Yet some winter days are absolutely glorious, perfect cycling weather. But at the end of the day some of us just have a naturally more optimistic outlook to riding in 'dark, damp, dreary, dull weather then others.
The daily grind :(
- Thread starter RJG
- Start date
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summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Summer every time for me. However if we didn't have winter I wouldn't appreciate summer as much!
Funnily enough, I seem to have fewer bad experiences with motorists since I started cycle commuting in South Manchester after 4 years cycling in London.
I think a lot of it is just in your body language while cycling. Not necessarily taking primary position all the time, but looking like you have the right to be on the road, making obvious shoulder checks when you are coming up to junctions or need to move out to avoid an obstacle, not pootling in the gutter, giving drivers the eyeballs if they look like they could do something stupid. Thinking like a motorist helps as well.
I almost never talk to drivers, except for exceptionally dangerous driving. Rarely does it come to anything productive and just creates lingering bad feelings.
As Origamist says, try varying your route, at least you will learn some of the back roads. I even occasionally ride Wilmslow Road/Curry Mile/Oxford Road just to verify that my current alternative (A34 40mph dual carriageway) is better/faster/safer (which it always is as there are fewer opportunities for motorists/pedestrians to do stupid things, FAR fewer buses, more space and the cyclists along that way seem to be more experienced and less student-y.)
Oh and yeah, these things come and go, try to forget about it and just enjoy cycling in nice-ish weather.
I think a lot of it is just in your body language while cycling. Not necessarily taking primary position all the time, but looking like you have the right to be on the road, making obvious shoulder checks when you are coming up to junctions or need to move out to avoid an obstacle, not pootling in the gutter, giving drivers the eyeballs if they look like they could do something stupid. Thinking like a motorist helps as well.
I almost never talk to drivers, except for exceptionally dangerous driving. Rarely does it come to anything productive and just creates lingering bad feelings.
As Origamist says, try varying your route, at least you will learn some of the back roads. I even occasionally ride Wilmslow Road/Curry Mile/Oxford Road just to verify that my current alternative (A34 40mph dual carriageway) is better/faster/safer (which it always is as there are fewer opportunities for motorists/pedestrians to do stupid things, FAR fewer buses, more space and the cyclists along that way seem to be more experienced and less student-y.)
Oh and yeah, these things come and go, try to forget about it and just enjoy cycling in nice-ish weather.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
Yep and on a proper crisp frosty or snowy day, the fun to be had and Narnia like views on my non road bit are just beautiful.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Your forgetting the 1 C and 1T
1 car which the wife uses
1 Tight , Im not spending £25 a week on petrol
1 car which the wife uses
1 Tight , Im not spending £25 a week on petrol
Dave the Smeghead
Über Member
I have to say try cycling on the Embankment in London right now......
TfL are putting in the Cycle Super Highway so almost every day the layout changes and different bits have lanes closed off and it is general chaos (but will potentially be great for us cyclists when its finished). Big signs stating "Do Not Overtake Cyclists" which are totally ignored and completely unenforced even when you get squeezed with a Police car right behind the car squeezing you. Van drivers seem to actually want to kill you, coaches parking up and letting the tourists out straight into the road and then there's the ubiquitous London joggers who don't seem to realise that running in the road to avoid the crowded pavements is not the safest thing they could do especially when I am riding up behind them at somewhere between 15 and 20 mph.
It is truly total pandemonium at the moment. Quite a feat to survive it twice per day......
TfL are putting in the Cycle Super Highway so almost every day the layout changes and different bits have lanes closed off and it is general chaos (but will potentially be great for us cyclists when its finished). Big signs stating "Do Not Overtake Cyclists" which are totally ignored and completely unenforced even when you get squeezed with a Police car right behind the car squeezing you. Van drivers seem to actually want to kill you, coaches parking up and letting the tourists out straight into the road and then there's the ubiquitous London joggers who don't seem to realise that running in the road to avoid the crowded pavements is not the safest thing they could do especially when I am riding up behind them at somewhere between 15 and 20 mph.
It is truly total pandemonium at the moment. Quite a feat to survive it twice per day......
Cycling home from a friend's house t'other night on Upper Chorlton.
Nasty customized Merc with obligatory blacked out windows sped past about 60mph (on a 30) and the prick driving tossed out an empty Costa cup into the middle of the road. Tried to catch him so I could get a good knifing.
Grrr.
Nasty customized Merc with obligatory blacked out windows sped past about 60mph (on a 30) and the prick driving tossed out an empty Costa cup into the middle of the road. Tried to catch him so I could get a good knifing.
Grrr.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I have to say try cycling on the Embankment in London right now......
TfL are putting in the Cycle Super Highway so almost every day the layout changes and different bits have lanes closed off and it is general chaos (but will potentially be great for us cyclists when its finished). Big signs stating "Do Not Overtake Cyclists" which are totally ignored and completely unenforced even when you get squeezed with a Police car right behind the car squeezing you. Van drivers seem to actually want to kill you, coaches parking up and letting the tourists out straight into the road and then there's the ubiquitous London joggers who don't seem to realise that running in the road to avoid the crowded pavements is not the safest thing they could do especially when I am riding up behind them at somewhere between 15 and 20 mph.
It is truly total pandemonium at the moment. Quite a feat to survive it twice per day......
Have they finished the works yet Dave?
Dave the Smeghead
Über Member
You must be joking! Getting worse each day. Completely blocked off Northumberland Avenue and it is becoming almost total pandemonium
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Bad stuff happens on my commute every once in a while (very rarely) but I try and forget about it before I get home. Festering about it doesn't make me happy, so why bother? Almost all drivers are thoroughly decent people. I don't see any point in venturing out on the bike with an assumption that they are all utter b#stards. It would spoil my fun.
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
They have opened the first stretch of the segregated CS8, on the southbound bit approaching Big Ben. It's a bit of a tight left hand dink to get into the lane and not everybody realises it is open yet. Also see a few zombies wandering around in the lane while they wait for tourist buses. Wonder how long it will be before a Cyclist / Ped crash happens.
biking_fox
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester
I had a bad selection of rides a few years ago. Got so fed up I bought a cyclecam to console myself. Since then there's been hardly anythign of note, and eventually I gave up with it because editing any footage was too dull.
I'm now in Chorlton too, and haven't really had any problems in couple of years. Upperchorlton to Stetford road is quick and easy. Fallowfield loop around to wherever you want (A34 for preference) is enjoyably balanced. There's a canal river option too if you prefer really quiet but slow rides. You can take the Ashton canal north out of town, and then get onto the Loop to head back, ~10miles. Lots of alternatives, but generally I've had no trouble at all with drivers, just an occasional mutter under my breath.
I'm now in Chorlton too, and haven't really had any problems in couple of years. Upperchorlton to Stetford road is quick and easy. Fallowfield loop around to wherever you want (A34 for preference) is enjoyably balanced. There's a canal river option too if you prefer really quiet but slow rides. You can take the Ashton canal north out of town, and then get onto the Loop to head back, ~10miles. Lots of alternatives, but generally I've had no trouble at all with drivers, just an occasional mutter under my breath.
Dave the Smeghead
Über Member
I wasn't aware they had opened any of it yet. However I don't go up that far. I come off the Embankment at Northumberland Avenue then onto Trafalgar Square (does anyone know what those giant fingers are about? Not stopped to investigate as yet) then go through Admiralty Arch onto the Mall.
I can only imagine how frustrating it must for the car drivers in that area right now. Its bad enough on a bike!
