Tales from today's commute....

[Bazzer]

Sunshine of the journey home most welcome after the cold of the morning. Legs still tired for some reason and three idiots who seemed to think they had more right to the road space than me and demonstrated this by using a horn while stationary.- Unless of course all three thought my bike posed a danger to the tons of metal of the vehicles at my front and rear.
Normally I rarely come across other cyclists travelling in the same direction as me on my commute home, but for a brief period in a section of bumper to bumper traffiic I did yesterday. A feeling of brotherhood. And if that one arm cyclist reads this .

 

[Simontm]

What a PITA of a ride in. The traffic! It's not often on my route in that I have to stop and queue but today I did. Bit chilly when I started off but soon warmed up.
Numpty count: 3. A bus that was overly cautious leading to the first traffic jam. To make things worse, he was also very civil to oncoming traffic, allowing them through when it was his priority and causing me to do a standing start half way up a hill . A young lady decided she was going to overtake me despite the oncoming traffic and nearly took my front wheel off if I can't had braked as I had nowhere to go . Last numpty was, err, me! Nearing the end of traffic hell, there was a red light so I started overtaking on the right as I normally do - unfortunately completely mis-timed it and had to cut back in, braking sharpish as the gap narrowed on the left filter. So if you were on the MTB behind and had to brake cos I am an idiot, my apologies .

 

[Nocode]

Last night I saw a cyclist collide with a pedestrian here. The pedestrian walked-out between parked cars on the left by the shops. The cyclist came off and the pedestrian went down, but both looked largely ok. Another cyclist and myself stopped to check and a couple of guys came out of the shops also to check.

You'd have thought with that incident at the fore-front of my mind I could have avoided a similar incident happening to me this morning, but unfortunately not. I had my first collision with a pedestrian this morning here not far from Surrey Quays when she ran out in front of a double-decker bus. I'd anticipated something as I'd seen a few others pedestrians run out in front, so I had slowed - but then there was a time gap and nothing. Then all of a sudden the pedestrian appears, runs out in front of me and then stops when she sees me coming. Impact was low speed, don't think the pedestrian went down but suspect I hit her with bit of front wheel and handlebar - it's a bit of a blur to be honest. The sudden braking and slippery cleats (when I put my foot down) meant I lost my balance and went over. Just some knee scrapes, little hole in my 3/4 bib tights, scuffed right pedal and cleat for me. Pedestrian was very apologetic but seemed ok. I admit, I was more concerned she was ok than myself. However, by the time I've walked over to the side of the road to put my chain back on the pedestrian had gone.

It's my first 'incident' so to speak - and obviously not with another vehicle, but a pedestrian. Should I have done anything differently either before or after the incident? I had slowed in anticipation of something, but not sure I could have avoided the collision easily unless I was doing crawling speed. Should I have got her details, or reported anything? I'm a member of British Cycling so I've got liability insurance.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Started the week as I mean to go on, 77 miles yesterday and knocked in a 48 miler this morning. A bit chilly to start with but it looks awesome for the return leg later.

 

[potsy]

Chilly this morning at 5.30am but it is looking promising for the ride home later

Nice bit of new tarmac on one section of my route too, almost made riding up the hill enjoyable

 

[Incontinentia Buttocks]

Yesterday morning (0500hrs)i couldn't decide which gloves to wear, full winter or fingerless. Went fingerless and nearly froze to death. Really looking forward to today's ride, I'm on lates so it will be light and warm, knees and elbows out :-)

 

[ianrauk]

, knees and elbows out :-)

Tuck 'em in - you'll go faster

 

[Bazzer]

here[/URL] not far from Surrey Quays when she ran out in front of a double-decker bus. I'd anticipated something as I'd seen a few others pedestrians run out in front, so I had slowed - but then there was a time gap and nothing. Then all of a sudden the pedestrian appears, runs out in front of me and then stops when she sees me coming. Impact was low speed, don't think the pedestrian went down but suspect I hit her with bit of front wheel and handlebar - it's a bit of a blur to be honest. The sudden braking and slippery cleats (when I put my foot down) meant I lost my balance and went over. Just some knee scrapes, little hole in my 3/4 bib tights, scuffed right pedal and cleat for me. Pedestrian was very apologetic but seemed ok. I admit, I was more concerned she was ok than myself. However, by the time I've walked over to the side of the road to put my chain back on the pedestrian had gone.

It's my first 'incident' so to speak - and obviously not with another vehicle, but a pedestrian. Should I have done anything differently either before or after the incident? I had slowed in anticipation of something, but not sure I could have avoided the collision easily unless I was doing crawling speed. Should I have got her details, or reported anything? I'm a member of British Cycling so I've got liability insurance.

Off the top of my head, it is drivers who have the obligation to report and there wasn't any apparent injury. But you if you haven't already done so, you might be better posting the question away from this thread to get more detailed responses.

 

[MisterStan]

A nice cool morning, plenty of sunshine and more cyclists out again.

 

[hedder2212]

I failed to cycle in this morning.
Dragged the Zed out. Its just too nice not to.
Gave her a quick wash and polish and rode to work the long route enjoying every moment.

I will cycle in tomorrow. ill try anyway.

 

[DWiggy]

This morning was splendid, a tad chilly but soon warmed up and no wind, saw loads of Pheasants, bunnies and birds and should be a nice ride home as long as the wind holds off (Had a leg zapping head wind home for the last few days)

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Got dropped by @MisterStan yesterday, I am getting old!!,

 

[LoftusRoadie]

PITA ride home last night: must have got 90% of all red lights before I got away from the roads and then on the towpath it seemed that everyone was conspiring to low me down - dogs in the way, having to wait while people walked each other etc.
This morning was a pb (by 6 seconds, but hey they all count!) - but didn't feel I was going that fast (well, I'm not going that fast compared to many people but when they wizz past me I reassure myself that they are probably not doing a 19 mile commute - although to be frank even if we were doing the same commute they would still wizz past me!) Hopefully we can keep this lovely weather for a while longer.

 

[summerdays]

First ride of the year when I bared my calves in the early morning and it was fine, on the way home I bared a lot more leg and wore shorts!!

Also had a bloke overtake and then cycle just infront of me, I could have overtaken him but I found he made a good wind shield, but eventually I got bored not really pedalling so went past. I think he was getting irritated me sitting there .... But it was him that overtook in the first place

Also saw a bloke pushing a bike with a flat tyre, went past without stopping but felt guilty so ended up stopping anyway. Apparently he did have the stuff himself but was enjoying the sunshine!

 

[MisterStan]

Lovely and sunny and warm with it. There was an annoying wind which was more hindrance than help.

Caught @kevin_cambs_uk up and gave him a cheery hello, he jumped on the back and stayed with us.