Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Stuck a new winter tyre on the front today to bed in the spikes, got a few odd looks as it sounded like a bowl of rice krispies approaching. Need to bed the back in too, stereo

Blimey.
Where are you based.
In London/SE there's never a need for studded tyres thank gawd.

 

[clf]

Manchester, there's no need at all yet, but apparently you need to bed the spikes in on tarmac for 20 or 30 miles before the ice comes, have a feeling they might come in useful in a couple of months.

 

[Jenkins]

Yet another day of wall to wall sunshine, warmer than yesterday, plus a light breeze in the morning. Woke up a bit earlier than planned so had an extended ride in to work and, with the late afetrnoon warmth holding, an extended ride home as well.
27 miles in & 23 home for a 50 mile round trip for the first time that I can remember!

 

[clf]

I'm beginning to thing that violence is the only answer, knocked off again this morning by mummy in her 4x4 dropping tarquin off outside the school gates, on the zig zags, it was only the presence of children that stopped me unleashing a bicycle pump around her head, sick of this now. The next issue I have I will struggle to hold my temper, whatever happens they better make sure I stay down after they hit me because by christ they won't be getting up again.

 

[Arjimlad]

I'm beginning to thing that violence is the only answer, knocked off again this morning by mummy in her 4x4 dropping tarquin off outside the school gates, on the zig zags, it was only the presence of children that stopped me unleashing a bicycle pump around her head, sick of this now. The next issue I have I will struggle to hold my temper, whatever happens they better make sure I stay down after they hit me because by christ they won't be getting up again.

Nasty. Are you able to report this selfish danger?

 

[ianrauk]

I'm beginning to thing that violence is the only answer, knocked off again this morning by mummy in her 4x4 dropping tarquin off outside the school gates, on the zig zags, it was only the presence of children that stopped me unleashing a bicycle pump around her head, sick of this now. The next issue I have I will struggle to hold my temper, whatever happens they better make sure I stay down after they hit me because by christ they won't be getting up again.

Sorry to hear that.
There are some really selfish people about when it comes to the school run.

 

[clf]

Unfortunately not, my cameras were off at the time and she drove off, I will see the car again I'm sure, plenty of witnesses, none seemed to know who this is despite her dropping her kids off there every day for the last several years no doubt. Even if I could report it I have no faith in the police or the council to do anything about the parking problems around the school, I think the word C**T written in brake fluid across her bonnet may be a better deterrent,
I'm ok, bike's fine once I straighten the front derailleur.

 

[dhd.evans]

Ride home will not be via the cycle path as a body was found on it this morning. Apparently had been in the water 'for some time'.

Hills it is...

 

[T675Rich]

Had an interesting conversation with an angry motorist this morning. He was driving like an idiot but I am wondering if what I said was right. I'll explain. I was at the end of a shared use path at a section where you have to cross the road to the shared use path the other side, the road you cross comes to an end a little way to my left at a T-junction. There were cars queuing up to the junction and one waved me across so I checked the other direction that was clear and went, are care then turned right into the top of the road at speed when I was about 3/4 of the way across and slammed his brakes on and started shouting at me. I am pretty sure he cut the corner and was driving to fast without checking a road he was joining. I told him that people already crossing had priority when you enter a road as I was thinking of rule 170 but then I doubted myself as I know that is correct for pedestrians but is it for cyclists?

 

[the stupid one]

Second cycle commute as an old man today. I’d fettled the front mech to drop into the little ring yesterday, and was disappointed that it had stopped again. Some roadside multitool action took care of that. I made it to the top of the ascent to Heswall without having to give up and climb off, but good grief it was a struggle. And I’d lowered the handlebars a couple of centimetres so the bike rolled easily into the lock-up. Washed and changed and at work on time!

 

[Mrklaw]

Had an interesting conversation with an angry motorist this morning. He was driving like an idiot but I am wondering if what I said was right. I'll explain. I was at the end of a shared use path at a section where you have to cross the road to the shared use path the other side, the road you cross comes to an end a little way to my left at a T-junction. There were cars queuing up to the junction and one waved me across so I checked the other direction that was clear and went, are care then turned right into the top of the road at speed when I was about 3/4 of the way across and slammed his brakes on and started shouting at me. I am pretty sure he cut the corner and was driving to fast without checking a road he was joining. I told him that people already crossing had priority when you enter a road as I was thinking of rule 170 but then I doubted myself as I know that is correct for pedestrians but is it for cyclists?

Drive at a speed that allows you to stop within a distance you can see to be clear. The driver of the car should not come fast around a corner being unable to stop. You crossed when the road was clear - you aren’t psychic to know a car is going to suddenly appear

 

[PeteXXX]

The irony of people stopping for a twatwaffle is totally lost on them! They’re in such a rush, then waste several minutes arguing their point, when if they’d have driven sensibly, they’d have been a mile further on their journey, and with a lower stress level.
Ho hum..

 

[nickAKA]

The irony of people stopping for a twatwaffle is totally lost on them! They’re in such a rush, then waste several minutes arguing their point, when if they’d have driven sensibly, they’d have been a mile further on their journey, and with a lower stress level.
Ho hum..

The old adage "people don't want to be happy, they just want to be right" applies...

 

[PeteXXX]

Anyway.. yesterday's commute was the usual 12.5 miles, quite uneventful apart from hearing a tinging sound from the rear wheel after I'd bounced across an unavoidable bit of bumpy tarmac. I thought I broke a spoke, but it turned out that one on the mudguard strut bolts had vibrated free and was somewhere in my wake. I fixed it with a small cable tie and carried on on my way within a few minutes. I'll keep an eye out for the bits next time I pass there, but am not holding my breath!

Longer, 15 mile, route home, just after midnight, as I had a bit of energy left after a 10 hour shift.
Buzzed by a few bats, as they swooped in on the moths illuminated by my lights, probably.

Just before home, on a dark, unlit section of fast downhill and then uphill road, I didn't see the cyclist coming t'other way, all I heard was the freehub noise as he barrelled past in the other direction! Gawd knows how he could see anything, let alone be seen!

Back home just after 01:00.

 

[Randombiker9]

Most recent close calls in past 2 weeks.
1. On roundabout going straight, motorbike forgot to signal it's exit. Because i looked over my shoulder, i managed to slow down in time
2. From a side road car pulled out (failing to give way) on a mini rounabout. Just came out of filtering as about to take middle lane but then saw him He litreally only missed me by a couple of inches because he sligthly managed to turn. (at the same time another driver honked at him)
3. there was this car in the wrong lane or he had pulled out the wrong way. Also what is with cars pulling out and not checking their mirrors because today this car was coming out from a parking space i just gave eye contact and he decided to drive forward a little and then break suddenly.

Do lorry drivers have more training around cyclists? as there way more aware I've found. (Also other cyclists should stop going up left hand of a lorry when filtering as isn't this where one of their blind spots is?.

ps i need to get another bike camera as my previous one the holder broke.