On the commute today

[Pingu]

Approaching zero kelvin today in far north (minus 9 in reality) - thankfully dry with the cold. Back on the studs. Due the rain overnight so roads could be 'fun' tomorrow.

It did rain ....and it was 'fun' in a Type2 bordering on no fun at all kinda ride.

Wet here too, but at least the temperature was well above freezing.

The roads remained damp and the temperature dropped so this morning some of the less busy roads were a bit slippery.

[Nethypete]

Approaching zero kelvin today in far north (minus 9 in reality) - thankfully dry with the cold. Back on the studs. Due the rain overnight so roads could be 'fun' tomorrow.

It did rain ....and it was 'fun' in a Type2 bordering on no fun at all kinda ride.

Wet here too, but at least the temperature was well above freezing.

The roads remained damp and the temperature dropped so this morning some of the less busy roads were a bit slippery.

More rain on ice resulting in an impressively long slide on my arse past Grantown firestation this morning. First off on studs ever, due to water on black ice - only damage a severly dented ego. I live to learn another day. The studs almost certainly made it a slide rather than a splat.

[SteveC]

I cycled today. First day this week (due to the road being underwater Monday and yesterday).
Both ways were actually very pleasant. And having a new toy (front light) always helps.

[Diver300]

Two run-ins with arrogant sods today.

1) Beeped and shouted at for cycling past this:- https://twitter.com/mtrak_uk/status/769055298682224641

2) Hit the door mirror of passing car and the owner then agreed that he cared for his car more than my life.

I should move to where Coventry isn't on my commute, but that won't happen.

[Diver300]

Two run-ins with arrogant sods today.

1) Beeped and shouted at for cycling past this:- https://twitter.com/mtrak_uk/status/769055298682224641

Is there anyone I should complain to? Yesterday I took 3 1/2 minutes more to negotiate that roundabout, by illegally riding on the pavement, and past several "cyclist dismount signs", but going the long way round the roundabout. Today, legally riding on the road, I get threatened.

[Pingu]

Approaching zero kelvin today in far north (minus 9 in reality) - thankfully dry with the cold. Back on the studs. Due the rain overnight so roads could be 'fun' tomorrow.

It did rain ....and it was 'fun' in a Type2 bordering on no fun at all kinda ride.

Wet here too, but at least the temperature was well above freezing.

The roads remained damp and the temperature dropped so this morning some of the less busy roads were a bit slippery.

More rain on ice resulting in an impressively long slide on my arse past Grantown firestation this morning. First off on studs ever, due to water on black ice - only damage a severly dented ego. I live to learn another day. The studs almost certainly made it a slide rather than a splat.

Oof! Glad to hear you're OK. How's the bike?

[Andrew Br]

I was back on the bike today. I can't say that I enjoyed it although the stretch on the new tarmac past Stretford Metrolink was good right up to the point where I hit the ramp where the re-surfacing hasn't been finished ..........
The ride home was into a cold headwind. I had to dodge around the roadworks in Stretford (they're doing the re-surfacing at night) since I didn't fancy the diversion along Kings Road.
Unless it's tippping down tomorrow, I'll be on the bike again.

[TimO]

I managed to get all the way to work today, without throwing myself at the road again.  Interestingly, cycling seems to have helped the bruising.  Yesterday I was limping, but after cycling home, I could walk perfectly comfortably.  Unfortunately, where I slammed my left shoulder into the ground, that's now more painful and annoying.

It was definitely a bit windier today.  Cycling to work, I had a tailwind at the start of the week, but now it's swung around and is a 15mph headwind.

[Nethypete]

Approaching zero kelvin today in far north (minus 9 in reality) - thankfully dry with the cold. Back on the studs. Due the rain overnight so roads could be 'fun' tomorrow.

It did rain ....and it was 'fun' in a Type2 bordering on no fun at all kinda ride.

Wet here too, but at least the temperature was well above freezing.

The roads remained damp and the temperature dropped so this morning some of the less busy roads were a bit slippery.

More rain on ice resulting in an impressively long slide on my arse past Grantown firestation this morning. First off on studs ever, due to water on black ice - only damage a severly dented ego. I live to learn another day. The studs almost certainly made it a slide rather than a splat.

Oof! Glad to hear you're OK. How's the bike?

Unfortunately, undamaged. It's a 'meh' Edinburgh Bikes 26' ruster kept permanently with studded tyres for the best that a Cairngorm winter can throw at us. Even an idiot only rides a bent once on ice. 

[Ham]

Two run-ins with arrogant sods today.

1) Beeped and shouted at for cycling past this:- https://twitter.com/mtrak_uk/status/769055298682224641

Is there anyone I should complain to? Yesterday I took 3 1/2 minutes more to negotiate that roundabout, by illegally riding on the pavement, and past several "cyclist dismount signs", but going the long way round the roundabout. Today, legally riding on the road, I get threatened.

I wonder if you can query the legal status of the sign with the roadworks owners? Don't there have to be temporary traffic orders?

[andyoxon]

I'm cycling on the wide dual use path, into work site, and approaching a roundabout.  Vehicle is at the junction, about 2m from the roundabout, stopped with driver typing on mobile, totally blocking the path, and the approach road  - though there were no cars behind driver's car, for the whole period.

Driver gets a fright as they notice me stopped at their door, and winds down window. It went something like this...

