Sometimes I just think FCUK it!

manick0de

I just can't cope with drivers and peds sometimes, after a few months of uneventfull commuting I'm pondering two near crashes one of which could of been fatal (50% my fault), a couple of stupid drivers, multiple pedestrians and a dog! All in the space of a week.

I'm not usually one to have a moan individual incidents but I just need too vent!

Mog Uk

Happens to us all, I have some days when I think 'Why the hell am I doing this?', then I get morning like today when the sun was rising over the frosty fields and I think 'This really is the best way to start the day'.... The positives far outweigh the negatives....

A - W

2/10 for a rant, now where near enough swearing.



I do agree with Mog UK though, cracking morning for a commute. 8)

spasypaddy

i thought it was rather biting this morning, i had to get my autumn gloves out! But the weather was beautiful and it still is

A - W

spasypaddy wrote:

i had to get my autumn gloves out!

I got mine out too and my hat, I was cooking by the time I got to work.

Gussio

It was chilly this morning, but nicely so. New Assos arm warmers did their job 8)

Know what you mean Manik0de, there are times when the traffic is a right pain in the neck and it is difficult to get with the ebb and flow. I think that at this time of year, after the relative quiet during the summer holidays, it is particularly noticeable that the traffic is heavy. There are also a lot of new cyclists on the road these days and not all all of them contribute to an enjoyable commute.

Just keep telling yourself that, however bad a commute you might have had, it would have been 10 times worse to have done the same journey by public transport!

Stay sane....

cntl

When I look at people I know with various conditions like type 2 diabetes, strokes, hypertension, heart attacks and whatnot, then I know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of great benefit.

For me it is about risk management, especially recently. I have a rule now: "Safety first", e.g. I use cyclepaths rather than busy roads and at least 80% of my commute is OFF-ROAD (cyclepaths/shared pavements). To be fair, there's hardly anybody on these paths, so it's quite an enjoyable ride. I understand a lot of people prefer cycling with the cars (when they have an alternative), but I can relax much more when cycling between trees (again, not everybody has this option).

whome

I thought there was lots of evidence to show that shared use pavement were generally much more dangerous than the roads they ran next to? I understood this to be down to the fact that you still end up interacting with the traffic (at side roads etc), but have increased difficulty seeing all hazards and reduced priority and visibility.

I can see the attraction of cycling on empty cycle paths through woods etc though.

fossyant

The risks involved with cycling are still less than doing nothing - i.e. health vs accidents...

Just a bad week....

fossyant

Plus it's great for stress... as you cycle by all the cars stuck in traffic, even if it's persisting down with the wet stuff outside, cos you know you'll be back home, with a hot shower, long before they get there !!!!

ash68

agree, good and bad days are parr for the course. We just have to put up with the wallies and idiots and enjoy the benefits of being fit and healthy compared to our non cycling buddies.As has been said before,thepros by far outway the cons, just doesn't feel that way sometimes :roll:

Totalnewbie

I made a post a few weeks back about how stressed out and fed up I was and got lots of support on here. I was going to post here yesterday about how I'd had a trouble-free run for the last few weeks but thought 'nah, I won't jinx it' but turns out even thinking it jinxed it because I had some speeding idiot in his souped up sports car beeping me out the way before forcing me out of my lane last night. Sometimes you just hear that engine sound and think, here we go...

I came to the conclusion that he was obviously compensating for something. I caught the poor soul up at every red light anyway, thus proving there was no point in him roaring along as though he was in F1. Probably didn't register with his tiny brain though.

I have had many more good days than bad though.

el_presidente

don't let the bastards grind you down!

Gambatte

I saw the lights in front of me on red this am. Traffic was stood. So I took primary and coasted in the last 30-40 yds.

Last second a 'black sports hatch' tries to blip past me. Only thing is, he's left it too late and cant get fully into lane infront of me.

Felt good to carry on through the large gap on his left and position myself infront of him before the lights changed...

manick0de

Just to add to my woes, I had my first accident yesterday. About 9pm on my way home, I have lights and a high-viz vest. I was already on the roundabout turning right and a woman came out of the exit to my left and cut me off so she could turn right to leave the exit I'd just come from. I braked, skided on the wet road falling on my arm. and knocking th brake hood and guards, all repairable but my arm's sore. Somebody else checked if I was allright.
When the woman finally came over she says she didn't see me and that she didn't hit me. I pointed out my lighting and clothing and said she may not have looked and that I had right of way.

Anway I get back on my bike bruised and shaken thinking how much worse it could of been. I'm sore today though.

Gambatte

Accident caused by her, where someone was injured. Police not called.

She's committed an offence......