Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2519296 times)

PaulR · « **Reply #4150 on:** 17 January, 2011, 09:26:24 am »

Quote from: jane on 17 January, 2011, 08:53:52 am

Wet. Very.

...and soaked as well.

I was pleasantly surprised not to encounter more trouble with motorists this morning. Only one taxi driver seems to have difficulty understanding my right turn signal. I felt very sorry for (and angry on behalf of) the many pedestrians I saw getting completely soaked with filthy water by passing vehicles.

itsbruce · « **Reply #4151 on:** 17 January, 2011, 09:27:56 am »

I got a bit wet this morning, but it was a huge amount of fun. Firstly, I like rain. Secondly, I swapped the Marathon Pluses for Gatorskins. 400g less weight per tyre! Zippy!

Dibdib · « **Reply #4152 on:** 17 January, 2011, 09:46:02 am »

Soaked. Didn't realise it was raining so hard!

Notsototalnewbie · « **Reply #4153 on:** 17 January, 2011, 10:09:53 am »

If that statistic about only getting rained on 12 times a year was true, I'd be halfway there by now

matthew · « **Reply #4154 on:** 17 January, 2011, 10:21:31 am »

Yep, that was a bit wet. I really should have taken the time to put on the gaiters, overshoes and cape before I left home, as it was I stopped after about half a mile to put the cape on but the rest was too much faff.

I am soooo glad I keep a spare pair of socks in the locker at work.

simonp · « **Reply #4155 on:** 17 January, 2011, 11:21:31 am »

Very wet. Slow.

I've spent the weekend trying to rest, in order to get the cough to go away. I do seem to have mostly achieved that.

smurphboy · « **Reply #4156 on:** 17 January, 2011, 11:25:57 am »

Wet, dark, cold, pun*tu*e.

Black Monday indeed.

Butterfly · « **Reply #4157 on:** 17 January, 2011, 11:46:50 am »

First 11 miles in the car took nearly 2 hours

! After I returned that, it got a lot better

. Waterproof walking trousers and sealskinz socks, hurrah

!

Feline · « **Reply #4158 on:** 17 January, 2011, 01:26:54 pm »

I decided to commute by bike for my night shift so this morning rode home from Bristol. The day staff arrived complaining of nightmare traffic conditions, but I was able to nip up the Whitchurch railway line (NCN3) and out into open countryside totally unhindered by traffic other than of the dog walking variety. It stopped raining as I left and by the time I got up onto the Mendips blue skies were showing between the clouds. It's great having a lovely descent of Cheddar gorge at the end of my commute. The little wild sheep things were out on the road today so I didn't manage to get over 32 mph.

I am definitely planning to do a lot more cycle commuting so long as things are not icy and I don't have to take my dogs in with me. I feel a lot more healthy and less brain-dead than I normally do after 3 night shifts in a row.

clarion · « **Reply #4159 on:** 17 January, 2011, 04:20:29 pm »

Yes, I think that counts as wet. I was soaked before leaving town. $:-\$

That wouldn't have been a problem, as I just got used to being wet (it wasn't cold), but I got a puncture in Tooting.

to the chap from KwikFit who let me change the tube in the shelter of their garage, even if I didn't really have the right sized tube, and it was a very dark corner.

Adam · « **Reply #4160 on:** 17 January, 2011, 07:23:29 pm »

A really nice bit of karma whilst cycling home tonight.

Just after the High Street in Harpenden, a car zoomed past me probably doing 45 mph in the 30 zone which was also pointless as there was a queue of traffic a few hundred metres ahead. I started muttering under my breath, when another car zooms past going even faster, trying to catch up with the first car.

Just as I was about to mutter even louder, blue lights suddenly erupt from the second car as it's not another boy racer, but an unmarked police car! When I rolled past them, as they got the small spotty youth to get out of his car, I gave them a cheery wave and a "Well done".

GruB · « **Reply #4161 on:** 17 January, 2011, 09:18:45 pm »

I wore my Rainlegs on both journeys today. I was all waterproofed up and was very comfortable.

Andyf · « **Reply #4162 on:** 17 January, 2011, 11:28:24 pm »

Thank you to the female cyclist on the single speed Kona, Your challange was good and you were very quick, but the traffic lights at the end of Clerkenwell rd to the old street roundabout is my scalp zone and you where good, very good but not good enough, checked my speedometer and i hit 28.5mph
Just a shame you finished your defeat with a RLJ at the Old street roundabout.

interzen · « **Reply #4163 on:** 17 January, 2011, 11:43:34 pm »

Quote from: Adam on 17 January, 2011, 07:23:29 pm

A really nice bit of karma whilst cycling home tonight.

Just after the High Street in Harpenden, a car zoomed past me probably doing 45 mph in the 30 zone which was also pointless as there was a queue of traffic a few hundred metres ahead. I started muttering under my breath, when another car zooms past going even faster, trying to catch up with the first car.

Just as I was about to mutter even louder, blue lights suddenly erupt from the second car as it's not another boy racer, but an unmarked police car! When I rolled past them, as they got the small spotty youth to get out of his car, I gave them a cheery wave and a "Well done".

Heh.

I had one of those a couple of weeks ago when I was in Leeds - travelling down Stanningley Road (40 limit) when some spotty little scrunt in a Saxo comes blazing past me. This Saxo has a Leeds United badge covering most of the rear windscreen which should, IMO, qualify the owner for instant removal from the gene pool, but that's another rant for another time.

