Commuting daily on a bike - what are you main problems / biggest bug bearers?

[MidasMk1]

Hey All,

Im in my final year at Uni doing Transport Design, and on with my major project, with the idea of creating a few concepts in the next couple of weeks.

One of my projects is to improve the daily commute for cyclists, and my question really, is what problems / issues occur?

I've been out on my bicycle today, and nearly got ran off the road a few times, especially by buses. I can imagine in a more urban environment like this,
that this is a bigger problem? That and the weather are the biggest issues that spring to mind?

If you could share some of your issues / problems with cycling, it would be great!

Thanks in advance

Sam

 

[Turbo Rider]

Cars swerving into bike lanes pre-pinch point or at lane mergers (two into one).
Unlit roads can be annoying if you don't know the road, due to cracks, pot-holes, etc.
Jammed traffic on tight roads are just annoying as you have to wait around, but that's annoying no matter what method of transport you take and bike is probably the easiest in this instance.
Dazzling car lights.
Dazzling bike lights.
Cars waiting until the very last moment to nip in or out of a road when they could have done it ages ago, which forces you to brake hard.
Random clicking noises which disappear and reappear at random intervals.
Missing a clip in moment and grinding shins or calves on my pedal(s), often resulting in sudden drop onto the saddle which knackers my balls for a moment.
The lines I get on my forehead after I take my helmet off.
Hunger
Exhaustion.
Being passed at a junction by someone slower than me in heavy traffic.
Other cyclists waving at me, nodding at me or otherwise gesturing (though bizzarely, I do respond in kind)
Having to slow down for any reason at all.
Looking like a prick in lycra (though I do acknowledge that this is entirely my choice).
Punctures (though I do get off on fixing them)
Sounding like a tranny as I make my way to and from my bike (cleats clipping on concrete in a most unsophisticated manner).
Non cyclists telling me how dangerous cycling is.
Non cyclists telling me how fit I must be.
Non cyclists asking me why certain cyclists act in certain ways.

That felt good. Thanks.

 

[DCLane]

+1 to the above plus:
Roads covered in grit/glass/metal/stuff for the first 18" from the kerb. Leeds clearly can't be bothered cleaning their roads in the south-side, but Headingley/rich areas get done every fortnight.

 

[fossyant]

One thing really, inpatience ! It affects all road users.

 

[Katherine]

Confusing cycle lanes.

 

[summerdays]

Cars swerving into bike lanes pre-pinch point or at lane mergers (two into one).
Unlit roads can be annoying if you don't know the road, due to cracks, pot-holes, etc.
Jammed traffic on tight roads are just annoying as you have to wait around, but that's annoying no matter what method of transport you take and bike is probably the easiest in this instance.
Dazzling car lights.
Dazzling bike lights.
Cars waiting until the very last moment to nip in or out of a road when they could have done it ages ago, which forces you to brake hard.
Random clicking noises which disappear and reappear at random intervals.
Missing a clip in moment and grinding shins or calves on my pedal(s), often resulting in sudden drop onto the saddle which knackers my balls for a moment.
The lines I get on my forehead after I take my helmet off.
Hunger
Exhaustion.
Being passed at a junction by someone slower than me in heavy traffic.
Other cyclists waving at me, nodding at me or otherwise gesturing (though bizzarely, I do respond in kind)
Having to slow down for any reason at all.
Looking like a prick in lycra (though I do acknowledge that this is entirely my choice).
Punctures (though I do get off on fixing them)
Sounding like a tranny as I make my way to and from my bike (cleats clipping on concrete in a most unsophisticated manner).
Non cyclists telling me how dangerous cycling is.
Non cyclists telling me how fit I must be.
Non cyclists asking me why certain cyclists act in certain ways.

That felt good. Thanks.

Are you sure you didn't miss anything

 

[Drago]

Getting up early.

Oncoming cars that think it's ok to come onto my side of the road and attempt to plough me down because there's a parked vehicle in their side of the road.

The uphill journey riding home.

The shocking state of the road surface. Are we a developed country or not?

Other cyclists with no lights at night, or no regard for the niceties/legalities of road travel. They don't help the rest of us who are trying to advance our cause.

Bus drivers. They seem consistently bad.

Jeremy Clarkson.

 

[summerdays]

What are my biggest problems.....

Feeling tired
Hills (well the uphill part)
Ice/wet leaves/oil I hate slippery surfaces
Motorists distracted in their cars by mobiles etc
People not being nice to each other

 

[andyfraser]

I agree with a lot of what's already been said, especially the poor quality of the roads. Most of my commute is on unlit roads and, although I have good lights and remember where most of the problem areas are, there are so many such areas that I end up hitting some of them.

 

[winjim]

Crap road surfacing and this time of year, other people's dazzling/flashing lights.

And the fact that building work means I now have to walk my bike up some stairs.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Black taxis ... Wv men ... arghhhhhh!

 

[Drago]

Unexpected alien abduction for sex experiments. Bloody annoying when that happens.

 

[arch684]

Anyone new to cycling would be put off by reading this thread

 

[Ern1e]

What more could be added to all the above post's ! except that the winter seasons is upon us and once the white stuff falls from the sky all hell seems to break loose around here.

 

[Drago]

Anyone new to cycling would be put off by reading this thread

Unless they enjoy alien anal probing.