Considering jacking in cycling

[DCBassman]

Having just found this thread, here's my take:
I've never liked cycling in traffic. I don't trust any vehicle driver, and never have. That goes for when I'm using a car, too. So as much of my cycling as I can possibly manage is on cycle routes. Quiet country lanes on Dartmoor? Tractors. That's one off. Second off was at walking pace at the end of last autumn (on a cycle route), and resulted in fairly unpleasant injury, yet to be fixed. I've ridden once since then, very carefully.
To come to the main point: if there were no opportunities for traffic-free riding, then I would not ride, full stop.

 

[cyberknight]

Understandable; I have been too - I'm fed up with the lingering winter. I am desperate for spring to have sprung!

I hope you feel better soon.

Hit 50 Wednesday next week , been looking back at my life and i have come to the conclusion it has been a bit pants overall but it could be winter blues and a bit of mid life crisis along with narked off with health over the last year .

 

[classic33]

Not funny but interesting, so presumably the staff at the baths thought you a danger to yourself and punitively banned you?

The first fit was after leaving the building, but it and the rest that day were blamed on the swimming. Swimming lessons at school were stopped from when I went back, because of it.

Didn't happen two days before or the previous weekend.

 

[gbb]

Hit 50 Wednesday next week , been looking back at my life and i have come to the conclusion it has been a bit pants overall but it could be winter blues and a bit of mid life crisis along with narked off with health over the last year .

I always get down in the dumps at this time of year. I yearn for those first spring days when you can feel the sun's warmth on my back...and every year of course it happens and all of a sudden, the world is a better place.

 

[Tim Hall]

Create a new day, just for yourself, that nobody else knows about

You could call it "lackaday (what a predicament)."

 

[gbb]

Ironically I used to love commuting in town traffic, it' s exhilarating, keeps your senses alert and somewhat perversely (not) I love the fact I'm cutting through almost static traffic.
Wish I still had a job that allowed me rush hour commuting by bike. When I restart commuting it' a 14 mile ride, 3/4 along quietish roads but 1/4 on a busy relatively narrow road where it' traffic at a minimum of 50mph...thats not nice.

 

[roadrash]

I have considered stopping a couple times.
Health issues have meant I lost fitness and have to contend with discomfort post rides.
Then I occasionally suffer from loss of mojo.
Then I usually suffer from a hatred of the cold and winter.

I got some fitness back but still found it difficult to get myself out there. Then winter comes along and it's all even harder.

I actually said to my wife last year...i might sell all my gear, Its driving me nuts, I' constantly fighting in my head but it doesn' translate to actual rides...or enough of them.

But then it' in the blood, once the spring is here I'll be out there again and loving it, even though it'l be hard and I'll never regain what I had.

sounds like you are describing me in that post, I know exactly how you feel

 

[Tin Pot]

Go for a bike ride, you’ll feel better afterwards.

 

[Bazzer]

If you don't like the local roads, put the bike in the back of the car and go off somewhere. You don't have ties or a job so time is your own. If you don't want hills having been off the bike for a while, the flat lands of Ormskirk and surrounding areas give miles of easy riding on generally quiet roads, provided you avoid the main arterial routes. Then see how you feel.

 

[Vantage]

Thought about it after being hit on a roundabout. Couple weeks later I realized what a stupid idea it was.
Thought about it again shortly after winning custody of my girls and not having time to ride. Couple weeks later I realized what a stupid idea it was.
Thought about it again when I had my stroke and had no energy to get out on it or balance on it. Realized what a stupid idea it was.
I get too much from cycling to give it up. Where there's a will to do it, there's a way to do it.

 

[Tim Hall]

[QUOTE 5178676, member: 259"]Give it up for a bit. It's not a religion.[/QUOTE]
Burn the heretic.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

A few years ago a car overtook another, placing him head on to me at high speed. The car passed within inches under my waving arm.
I considered giving up.
But I decided that some random self-gratification artist wasn't going to stop me doing what I love. A couple of months later I was out again.

Nowadays I don't go on roads unless the TPT runs along it.
I'm not scared too much. I just can't be bothered waiting for the next dickhead to do something stupid. That's what I have a car for.

These days I fear the day I have to give it up. But hopefully that's a long way off yet.

 

[johnnyb47]

Hi Accy and hope your well buddy..Today I ended up following the advice I had given to you today and it turned out to be a great day.The weather was warm and dry so I took the opportunity to get out on the bike. An hour of cycling and coming home covered in mud was great. A quick hose down of the bike and it looks like new again.
Tonight it was down the pub for a few beers and watch a live band playing. When they finished I got talking to a complete stranger, and it turned out he was also a keen cyclist. It was great swapping stories about our cycling attributes and have arranged to meet up for some cycling. Get out there buddy and enjoy it while you can. If you can do it, don't worry about the awful roads or drivers that adorn them. Life is too short buddy to end up getting low by outside factors.
Life will never be perfect for any of us , but we can sure try to enjoy what we have got going for us. Anyway enough beer talk from me ,, :-) :-) All the best and don't throw that towel in buddy :-)

 

[screenman]

There is more to life than just riding a bike, pack it in if you want to, you might find other things to do when you are not beating yourself up for not riding.

 

[Maenchi]

My riding mate and I used to refer to going out on the bikes as 'doing batttle'.
I ride an mtb set up for the road, with max pressure tyres and front shocks with similar air pressure suitable to take the punch out of the roads.
I felt pressured to stop cycling 14 yrs ago for all the reasons you mention, plus a couple more, which were a seriously distraught mother worrying over me, she developed dementia, which explained it, because previously she'd been into me cycling, and a health problem, anyway I gave up for 10yrs and the bike sat waiting in the spare bedroom, eventually to be sold when I bought a new one, a sad end for that bike although it went to a bloke who appreciated it and would use what he got.
I know it's upsetting when drivers blast horns, shout abuse, swear at you and endless rough roads and lousy weather.
When I stopped, I didn't believe it, my mates didn't, I got depressed, muscles faded, drank too much...+ felt like somebody else....cycling makes me feel like who I am....me !....and hey Accy it's spring and the bike won't be getting so dirty now, and in the best possible taste ....#Rule 5......