Further up the road, there was rather large, rather high powered car with a German marque. Studley the teenager decides that he's on a roll and decides to blow this car off the road as well - obviously a 1.2 Clio wasn't enough of a challenge for him. In these parts, if you see a dark grey or black high-end Audi or BMW then chances are that it's unmarked plod, and yea verily this was the case and I see flashing blue lights recede into the distance.

Much hilarity ensues when I see aforementioned spotty little twerp having a little chat with a member of West Yorkshire Constabulary's traffic division just before my turn-off

TheLurker · « **Reply #4164 on:** 18 January, 2011, 07:22:35 am »

_Stunning_ full moon this morning. Yellow gold and just above the horizon, so looked massive.

DrMekon · « **Reply #4165 on:** 18 January, 2011, 09:35:24 am »

28.54km in 59m54s <- first sub hour commute on my usual route, and first >27kph average speed (28.7kph). All because I started to chase a club rider. I think it took until April to get back to that pace last year.

vorsprung · « **Reply #4166 on:** 18 January, 2011, 10:02:58 am »

The moon was amazing at about 7am, setting in the east. I was still eating my porridge then

What a nice change to ride in under clear skies. What a beautiful sunrise

tiermat · « **Reply #4167 on:** 18 January, 2011, 10:10:08 am »

Fast today, cold but not slippy and the lights were with me all the way.

I love days like these....

matthew · « **Reply #4168 on:** 18 January, 2011, 10:18:17 am »

That was slow, having not commuted by bike last week this week is testing.

plus I had to stop at the Surrey Highways depot at Bagshot to point out that the ditch beside the A30 is blocked, backing up out of the road gully and flowing along the road to drainaway after the blockage.

cyclone · « **Reply #4169 on:** 18 January, 2011, 10:20:40 am »

Strange weather, foggy and wet in places and black ice in patches. Had a tumble and winded myself. Hip bruised and sore now. At least it will have thawed by hometime but will freeze for tonights evening class..... $:-\$

Feline · « **Reply #4170 on:** 18 January, 2011, 07:25:07 pm »

Quote from: cyclone on 18 January, 2011, 10:20:40 am

Strange weather, foggy and wet in places and black ice in patches. Had a tumble and winded myself. Hip bruised and sore now. At least it will have thawed by hometime but will freeze for tonights evening class..... $:-\$

Hope you're OK cyclone! Is the bike ok?

cyclone · « **Reply #4171 on:** 18 January, 2011, 07:37:25 pm »

Bit bruised thanks and a few grazes, bike has a few more scuffs plus one on the Selle An-atomica

.
Now to get home for tea!!!

tiermat · « **Reply #4172 on:** 18 January, 2011, 08:05:56 pm »

this morning (as noted up thread) was uneventful, wish I could say the same for tonight....

Approaching the lights at Punchbowl corner I saw they had changed to red and two cars had stopped at them. The first (as in nearest to me as I approached) had a tail light out, and I thought to stop and let the driver know, but looking at the age and state of the car I thought better of it. However as I approached the lights I saw that the car nearest the lights was halfway across the ASL. I had to go around the off side of it anyway as the filter into the ASL was blocked by the car. As I got to the drivers window I stopped, looked at the driver, smiled and waved. She wound the window down and I said "You are in the cycle area love" "Oh, sorry" was her reply. "Don't worry, just bear it in mind next time". I then moved forward to make sure I was able to get across the 4-way when the lights changed. After a short pause I heard a male voice shouting at me from behind and to the left. I turned around and the passenger of the car was remonstrating with me about how far they were into the ASL etc etc. One thing he came out with, which puzzled me, was "no need to be nasty about it"

Anyways I was going to let it go until he started the threats of physical abuse, when that started I wheeled my bike to the side of the road, leant it on the railings and countered each of his "I'll have you" or words to that effect with a "Go on then, if you are going to have a go, have a go" This "conversation" went on for about a min or two, then he reached into the car and pulled out a bike lock, the thick chain type. My response to that was "Look, if you are going to have a go, just have a go, I can't wait here all day" Just at that point the lights changed the woman in the car was leaning on the horn and shouting and swearing at him to stop being so stupid and get back in the car. This he did, I returned to my bike and pushed it up to the lights, intending to cross on foot, once I had made sure they had gone. As they turned left he was still shouting and swearing at me, but instead of winding the window down he had opened the door to shout at me, which meant I couldn't hear what he was saying as all I could hear was hear shouting "Shut the effing door!"

The last 500m to the station were uneventful, but I got out of sight as soon as poss...

Then on the platform as I waited for the train two drugged up/drunk lads (one with a cast on his left leg, one with a FO huge rottweiler on a leash) started a fight with the East Coast guys, which lead to the BTP turning up just as i got on my train....

CrinklyLion · « **Reply #4173 on:** 18 January, 2011, 08:42:22 pm »

It's that junction, I tell you! It's where I got cut up by, and a massive load of verbal from, a random taxi driver. I actually rang up and complained about that one, which I have NEVER done before!

interzen · « **Reply #4174 on:** 18 January, 2011, 08:49:21 pm »

This little incident didn't happen at around 5pm this evening did it?
As I was turning at the lights to go down Nunnery Lane there sounded like there was a right barney going on at the lights opposite The Punchbowl.

I was too busy trying to keep my eye on the road ahead because of the rather, erm, skittish nature of the hire car but my colleague in the passenger seat said he saw a cyclist involved.

Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2519296 times)

simonp