Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2524619 times)

Deano · « **Reply #4850 on:** 11 March, 2011, 07:42:26 pm »

I kept up my record of walking in at least once a week - I was tempted to get a bus back, as it was starting to rain, but I saw it passing and decided not to bother. It didn't really matter, as I caught it up down Yarm Road. It's a wonderful flavour of schadenfreude, to be ambling along with no particular urgency and still to be able to keep up with the traffic which is impatiently jerking its way down the road.

I nipped through the station to Victoria Road, which is the big advantage of walking - being able to take shortcuts and semi-secret routes not possible with any other form of transport. If I'd thought ahead, I could even have used the cut through St Paul's and the footbridge over the east coast main line.

I did feel a slight pang of jealousy as a new courier kid went blatting past the semi-stationary traffic. I knew I should have applied for that job.

YahudaMoon · « **Reply #4851 on:** 11 March, 2011, 10:06:20 pm »

Hi Clarion, benborp.

I'.m oop north lad. So I'll be on the case for Greater Manchester Public Transport I think ? Something I need to look into.

As Bens helmet cam demostrates (thanks for your work Ben) I have had lots of these incidents about Manchester. On one occasion my pannier bag clipped the wheel arch of a bus. Help from the public was NONE. Answer from the puplic was 'don't use a bike then '

benborp · « **Reply #4852 on:** 13 March, 2011, 03:50:52 am »

And again. Another bus driver pulls into a bus stop despite my precarious existence between the bus and the kerb. Has anyone got contact details for Terry Gilliams gran?

YahudaMoon · « **Reply #4853 on:** 13 March, 2011, 04:16:07 am »

I found the correct page for complaints with Greater Manchester Public Transport GMPT

Some bus drivers are gonna be getting some words about there bad driving habits !

GMPTE.com - Corporate - Commenting on Services

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #4854 on:** 14 March, 2011, 09:38:39 am »

That was a bit chilly. I'd started to think I'd seen the last of the ice for this year - until I got on the A64. Quite a few frozen puddles at side of the road, and lots of ice chips fallen off lorries.

hatler · « **Reply #4855 on:** 14 March, 2011, 09:42:32 am »

My first cyclo-commute in three and a half weeks. Heaven. (Heaven too that I didn't spend the entire route trying to cough my lungs out.)

Chillier than I thought. Had to stop and put gloves on half the way there. I don't think I've ever had to do that before.

vorsprung · « **Reply #4856 on:** 14 March, 2011, 09:44:15 am »

Bloody cold but I had lots of layers on. No ice on the roads. On the Orbea with 23mm tyres

clarion · « **Reply #4857 on:** 14 March, 2011, 09:48:56 am »

Started chilly & frosty but soon warmed up. Miles of standing traffic to negotiate

Large groups of cyclists from Clapham northwards

Andrij · « **Reply #4858 on:** 14 March, 2011, 10:23:39 am »

Saw frost on cars this morning but I didn't mind as it was bright enough to wear dark glasses.

Julian · « **Reply #4859 on:** 14 March, 2011, 11:02:08 am »

My first commute since last year (only been in the new job for a few weeks). Warm enough to get the legs and fingers out, although I've got long socks and long gloves for tonight. According to google maps it's ten miles, and it took about an hour, which isn't bad considering how much time I spent low-speed filtering.

Something Bad has happened in Shepherd's Bush though - road closed, lots of blue lights.

SteveC · « **Reply #4860 on:** 14 March, 2011, 11:07:00 am »

Back on the bike after a week's holiday. Hell's teeth I feel unfit! But a lovely morning for a ride.

S

alexb · « **Reply #4861 on:** 14 March, 2011, 11:50:47 am »

First ride to work on the posh bike this year.

My word it feels so plush compared to the mountain bike.

Moultonaught · « **Reply #4862 on:** 14 March, 2011, 12:30:10 pm »

Nice commute in this morning, sunny, not too cold. Most cars being nice...

Did my own variant of commuter racing this morning - after the roadie has overtaken you in the village at seemingly great speed - you see how much you can limit the getting totally dropped on the country road that follows

When we went our separate ways at a junction five miles later I was only about 1/4 of a mile behind. I was more than happy with that!

