Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2524559 times)

itsbruce · « **Reply #2000 on:** 29 July, 2010, 01:29:23 pm »

Motorists are often irritated when stuck behind slow cyclists. They become even more irritated when you pull out and overtake both them and the slow cyclists, it seems. I hope they don't take it out on the cyclist immediately in front.

citoyen · « **Reply #2001 on:** 29 July, 2010, 02:19:51 pm »

Not on my commute exactly...

Just saw a cyclist giving both barrels to the driver of a John Lewis lorry outside the office (Southwark Street). I was inspecting the Borisbikes when she pulled up alongside the parked lorry across the road and started having a go. Couldn't quite work out what her beef was but it seemed to be something he'd done back down the road and she'd caught up with him when he stopped to make his delivery.

The driver looked pretty sheepish, so I suspect he knew he was in the wrong. Didn't seem too keen to apologise, though - he just wound up his window and gestured to her to go away but she wasn't having any of it, parked her bike against the front of his lorry and took down his details, and made it clear she would be reporting him to his boss.

Anyway, just wanted to say: Well done, that cyclist!

If you're reading this, I was going to cross the road to offer moral support but there was too much traffic and by the time it had cleared, you were on your way. And whatever it was the lorry driver had done to get you so upset, I hope your complaint is fruitful.

d.

itsbruce · « **Reply #2002 on:** 29 July, 2010, 04:21:07 pm »

Oh, if anybody reading this is a large bloke who was travelling west along Prince of Wales Drive in black top and shorts on a red steel roadie at 7:30pm last night - mate, you're too tall for that bike. Your knees were approaching your ears. I'm only exaggerating slightly.

clarion · « **Reply #2003 on:** 30 July, 2010, 10:02:47 am »

Great ride in. I set off early to get to work for 0800. Pretty clear roads, and just one bus insisting on driving in the smurflane.

I got passed by a few fast lads, including a large bloke wearing ordinary clothes on a Sirrus and riding like the clappers! But I passed plenty more.

Usual crop of ignorant and incompetent motorists, but that's the nature of the thing. Nothing bad enough to report to RSL.

An excellent ride. Not the fastest, but fair shifting for a Friday.

Tourist Tony · « **Reply #2004 on:** 30 July, 2010, 04:19:53 pm »

W173 JPV
Yes you heard me, you pink shirted open-top driving bald twunt. Yes I called you a banker three times, in between calling out your number to let you know I'd memorised it and making my voice loud enough that whomever you were speaking to on your handheld mobile could hear how you were perceived. When I move out to primary to avoid the sodding great pothole by Meadowcroft Lodge it does not mean you squeeze through at 50 with barely two inches of clearance. And when you pull into a side street to await me to either drive at me or have a fight, make sure it is one before the turning I take and not after.
Cockwomble.

Now breathe.....

itsbruce · « **Reply #2005 on:** 30 July, 2010, 07:07:53 pm »

Ow, that was not fun. Only a short way into the commute home, a spoke popped loose on my rear wheel. Before I knew what was happening, it became snarled up in the chain, knackering it. One bike down till I get that fixed.

TheLurker · « **Reply #2006 on:** 02 August, 2010, 07:41:39 am »

On the saltway a couple of miles outside Lechlade.
A silver estate car.
Abandoned in such a way as to completely block the road.
How very odd.

Mobbsy · « **Reply #2007 on:** 02 August, 2010, 09:03:14 am »

For the second time this summer; all lights green, light traffic keeping their distance. All is good in the world this morning.

hulver · « **Reply #2008 on:** 02 August, 2010, 09:14:34 am »

Lovely run in this morning. On the geared bike for a change to make sure nothings wrong with it before Sunday.

Strange to have a freewheel, but nice to be able to get some speed on the downhill bits for a change.

Oaky · « **Reply #2009 on:** 02 August, 2010, 09:55:13 am »

Hit my first pedestrian today

I wasn't going particularly fast, since I was filtering past stationary traffic, in the cycle lane on the left here.

No damage to him or myself (apart from, I'm guessing, a cracking bruise on his hip and a slightly loosened left brake lever for me). He was very apologetic ("sorry, my fault, wasn't looking" etc.). We both managed to stay upright.

itsbruce · « **Reply #2010 on:** 02 August, 2010, 10:15:51 am »

What is it with pedestrians who step out looking, if they look anywhere, to their left?

hellymedic · « **Reply #2011 on:** 02 August, 2010, 10:22:46 am »

Quote from: itsbruce on 02 August, 2010, 10:15:51 am

What is it with pedestrians who step out looking, if they look anywhere, to their left?

