I had a normal safe ride today

[wafflycat]

All I'll say is... Trumpington Street & Road

In all honesty have a week off & going for rides in the middle of the day has been bliss, I'm up to over 85 miles since Sunday morning & yet to have one problem with people.

You mean possibly the worst cycle farcility in the East? The one where you are encouraged to ride in the door zone for a considerable time? This one?

Shite, isn't it.

 

[GrasB]

Yeah, that'd be the beginning of it as Trumpington st. & it's continuation past the lights, Trumpington rd. Passed the private schools on the left with the "I don't know what a wing mirror is" u-turning 4x4/MPV mummies (always the 4x4 & MPVs, never the hatchbacks) & then right down to long road with the disappearing cycle lane, nice way to get your self rear ended if you pick the wrong moment to exit. Though people seem to have stopped telling me to cycle on the cycle path... when I'm going 25 to 30mph coming into cambridge via the A10.

 

[garrilla]

Today I had a great ride in. Acknlowdgements due to:

the white fiesta driver who reversed his car back (twice) when he realised that he was too far over the give way line and would impede my journey

the red mini-bus ferrying children with disabilities who patiently stayed behind me at 22mph for a 0.5km and then thanked me with a toot of his horn as I let him pass at a point where it was safe to do

the dog walker with his morning paper who, instead of crossing the road hurriedly, stepped back and pulled his dog back a good pace from the kerb

the lollipop lady who took a 2nd thought and let me pass before escorting her charges across the road

and, finally, the unforgiving wind whch appears to have gone on a day trip to the South.

I love cycling whatever happens, but today was especially beautiful.

 

[BrumJim]

Today's commute was entirely uneventful.

Apart from a duck that wouldn't give way until the last minute. Why do they leave it so late? Why don't they just not bother to get out of the way at all? And is Mallard as tasty as a nice Gressington?

 

[theclaud]

He actually drove into the hospital car park to escape you with you following him around. That is very funny.

It's a truism, but your mum and your and teachers were spot on when they told you that bullies are always cowards. The sight of a burly 40-year old man caged in a massive 4x4 trying desperately to escape from a woman on a bike (armed with nothing scarier than a cross face) might even, on reflection, be worth the scary moment on the road. I had a perfectly pleasant, normal and safe ride in again today, so all is right with the world...

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I love theclaud's story. I especially love the "you were going too fast" comment which is often a bit of a knee-jerk reaction from people who really know they're in the wrong but don't know how to / want to admit it.

As you pointed out to him: if you were going too fast, what was he doing overtaking you? Priceless.


Edit to add: lovely trip in today.

 

[Crackle]

It's a truism, but your mum and your and teachers were spot on when they told you that bullies are always cowards. The sight of a burly 40-year old man caged in a massive 4x4 trying desperately to escape from a woman on a bike (armed with nothing scarier than a cross face) might even, on reflection, be worth the scary moment on the road. I had a perfectly pleasant, normal and safe ride in again today, so all is right with the world...

Your 4x4 story jinxed me. I was passed very close by one today but I remembered your self control and when we stopped at the lights I very gently tapped on his window and politely asked if he might leave me some more room next time. He was very apologetic. S'funny but the van behind was very cautious after that too, two birds with one tap.

I was also passed very well by a caravan but the dog with it's head out the window gave a big woof at me which didn't half make me jump.

 

[jonny jeez]

Today I had a great ride in. Acknlowdgements due to:

the white fiesta driver who reversed his car back (twice) when he realised that he was too far over the give way line and would impede my journey

the red mini-bus ferrying children with disabilities who patiently stayed behind me at 22mph for a 0.5km and then thanked me with a toot of his horn as I let him pass at a point where it was safe to do

the dog walker with his morning paper who, instead of crossing the road hurriedly, stepped back and pulled his dog back a good pace from the kerb

the lollipop lady who took a 2nd thought and let me pass before escorting her charges across the road

and, finally, the unforgiving wind whch appears to have gone on a day trip to the South.

I love cycling whatever happens, but today was especially beautiful.

Love that....see, it is all worthwhile

 

[TheDoctor]

My lovely ride in was only spoilt by some of the local wildlife wandering out at me and making me jump.

Bleedin' rabbits

 

[jonny jeez]

Today's commute was entirely uneventful.

Apart from a duck that wouldn't give way until the last minute. Why do they leave it so late? Why don't they just not bother to get out of the way at all? And is Mallard as tasty as a nice Gressington?

Ducks...dont get me started on ducks, you should see the ducks in London, quacking and wobbling all over the place, you cant move for Ducks in london...

aaaand, Back in the room!

You really do have a cosmopolitan commute BrumJim...in many ways, Im pretty envious

 

[theclaud]

Your 4x4 story jinxed me. I was passed very close by one today but I remembered your self control and when we stopped at the lights I very gently tapped on his window and politely asked if he might leave me some more room next time. He was very apologetic. S'funny but the van behind was very cautious after that too, two birds with one tap.

I was also passed very well by a caravan but the dog with it's head out the window gave a big woof at me which didn't half make me jump.

The ones that do it inadvertently often are, I find. In which case a bit of restraint and politeness pays dividends. I think the guy who overtook me was of the James Martin variety...

 

[BrumJim]

Mallard ducks, the odd Ruddy Duck (foreigners coming over here, taking our bread), Moorhens, Canada Geese, a heron (possibly the same one every day), pigeons by the score, grey squirrels (see earlier racist rant), and a rat occasionally. Sometimes even a sheep (or hundreds) on the way to slaughter.

It's like a little nature watch here by the canals and through the parks of Birmingham.

Still hoping to see a beaver or fox, but no luck yet. I guess beavers don't frequent canals as their dams are no match for our lock gates.

 

[garrilla]

I'm always on the lookout for Beaver

 

[jimboalee]

Mallard ducks, the odd Ruddy Duck (foreigners coming over here, taking our bread), Moorhens, Canada Geese, a heron (possibly the same one every day), pigeons by the score, grey squirrels (see earlier racist rant), and a rat occasionally. Sometimes even a sheep (or hundreds) on the way to slaughter.

It's like a little nature watch here by the canals and through the parks of Birmingham.

Still hoping to see a beaver or fox, but no luck yet. I guess beavers don't frequent canals as their dams are no match for our lock gates.

For fox sake, I want a beaver.

 

[Bokonon]

Whilst waiting in the right lane at traffic lights this morning, a car pulled up in the left lane. The driver wound down her window and said "Excuse me." I turned to face her. "Nice shirt," she said .

My Marmite jersey always seems to attract comment.