On the commute today

[RJ]

We're moving office.  I'm on my way to the Central Library shortly to work from there and use their reference collection (or nip across the road to the NLS ...).

[vorsprung]

Cold again, as cold as yesterday but brighter and drier and less ice

First proper sharp puncture in 14,300km for the Marathon+  I'm had deflations before but they were all due to duff rim tape or pinching the tyre when putting it on

It was a huge thorn which missed the big blue belt under the central tread and managed to get through the upper edge of the sidewall

[spindrift]

INTENSE WINTER SUN THROUGH THE TREES STROBING EFFECT.

[Chris S]

Is that snot? 

[simonp]

It was veh cold.  Below freezing.  Winter longs, merino base layer, merino winter socks.

Lobster gloves not up to it.

Overtaken by an ambulance, friendly toot toot as I pulled to the side on a roundabout to let them pass.

Saw some blue flashy lights on Kings Hedges Road.  Here's why:
Cambridge News | Latest News From In & Around Cambridge City | Latest Sports, Jobs & Business News in Cambridge Newspaper | Bomb squad called to Cambridge street

[vorsprung]

now snowing in Taunton

[Wendy]

now snowing in Taunton

And so it is, lucky you!  Raintoday.co.uk - awesome site.  I have the premium so you can see where it's raining/snowing/hailing/etc. 

[simonp]

Argh. Friday evening 7.30pm riding home. What really ippses me off is the inconsiserate behaviour seems to get *worse* in these conditions. Last night I was overtaken by a taxi at a mini roundabout just before a pinch point. As there is a speed cushion in the pinch he braked and I had to too to avoid rear ending him. This evening I was across the mini roundabout and a car came up, having driven across the central circle, had to brake as they didn't even manage to get the nose ahead, and then overtook just before the next pinch point, yes forcing me to brake as they slow to a crawl (completely unnecessary by the way). It was sub zero by the way. At this point words were had.

Anyway, I made it to Colhams lane. A car overtakes, then slows to turn right. I see that there is room to pass on the left. My planning is interrupted as the next car races past at 40mph+, overtaking maybe 50 yards at most from the clearly stationary car ahead. They braked hard *after* having got past, I hoped for a bang to be honest.  Is that wrong?

It's going to be like this til March. On top of all the obviously crap driving the general behaviour is pretty poor at the moment.

[teethgrinder]

It's always like this in the run up to Christmas, but it usualy suddenly gets better after New Year's day.
At least you know what to expect at the mini roundabout/pinch point combo so can be ready for it.

[Ham]

It's going to be like this til March.

March 2199


But you're right, the worse the conditions, the worse the behaviour. At least that's how it always seems to me.


And WTF is it about human nature, that  means you KNOW that the arsehole driver who pulls hard into the left (coz that's where he wants to turn) can be depended upon to swing wide to the right before he turns left?

(And yes, I know the one is a result of the other)

[simonp]

It's always like this in the run up to Christmas, but it usualy suddenly gets better after New Year's day.
At least you know what to expect at the mini roundabout/pinch point combo so can be ready for it.

It's been going on for years.

[iddu]

Is that snot? 

Naw, the melt's clear

[gordon taylor]

I had a stunning commute in wicked cold and clear air this morning.

But it's a worry when youe can hear the scrape, scrape of the windscreen wipers over ice of the following cars.

[CommuteTooFar]

This evening I set off from work wrapped up well for the conditions.  Its snowing but the roads are mostly clear.  I stayed a little further out from the kerb than usual as that contained slippery mush.  As I turned into a cycle path section that was thin snow that I crossed easily then continued through Pencoed and thought I was going to have a pleasant ride home, then after Llanharan I met stopped traffic. Normally I would just filter past such a queue but the snow lying in the centre of the road looked uneven and a bad choice so I sat in the queue for a while. Eventually I lost patience and filtered down the inside of the vehicles until I got to the dual carriage way outside L'Oreal (llantrisant) and moved quite quickly to the roundabout where I escaped the Pontypridd bound traffic.  I continue steadily through Pontyclun and Miskin and crossed the queue of traffic heading North which was about to meet the queue I had been stuck in.  I continued along the A4119.  The A4119 crosses the M4 in Capel Llaniltern where I observed there was a queue for the Coryton interchange several miles away.  Not far now.

