Your rants here.

bails87

I lock my bike up on railings just outside the entrance to the office, I keep my locks just inside the entrance, behind a swipe card controlled door, so that they're out of the rain, dog wee and sight/reach of theiving scrotes. I lean my bike against the railings nip in to get my locks (10 yards away, on the other side of a glass door) and go back out to lock my bike up. They're locked to a low 'bump rail' type thing that's a foot high and seems to be there just to stop delivery trolleys from damaging the wall. It's out of the way, in an 'alcove' type space, not blocking access to anything.

But now the stupid office landlord has got my employer to put a note up where I keep my locks saying that if they're not removed in 2 weeks they'll be cut off.

Seeing as one of them is a NY Fahg Mini I'm tempted to leave a note saying "Good luck". But in reality the rail is just screwed on with 4 normal screws on each end, so there's no need to cut anything.

I don't want to leave my locks outside because I don't want to run the risk of them being rusted up/filled with superglue/damaged by feral yoof. I'm not carrying them with me on the 30 mile round trip because they're good, therefore they're heavy.

Which leaves me with the choice of ignoring the note or telling the estates woman who put the note up that I'm keeping my bike in the office. And I know what the answer to that will be. :evil:

I'll try to reason with her, but I assume the repsonse will be "the landlord have said it so you've got to do it". :roll:

hfidgen

"Yeah! You shitted that little girl right up. Awesome mate! Should have seen the look on her face - priceless! *Hi-Five /chestbump*"

That was what I could have said to the commuter on the pavement and weaving through the bunch of pre-school kids outside Hammersmith tube. Instead I said "Mate - get on the road" and got told to f-off.

Looked like a nice sensible chap probably with a family of his own. I hope he actually engages his brain next time.

el_presidente

hfidgen wrote:

"Yeah! You shitted that little girl right up. Awesome mate! Should have seen the look on her face - priceless! *Hi-Five /chestbump*"

That was what I could have said to the commuter on the pavement and weaving through the bunch of pre-school kids outside Hammersmith tube. Instead I said "Mate - get on the road" and got told to f-off.

Looked like a nice sensible chap probably with a family of his own. I hope he actually engages his brain next time.

Just fyi some of the pavement round the Hammersmith gyratory is shared use. I never use it because it's always jammed with peds and the road is quicker.

hfidgen

el_presidente wrote:

Just fyi some of the pavement round the Hammersmith gyratory is shared use. I never use it because it's always jammed with peds and the road is quicker.

The bit outside the district line tube, behind the car barriers, bus stop and over the cobbles isn't shared use ^^ He even looked apologetic as I stared at him until his defensive / anger reflex kicked in...

As you say, it really would have just been quicker to stay on the road, and he wouldn't have riled me and about 40 other pedestrians either.

el_presidente

That's true, it is always really busy as well with peds.

MonkeyMonster

fecking life and not having your bike in a small pouch in the pocket whenever you want it

twowheeledwriter

Lovely woman in her people carrier - with one or two young kids in the back (I couldn't see for sure) - decided to abuse me all the way down my local high street after I had the nerve to be in front of her for a few hundred metres. I had chosen not to hug the left hand side of the road as I wanted to ride further out from the parked cars. She then honked and gesticulated at me as she passed. When she was then slowed down by cars in front and I went past her, she wound down her window and she started saying that I was stupid, an idiot and and probably drunk 'cause she had almost hit the central reservation when trying to go around me!

I just said she wasn't driving very carefully and that I had done nothing wrong - she didn't like that. But I was so taken aback by the whole incident that my response was very restrained. Fortunately, I am not an aggressive or violent person, so I was very polite and reasonable.

When I made a show of looking at her number plate, she said "I bet you won't give me your name". I said "Well, what's yours?", and she gave it to me! Anyway, so now I know her name and license plate, but I chose not to give her my name based on her crazy response.

Whilst nothing she said was offensive, it was her tone and manner that shocked me. I'm still shaking now 2 hours later. I really don't know what I did wrong as I was riding as I always do - positively, maintaining my road position. I've commuted round here for 5 years without ever having had a reaction like this before.

nich

Almost went into the back of a motorcycle this evening.

