Is he right?

[beanzontoast]

Anyway, check the forecast from Saturday - it's getting much warmer and dry...

Been the worst winter for cycling conditions IME for a long time. Be glad to see the back of it.

At least it was almost light at 7.00am today.

 

[magnatom]

Been the worst winter for cycling conditions IME for a long time. Be glad to see the back of it.

At least it was almost light at 7.00am today.

I disagree. Last year was very windy. I'll take this weather, rather than strong winds, any day!

 

[User482]

Sounds like snapper is doing the right thing - taking a route or position that avoids the ice. If you couldn't avoid the ice, then I think your colleague might have a point.

 

[beanzontoast]

I disagree. Last year was very windy. I'll take this weather, rather than strong winds, any day!

Granted, gale-force gusts of can be downright dangerous. Most of the time wind is just unpleasant and annoying when it's against you.

 

[snapper_37]

Sounds like snapper is doing the right thing - taking a route or position that avoids the ice. If you couldn't avoid the ice, then I think your colleague might have a point.

Yes, that's what I thought. Thanks for all the replies.

I realise that it is personal choice and I hope I'm experienced enough to be able to deal with ice (albeit sometimes you can easily be caught out which I found out a year ago ). I guess I'm trying to get rid of my ghosts as far as that is concerned.

I must admit, it is the first time I have rode the whole commute in primary and I did find that other vehicles seemed to give me a lot more space. Perhaps the majority realised why I was doing it and cut a bit of slack.

I hadn't commuted since last Friday and I was starting to get very tetchy and could feel the road rage brewing! Like others have said, my road and the ajoining were totally a no-go so it was a 10 minute walk to the main road.

As an aside, my sweet little man-friend has just been in to say he hopes he didn't p*ss me off and that he was only thinking of my well being. Awwwwwwww.

 

[magnatom]

As an aside, my sweet little man-friend has just been in to say he hopes he didn't p*ss me off and that he was only thinking of my well being. Awwwwwwww.

First bus drivers, now blokes in the office. Hmm, what are you up to snapper...

 

[bryce]

I still think this 'primary' thing is dangerous. It's like a gnat trying to police a lion by winding it up.

 

[snapper_37]

First bus drivers, now blokes in the office. Hmm, what are you up to snapper...

Oi! He's a big, butch, handsome factory worker thank you. No namby pamby office nerds for me.

Think I'm on the turn.

 

[thomas]

I think the guy has a point, however I still cycle when snowy/icy to work . Thankfully I only do a 4 mile commute at UNI, but if it was really bad where I work back home (16 mile commute) I would drive in preference.

So, I do agree with him but would be a hypocrite as I'd still cycle in poor conditions if I had to

When it's icey though, car drivers (sometimes) slow down and things, so taking a more primary position will help make your journey safer. Even in a car you could loose control!

 

[wafflycat]

Thing is... not everyone has an alternative mode of transport readily available. Folk cycle for all sorts of reasons - they like it, they have no car for whatever reason, there is no bus service available... If you live and work in the same urban area, you may well have a choice of transport options open to you, especially if you're 9-5 working hours. But as soon as you start adding in stuff such as non-standard working hours, more rural areas, edge of town, commuting distances, then the transport options rapidly become more limited, and cycling may well be the only reasonable transport option for many a journey - whatever the weather.

Edit to add in a general rant...

One of the things that, to use a phrase, gets right up my goat, is when on the weather forecasts and news, we get the phrase "avoid unnecessary journeys" or "essential journeys only" as if for the vast majority of folk going to work/school and the like is something that's done for the sheer frivolity of it... No, let's not attempt to get to work, after all, in these times of the credit crunch we can all afford to have X days' pay docked for not showing up...

Sorry. Normal service will now be resumed.

 

[snapper_37]

No, let's not attempt to get to work, after all, in these times of the credit crunch we can all afford to have X days' pay docked for not showing up...

Totally agreed. I think the 'unless totally necessary' brigade believe everyone gets paid, irrevelant of whether they turn up or not. Nice thought.

 

[Watt-O]

I can fall off my bike without the presence of ice. My back wheel went at the start of Jan and I landed on my rib cage - out of action for 4 weeks, still better to miss Jan than June.

 

[cheadle hulme]

My bottles gone a bit since coming off a few weeks back. No harm done but its easy to crack a bone and be off for weeks.
Most of my cycling is discretionary at the moment anyway and I'm quite enjoying running to keep fit instead. Doesn't take half an hour to get ready either!

 

[goo_mason]

I've been off the bike for almost two weeks - initially recovering from a cold but thereafter because of the ice. Many of the roads I'm on aren't the main ones and can be pretty dicey - and given my record of coming off on ice, I've decided it's not worth the risk to me or the bike.

Was cursing myself yesterday, as it looked pretty clear as I sat on the bus looking up some of the side streets I'd have been coming up - but a work colleague who ran in said it was really icy off the main roads, so I felt a little less of a big jessie.

Was checking MetCheck and next week looks warmer (if a littlw windy), so I'll be back in the saddle again soon (and not before time, as I'm suffering from cycling withdrawal symptoms) !!

 

[Arch]

Edit to add in a general rant...

One of the things that, to use a phrase, gets right up my goat, is when on the weather forecasts and news, we get the phrase "avoid unnecessary journeys" or "essential journeys only" as if for the vast majority of folk going to work/school and the like is something that's done for the sheer frivolity of it... No, let's not attempt to get to work, after all, in these times of the credit crunch we can all afford to have X days' pay docked for not showing up...

Sorry. Normal service will now be resumed.

I get your point. But I wonder if the phrase is really meant to be aimed at people tootling along to Meadowhall, or somesuch, who think that constitutes an essential journey. I imagine it's a run on from the old war time "Is your journey really necessary?" thing. Work is a necessity, a latte and doughnut at Starbucks, followed by a trail round Debenhams, isn't.

Of course, in these days of car over-use, the exhortation to only drive if necessary should be broadcast everyday. It's not the phrase that's wrong, it's some people's idea of 'necessary'...