CommuteTooFar · « **Reply #4863 on:** 14 March, 2011, 12:40:26 pm »

It was hard this morning. After a long chain of failures and fettling I finally get to ride to work for the first time since November. I am supposed to be a year round commuter but It seems I have inadvertently avoided the Winter.

Instead of pretending to be unfit I am unfit. I felt every little climb on my 16 mile ride in. I was very slow. Will I be able to get up the last hill on the way home tonight? Will I be exhausted by Friday?

TheLurker · « **Reply #4864 on:** 14 March, 2011, 01:28:56 pm »

Cute lambs. Very cute baby bunnies.

On a less cheery note the following train of thought was busy derailing itself all over my brain this morning... am I alone in finding this a slightly dispiriting time of year? You've slogged over shitty roads in shittier weather all winter long and felt pretty damn good about it thinking that you're maintaining fitness and at the first sign of good weather you'll just breeze along. Does it work like that? Does it cocoa. Legs like melted cheese this morning. Grumble, grumble, bloody grumble.

her_welshness · « **Reply #4865 on:** 14 March, 2011, 01:31:06 pm »

That were a lovely ride in today - completely dispensed with full jacket and gloves, now giving way to jersey and mitts

DrMekon · « **Reply #4866 on:** 14 March, 2011, 01:49:18 pm »

Averaged 28.9kph over the 28.7km, so under an hour despite a headwind for most of the ride. I suspect it was the result of the nice weather, dry roads, not wearing much so needing to stay warm, a good night's sleep, and pushing down on the pedals harder. (c)Greenbank

Andrij · « **Reply #4867 on:** 14 March, 2011, 04:07:17 pm »

Great to be back on the bike again this morning. At one point comfortably cruised past a roadie in full team kit on a rather gaudy Ridley. About five minutes later he returned the favour.

But I took comfort in the knowledge that, had I been on a lighter bike, he would have needed to go into racing mode to catch me.

Basil · « **Reply #4868 on:** 14 March, 2011, 04:47:26 pm »

Do you know? I've just experienced one of those rare "Tailwind out and back" days.

welshwheels · « **Reply #4869 on:** 14 March, 2011, 04:53:25 pm »

nice ride in nearly light by 5.45 this morning lovely ride home nothing to complain about . There is something nice about riding in normal clothes as the commute is only7 miles each way

tonycollinet · « **Reply #4870 on:** 14 March, 2011, 10:25:22 pm »

Saw a damaged cyclist on the way home tonight. He was sitting up, so not seriously injured, was already surrounded, and an ambulance was on the way - so I didn't stop.

Best wishes to him though for a speedy recovery.

hellymedic · « **Reply #4871 on:** 14 March, 2011, 10:38:55 pm »

Quote from: Julian on 14 March, 2011, 11:02:08 am

Something Bad has happened in Shepherd's Bush though - road closed, lots of blue lights.

I think it might have been this. http://www.lfgss.com/thread61322.html

Woman cyclist with apparently non life-threatening injuries. GWS!

SteveC · « **Reply #4872 on:** 15 March, 2011, 09:03:51 am »

Shorts!

S

itsbruce · « **Reply #4873 on:** 15 March, 2011, 09:16:07 am »

Ooh, fog. I'm glad there wasn't so much traffic when I set off at 6:35, because I'll bet there was some fuckwittery on the roads this morning.

Nice to be back on the bike after a day as a ped.

vorsprung · « **Reply #4874 on:** 15 March, 2011, 09:21:42 am »

Had a bacon and mushroom omelet for breakfast. The weather is warm so I thought I'd do my training protocol on the commute. Got to the top of the penultimate hill, nicely warmed up and ready to try and beat my time up the hill past Wallaces farm when...my rear wheel went bang.

The tyre has a cut in it 1cm long. I booted it with a piece of plastic wrapper and gingerly finished riding to work. Hopefully it will get me home too. The tyre, a orange Michelin Pro Race has done less than 200 miles. Shame, it looks preeeeddy.