I turned into the Radyr farm estate as my preferred bad weather route.  As I climbed over the rise I found the road full of abandoned cars.  I dismounted the compressed snow had turned to ice and I was not going to ride on it. I remounted when I reached Radyr proper. These roads had been gritted. I road up Windsor road but at Drysgol road I decided to walk again.  This 1 in 11 is tough enough with traction.  I did a mixture of walking and riding the rest of the way home.  Very treacherous the melted snow was refreezing into uneven ice.

Probably not the best night to take an extra three quarters of a hour.
        

[gordon taylor]

I stopped to give blood on the way home. After the deed and the usual tea and biscuit, I was surprised that I got so cold in the 2 1/2 mile ride home.

[vorsprung]

now snowing in Taunton

I left work 10 minutes early.  The traffic was gridlocked all through Taunton.  It was snowing but not settling on the road.  Same on the A38 to Wellington.  When I turned off the A38 to take the easy route into the Culm Valley as the road went up the road did have a little patchy snow on it but nothing to worry about.
Once I got over the top it was just wet , more sleet than snow
I had to keep stopping to clean my glasses
I pushed the bike up our drive as the bricks were covered in snow

[Wendy]

A broken rear derailleur spring.  I was wondering why my bike would only change up when in the big ring and going over some bouncy ground.  Plus it wouldn't go above 5 on the back.  Just replaced it with the old one ready for tomorrow's commute.

Oh, and a bit of driver re-education pending upload, that'll have to wait till Monday.

[NeilP]

...what are your start and finish points?

Lambourn / South Marston Ind. Est.

What a great route...

Mmm - not as many variations as to Newbury, as the roads diverge somewhat further; tracks can be a bit claggy when wet.

Along here then 

[LindaG]

A ride home from a night shift, following a big snow storm.  I walked some of it, because it was just too busy, with drivers sliding everywhere, going too fast; but there were a few cars that had broken down in the carriageway as well.  This, it would seem, is not a problem, but a cyclist who needs to use the clear section of tarmac where the car tyres have been, is a legitimate target for abuse, screaming, leaning on car horns ...

I wasn't holding anyone up.  I was riding in the traffic, at the same speed as the cars, and meeting the same cars at every junction/traffic light.

I feel really fed up now.  If I could've got a lift home, I would, but no-one was going my way this morning and the buses are cancelled.  I hate conflict and being shouted at by strange aggressive men in vans.  It's horrible.

At least the bike is safely home now, hopefully it won't be spending a month in the bike locker at work like it did last year.

[itsbruce]

Stopped at a junction to cross Brixton Road and the block to my left said "That is a very yellow bike".  Not much I could say other than "Of course, it'd be faster if it were red."

I wore Madison D'Arcs today, to try and protect my eyes from the dry, cold wind.  Unfortunately, they tend to steam up while I'm stopped at lights and clear up a little after.  This caused me not to see ice around a drain just beyond one set of lights; the result must have looked just like the effect when Lucy pulls the ball away just before Charlie Brown kicks it.  Although I did not say "Good Grief".  Came down hard on my right thigh and elbow.  Fortunately, nothing but a couple of bruises and I went straight on. 

[ScumOfTheRoad]

I hate conflict and being shouted at by strange aggressive men in vans. 

Sad men with small willies.

[Jacomus]

Stopped at a junction to cross Brixton Road and the block to my left said "That is a very yellow bike".  Not much I could say other than "Of course, it'd be faster if it were red."

I wore Madison D'Arcs today, to try and protect my eyes from the dry, cold wind.  Unfortunately, they tend to steam up while I'm stopped at lights and clear up a little after.  This caused me not to see ice around a drain just beyond one set of lights; the result must have looked just like the effect when Lucy pulls the ball away just before Charlie Brown kicks it.  Although I did not say "Good Grief".  Came down hard on my right thigh and elbow.  Fortunately, nothing but a couple of bruises and I went straight on. 

Is the bike in questions a flo-yellow steel fixie kinda thing, maybe with Bridgestone or something similar written on it? If so, I've seen you and thought, 'bloody hell, that's a *yellow* bike'.

[clarion]

Ouch, itsbruce.  Take care of youself.

[itsbruce]

Is the bike in questions a flo-yellow steel fixie kinda thing, maybe with Bridgestone or something similar written on it? If so, I've seen you and thought, 'bloody hell, that's a *yellow* bike'.

It has "Madison" written on it but otherwise that does sound like me (my bike, that is).  It used to be even more yellow but I changed the bar tape back to something more restrained

I shall be taking greater care - time to switch to grippier tyres and wear a head torch at nights.

[Wendy]

Shame Linda, that's upsetting. I'm with Scum, they were wrong and you are right.  Mwa for Bruce.