On the commute today

[SlowCoach]

So, I crest the cycle bridge at 23kph having gone up it at 34kph (no mean feat) and as I go down the other side, a postie on his bike joins the bridge from the right taking the turn rather wide taking up the whole width of the cycle lane.  So I move a bit left to avoid him.  At this point, a female cyclist decides to join the bridge from the left, riding out without looking, directly into my path.  I'm coming down the hill and accelerating, and the postie is coming up the hill, and she's between the two of us.  So I end up with my back wheel in the air trying to stop.  She tries to say "oh sorry!" as we narrowly avoid a nasty accident, and I call her an idiot, and continue on my way.

Well - if you must ride around Cambridge...   

[simonp]

So, I crest the cycle bridge at 23kph having gone up it at 34kph (no mean feat) and as I go down the other side, a postie on his bike joins the bridge from the right taking the turn rather wide taking up the whole width of the cycle lane.  So I move a bit left to avoid him.  At this point, a female cyclist decides to join the bridge from the left, riding out without looking, directly into my path.  I'm coming down the hill and accelerating, and the postie is coming up the hill, and she's between the two of us.  So I end up with my back wheel in the air trying to stop.  She tries to say "oh sorry!" as we narrowly avoid a nasty accident, and I call her an idiot, and continue on my way.

Well - if you must ride around Cambridge...   

My work and house are almost diametrically opposite sides of Cambridge, unfortunately.  It's not quite that bad, but I do have to go a fair way into town for the fastest route to work.

The cycle bridge is a PITA.  It's parallel to a road bridge which has a pavement on only one side, is fairly steep, and has a white line down the middle.  I can ride my Pompino up it at >20mph but this doesn't always prevent stupid overtakes.

It's a toss-up between the road and being assertive and the bridge.  The bridge is fairly narrow and the summit is a point rather than curved, all due to space restrictions to do with the railway.  To join the bridge heading into town you swing left at the junction at the bottom, take a right onto the pavement, and then go around a blind corner to start the climb.  With the lack of space you often find high speed oncoming cyclists coming down the bridge and cutting the corner.  Often there are very slow cyclists to contend with going up, and then going down the other side you get the sort of stuff I mentioned, and then are dumped back onto the road just before a roundabout, which is much worse for positioning than if you'd simply stayed on the road.

The reverse direction is just asinine; the intended operation is that you pull off the left at the bottom of the bridge and press a button to cross.  Then you join the bridge with little momentum having to make a right left turn from the crossing onto the bridge, then over the bridge.  You then cross the bridge, avoiding the hazards I already noted, and then this dumps you on the wrong side of the junction.  You then cross to the middle of the road using a toucan.  And then you cross to the other side of the road using a second toucan.  Leaving you with trying then to work out whether to press another button to be allowed to join the road (the toucan crossing doesn't protect you from traffic if you are making a right turn).

I reckon doing all this to the letter must cost about 3 minutes to travel 200 yards.  Obviously I just cycle over the road bridge, and put up with the aggro that sometimes occurs.

[SlowCoach]

You have my sympathies - I almost wonder if there aren't too many cyclists wobbling around Cambridge. From my extremely limited knowledge of the cycling facilities (usually limited to taking test rides of daughter's friends bikes after I've repaired them when I pick her up/drop her off at the start/end of term - there's usually a pile of them waiting for me) they often seem to be way overloaded. Cycling is almost too successful there. This contrasts remarkably to my home experience when it's not at all unusual for me not to see another cyclist on my commute. This morning, going in on a different route to usual, I passed a cyclist and gave her a cheery hello. Her surprised response was "I didn't know there were two cyclists in Durham".

[Paul]

Just over a week ago. I wasn't going to post it, because it felt so horrible. Maybe I still shouldn't.

Way in: moron overtakes me before turning left (A52 into Derby, Wyvern exit). It's close, but not so close I have to change speed/direction. As I carry on, he winds down his window (for he has joined a line of stationary traffic, making his overtake meaningless) and says something about my position on the road.

This is the internet, and I can make up whatever I like. So it's up to you, but I was about 1m from the kerb, as recomended by the IAM (the drivers thing, not the dog food).

Time didn't permit that level of debate, so he got the finger.

