Author Topic: On the commute today  (Read 2462440 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #25 on: 24 November, 2009, 09:34:30 am »
Yesterday, I bought some petrol. :-[
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #26 on: 24 November, 2009, 09:36:35 am »
Whew, at least I feel better than you!  :)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #27 on: 24 November, 2009, 08:53:01 pm »
Well you chaps might be the sane ones.
Today was horrendous.  Wind wind wind and wind.
It was a shocker of a journey in and even worse coming home.  I fear I cannot keep this up at this rate.
On the way home, within 1.5 miles I got a front wheel puncture.  It was starting to spit again and I was on a muddy little lane and I thought - bugger it.  Got the mobile out and called for a taxi from home.  I did not have the will to change the tyre there and then when I was so close to home.

It is obviously the silly season too as I saw a really close near miss on the way to work - car vs car and on the way home I saw an even worse one.  This one would have been fatal or multiple fatalities.  Thank fully there is a God.

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #28 on: 24 November, 2009, 09:30:09 pm »
Mmmmh. Twas breezy today, indeed...

It certainly is silly season - I saw one oncoming vehicle simply drive too close to the central line, cross it and scrape off the sides of two stationary cars in a queue to the traffic lights ahead - I was just behind and filtering past on the left toward the (red) lights...

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of Númenor
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #29 on: 24 November, 2009, 09:31:51 pm »
Last night my back road home closed here, heading south. Police cars and lots of blue flashy lights. WPC (Also adorned with blue flashy lights) told me I couldn't go that way due to a fire. Had to do a detour down the A34. Looking right from the A34, I could see the fire over the fields. It was a big one, looked like a major barn fire.

This morning, road was still closed. Went down anyway (I don't mind the extra distance but would prefer not to do it on the A34). I figured the fire would be out, and whatever blockage there was, I would be able to get past easily on the bike. I was right, but there were still two fire engines, and numerous firemen around. They didn't bat an eyelid as I went past. Same again this evening - road closed, two fire engines and firemen wandering around - 24 hours later. Are they waiting in case it flares up again?

On the plus side, I had chance hall lane to myself.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #30 on: 25 November, 2009, 07:55:23 am »
Perhaps they're investigating suspected arson? Or cleaning up chemical spillage?

WPC (Also adorned with blue flashy lights) told me I couldn't go that way due to a fire.
You mean she had blue flashy lights actually on her uniform? This is a joke and I'm having a SOH black hole, isn't it? If not, where were they - on her helmet?  :o
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #31 on: 25 November, 2009, 07:59:13 am »
'Ere. Who put that tree there, right in the middle of road!?
It wasn't there last night.
Someone's avin' a larf.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #32 on: 25 November, 2009, 08:52:24 am »
Supermini decides that rule 1 must be obeyed, despite not being able to see the car coming the other way round the corner.
Cue much beeping of horns and flashing of lights.
idiot!
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #33 on: 25 November, 2009, 09:30:39 am »
Yesterday I slept in, faffed really badly with lights and clothes and stuff, set off late then realised in the first village I was going to be stupid late to work unless I really thrashed it, and I had a case of CBA so I turned round, put the bike on the car and drove in, intending to ride home.
The car died 2 miles from work and I had to get a rescue.  :facepalm: Served me right.
Nasty home, blown scarily all over the place, but really not too bad this morning, considering it's still an acrossterly wind.

Same again this evening - road closed, two fire engines and firemen wandering around - 24 hours later. Are they waiting in case it flares up again?
Straw stack/ muck heap/ stubble fires can burn underground for days.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #34 on: 25 November, 2009, 12:16:52 pm »
Riding along Dr Johnson's Avenue in Tooting, which has speed bumps every 50 metres or so this morning I had the usual numpty attempt to overtake me, despite the fact that I was going as fast as the van in front and maintaining a space of about 6 feet between the van and me.

So on three occasions I had a silver people carrier pretty much alongside me but halfway into the opposite lane.

I held my ground and they had to back off at every speed hump since they couldn't maintain my speed and I was closing to within a foot or so of the van in front.

Finally the van reaches the end of the inevitable queue and I'm able to pull out round him and proceed to the front of the queue and cross the junction in front of the four or so vehicles that had held me up.

It never ceases to amaze me how cars can only see us as the problem and fail to notice the ton or so of the real problem in front of me.

The only positive conversation I've had in ages was with a taxi driver who was admiring my Dave Russell fixed one morning and asked me where I was going. He then asked me how long it would take and was clearly impressed that I could cover the 8 miles or so in about half an hour.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #35 on: 25 November, 2009, 08:24:13 pm »
Putney Bridge Road turning right into Lower Richmond Road at 7.25pm. Traffic lights go green for me but the lemmings going to the Fulham game have used the break in traffic to start to cross Lower Richmond Road despite the little man on the crossing not going green.

"Oi!" says I, having to almost come to a complete stop, "has watching Fulham got so bad that you'd rather throw yourself into traffic?"

Various sniggers (Blackburn fans giving themselves away) and a couple of muffled "coff" from a few of them.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

tonycollinet

  • No Longer a western province of Númenor
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #36 on: 25 November, 2009, 09:23:17 pm »
Perhaps they're investigating suspected arson? Or cleaning up chemical spillage?

