Tales from today's commute....

[Deleted member 1258]

Powered by petrol instead of porridge again today, drove for the second day running, I'm getting itchy feet and can't wait to get back on the bike. Tomorrow morning looks OK on the forecast, but the ride home looks like it could be a tad damp.

 

[Twilkes]

If I see handprints in the dust on the bottom of hatchback doors, it always makes me think there's people trapped inside.

 

[Nocode]

Windy on the commute this morning which made it hard going at the start. Roads are wet, filthy and covered in leaves and other crap.

Nearly clothes-lined a cyclist here in Greenwich as I was about to signal that I was getting-over into the right lane ahead (as cars have a habit of whizzing past assuming you're going straight-on) and as I looked over my shoulder before signalling saw a cyclist shooting down on my outside. Lucky I didn't stick my arm out otherwise they're be on the floor!

Then 200 yards further up the road here the same cyclist nearly ran into the back of me (heard them release a little yelp!) as there was a van stopped on the left with it's hazards on (wasn't parked-up nicely like the van in the above pic) and an old doddery man had started to cross in front of it and was coming across my path. I don't think the other cyclist had seen the old man but I had to brake to let him get across my path and the cyclist behind wasn't expected that. They were probably following too closely or wasn't expecting to have to brake when coming-off that road heading towards the foot tunnel.

 

[martint235]

Working from home today, commute is only as far as the coffee machine.

 

[Andrew_P]

Nice hard head wind this morning, hoping it doesn't turn to a westerly later. Do not mind headwind in tailwind home. Again slowest commute for a long time, it is quite nice sitting back knowing there is no chance of a fast run and just doing battle with the wind. Roads a bit crappy, made worse by the advance party scooping out the gutter ofr the road sweeper and then the road sweeper never arrives.

Have to say this week is the first week since Autumn/Winter arrived that it now feels normal, you know the preparation of extra clothing, washing down bike, getting cold sweat, getting wet, commuting in the dark. Just feel like the norm now. Just got the minus temps to adjust too next...

 

[Nocode]

Working from home today, commute is only as far as the coffee machine.

Suspect you'll be doing that commute numerous times today...

 

[tadpole]

Tail wind this morning (15mph WSW), cycling on wet roads with almost no effort and still doing 20mph is fun until a bus pulls out without looking , and you have to duck under the mirror let it takes your head off. Bus overtakes and pulls away, I speed up to catch it, for it to pull into the next bus stop and the driver turn off all the engine/light and sign and put on the out of service sign, and refuse to look at me when I bang on the window.

 

[thefollen]

Spotted a bloke with the same bike as me this morning (Trek 1.5 2011). Said 'nice bike buddy!' as I scalped him (surely those are the rules, right?)- received a moody response. Generally find fellow roadies in London to be quite serious-faced. Maybe it's just my Movember, rather large now.

Were that me I'd have given a 'wahey' and made a race of it. Battle of the 1.5s.

 

[defy-one]

I would have to. Some people are naturally miserable

 

[ianrauk]

as what @Nocode said. horrible wet and much roads. The bike is a mess.
Gave it a bit of a wash down when I got to work.

Cycling through Bromley I bumped into an old work colleague from 15 years back.
I recognised her but she didn't recognise me until I took off my baseball cap and glasses.
When she did realise who it was she said "Wow! You're not fat anymore!" In a nice way of course

 

[Sandra6]

Fairly nice ride in, and had company on the way home.
Only one "incident", rounded a corner and found a white van woman (is that even allowed?!) coming straight at me on my side of the road. Why do drivers do that??? She gave me a puzzled look when I stopped dead and gestured to the right side of the road for her, "Is the road not big enough??!!"
The two chaps outside the garage egged me on, then my son wandered up with that embarrassed look and told me I was a danger to everyone.

 

[J.Primus]

Horrible ride in this morning. The headwind seemed to change direction every time I turned a corner. You just know I'm somehow going to by cycling into on the way home as well.

 

[Harry_Palmer79]

I got the train in. Then I got the train home. It was rubbish.

I feel your pain

Train for me today also... boo

Last night's ride home was fun though... 13m 22s moving time (1m 40s quicker than my previous best) and my first ever podium place on Strava!

 

[fossyant]

as what @Nocode said. horrible wet and much roads. The bike is a mess.
Gave it a bit of a wash down when I got to work.

Bet mine is dirtier.

Damp and muddy today. Went for a 1.8 mile off road strava segment on the MTB, got it, but out went avoiding mud, puddles etc. The bike is covered in mud. Going to be playing with the two T6 LED headlamps off road tonight - toasted dog walkers anyone ?

 

[subaqua]

Horrible ride in this morning. The headwind seemed to change direction every time I turned a corner. You just know I'm somehow going to by cycling into on the way home as well.

yup , thats my ride in this morning as well.

oh and the cockwomble from Warboys in his spud wagon who likes to
1) close pass
2) sound horns at buses for hanging back for a cyclist to move into a safe riding position. will be calling them in a bit to ask if they like mashing cyclists as well as spuds