theFire
Veteran
- Location
- Chessington
Doh! Were they also an hour early for work this morning?
Be careful out there
- Thread starter fossyant
- Start date
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Doh! Were they also an hour early for work this morning?
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
No problems tonight,everyone being careful around me.....just a pity someone above turned the taps on just as i was leaving work at 5.30 
noelmg
New Member
- Location
- Mansfield, Notts
Well I made it home in one piece (just), and have learned two valuable lessons this evening about riding in the dark:
1) Darkness seems to turn most drivers into a complete numpties. One woman coming the other way started to pull out to turn right in front of me, saw me, slapped her brakes on and proceeded to wave her arms in the air. I guess a combined 18 LEDs, 6 reflectors and a high vis jacket was not enough for her.
2) Aforementioned LEDs are absolutely useless in riding down completely unlit disused railway lines in the middle of the countryside! It was basically a case of squint a bit and try to make out the bit that's slightly less black than the surroundings and stick to it, and be ready to slam the anchors on should anyone without a torch suddenly appear in the 5 metres I can see in front of me! I did end up on the grass at the side a couple of times when the trail got a little more vague, and fortunately did not end up wrapped around any of the narrow gated bits. Amazing how I ride this route every day and thought I knew it so well, it is completely different when you can't see where you're going.
Definitely need to get a more powerful light for my front, not sure whether to stick to unlit country lanes tomorrow night and have cars to contend with as well, or just to go my usual route again.
1) Darkness seems to turn most drivers into a complete numpties. One woman coming the other way started to pull out to turn right in front of me, saw me, slapped her brakes on and proceeded to wave her arms in the air. I guess a combined 18 LEDs, 6 reflectors and a high vis jacket was not enough for her.
2) Aforementioned LEDs are absolutely useless in riding down completely unlit disused railway lines in the middle of the countryside! It was basically a case of squint a bit and try to make out the bit that's slightly less black than the surroundings and stick to it, and be ready to slam the anchors on should anyone without a torch suddenly appear in the 5 metres I can see in front of me! I did end up on the grass at the side a couple of times when the trail got a little more vague, and fortunately did not end up wrapped around any of the narrow gated bits. Amazing how I ride this route every day and thought I knew it so well, it is completely different when you can't see where you're going.
Definitely need to get a more powerful light for my front, not sure whether to stick to unlit country lanes tomorrow night and have cars to contend with as well, or just to go my usual route again.
HonestMan1910
Über Member
- Location
- Winchburgh
Just to add to the "fun" it is pi$$ing it down with rain and fairly windy here in Edinburgh.
Have to agree, pretty horrible ride home tonight in the dark and wet
Looks like we have the best of the weather here in the South East.
It was dark and a little nippy, but a nice little tailwind made the commute home quite enjoyable.
OP
OP
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Had a great ride home, no rain. Amazing ? how the Hope 1's pick out all the exhaust crap in the air....urgh......... The two rear magicshines just turned cars into a red glow, and the road behind............. 
Sheffield_Tiger
Guru
Total moron kept appearing in front of me (by darting down pedestrian zones, down the left of buses and over ped crossings/through red lights)
I have him on video..or rather I don't! There are parts where he is definitely there but on the camera completely invisible...
I have him on video..or rather I don't! There are parts where he is definitely there but on the camera completely invisible...
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
I had one of these today too,
On the kerb,on the road,on the kerb,on the road,repeat for a mile or so.
Hardly a glance either when he went from kerb to road,how these people survive is a miracle
Chutzpah
Über Member
- Location
- Somerset, UK
It was my first commute home in the dark today too. I found it quite an invigorating experience - it made my now familiar commute a totally different experience.
I ordered a Hope Vision 1 on Sunday which should be delivered to my work tomorrow, ready for the ride home. It will definitely be useful as the last half is on unlit roads, and I was actually grateful when cars came up behind me! Wasn't too bad around 13-15mph, but any faster and I was getting a little uncomfortable with the lack of forward vision...
When it arrives tomorrow my current light will be utilised as an extra flasher.
My other big concern was being seen from behind - I wasn't confident that my current light was bright enough in commuter traffic. So I walked to a LBS to try some out and picked up the Smart Lunar R2. Stupidly bright, miles ahead of my current poxy rear light. Felt a lot more confident with that strapped to my rear for the journey home.
Other than that, the only addition I made was attaching an LED to my helmet - I usually have an LED on my rucksack anyway.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.
I ordered a Hope Vision 1 on Sunday which should be delivered to my work tomorrow, ready for the ride home. It will definitely be useful as the last half is on unlit roads, and I was actually grateful when cars came up behind me! Wasn't too bad around 13-15mph, but any faster and I was getting a little uncomfortable with the lack of forward vision...
When it arrives tomorrow my current light will be utilised as an extra flasher.
My other big concern was being seen from behind - I wasn't confident that my current light was bright enough in commuter traffic. So I walked to a LBS to try some out and picked up the Smart Lunar R2. Stupidly bright, miles ahead of my current poxy rear light. Felt a lot more confident with that strapped to my rear for the journey home.
Other than that, the only addition I made was attaching an LED to my helmet - I usually have an LED on my rucksack anyway.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
Don't forget to take some decent re-chargeable batteries to work,and an allen key to fit the bracket.
Chutzpah
Über Member
- Location
- Somerset, UK
Yep, already taking backups each day, and I have some to my right charging up as we speak (type) ready for tomorrow
I take a really basic toolkit with allen keys too, but today I just buttered up the sysadmins to borrow a screwdriver when I wanted to fit the rear light bracket.
I take a really basic toolkit with allen keys too, but today I just buttered up the sysadmins to borrow a screwdriver when I wanted to fit the rear light bracket.
Roadrunner78
Senior Member
- Location
- Scotland
Same old for me. Cycling to work before 10pm, been dark for ages. Cycling home after 6am, the same. Thankfully the roads are quite quiet at those times.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Well the other thing that hasn't been mentioned to watch out for is leaves .... as it is going to be a windy week ... I'd forgotten about them until the weather forecast mentioned them as being blown down this week.
OP
OP
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Wet leaves and hidden drain covers - one of those had me on the floor two autumns ago (fortunately it was a low speed topple).
First complaint about my rear magicshines this morning.
I'm sat in primary, 1st in line, at a junction near Stockport Bus Station, and a 'traditional' milk float rolls up (tries to under cut me).
Milkman sticks head out of float.........."Those lights are too bl00dy bright"................. me "good aren't they ?" Milkman "they are just ridiculous"......... me "well you saw me then"............
I was probably curdling his milk he was that close............
First complaint about my rear magicshines this morning.
I'm sat in primary, 1st in line, at a junction near Stockport Bus Station, and a 'traditional' milk float rolls up (tries to under cut me).
Milkman sticks head out of float.........."Those lights are too bl00dy bright"................. me "good aren't they ?" Milkman "they are just ridiculous"......... me "well you saw me then"............
I was probably curdling his milk he was that close............