WPC (Also adorned with blue flashy lights) told me I couldn't go that way due to a fire.
You mean she had blue flashy lights actually on her uniform? This is a joke and I'm having a SOH black hole, isn't it? If not, where were they - on her helmet?  :o

They were clip on blue flashy lights (leds I assume) on her uniform - about chest height. It was actually quite effective, since she was out of the vehicle, would make her much more visible to other cars.


Road was still closed this morning - still with 2 engines in attendance. All cleared though by this evening. I am assuming they were still putting out burning straw, since the hoses were still all connected to the water supply.

Also piles of burnt straw have been dumped near the entrances of many of the nearby fields.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #37 on: 25 November, 2009, 09:32:44 pm »
Rode in today and nearly died.  Jeez this wind is a drag and a drainer of strength. 
I have a little lady at work that lives in the office next to which my bikes are parked.  We get along very well so she looks after them for me.  Can't trust cops as they fiddle so when anyone comes near she comes out and tells them to beware as the flashy bike belongs to mwha.
Anyway, she also tells me if I have a puncture before it is home time.
Today she came up to my office and informed me of such.
I took a cop car home tonight as I have an early start and it was necessary.
I'll change the tyre tomorrow.  ;D

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #38 on: 25 November, 2009, 09:44:55 pm »
You're getting a lot of punctures lately Grub.
Time for some new tyres? 1 in a week is rare and bad luck. 2 in a week, then I seriously look at my tyres.

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #39 on: 25 November, 2009, 10:18:30 pm »
I agree, but back tyre this morning, front tyre last night.  The roads around here have no gutters.  When the school and community buses and vans and 4WD vehicles go into the verge it shoots out mud all over the road.  Plus when the cows walk along the road to go from field to milking parlour they drop all sorts of crap and muck.  The end result being my commute at this time of year is very flinty and horrible.
Typical chalk downs riding.  I have been quite lucky up until late.  The front will need replacing soon though.  All the punctures have been caused by big sharp flinty sharks teeth type so I am okay with up to a point. Pardon the pun  ;D

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #40 on: 25 November, 2009, 11:17:45 pm »
I found my commute rather hard work today - I felt I was getting no respite from the filtering / weaving in and out / relentless traffic. There seemed to be a lot of arsiness.

Putney Bridge Road turning right into Lower Richmond Road at 7.25pm

I was going over Putney Bridge at about that time, followed someone that I thought might be you, but as I got closer it appeared to be a geared bike. So probably not.  

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #41 on: 26 November, 2009, 04:12:42 am »
Perhaps they're investigating suspected arson? Or cleaning up chemical spillage?

WPC (Also adorned with blue flashy lights) told me I couldn't go that way due to a fire.
You mean she had blue flashy lights actually on her uniform? This is a joke and I'm having a SOH black hole, isn't it? If not, where were they - on her helmet?  :o

They were clip on blue flashy lights (leds I assume) on her uniform - about chest height. It was actually quite effective, since she was out of the vehicle, would make her much more visible to other cars.
Wow. On the helmet would have looked funnier!
But living as I currently do in a place where the police wear khaki uniforms, definitely no hi-viz, and don't necessarily even turn their headlights on at night, it really does show the Northern World's visibility mania in a different light.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #42 on: 26 November, 2009, 09:45:52 am »
I saw a motorist this morning.  A blonde woman, with a bob.  And a bushy brown fake moustache in the manner of Tom Selleck.

Eh?
Getting there...

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #43 on: 26 November, 2009, 10:04:00 am »
Clarion, could be something to do with Movember (month of growing moustaches for charity).

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #44 on: 26 November, 2009, 10:14:34 am »
I did think about that.  Wearing it into work is one thing.  But wearing it to drive? :o

I hoped it was a foolish attempt to fool safety cameras ;)
Getting there...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #45 on: 26 November, 2009, 10:25:57 am »
Perhaps the moustache was real and the blonde bob was a wig?  ;)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #46 on: 26 November, 2009, 10:37:25 am »
Could be, but he had a very feminine face if so ;)
Getting there...

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #47 on: 26 November, 2009, 12:25:25 pm »
Must have been a tailwind today.

8kg extra stuff in a pannier and trying not to race and to keep the HR down (only to 162bpm average mind you) and managed almost the fastest commute of the year (27.3kph average into Londinium).

5-a-side after work tonight, followed by a couple of pints and then a much slower ride home methinks.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: On the commute today
« Reply #48 on: 27 November, 2009, 07:40:42 am »
I did not feel right.  It did not just seem to click.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: On the commute today
« Reply #49 on: 27 November, 2009, 08:45:44 am »
The sun is out
The sky is blue
The brain cell's gone
To Malibu

and it's left hook,
left hook pinch point time...


Having had nice relaxed commuting for years, today the wheel of fortune shifted ever so slightly. I approached the third of three pinch points (pedestrian refuges), thinking I was assertive enough, but Mr WVM and crew decided to force his way through. I made a brief vocal remonstration (as I could see the faces in the wing mirror. At which point the left indicator went on (I was about at the rear quarter of the van) and he swung left across me.

A slightly less brief vocal consideration of his intellectual ability for all and sundry to hear ensued.

Calm and Zen being restored with a large cup of coffee..
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes