akb
Veteran
- Location
- Potton, Bedfordshire
First commute of the new year this morning. Got to work acknowledging the fact that I did not need leg warmers, water proof jacket or buff. Very warm!
Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
arallsopp
Post of The Year 2009 winner
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
Sorry to hear that Gaz. No fun.
Second day's commute for me. Odd day yesterday, mind. Coming in late morning, I'm sat at the lights on Trinity Road, headed North towards Wandsworth. I tend not to filter up here, as the ASL usually has a couple of motorbikes in it, and if a bus is coming left from Bellevue Road, it'll swing wide across anyone sitting away from the kerb. However, traffic seems clear, so I sneak up the outside and park myself squarely in the middle.
Whilst sat there, I hear sirens of police cars making their way towards the junction, seemingly at speed. Between gaps in the crossing traffic (which seems to be oblivious) I can see at least three police vehicles closing rapidly from the North. I get prime view of at least ten cars who opt to speed across the junction rather than wait for the convoy to pass, including at least five who turn towards the police and manage to block the road.
The lights change in our favour (north/south) whilst the police are still battling with idiots, so I opt to hold still and keep the junction clear. This doesn't go down too well with the cars behind me, but as the police are coming directly towards us and are only a few cars from the line now, I figure its for the best. A people carrier opposite me hesitates when I don't move forwards, and comes to a halt. He seems completely unaware that he's boxing the police in a couple of cars behind him. Muppet.
I wave him to cross the junction (he has the green, as do I), and he sits there. I point at the police cars. He sits there. I motion him to cross. He pulls right. Then left. Then right again. Then stops. I point down the road beside me to say "just go straight over, you're blocking the junction" when he looks directly at me, then swings hard left *onto* Wandsworth Common. I figure he's going to park up out of the way, but no, he accelerates for about 300 yards then jumps out.
Ah... Perhaps he *did* know the police were there after all.
He gets across Bellevue into a sidestreet on foot, but the police waste no time chasing him down. The rest of the commute is accompanied by sirens in the opposite lane making their way to the scene, which was nice.
Second day's commute for me. Odd day yesterday, mind. Coming in late morning, I'm sat at the lights on Trinity Road, headed North towards Wandsworth. I tend not to filter up here, as the ASL usually has a couple of motorbikes in it, and if a bus is coming left from Bellevue Road, it'll swing wide across anyone sitting away from the kerb. However, traffic seems clear, so I sneak up the outside and park myself squarely in the middle.
Whilst sat there, I hear sirens of police cars making their way towards the junction, seemingly at speed. Between gaps in the crossing traffic (which seems to be oblivious) I can see at least three police vehicles closing rapidly from the North. I get prime view of at least ten cars who opt to speed across the junction rather than wait for the convoy to pass, including at least five who turn towards the police and manage to block the road.
The lights change in our favour (north/south) whilst the police are still battling with idiots, so I opt to hold still and keep the junction clear. This doesn't go down too well with the cars behind me, but as the police are coming directly towards us and are only a few cars from the line now, I figure its for the best. A people carrier opposite me hesitates when I don't move forwards, and comes to a halt. He seems completely unaware that he's boxing the police in a couple of cars behind him. Muppet.
I wave him to cross the junction (he has the green, as do I), and he sits there. I point at the police cars. He sits there. I motion him to cross. He pulls right. Then left. Then right again. Then stops. I point down the road beside me to say "just go straight over, you're blocking the junction" when he looks directly at me, then swings hard left *onto* Wandsworth Common. I figure he's going to park up out of the way, but no, he accelerates for about 300 yards then jumps out.
Ah... Perhaps he *did* know the police were there after all.
He gets across Bellevue into a sidestreet on foot, but the police waste no time chasing him down. The rest of the commute is accompanied by sirens in the opposite lane making their way to the scene, which was nice.
Miquel In De Rain
No Longer Posting
New thing for me in 2013 is fitting a rear light on the left of the back wheel after a particulary close pass on the Leytonstone High Road one night (I was in the centre of the road) while I was waiting for a gap to turn right into Mornington Road.Means i have one on the left,right and on the seatpost.I do tend to find that I dont spend all my time hugging the gutter anyway.
OP
OP
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
I worked from home today. An extremely easy commute. Doesn't do much for my mileage though!
Miquel In De Rain
No Longer Posting
Did for mine,I have a new hobby since buying the new wheels and new rear caliper and that is draughting buses,great fun.I tried draughting two red light jumpers this morning but they were too fast for me.
Ped shouting abuse near thatched house this morning but I was so confident on the faster bike I just whizzed past him,guess he was drunk or drugged up,no reaction from me and I was totally unpeturbed.
Ped shouting abuse near thatched house this morning but I was so confident on the faster bike I just whizzed past him,guess he was drunk or drugged up,no reaction from me and I was totally unpeturbed.
mark st1
Plastic Manc
- Location
- Leafy Berkshire
First dry one of the year 
i had a small deer scare the bejesus out of me this morning though. Unlit road (apart from my lights) and i obviously disturbed it it must of run 4 ft in front of me and then off down the road. First bit of wildlife ive met on my travels lol.
i had a small deer scare the bejesus out of me this morning though. Unlit road (apart from my lights) and i obviously disturbed it it must of run 4 ft in front of me and then off down the road. First bit of wildlife ive met on my travels lol.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
It was damp and dark, but I broke 23 minutes for the 8 mile trip from Macc to Wilmslow tonight. I wouldn't normally get to that sort of time until the evenings were light and the roads were dryer. A little less traffic and warmer temperatures helped, but it felt damn good banging out a fast rhythm. 
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Got a bit carried away tonight and did just over 21 miles. Was a bit slower than normal, had to give the chain a good mickling when I got home.
benborp
Guru
- Location
- further from Penge
Clattered really hard by a wing mirror - arse, elbow and hand. Apparently I should have been on the pavement rather than in the mandatory cycle lane.
clarion
Guru
- Location
- Exiled from Hyperborea
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Hope you're all right from that!
I don't know if you have reported anything to roadsafe recently but they have really stepped their game up. Well worth reporting it if you had the cameras running.
benborp
Guru
- Location
- further from Penge
Cheers Clarion and Gaz. Bum is getting a little stiff (I know what I did there..).
No cameras at the moment. Helmet cam is off for repair and the bike with hard-wired cameras will hopefully have its rebuild completed by the weekend. I have been impressed by your recent experiences with RoadSafe Gaz.
No cameras at the moment. Helmet cam is off for repair and the bike with hard-wired cameras will hopefully have its rebuild completed by the weekend. I have been impressed by your recent experiences with RoadSafe Gaz.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Another 20 miles this morning. Must admit I am beginning to feel it and glad it is Friday
Great commute in today. Dry, hardly anyone on the cycle paths. roads were pretty quiet in the city. Bombed down lothian road. (to MI5 when i say "bombed", i mean "went really fast", to the police that's 30mph. phew!)
Had a jaw dropping experience last night. Was keeping left on a very wide road, and as i was coming to a T junction a young lad in a hatchback with his girlfrind in the passenge seat slowed down and allowed me priority so he could turn left, i was going right and looking to move to primary. That's right he didn't speed past me, which to be fair there was probably plenty of tarmac left to do so. It was very courteous and unexpected.
Had a jaw dropping experience last night. Was keeping left on a very wide road, and as i was coming to a T junction a young lad in a hatchback with his girlfrind in the passenge seat slowed down and allowed me priority so he could turn left, i was going right and looking to move to primary. That's right he didn't speed past me, which to be fair there was probably plenty of tarmac left to do so. It was very courteous and unexpected.
