Tales from today's commute....

[robjh]

I took a U-shaped route this morning, the first part with the wind and I just flew along, but boy did I feel the difference as I turned back into the wind for the last leg. A bit of flying tree also hit me on the head - a small bit luckily, but otherwise a good ride. And at 4 degrees it felt positively balmy compared to yesterday morning.

 

[MisterStan]

Had to drop some bits off at a colleague's house this morning, so I got a bit of time to sort the commuter out. Put a new tube on, but the Bontrager Race Lite is really cut up - will be sticking some Gatorskins on this weekend.
22 miles in the light - even had to put my tinted lenses on - made a nice change from the dark commutes i've already become accustomed to!

 

[EthelF]

Riding along Albert Embankment this morning, the driver of a double decker open top bus decided he wanted to be where I was so while alongside me in the lane to my right he started edging into my lane, and into my space. Being a camera cyclist always looking for dramatic new footage to put on you tube I stood my ground until I was pushed into the gutter, banged the side of the bus, and got all sweary with the driver.
Actually, no I didn't. As there wasn't space for both of us in that lane I braked and let him have the space he so obviously craved. There have been too many casualties on the road this week already without me adding to them. Will probably send the vid to the depot manager asking them to suggest the driver kindly desist from bullying vulnerable road users in future. Not the first time I have encountered such driving by tour bus drivers on the depot run there.

Other than that, a rather uneventful ride.

 

[thefatcyclist]

Guy in a red cycling jacket trying to go up the inside of a coach which was already moving across him decides to punch the coach same knobber then tried to go up the inside of a lorry on a bend as the gap got smaller had to slam on his anchors and unclip to stop from falling off then after I stopped for a red further up the road he decides to shoot through it, t**t. Other than that a great journey in its good to be back on the bike

 

[Stephen C]

Nice sunny weather, but the headwind was a bit of a killer especially as my legs have been particularly tired this week. Just when I was settling down for a gentle cruise in, my gear cable snaps dropping the chain onto the smallest gear on the rear cassette. Managed to nurse it to a LBS and made myself comfy in a nice little cafe, so not all bad!

 

[Arjimlad]

I had exactly the same going down Greenwich Park hill the other day. Bearing in mind it's a 20mph max speed limit, and I was going down hill.
I left my usual gap between the car in front, when an X5 overtook me, braked instantly and sat in my safety zone the whole way down the hill.
They had to queue for 5 minutes at the bottom of the hill whilst I just cycled past.
Pointless.

Take the lane & make the buggers wait.

 

[Arjimlad]

Guy in a red cycling jacket trying to go up the inside of a coach which was already moving across him decides to punch the coach same knobber then tried to go up the inside of a lorry on a bend as the gap got smaller had to slam on his anchors and unclip to stop from falling off then after I stopped for a red further up the road he decides to shoot through it, t**t. Other than that a great journey in its good to be back on the bike

Crikey - where was that ? He won't last long and then the rest of us will get all upset & worried when he cops it!

 

[thefatcyclist]

Crikey - where was that ? He won't last long and then the rest of us will get all upset & worried when he cops it!

London, Blackfriars bridge and Stamford street.

 

[Frood42]

Chilly again on the CS3 heading towards Barking (along side the A13), and a bit of a headwind.
Numpty on a red trek bike around the Stratford/Bow area, all over the place in the cycle lane, but at least he managed to stay on the CS2...

So annoying when you pass someone, further down you stop and at the stop line for the red light, but they then decide to go over the stop line, so you then have to pass them again, this was the numpty on the red trek, so not only weaving all over the cycle lane but couldn't stop at a white line

As soon as we got to a slight uphill and there were no lights about I dropped him hard and never saw him again

Had a bit of a numpty police van driver as well.
I was in the left lane and I know there can be parked cars and there is a police depot around the corner, he decides to pull up in the right hand lane, and I just know he is going to pull into the police depot, numpty driver doesn't seem to be able to fathom the fact I can pull away there and get up to 20 mph, and so guess what, we get the last minute floor it to get past the cyclist so my cock doesn't shrivel and then turn off in the next 5 secs, which of course meant I had to slow down, shoulder check again and move around the outside of the twat, and of course I was around him before he had turned off properly

http://goo.gl/maps/vJ0FQ
http://goo.gl/maps/Bakvr - people tend to park where the single yellow is, so if you don't take a strong position you can get into trouble there, so primary in the left lane, which is where I was.
http://goo.gl/maps/IYW1Y
http://goo.gl/maps/DHhEL

 

[Beebo]

So annoying when you pass someone, further down you stop and at the stop line for the red light, but they then decide to go over the stop line, so you then have to pass them again,

That is my pet hate. Why can't they just filter in behind, they appear to have zero self awareness. I would never possition myself in front of a rider whom I knew to be quicker, and anyway, I prefer to get a free tow.

 

[Frood42]

That is my pet hate. Why can't they just filter in behind, they appear to have zero self awareness. I would never possition myself in front of a rider whom I knew to be quicker, and anyway, I prefer to get a free tow.

Thing is he decided to do this at Bow roundabout where you have a left turning onto the busy A12, and where there is now a huge ASZ, so he was also a hazard for anyone on the roundabout coming from the right and were wanting to use that exit...

Google maps is out of date now, but this is the place http://goo.gl/maps/I4dGp

He was trying to make a poor attempt to jump the red light and get across to the cycle lane, but, well, he wasn't doing it very well, especially considering some of the heavy vehicles coming from the right... so of course, he got nowhere, I then had to sit behind him after my light had gone green, then overtake on the slight slope the otherside of the roundabout (http://goo.gl/maps/3Xvct - out of date again), of course I had to move back into normal traffic flow to pass safely as he didn't seem to know what a straight line was

 

[fossyant]

I plan to ride tomorrow. Told the wife earlier and got this face

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Windy to work, windy back home. Bike is desperate for a clean, never seen so much muck on it, I must be carrying a few extra pounds in mud alone.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

In preparation for this ride, I've been pushing myself a bit harder on my commutes the last few weeks. I also made minor changes to my diet, which resulted in me losing 3kg (and keeping it off ). I thought the extra effort might leave my legs more tired than usual by today (Friday), but I'm pleased to report that my Friday legs have taken the day off! With annual leave coming up in late December to early January, I'm planning some major rides, too, with a few of them being at least 250km with at least 4,000m climbing - I'm looking forward to it.

 

[ianrauk]

2 lanes, 1 turning left, other turning right.
I'm turning right so in right lane.
BMW behind me beeps.
I indicate and point to me doing right turn
BMW Beeps again
I pull up to the junction in the right lane, he pull's into the left lane.
Problem? I ask
You were in the middle of the lane he said
I know, I am turning right
You should be on the left hand side of the road
Why is that? I ask, I am turning right not left.
You should cycle on the left.
Have you read the highway code? I said
Have you? he says.
Yes said I and if you had then you will know that you are breaking the law by not wearing a seatbelt.
He gave me the finger.
Goodbye.