Tales from today's commute....

[HarryTheDog]

Very wet commute this morning. Poor girl on a new bike/train/bike commute nearly got booted off for not having reserved a space. She didn't know she had to and was only going one stop, so they let her stay. I told her how to go about it- it's a bit of a faff, but easy enough to do.

What a horrible system, the trains here are less than 15 mins apart and in the morning or evening I can choose to use around 3 different times, having to book a specific time would really give me the pip. Its bad enough I have to catch one before 06:30 in the morning and home one supposedly after 19:00 ( full size bike) though I slip onto the 18:56 and no one has ever said anything to me. What is the train company?
What if you had a puncture etc and missed your alloted train? can you change it on a app or do you have to get someone to pick you up?

 

[rivers]

Do you have to reserve every day?
Way proper wet today here too, not too cold though.

What a horrible system, the trains here are less than 15 mins apart and in the morning or evening I can choose to use around 3 different times, having to book a specific time would really give me the pip. Its bad enough I have to catch one before 06:30 in the morning and home one supposedly after 19:00 ( full size bike) though I slip onto the 18:56 and no one has ever said anything to me. What is the train company?
What if you had a puncture etc and missed your alloted train? can you change it on a app or do you have to get someone to pick you up?

It's a train that runs from somewhere (I think Weston Super Mare) to London Paddington so the train staff want you to book. Most of the time, there is a space, but not always. So I just spend 10 minutes every Sunday booking my space for the week.

 

[cyberknight]

Very wet commute this morning. Poor girl on a new bike/train/bike commute nearly got booted off for not having reserved a space. She didn't know she had to and was only going one stop, so they let her stay. I told her how to go about it- it's a bit of a faff, but easy enough to do.

im on late shift , hoping it clears up by the time i go .If not i might take the car as my arthritic hand plays up so i have dosed up but i cant see the point in aggravating it .I dont mind getting damp although getting soaked when i dont have too seems a bit daft

 

[GeekDadZoid]

It's a train that runs from somewhere (I think Weston Super Mare) to London Paddington so the train staff want you to book. Most of the time, there is a space, but not always. So I just spend 10 minutes every Sunday booking my space for the week.

Ahh ok, not too bad if you can do them weekly on mass.
I am fortunately that I do not have to use the train for my commute and if I did I would use my brompton.

 

[HarryTheDog]

I am now convinced that Canals attract wierdo's and rude people. I have commuted into work for over 17 years. This route to a new place of work for 5 months, I have encountered more rude angry people in the last months than the years before.
Spotted a young man by the side of the path with the wheel off his bike, I slowed and asked if he needed any help, I just got a mouthful for my troubles.
Not so bad but annoying was the next thing. I realised I was being drafted by a bloke late 30's maybe, in all the gear. He sat there for over a mile. Then he said on your right and went past. I expected him to maybe go a little faster but basically repay the favour, nope flat out sprint to ensure I did not draft him.

 

[C R]

First wet commute since 2020 this morning on the way in, but glorious sunshine on the way back. It takes less than ten minutes from the house to the office, so didn't really get wet anyway.

 

[GeekDadZoid]

Ride home was nice weather but the bike ride like a dog. Needed a fettle when home and will do a full lube tomorrow.

 

[cyberknight]

im on late shift , hoping it clears up by the time i go .If not i might take the car as my arthritic hand plays up so i have dosed up but i cant see the point in aggravating it .I dont mind getting damp although getting soaked when i dont have too seems a bit daft

absolutely hammering it down when i was due to leave so decided to take the car, by the time i left the ruddy sun was out ! but a hill that drops down to a junction was covered in gravel that has washed onto the road so i probably dodged a bullet

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Riding home on a shared pavement, a wee boy approaching on a scooter, his dad walking behind.
I stop for the boy, because we are also sharing the pavement with a bus stop
The boy, just about school age, looks at me and states:
"you must wear a helmet when you are riding a bike"
This wee boy will probably, in 20 years time, shout at cyclists "you must use the cycle path"

 

[gaijintendo]

I know it's technically tomorrow's commute, but it is my first proper one in forever. I had a lovely loose jacket before all this kicked off and now it's extremely "aero". Oh well, it'll have to do. Wish me luck.
Update:
Made it. Nothing to report, but my new security pass is going to be ruddy cheeked. Mad how turbo trainers never quite replicate the anxiety of a bit of slippy bit of mud or a bunch of mulching blossom on the path ahead.

 

[Ripple]

Uneventful commute apart from disturbed fox which just wanted to have a no.1 or no.2 ... right in the middle of the cycle path.

 

[fossyant]

I am now convinced that Canals attract wierdo's and rude people. I have commuted into work for over 17 years. This route to a new place of work for 5 months, I have encountered more rude angry people in the last months than the years before.
Spotted a young man by the side of the path with the wheel off his bike, I slowed and asked if he needed any help, I just got a mouthful for my troubles.
Not so bad but annoying was the next thing. I realised I was being drafted by a bloke late 30's maybe, in all the gear. He sat there for over a mile. Then he said on your right and went past. I expected him to maybe go a little faster but basically repay the favour, nope flat out sprint to ensure I did not draft him.

Bit 'nicer' up North. Much prefer my 13 mile canal commute into Manchester than the 9 mile direct road route. I've a few 'regulars' that always get a cheery 'morning'. One old couple must walk a few miles up the canal every morning - if I'm early or late, I always see them at various points. Around 7:30am every day. Then there is another friendly old chap walking his dog around 7:15am. Same in the evening, but another couple of people walking dogs at exactly the same time every day.

There are a few 'scallies' on bikes but they tend to get out of the way when they see me coming at speed. Not had any trouble since starting this 'commute' in September after a 6 year 'commuting break' after getting my spine broken on the way to work (road).

 

[Ripple]

On my way home ... Roadworks.

 

[cosmicbike]

Got wet. Pleased to have managed my 3 x 12hr early shifts on the bike though, made it my biggest week this year which is shockingly poor.

 

[Ripple]

This time I had a companion for about 200 metres on my way home. I was riding alongside a 6 feet high brick wall that separates a road from buildings. Noticed a flash of movement next to my head but thought it's a cat running on that wall. Then a second later I realised that it's a squirrel. It ran next to me on that wall for about 100 metres and then jumped on the pavement right in front of me and ran another 100 metres until the wall ended and the squirrel jumped into a hedge.

P.S. squirrel ran steady 15 kmh on a pavement.