Maybe they are FOREIGN TOURISTS.

perpetual dan · « **Reply #2012 on:** 02 August, 2010, 10:54:11 am »

A nice easy ride in turned into a bit of a chase after I took exception to the space given by a dirty great rubble truck. On a national speed limit road my only hopes were a) a long queue at the lights or b) they were going to the stadium. Neither happened, so I did a rather quick commute and am now a bit hot.

Wendy · « **Reply #2013 on:** 02 August, 2010, 10:57:59 am »

Quote from: hellymedic on 02 August, 2010, 10:22:46 am

Quote from: itsbruce on 02 August, 2010, 10:15:51 am
What is it with pedestrians who step out looking, if they look anywhere, to their left?

Maybe they are FOREIGN TOURISTS.

When I'm a turrist, I look both ways as a matter of habit. I mostly do this here too. Very useful in Delft, for example, where the cyclists come at you from both sides.

Redlight · « **Reply #2014 on:** 02 August, 2010, 12:53:02 pm »

another cyclist rode up beside me and very kindly pointed out that one of my rear panniers looked as though it was trying to part company with the rack. B---dy fiddly Ortlieb fittings. Thankfully I happened to have the right (tiny) size Allen key with me to fix the problem, but the little bolts on their panniers seem very susceptible to working loose.

Many thanks to the guy on the mountain bike in Bermondsey, if he's reading.

citoyen · « **Reply #2015 on:** 02 August, 2010, 12:56:50 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 02 August, 2010, 10:22:46 am

Maybe they are FOREIGN TOURISTS.

The three spotty oiks who pulled this trick on me in Gravesend on Friday evening didn't look like tourists. They blithely strolled into the road, looking left, and when I yelled "Oi!" at them, purely to warn them of my presence, gave me a earful of idiomatic English of the kind only a true native could manage with such gusto.

d.

CommuteTooFar · « **Reply #2016 on:** 02 August, 2010, 01:13:42 pm »

I was enjoying my ride to work when I arrived at the traffic light controlled T junction where the A4119 meets the A4119 by the Castell Mynach pub. The lights are bagged there is a road sign diverting me towards the M4. Instead I cross the empty nearside two lane carriage way. Cross an the outer lane of the far carriageway. I stop between the bollards because the single northbound lane is very very busy. I consider riding along the empty carriage way until I notice traffic heading towards me from Llantrisant. I reposition my bike sideways between the bollards and wait for a gap in the traffic. I ride down the hill and notice the lights for Miskin are also bagged. Good this morning but could be a really big problem going home. Use alternate route 2c I think.

I resumed enjoying my ride to work.

Wendy · « **Reply #2017 on:** 02 August, 2010, 03:00:15 pm »

@RobM - loctite FTW.

longers · « **Reply #2018 on:** 02 August, 2010, 08:25:11 pm »

On the way home tonight I rode into the back of a van. He did brake very sharply but it's entirely my fault I've got a sore elbow now. He was excellent about me hitting him as he wasn't at all worried about his van and was much more concerned about me.

Him braking coincided with me day dreaming. Idiot

Oaky · « **Reply #2019 on:** 03 August, 2010, 09:16:39 am »

Saw just one Boris Bike in use this morning. I must've seen about ten being used on my way home yesterday evening though.

itsbruce · « **Reply #2020 on:** 03 August, 2010, 10:03:23 am »

Meh. Encountered a slow cyclist with attitude on Battersea Bridge. He thought he was fast and made a big show of zigzagging back and forth across the road, pumping madly while out of the saddle etc. Took so badly to being left in the dust that he ended up jumping lights madly to compensate. Last saw him heading the wrong way down a one-way street.

DrMekon · « **Reply #2021 on:** 03 August, 2010, 10:07:35 am »

PB!

Did 28.71km in 56.58. First time I've gone under 57 minutes, and the first PB for ages.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #2022 on:** 03 August, 2010, 07:17:31 pm »

I have a stiff neck (must be all the brass) and I'm really struggling to turn my head to the right for traffic-checking, so I'm relying on my hearing more than usual. My ears told me there was a massive ginormous huge lorry stopping behind me at the lights. Turns out these

are much louder than you'd expect.

longers · « **Reply #2023 on:** 04 August, 2010, 06:17:37 am »

Quote from: longers on 02 August, 2010, 08:25:11 pm

but it's entirely my fault I've got a sore elbow now.

I had 3 stitches put in it yesterday and they had a good root around to see if I'd damaged the joint capsule, the consultant thought not. It's peeing down now and needs to be kept dry. I'll have to boil in the bag today I think.

GruB · « **Reply #2024 on:** 04 August, 2010, 07:25:19 am »

I've been taking the shortest route in and back so far this week. I have been doing a lot of ground work at night and last night with my father in law, laid a large base of concrete for the summerhouse that is turning up on Friday. Good job I have been taking it easy on the bike after my week and a bit off as I knackered all ready from all the extra curriculum stuff