Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2462278 times)

Guy

  • Retired
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20400 on: 29 June, 2018, 12:54:59 pm »
Watching 22 overpaid idiots prancing around a field in pursuit of a kiddies beach toy at 1/4 past 7 in the mornining?
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20401 on: 01 July, 2018, 09:24:47 am »
Thanks for that stunningly original take
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20402 on: 05 July, 2018, 01:06:03 pm »
About a kilometre from home yesterday, I found the traction limit for a front Vittoria Hyper on a wet road. Some skin loss but not much bike damage and nothing broken. Still sore on today's commute but hopefully that'll settle down soon.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20403 on: 05 July, 2018, 08:11:16 pm »
... traction limit for a front Vittoria Hyper on a wet road.
What's a "wet" road?

GWS.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20404 on: 10 July, 2018, 05:47:55 am »
Fuck sake, another cyclist dies cos of these bin lorries. This time at Queen’s Circus at Battersea. Scary thing is that the cycle lane are pretty much separated. However, A lot of cyclists race through on the road cos of the red lights taking so long on the cycle lanes. But even so....

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20405 on: 10 July, 2018, 11:11:48 am »
Pedestrian stepped out in front of me whilst filtering yesterday afternoon.

I was probably going a bit quick for the conditions but I don't think I could've stopped even if I was going slower, would've hurt less though.

Bike looks fine, shoulder's sore.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20406 on: 10 July, 2018, 12:42:15 pm »
Pedestrian stepped out in front of me whilst filtering yesterday afternoon.

I was probably going a bit quick for the conditions but I don't think I could've stopped even if I was going slower, would've hurt less though.

Bike looks fine, shoulder's sore.
Ouch. Glad you're not too hurt.

Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk


Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20407 on: 10 July, 2018, 03:48:39 pm »
Pedestrian stepped out in front of me whilst filtering yesterday afternoon.

I was probably going a bit quick for the conditions but I don't think I could've stopped even if I was going slower, would've hurt less though.

Bike looks fine, shoulder's sore.
Ouch. Glad you're not too hurt.

Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk

Cheers

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20408 on: 11 July, 2018, 04:35:41 pm »
Pedestrian stepped out in front of me whilst filtering yesterday afternoon.

I was probably going a bit quick for the conditions but I don't think I could've stopped even if I was going slower, would've hurt less though.

Bike looks fine, shoulder's sore.

Been for an X-ray today, fractured my right humeral head

TJG

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20409 on: 12 July, 2018, 01:49:43 pm »
Well I am glad the boys have finished playing with their balls on work evenings now.  The commute home when they were having a group session in the evening was bad enough but last night when they got a semi on it was mental!  Im sure if
I had been an hour later I would have had the road to myself but as it was I foolishly ended up stuck in the middle of it. 

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20410 on: 12 July, 2018, 07:44:27 pm »
Ahh, it's that time of year again.  The annual slug-balancers kerosene fest.  About ten miles of watching the Italian aerobatic team rehearse their display on the way home today.  It's just as well I like aeroplanes, isn't it? :)
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20411 on: 18 July, 2018, 05:58:31 pm »
I rather enjoyed the ride home today.

There was the enjoyable near instant karmic retribution for the motorist who stupidly pulled out in front of me (forcing me to jam on the anchors - hard) as I was trundling down a steep hill* at 25mph (ish) only to find a car coming towards him.   This caused him to swerve into the kerb, one of those nice high "sea-wall" style ones.  At which there was the pleasing, to me,  sound of a tyre bursting accompanied by the sort of expensive sounds I associate with track rod ends and other suspension components going west.

There wasn't much in the way of a head wind which meant I managed to average somewhere between 18.5 mph and 19mph.  A speed I haven't hit for rather a long time.

And one odd thing.  The crop dryer was going at Donkeywell farm.  We haven't had rain here for 5(?) weeks and the rain we had before that was no more than light showers.  Very surprised it's being used.


*For those that know Ciren. it's the road that cuts down from Chesterton Lane towards Sheep St.; by the side of the amphitheatre.  The one with the scout hut and the obelisk.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20412 on: 18 July, 2018, 06:19:14 pm »
I rather enjoyed the ride home today.

There was the enjoyable near instant karmic retribution for the motorist who stupidly pulled out in front of me (forcing me to jam on the anchors - hard) as I was trundling down a steep hill* at 25mph (ish) only to find a car coming towards him.   This caused him to swerve into the kerb, one of those nice high "sea-wall" style ones.  At which there was the pleasing, to me,  sound of a tyre bursting accompanied by the sort of expensive sounds I associate with track rod ends and other suspension components going west.

There wasn't much in the way of a head wind which meant I managed to average somewhere between 18.5 mph and 19mph.  A speed I haven't hit for rather a long time.

And one odd thing.  The crop dryer was going at Donkeywell farm.  We haven't had rain here for 5(?) weeks and the rain we had before that was no more than light showers.  Very surprised it's being used.


*For those that know Ciren. it's the road that cuts down from Chesterton Lane towards Sheep St.; by the side of the amphitheatre.  The one with the scout hut and the obelisk.

Love it!

