wtf.
Actually, it is rocket science.