Early morning ride

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chillyuk

Guest
I went out this morning for a 12 mile bimble between Harlow and Epping. Since living in Harlow I have not been out just after 7am. Being retired I can normally leave it until after 9am when commuters have commuted and spacially unaware mummies have ferried their precious little darlings 200 yards to school in their 4x4's. Anyway because Of major roadworks between the motorway and Harlow and long tailbacks, just about every lane in the area is being used as a rat run to avoid the said works. The ride was an education for me being so long since riding in the early rush hour. Blind drivers, dangerous overtakes, people who think they are in Germany and driving on the wrong side of the road round bends. London bound in Epping was at a standstill for quite a distance.

I have often wondered why you guys who commute, and through far busier routes than my little ride today, have so much hassle. Now I see why. It is so different to when I go out later in the day, a practice I intend to stay with!!
 

downfader

extimus uero philosophus
Location
'ampsheeeer
Yeah you just get used to heavy traffic commuting (not that its anything like Bristol or London here in Southampton but you get my drift). I have seen a notable difference in driving styles at different times... or even in different areas.

Sometimes I ride out of Southampton to the local village and borough areas and the cars can just dissappear, or the psychology changes.
 

Helly79

New Member
Location
Norwich
I don't mind cycling in rush hour it not too bad here in Norwich, but I love getting out into the countryside down country lanes where you hardly meet a car
 

Bandini

Guest
Helly79 said:
I don't mind cycling in rush hour it not too bad here in Norwich, but I love getting out into the countryside down country lanes where you hardly meet a car

+1 One of my favourite things about cycling.
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
Heavy traffic can be good fun as you can often keep with the flow and when it stops or slows, just pop out and filter. But, filtering can be a little bit fraught. I was descending at about 25-30 mph in heavy traffic, it all stopped so I popped out and went down the outside. I had not really planned to be stranded on the wrong side of the road when the traffic flow coming up the hill resumed. I went through a very tight gap that worried me a little. I think in future, I will stick into the correct side of the road on that hill. On the credit, I did manage a personal best on the commute.
 

decca234uk

New Member
Location
Leeds
I work shifts so I can do a lot of commuting cycling in relatively quiet times like 10 at night and six in the morning. Cycling on a summers morning at six with no traffic is a pleasure.
 

c2c

redredrobin
Location
east bristol
decca234uk said:
I work shifts so I can do a lot of commuting cycling in relatively quiet times like 10 at night and six in the morning. Cycling on a summers morning at six with no traffic is a pleasure.

+1 on that, i also do shifts and there is nothing better than seeing the glow of the sunrise light up the factory floor at 5.45ish on a friday morning, the working week is done and a lovely ride home to look forward to............:biggrin:
 

Goldie

Über Member
I was lucky when I bike commuted in Manc in that I could use the Bridgewater Canal towpath to take me all the way into town. The A56 runs parallel to the canal most of the way, but no force on earth could get me on it at rush hour.
 

Shut Up Legs

Down Under Member
decca234uk said:
I work shifts so I can do a lot of commuting cycling in relatively quiet times like 10 at night and six in the morning. Cycling on a summers morning at six with no traffic is a pleasure.
Couldn't agree more, except that I enjoy my ride in to work at any time of the year (yes, even when it's pissing down). I have an average 1-hour commute which gets me to work at roughly 6am, when it's still dark at this time of year (Southern Hemisphere, of course). I hardly get any traffic riding to work. :rolleyes:
 
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