Equally annoying is the increasing amount of drivers left hooking into lanes from the main roads in London saving about 2.5 nano seconds.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20413 on: 19 July, 2018, 01:54:12 pm »

And one odd thing.  The crop dryer was going at Donkeywell farm.  We haven't had rain here for 5(?) weeks and the rain we had before that was no more than light showers.  Very surprised it's being used.

It'll either be to make sure it's all working correctly after a winter of no use, or as likely the crops are still on the unfit side. Despite the near-drought like conditions, alot of the fields I pass day to day are still unfit. You can still see green straws in the tramlines. Ideal moisture is down around 16%. Anything more affects the length of time it can be stored and makes it more susceptible to fungus and other infestations. The moisture content is of the whole grain, rain actually has little bearing on this other than making the outer layers physically wet after rainfall which can be righted with a day of sun and breeze.

. Frustrating for farmers, because when this ideal harvesting weather breaks, you can guarantee it'll rain in drips and drabs forever more.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20414 on: 19 July, 2018, 05:18:46 pm »
Ta.  Live and learn.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20415 on: 20 July, 2018, 09:25:29 am »
Stopped to advise a lady pushing her bike of the legal status of cyclist dismount signs she was observing. Doubt she'll take it  from me, I wouldn't, but hopefully it will prompt her to look it up.
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
  • Chartered accountant in 5 different decades
    • CET Ride Reports and Blogs
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20416 on: 24 July, 2018, 10:00:36 am »
First cycle commute to London in about a year today.  That's mostly because I've been working in The Hague and only partly because its 50 miles one way.  Took the scenic route south of Woking.  The difference in traffic the School Holidays make in areas such as Kingston... Fondly imagines what it would be like to have Dutch cycle lanes and a Dutch attitude to bicycles.  London's pollution problems would disappear overnight.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20417 on: 24 July, 2018, 07:36:54 pm »
First TUBE commute for a long while today. Not a brilliant choice but the needs must.

Apparently, people choose this method over cycling. I think I could make a mint on a scent to accompany the journey. I think I'll call it Purgatory.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20418 on: 24 July, 2018, 09:27:33 pm »
I've been back in work this week but I'm off the bike due to the shoulder still be sore.

40 minute tram ride followed by a 2 mile walk in the morning, I've been lucky both days and my gaffer spotted me and gave me a lift the last mile. She's in London tomorrow so I won't be so lucky...

It's not a bad walk though, one straight road for most of it and it's through an industrial area which has quite a bit of character even if it's quite run down.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20419 on: 25 July, 2018, 02:55:53 pm »
Stupid number of cars on the road given the weather, but ride was nice and easy.

Though two lycra-louts cut infront at a red light, stopped on pedestrian crossing then preceded to pull away - in front of all the traffic - before pulling in without signalling. Why? God knows.

Sent from my PLK-L01 using Tapatalk


Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20420 on: 26 July, 2018, 06:58:27 pm »
That was hot.  Tail wind was welcome - second fastest commute back to town.  Straight in the shower and still took ages to cool down.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

ian

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20421 on: 27 July, 2018, 01:45:45 pm »
Yesterday I had a meeting at the offices of the group's favourite newspaper, so I got the train in and having decided it was going to be a nice day, grabbed the Brompton. They're obviously very liberal because security didn't blink when I handed them a Brompton (a lot of places still get sniffy, like I'm handing them a big metallic bomb turd).

Anyway, it didn't feel that hot when I left about 4.30pm so I was enticed into a long circuitous and circumlocutory journey home that took me up through Islington, around Little Stokey, through the wilds of Hackney and the marshy badlands south of Walthamstow, and then down, down, down to Tower Bridge and points south (it was at this point I noted the headwind and why going north had been so easy), the many splendours of Peckham, the sylvan glades of Forest Hill and Sydenham (the beast is evidently in abeyance), and then to the mighty gleaming spires of Croydonia. Is there any sight more beautiful to behold the the Croydon skyline? Eat that Manhattan. Pedalling frantically to avoid being eaten by native Croydonites onwards to Purley (the vampires won't be out in that kind of sun). Then a long clamber up to the heights of Kenley airfield. I confess that after nearly four hours, much of it into a giant wind-tunnel that seemed to be connected directly to the Sahara, I was relieved to finally freewheel back down from the North Downs. After a final climb up the hill and driveway, I collapsed and lay there for a bit until the cats started to try and lick the salt off me. Eight pints of water, one bath, and a gin-based restorative, I could almost walk again. I think I overdid it a bit. It's a true fact that a Brompton has no useful gear for pedalling into a headwind. Or an engine.

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20422 on: 28 July, 2018, 07:58:59 am »
Is there any sight more beautiful to behold the the Croydon skyline?
Nurse! Quick, bring the strong pills!
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20423 on: 28 July, 2018, 01:05:22 pm »
It's a true fact that a Brompton has no useful gear for pedalling into a headwind.

Mine does (I've made a few special modifications myself).  The problem is that when it comes to that, the awesome aerodynamics of the Brompton mean you're liable to make better progress in the 24" gear.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #20424 on: 03 August, 2018, 08:11:26 am »
Looking over my shoulder to move round a parked car, didn't see the pothole, ended up bouncing off the rear quarter of the car, car's fine, bike's fine, elbow is twice the size it should be, bah!  >:(