You're on your phone in the middle of the road.
I know and that's why I'm stopped.
Yes but you have to get off the road to be on your phone,
Really?
Yes, you have to be safely parked up, you can't just be stopped in the road. It's illegal.
Really?
Yes, but you know that...
Anyway, excuse me.
Where you going?
You're blocking the cycle track.
Where's the cycle track?
It's here!  <exasperated tone, points to the wide dual use track crossing the road, under drivers car, continuing on other side>

Driver reverses and I continue - look back after a bit - driver still stopped on road.

This is one of two junctions on the whole path, which relatively is pretty long, and just about worth using....

[Jakob W]

Aren't the white-on-red cyclists dismount signs also advisory only? ISTR that the DfT(?) says they shouldn't be used if the carriageway is open to motor vehicles.

[ian]

Bejesus, the entirety of the A23 from Streatham to Croydon in the company of a van that was little more than mobile sound system blasting music so loud that it actually hurt my ears and made my bones vibrate every time I overtook it or it overtook me. So about 25 times I was nearly sonically liquified. Not to mention the a constant soundtrack of shitty, distorted drum n bass.

[Diver300]

Aren't the white-on-red cyclists dismount signs also advisory only? ISTR that the DfT(?) says they shouldn't be used if the carriageway is open to motor vehicles.

It doesn't matter. Cyclist dismount signs in paint on plywood would mean that the bullies in cars think they have an excuse to run cyclists off the road.

[Feanor]

I'm cycling on the wide dual use path, into work site, and approaching a roundabout.  Vehicle is at the junction, about 2m from the roundabout, stopped with driver typing on mobile, totally blocking the path, and the approach road  - though there were no cars behind driver's car, for the whole period.

Driver gets a fright as they notice me stopped at their door, and winds down window. It went something like this...

You're on your phone in the middle of the road.
I know and that's why I'm stopped.
Yes but you have to get off the road to be on your phone,
Really?
Yes, you have to be safely parked up, you can't just be stopped in the road. It's illegal.
Really?
Yes, but you know that...
Anyway, excuse me.
Where you going?
You're blocking the cycle track.
Where's the cycle track?
It's here!  <exasperated tone, points to the wide dual use track crossing the road, under drivers car, continuing on other side>

Driver reverses and I continue - look back after a bit - driver still stopped on road.

This is one of two junctions on the whole path, which relatively is pretty long, and just about worth using....

At my previous workplace, going by car, I would go down the A90 dual carriageway ( which is a motorway in all but name ).
There was an exit which I would take, onto a smaller road.
This was just exactly like you'd expect: An exit / deceleration lane appears on the left, which you pull into at speed, and slow down to make the exit.

On at least 2 occasions, the car in front indicated and exited too, but not to actually exit.
They came to a stop in front of me, using the exit slip lane as a lay-by to take a phone call.
I had to pull back out into fast traffic to pass them, and pull back in to exit.

I would have deployed ballistics had they been fitted.

[iddu]

Aren't the white-on-red cyclists dismount signs also advisory only? ISTR that the DfT(?) says they shouldn't be used if the carriageway is open to motor vehicles.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120606202850/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/tal-15-99/tal-15-99.pdf

Last page...

[Andrew Br]

A gloriously sunny but scary ride in this afternoon. I really worry when I'm cycling into a low sun in case I'm rear-ended by some twonk who hasn't seen me. Rear lights were deployed.
Coming home (so I made it without being flattened  ) was cold but still. I rather enjoyed it.
More cycle commuting planned for tomorrow.

[TigaSefi]

I've been enjoying using CS2 & 3, but getting rather annoyed at the large puddles (being addressed along Embankment, I think) and the plethora of leaves, quickly be ground into a pulp (being ignored).

So that's why the severe speed humps been smoothed out??

[Si S]

A wee bit nippy and the new tarmac in Stretford is just a little bit slippy.

[TigaSefi]

Last week i said I saw two accidents and had assumed that both involved a cyclist. I was wrong!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38105935

[Guy]

I am sooo looking forward to the ride home. With this clear sky Mr Sun being so low will be causing vision problems, and the skool-run will be under way

<all together>  Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye...

[SteveC]

Despite several close passes and several overtakes in places where half a brain would indicate that this was a bad idea, I had a lovely ride in this morning. Tail wind, dry, sun just coming out through a layer of delicate grey. Reminded me why I cycle.
Coming home was less pleasant, colder and into the wind, but still pretty good.

[Andrew Br]

............ the new tarmac in Stretford is just a little bit slippy.

It's so much better than the gravel and pot-hole strewn surface that preceded it though  .

My ride in was extended by a detour to visit a friend who'd come off worse in a blue on blue bike on bike collision; broken pelvis and bleeding in the brain. He's well on the mend but a little stir crazy from being house bound.

Coming home was really cold but the wind had dropped so it wasn't too bad. I think I'm going to start using the heavy gloves.

[TimO]

Yesterday's cycle home was very nice.  It was sunny, and the GPS told me it was the last day that sunset was not before 4pm.  I don't expect many more sunny commutes, until the warmer seasons start next year.  Even leaving at 3am, it was still dark before I got home.

They've also put the mandatory cycle path markings back onto Chelsea Bridge Road.  I really don't understand why they keep in removing them for a couple of days, and then putting them back down.  I think this is the third time they've done it, and each time it's done by someone with a more shaky hand and the surface gets poorer and poorer.  Really quite bizarre.

[velosam]

Felt hard today after a week off.

I saw someone struggling up Notting Hill Gate. As I passed him, I noticed he had no sprocket on the rear, well he definitely did not have a cassette there.

Can a chain move on a hub only - I didn't think so?