Way home, I got undertaken spectacularly. Approaching a right turn I let a white van pass me before indicating right and pulling out with plenty of notice. As I got to the turn, the car behind pulled up on my left and then cut across me, so that I had to turn right on the right of my approach: I ended up on the side road, but in the middle of it (the left hand side being occupied by the car to my left). He just didn't want to wait.

I was, and I still am very angry. Dark blue Golf: P462 ETO. I may yet report it, or karma might sort it out for me.

What really bothered me about this last was the fact that 1/2 mile earlier I'd had to file past a cyclist spread out on the road. I'm extrapolating from the scene, but it looked like he'd been sideswiped by a van towing a wide trailer on a narrow road. My searches of the local press reveal nothing, so I hope he hasn't died.

But the chances are that the c**t in the golf had passed this poor guy too, and still drove around me like a loon.

I will not forget the guy stretched out on the road, having the blankets laid around him, while some guy looked on uselessly, and I will not forget P462 ETO.

Worst commute in 20 years.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Just over a week ago. I wasn't going to post it, because it felt so horrible. Maybe I still shouldn't.

Grim.

 

Hope you manage to think about it less in due course.

I have been fortunate with undertakes on right turns but I've had two and both scared the shit out of me; both totally unexpected, wasn't able to guage the direction of approach by ear, and could well have moved left.

Arseholes.

I do hope the cyclist is not too badly hurt. 

[GruB]

Friday was a fun ride on the TCR.  No HR Zone2 work either way.  It must be working though as I popped into my previous workplace and several people thought I looked thinner 

[ian]

Dearest rider of the red Specialized road bike on Walworth Road. I have obvious sympathy that your bike doesn't work. I'm sure it's quite annoying that every time you attempt to pedal off your chain and sprockets refuse to enter into the usual mechanical agreement. However, feel free not to spread the annoyance by - at each every light (and this is Walworth Rd so they're always red) - pulling in front of the assembled cyclists and then as the light flips back to green repeating the slow, wobbly clack-clack-clack start.

That way, I won't have to get off, grab you, and stuff your fat stupid head into a nearby furious shark and tell it to munch.

And fix your frigging bike.

[Titan yer Tummy]

Dearest rider of the red Specialized road bike on Walworth Road. I have obvious sympathy that your bike doesn't work. I'm sure it's quite annoying that every time you attempt to pedal off your chain and sprockets refuse to enter into the usual mechanical agreement. However, feel free not to spread the annoyance by - at each every light (and this is Walworth Rd so they're always red) - pulling in front of the assembled cyclists and then as the light flips back to green repeating the slow, wobbly clack-clack-clack start.

That way, I won't have to get off, grab you, and stuff your fat stupid head into a nearby furious shark and tell it to munch.

And fix your frigging bike.

Good Lord. Are you sure this is really necessary?

[teethgrinder]

Just over a week ago. I wasn't going to post it, because it felt so horrible. Maybe I still shouldn't.

Way in: moron overtakes me before turning left (A52 into Derby, Wyvern exit). It's close, but not so close I have to change speed/direction. As I carry on, he winds down his window (for he has joined a line of stationary traffic, making his overtake meaningless) and says something about my position on the road.

This is the internet, and I can make up whatever I like. So it's up to you, but I was about 1m from the kerb, as recomended by the IAM (the drivers thing, not the dog food).

Time didn't permit that level of debate, so he got the finger.

Way home, I got undertaken spectacularly. Approaching a right turn I let a white van pass me before indicating right and pulling out with plenty of notice. As I got to the turn, the car behind pulled up on my left and then cut across me, so that I had to turn right on the right of my approach: I ended up on the side road, but in the middle of it (the left hand side being occupied by the car to my left). He just didn't want to wait.

I was, and I still am very angry. Dark blue Golf: P462 ETO. I may yet report it, or karma might sort it out for me.

What really bothered me about this last was the fact that 1/2 mile earlier I'd had to file past a cyclist spread out on the road. I'm extrapolating from the scene, but it looked like he'd been sideswiped by a van towing a wide trailer on a narrow road. My searches of the local press reveal nothing, so I hope he hasn't died.