He was in the main lane, then pulled into the cycle lane.

I assumed he was just using the cycle lane to gain some ground.

Next thing I know he's coming to a stop, has indicator on and begins to mount the curb.

Spose the indicator could have given it away, but I only saw it after I was a few cm from his rear wheel They don't seem to work weill when the sun is out :?

nich

Almost went into the back of a motorcycle this evening.

He was in the main lane, then pulled into the cycle lane.

I assumed he was just using the cycle lane to gain some ground.

Next thing I know he's coming to a stop, has indicator on and begins to mount the curb.

Spose the indicator could have given it away, but I only saw it after I was a few cm from his rear wheel They don't seem to work weill when the sun is out :?

sketchley

cold & windy on way home. And the no right turn at big ben meant embankment was a knight mare. That and the stiching has come apart on my new Harlequins cycling top from Foska. Customer service will be getting a call or e-mail from the wife tomorrow about it!

woodnut

Snails

They stink worse than satan's barse.

I've dealt with horrendous nappies, I've held out cupped hands for my kids to be sick into.
I've picked up dog eggs with poopbags and had those inevitable accidents where it gets under your fingernails. I once ran over a frog with my mountain bike and had its entrails thrown up on to my chest.

None of that prepared me for the horror of cleaning out the "backyard safari" sort of dry aquarium thing that my daughter keeps 4 snails in. The stench was intolerable.
How anyone can eat those smelly little bastards is beyond me.

richVSrich

twowheeledwriter - just enjoy that you did nothing wrong, are no doubt a bigger person than the dumbass...just smile and be polite as you were..that just confuses agro people...smile and be happy dude!

sketchley - just dismount and walk across the junction - annoying, but at least ur not a car that has to go round!

bails87

twowheeledwriter
Agreed. Just forget about it. You did nothing wrong and kept your cool, well done.

georgee

Appart from the lemming pedestrians thismorning and the wind last night.

Sat at the light to turn left at Priory Lane, in the ASL, three road cyclist come past me to sit in a line one after another strung out in front.

All three of them move off slow, struggling to clip in bloacking my path. Not very dangerous behavior but if your going to be slow why be so inconsiderate to others. it really isn't difficualt to be nice in life.

hfidgen

georgee wrote:

Sat at the light to turn left at Priory Lane, in the ASL, three road cyclist come past me to sit in a line one after another strung out in front.

All three of them move off slow, struggling to clip in bloacking my path. Not very dangerous behavior but if your going to be slow why be so inconsiderate to others. it really isn't difficualt to be nice in life.

Agree

I think I need to up my FCN so that I look faster so that people stop trying to do that to me. I swear waiting to overtake plodders who jumped me at lights adds 5 minutes to my commute each way.

king_jeffers

So turned into local village, just about to bomb past the turning for Sainsburys, car waiting to turn in, shes sat stationary for a good while whilst I approached then suddenly pulled out right across my path... Grrrrrr!!! :twisted: Thankfully I managed to stop in time and had nothing behind, hate that. Also managed to have time to let lose some choice words whilst I sped back up again and peddled off into the distance... I am brave!

She was hot tho...

Mr Plum

Dear Evans,

I already know that the retailer selling the item at the lower price currently has the size that I require temporarily out of stock. If they had it in stock then I wouldn't have bothered contacting you for a price-match...

:roll:

will3

Think I dropped my phone this morning.
Backtracked 7 miles
didn't find it.

booo

sketchley

To the two women in the blue car on LRR.
Coming past me with about 8 inches to spare and bibbing your horn is what got my back up. That's why I put the hammer down went passed you, took primary and then made you slow to 10mph, I did this as you were driving aggressively. You almost hit a motorcycle too as he came up to me as I was doing this saying you were driving like an idiot.
To then have the nerve to bib at me again at the roundabout? So I stopped in front of you and we have a standoff. What you told me next I cannot understand, by your own admission and because your father died on a bicycle you were trying to tell me to cycle nearer the curb for my own safety, and your chosen way of doing this was a very close pass and use of the horn.
I’m glad you decided to stop bibbing your horn though or we would have been there all night!
Unf**king believable

SickAsAParrot

Not really a rant but got taken out by a dog for the first time on the way home last night.

