Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Blimey that was blowy out there this morning. It made for very tough going. But at least it wasn't raining. It rained all through the night and was xpecting it to be a very wet commute. Luckily it stopped before I left home.
Not many other cycle commuters out there this morning. Cars and trains beckon for some I guess.

 

[LiamW]

Quiet enough on my way into Belfast this morning. Had the usual muppets not checking their left side mirror before pulling out of the bus lane into a side street. But bar that all quiet thankfully.

 

[BurningLegs]

No ride today - wheel still in the shop and a trip to the fracture clinic is likely as my shoulder keeps popping out of socket. Plus side? My new cycle to work certificate came through so i'm going to try out a Pinnacle Dolomite Single Speed when i'm through in Glasgow next week Silver linings and all that...

That sounds painful. Is/was this your first dislocation of the shoulder, or do you have a previous injury?

 

[dhd.evans]

That sounds painful. Is/was this your first dislocation of the shoulder, or do you have a previous injury?

First and hopefully last. I wrecked the AC joint on the other side in an unrelated incident so I have some inkling of what a buggered shoulder feels like but this was a whole new level of owie.

 

[straas]

Last three rides have been miserably wet.

I don't know if it's a heightened perception of risk or if people actually drive like maniacs when it's raining?

 

[Threevok]

Last three rides have been miserably wet.

I don't know if it's a heightened perception of risk or if people actually drive like maniacs when it's raining?

I have come to the conclusion that - they believe they have to get from A to B as quickly as possible, in case they get wetter

 

[straas]

Also looks like the rain has killed my Moon XP500 :-( would've expected more than 2 years from a £70 light

 

[si_c]

Good solid run in this morning, fairly steady tailwind all the way in, which was nice, as it's usually a headwind. As a bonus, it's looking like the wind is swinging around throughout the day, so possibly a tailwind on the way home too.

 

[John_S]

Hi dhd.evans,

Sorry to hear about that and I hope that you can get your shoulder sorted and back to normal as soon as possible so best of luck for a speedy recovery! I like your postitve outlook today and looking ahead to your next bike and it put my commute into perspective.

I was a bit grumpy this morning because it was chucking it down with rain and I got so soaked on the way to work that I doubt my stuff will be dry by the time I go to put stuff on for the ride home later. However that's a very minor issue compared to yours.


Hi HLaB,

That was a close shave and it's frustrating when you make every attempt to be seen, such as having appropriate lights / clothing etc., but still things like this happen. Still at least I'm glad that they stopped before actually hitting you.

 

[Boopop]

Just got back home. This guy told me "You're supposed to stop". Yes, I'm supposed to stop for people using the zebra crossing, he wasn't even on it - not only that but he was walking towards oncoming traffic rather than actually crossing the road. I know I'm supposed to expect pedestrians to do a whole manner of stupid things but I wasn't expecting this.

https://giphy.com/gifs/cyclist-pedestrian-3o7aD8ugeOEy49aSkg/fullscreen

 

[I like Skol]

the wind is swinging around throughout the day, so possibly a tailwind on the way home too.

I will be leaving for the ride to work in a few minutes which is quite unremarkable, but will be looking forward to the ride home despite the forecast of rain.

At 7pm my commute will be more or less exactly in that

direction

 

[John_S]

On my ride home from work yesterday I noticed an annoying number of cars keeping their main been lights on as they approached me. It was probably about 1 third of drivers last night.

I have German dynamo lights on my bike so they have a cut off at the top. This is exactly the same lighting set up that I've had on my bike for the last two years and I don't take it off at all so it's permanently on my bike.

I don't seem to remember having such a problem in previous years. Maybe this was just my mind overthinking stuff on the ride home from work but there has been so much negative press directed at cyclists I wonder if those reading it are being brainwashed by it and it's just creating a whole lot more negative feeling towards cyclists which can even result in such a basic thing as not having the courtesy to dip car headlights as people approach a cyclist.

 

[si_c]

At 7pm my commute will be more or less exactly in that View attachment 379612 direction

I had that with ophelia the other day, slightly cross, but mostly tailwind. Really busy though traffic wise, so couldn't smash it. You should have it better tonight. Enjoy

 

[Randombiker9]

Cycled to town and from town. It was windy. I managed to avoid the rain just about. Nothing happend cycling along but I was meeting up with a friend. We were just sitting down and talking and these teenagers were just messing around on a bikes and then one of them deicde to cycle round the bench we were sitting on and kept on cycling round and trying to find personal info out. We told them to go away and they still kept cycling around and asking personal questions. They did this till it started to rain and then they cycled away. Me and my friend thought he was going to try to do something as it's bizarre just cycling round a bench in crircles. But he didn't this was still odd as why would a 15yr old want personal info?

 

[Tom B]

On my ride home from work yesterday I noticed an annoying number of cars keeping their main been lights on as they approached me. It was probably about 1 third of drivers last night.

I have German dynamo lights on my bike so they have a cut off at the top. This is exactly the same lighting set up that I've had on my bike for the last two years and I don't take it off at all so it's permanently on my bike.

I don't seem to remember having such a problem in previous years. Maybe this was just my mind overthinking stuff on the ride home from work but there has been so much negative press directed at cyclists I wonder if those reading it are being brainwashed by it and it's just creating a whole lot more negative feeling towards cyclists which can even result in such a basic thing as not having the courtesy to dip car headlights as people approach a cyclist.

My cousin and Mrs have both commented on this recently I'm not so sure they are driving around with full beam on. I think these modern lights particularly HID, are much more glarey. Those LED day running lights don't help.

More of a menace are those increasing needs driving around with no lights on. Those dashes that light up with the ignition and day running lights mean people forget.