But the chances are that the c**t in the golf had passed this poor guy too, and still drove around me like a loon.

I will not forget the guy stretched out on the road, having the blankets laid around him, while some guy looked on uselessly, and I will not forget P462 ETO.

Worst commute in 20 years.

Just knobs in cars, being knobs. Sounds like that cyclist=must overtake thing. They probably do it to people in cars too. Impatient twats.

[Dinamo]

The storm clouds were gathering this morning as I left home, along the Avon ring road past the UWE, thru Southmead and up past Blaise Castle, and suddenly the heavens opened ! I managed to shelter under some trees during the worst of it, continued along Kingsweston Lane, up over the Avon bridge where another downpour occurred there was no shelter this time! Thanks to my Endura Stealth jacket for at least keeping my top half dry, the rest of my clothes are now drying ready for the journey home 

[GruB]

I am taking the car today.  I could ride as the Etape was fettled yesterday with new blue Gore Ride-on cables installed.  But as it is going to be a long day and I have a very early start in the morning and a long commute to my old office - and because it is pissing down now, I'm taking the easy option for a change.  Plus I can take this opportunity to take in clean uniform and bring home the grubby stuff.

[mrcharly-YHT]

That were a bit wet and windy . . .

[clarion]

Riding through red lights on your Pearson does not make you faster, harder, or a better cyclist.

Your inability to stop appropriately, and your blocking of the pedestrian crossing just marks you out as a monumental arsehole.

But it was a good ride overall

[Gandalf]

Very blowy this morning, nothing finer on a Monday.  I can foresee early onset Friday leg syndrome.

[Jamie]

Very blowy this morning, nothing finer on a Monday.

Tailwind for me, hoping it drops a little for the way home.

[interzen]

Wet.
Absolutely. Sodding. Soaking. Wet.

Been up since around 4am because I just couldn't sleep - had to wait for the recovery people to come and tow the car to the garage at 8am, ride down to the garage to get car-related stuff underway, thence to work via the back roads and the racecourse.

Fortunately(!) my decision to wear sandals + overshoes on the grounds that skin dries out more quickly than fabric seems to have paid dividends.

[vorsprung]

Woke up this morning still feeling crap but not as crap as on sunday

Set off to work on the winter bike in drizzle.  But the drizzle stopped and soon I was on dry roads with a tailwind. 

Decided to sod the diet and treat the office to a danish from Tesco

[DrMekon]

Audi tailed, hooted, then punishment passed me into a village (triggering the speeding sign). Car was parked at the village shop as I passed, so I waited. It was a little old lady. I asked her why she did it, which elicited a surprisingly forceful rant about cyclepaths, taxpayers money, and how stupid I was. I started to ask how she'd got as old as she was and still remained so selfish that 5 seconds of her time was more important than my life, but was interrupted by the lady in the shop coming out and accusing me of abusing the old lady. I was gobsmacked, and started to leave, but was so annoyed, I went back to the shop to speak to her.

To be fair, when I explained it, she was very apologetic, but it has really pissed me off.

[clarion]

People do make assumptions.

[rower40]

Very blowy this morning, nothing finer on a Monday.  I can foresee early onset Friday leg syndrome.

Is that why the leader of the Friday Night Rides wears a Legg bandage?
 

[Gandalf]

Very blowy this morning, nothing finer on a Monday.  I can foresee early onset Friday leg syndrome.

Is that why the leader of the Friday Night Rides wears a Legg bandage?
 

Very droll 

[Tigerrr]

Great ride in today - got involved in some argy bargy with an obstructive wobbly POB and then a sporty pursuit with plod but dropped them at the lights. Brill! Was sporting my new green helmet which seemed to excite them all a bit.  Anyway - showed them my backside which was a win.

[mattc]

Great ride in today - got involved in some argy bargy with an obstructive wobbly POB and then a sporty pursuit with plod but dropped them at the lights.

Chapeau! Silly sods, sticking to traffic law when there's a race to be won - not a backbone between them.

[welshwheels]

nice tailwind on the in  got blown about a bit on the way home !!! added an extra 15 miles on the way home 25 for today .

[GruB]

Headwind to work but dry.
Tailwind home but wet.  Both ways were great fun though.