Tales from today's commute....

[KneesUp]

Some section were very hard work this morning - I normally ease off on the last road before work so I can cool down a bit, but today it was brutal because the wind is funneled down it by various buildings - I was down to my granny ring. In theory that will mean a rapid ride home, at least on that bit, but we all know it doesn't work that way!

 

[Bazzer]

Well that was bloody hard work.
Around 13 miles of headwind and 4 miles of side winds, with no respite at all. . 11/2 miles of road with wind coming from my left across open fields was particularly scary. Luckily all drivers who passed me, gave plenty of room.

 

[si_c]

Commute home was far less rapid than I had anticipated. The expected cross-tailwind had just become a crosswind for most of the journey and although it wasn't too strong, it was still gusting and pushing me sideways.

 

[dhd.evans]

20mph average home last night hitting 33mph on the flats(!).

Unfortunately had an impatient WVM try to roll over me at a junction, rev his engine aggressively then attempt to take me out turning right. We had a 'frank' discussion about the matter when he parked up (turns out we were travelling to the same destination!) which was less than helpful. I'll simply report him to his employer with the video and let them deal with it.

Turned a pleasant morning into a sour one.

 

[si_c]

Steady in this morning as legs a bit tired so left earlier than usual but barely a remnant of yesterdays wind. In fact I'm struggling to recall much about this mornings commute at all - I suppose that's the best kind.

 

[Mrklaw]

20mph average home last night hitting 33mph on the flats(!).

Unfortunately had an impatient WVM try to roll over me at a junction, rev his engine aggressively then attempt to take me out turning right. We had a 'frank' discussion about the matter when he parked up (turns out we were travelling to the same destination!) which was less than helpful. I'll simply report him to his employer with the video and let them deal with it.

Turned a pleasant morning into a sour one.

I guess they're trying to get ahead of you to avoid being blocked on the road? But it makes no sense to try as you'll always be quicker away from the lights.

 

[Threevok]

Wet

 

[si_c]

Wet

I'm expecting that later. Met office says 99% chance of rain this afternoon

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Very windy ride to work yesterday (head-wind)
Wore a new jacket, that I bought last week for the first time

Forgot it was windproof, & given the temperature, I felt a bit 'boil in the bag'

Still, the visibility factor, for the, left at 22:20, (mainly tail-wind) ride home, was undoubtedly quite good

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/cy...ns-reflective-removable-sleeve-cycling-jacket

 

[Moodyman]

Filtering through stationery traffic on the approach to a roundabout. Big lorry on the left and an SUV on the right.

Wasn't paying attention ahead and traffic started to move. I was half way along the lorry, but couldn't see his mirrors. Panic. Pedalled hard and got past lorry as he started navigating roundabout and the inevitable straddling of two lanes.

Made it by a whisker but could have been a statistic. Just goes to show you cannot EVER, EVER switch off.

It's a road I've ridden hundreds of times and this familiarity, quite possibly, led to a degree of complacency.

Be safe all.

 

[Sixmile]

I'd a painful commute yesterday as I didn't take the bike due to storm Ali. I dropped the kids to school and drove onto work, stuck on the motorway for 20 minutes+. My wife then who'd earlier got the train to town, couldn't get home because of debris on the line. She walked across town and drove my car home to take kids swimming. A few hours later I was heading home, walked to the trains that were now back on. Got to the station, no, the 5:40pm train is cancelled. The buses no longer run through city centre due to the Primark fire so I didn't know where to get it now and I was a good half hour walk from the route anyhow. My wife eventually had to drive back to get me.

This morning, back on the bike. Sailed in no bother.

 

[dhd.evans]

I guess they're trying to get ahead of you to avoid being blocked on the road? But it makes no sense to try as you'll always be quicker away from the lights.

Maybe; from the chat we had he was adamant that he'd stopped and given me space, even going so far as to accuse me of slowing down to rile him up. Turns out if you slow down whilst going up hill you are doing it to wind drivers up... who knew!

 

[lazybloke]

Fabulous tailwind home this evening, better than usual stats on Strava!

 

[Jenkins]

1/2 mile from home in Trimley, on the oppposite side of the road I saw a car parked nose in to the kerb and a bike leaning up against the wall so went over to check if the rider was OK thinking there had been an acccident - at which point the car driver got out and went into full on shouting mode against the rider. It turned out he had said something during (what he termed as) a close pass which the driver took exception to as there was a young child in the car - only for the driver to repeat it frequently and use much worse language at volume where the child could still hear. Things did get very heated, but to his credit, the cyclist kept very calm and was on the phone to the police as a result of the driver's atttitude.

Other than that, warm & very breezy but an otherwise dull, boring day!

 

[si_c]

So wet. So very very very wet. So unbelievably horribly wet.