Going through park, 2 lady joggers on on right hand side of path coming towards me so I go to the left (didn't spot lead carried by one of them, uh-oh...). Pass them then suddenly said dog jumps out from bushes and goes between front and back wheels, back wheel thrown out one way, then the other and I'm off.

To be fair they were very nice and concerned about me and apologized profusely, and the dog seemed fine, shaking its lake water off and looking happy as larry, so we left it at that.

I've got a bit of scraped skin on one knee and twisted my foot (presumably an SPD thing), which has stiffened up this morning, hopefully it goes ok before monday.

will3

will3 wrote:

Think I dropped my phone this morning.
Backtracked 7 miles
didn't find it.

booo

found it

twas at home all along

you can all stop looking now (but thanks anyway)

Love a story with a good ending.

straas

Forgot my t shirt today.

Sat here in my bright yellow planet x jersey.

It's my last day, so everyone assumes it's some weird in-joke I'm having with myself.

Oh well.

Mussorgsky

To the large-ish bloke on the road bike who was behind me on Pont Street heading west this evening: it's not a good idea to sit on a cyclist's wheel, and it's definitely stupid to attempt to pass a cyclist on the inside. That same cyclist may stick their arm out and turn left, in short order, and even if you are not expecting it, it is very much your problem.

To scooter riders generally: your scooter is not a bicycle. I realise it must seem very unfair that there are cycle lanes and advanced stop lines, the use of which is denied you, but them's the rules. To the subset of scooter riders who have enough chutzpah to filter up a bike lane but not enough to exit the bike lane into the cycle box, and wind up plugging the end of the bike lane like a ninny; it's time to decide what exactly it is that you're sitting on.

jonny_trousers

Taken out yet again! Is it really that f*cking hard to indicate when you intend to turn left?!? And then to have the nerve to excuse yourself with aggression!!!

Ruined shorts (ripped not stained), front wheel now needs truing, new bar tape required and brake hoods torn... but it could easily have been so much worse. Massive thanks to the guy who stopped and managed to add calm to the situation.

Kieran_Burns

Bloody smokers at work.

It's raining on the way in today, but it didn't start until I was within 2 miles of the office. As it was dry when I left I cycled in just my short-sleeved top and hi-viz vest (figuring I'd be wetter from sweat than rain if I wore my waterproof jacket)

Anyway - I get to the cycle shed, which is right next to the smoking area :roll: , and the rain is coming down properly now. The smokers look at me like I'm some kind of complete idiot cycling in, in THIS weather rather than be comfortable in a car.... while they're outside smoking in the bloody rain!

muttermuttermutter

eyko

To the pedestrian who looked the wrong way down a one-way street, please understand the giant arrow you walked over means the traffic is coming from you left, NOT your right.

To the cyclists who cycle at high speed the wrong way down the one-way street, don't be surprised if people including myself get a tad annoyed at you.

Now I know the direction of the one way road was flipped, but this was over two months ago, and if I (and many others) manage to notice the giant signs informing you thus, why can't you...

Blandiblub

I've only just started commuting (2nd time this morning) but only 5 mins in and a Merc wanted to overtake by squeezing through at some pedestrian bollards. Took primary through there to the mini roundabout just afterwards. As I was forking right (about 1-2 o'clock) I was probably slightly towards the right of the single lane approach - he tried to undertake me about 5 yards before the roundabout!

Had to go more central to get through ok.

Brilliant. Good start to the commuting.

Have also noticed that Monday mornings seem worse than Friday mornings (my first go at this last week). Especially for close passes by lorries.

Still, better get used to it!

Drysuitdiver

losing weight ! meaning I have to replace more clothing, and annoyingly cycling shorts just over 3 months old as they are now baggy on me .

suzyb

People who complain about loosing weight :evil:

MrChuck

To people jogging/riding/walking 2 abreast down the canal path: when the single jogger/rider/walker approaching from the other direction has moved to the left, the rest is up to you. This can't be a surprise, especially when you've had the best part of 100 metres to think about it.

So why don't you bloody well move over? :x