Your rants here.

KnightOfTheLongTights

Nearly got sandwiched against the pavement at 20mph by a small flatbed truck in East Twickenham this morning.
There's a sharp pretty much 90-degree left bend in the road - it is a corner that is barely safe for a truck to take at 20mph. I'm going about 20-21, so of course despite the fact also that there is traffic ahead, this f * cking prime dickhead decides he needs to try and overtake me round the corner.
Small cars can do it while giving you enough space to be fair as it is quite a wide piece of road - but it is always totally unnecessary.
Not only does this f * cking cock try to overtake he then slows and pulls right in in an apparently deliberate attempt to squash me against the kerb. It was a manoeuvre you might think only either a drunkard or a psychopath would undertake.
It was only because I simultaneously braked and screamed at him - which meant he swung out again - that something very unpleasant didn't happen.
I totally lost it and rounded him on the drivers' side, making my feelings about the situation fairly clear - and only just stopped short of pulling in front and getting off my bike etc. It could have turned v nasty, I was so charged up - total red mist.

fatsmoker

So I wheeled my bike into Poundland this morning to get some choccy bars. Was told I couldn't bring it in because of health and safety. I asked how this was different from a pram or wheelchair, left my pound on the counter and did as they requested - walked out, with my chocolate. She didn't like that either because the Lion bars hadn't been rung through the till. Health and safety, stick it up your ar5e.

Old_Cranky

Normal rant about cycle commuters flouting the law by jumping red lights, riding dangerously, etc which basically gives us all a bad reputation rightly or wrongly but being tarred by the same brush is inevitable.

However - chapeau to the cycle courier I spotted this morning on Upper Thames St who was riding like something out of Premium Rush; finger tip slings off taxis, graceful lane hopping, awesome track stands and broadside rear-wheel-locking braking. I'm not condoning any law breaking but he was in a different league and anyone critical of his actions couldn't say all cycle commuters are the same.

Only a Ginger

Serious first world problems but Strava only recording the second half of my morning commute, when the 1st half was quick because I saw a guy who also commutes to work.

Means nothing if I can't see how quick I was

jds_1981

Cycle up a towpath bridge. Don't quite make it to the top (it's at the limits of what I can cycle up due to traction of back wheel) so get off and notice my chain has come off. But something doesn't look right. Ah, small chainring has buckled inwards. Crap.
Move the cranks around and it is obviously rubbing on the frame so I'll have to sort it out.
Anyway, why has it buckled? Look and I've only got two out of five bolts left. How on earth did that happen? Bad maintenance or sabotage?
Take crankset off and find the spider is also loose on the cranks (specialised tool to fix this so will have to wait until home).
Bend back inner ring, reattach and cycle to work. Hopefully only inner ring knackered else will be expensive.

Squawk

Bottom bracket needs replacing. I lost a lot of man points on Saturday laying into it with the adjustable wrench. I can't make the damn thing budge. Now what...

cruff

Absolute bumnugget of a lorry driver last Friday night in roadworks on the A5 between Atherstone and Hinckley came tearing up behind me and sat on his horn screaming abuse at me for the next half a mile until there was a place for me to pull over. There was absolutely no place for me to go, and I was lit up like a Christmas tree, so I'm not sure what he thought he was gaining/trying to prove. It was by far the angriest I have ever been on a bike, I was literally shaking with rage as I waited for him to pass, swearing at me and gesticulating.

Logged a call with the police about it (the only time I have ever bothered to do this) and they are chasing it up (sadly didn't get the company name - but did get the registration number)

Biggest ar5ehole I've encountered in 25 hyears of using the roads - driving or cycling.

fatsmoker

That's a bloody awful stretch of road, but fairly easy to avoid by going around the villages should you need to do it again and don't know the area well.

cruff

fatsmoker wrote:

That's a bloody awful stretch of road, but fairly easy to avoid by going around the villages should you need to do it again and don't know the area well.

Yeah. Tbf, I was (literally) a hundred miles from home (Chorley) and my Garmin maps were telling me the straightest way to my destination (Daventry) was the A5. I'd already done the triple carriageway past Tamworth with artics thundering past me at 70 mph, so for this ar5ehole to unnerve me that much he must have been a tool of the highest order.

redvee

On the way into work yesterday I was thinking how well I was doing on PF visits so last night she made another visit.

bendertherobot

Dog walkers. Owner on right hand side, I'm approaching from other direction.

Road has no pavements. It's 2 cars wide.

Owner has dog on lead. Said lead is 2 cars wide (long).

Dog is on my side.

Owner surprised as I come round corner to find dog almost underneath my wheel.

Owner also surprised at my expletive. *not directed at him, just a reaction to finding said dog.

Manc33

Driving today a woman pulled out on me and I had to brake sharply. What annoyed me most is she wasn't even looking as she pulled out and just assumed nothing was coming, or she thought its OK they will slam their brakes on and not hit me.

I beeped a pretty short beep and she gave the V sign out of the window lol... so I beeped for absolutely f**king ages. In fact I didn't stop beeping. Eventually she turned off the next available turnoff, probably to escape the endless beeping and by that point flashing. Fancy giving the V's to someone you just pulled out on. Stick your hand out to apologize yeah, but the V sign? :shock:

Ben6899

She was probably a reptilian. You didn't notice her licking her eyeball, did you?

redvee

Been slowly trying to get to know one of the girls in work but as we work in differing parts and have different break times on our shift it isn't easy, on Monday as we were leaving the canteen before work she asked what time I stared as we'd both done overtime then said she was on holiday from Tuesday for 2 weeks. Later in the day I caught up with her and asked her what plans she had and she replied she was going to Poland for the two weeks, I'm off work next week so was hoping to meet up with her away from work. Sadly it isn't to be but I'll keep trying.

hegyestomi

So many idiots are on the road today, they must have a day off from the zoo.
Bus driver, lorry driver and jaguar drivers decided to take a dislike on me+ hit a massive pothole with sharp edges.
Please take extra care of yourself.

rick_chasey

Guy at the club run told me that his doctor was convinced that commuting by bike through central London was as bad as smoking - all the lead particles and other sh!te being breathed in deeply was bad news.

Can't get it out of my head, but nor do I want to ride around like a gimpy darth vadar.

veronese68

Rick Chasey wrote:

Guy at the club run told me that his doctor was convinced that commuting by bike through central London was as bad as smoking - all the lead particles and other sh!te being breathed in deeply was bad news.

Can't get it out of my head, but nor do I want to ride around like a gimpy darth vadar.

Hasn't there been some research into this and cyclists actually breathe less in the way of harmful particulates than car drivers do. That's research based on facts rather than the biased view of an individual.

chris_bass

Rick Chasey wrote:

Guy at the club run told me that his doctor was convinced that commuting by bike through central London was as bad as smoking - all the lead particles and other sh!te being breathed in deeply was bad news.

Can't get it out of my head, but nor do I want to ride around like a gimpy darth vadar.

I heard you actually breath in less fumes than if you were in a car, was something about the air intake being about the same place as the exhaust pipe for the car in front (i could be wrong though).

elbowloh

The only downside to waiting behind a bus at traffic lights (as opposed to trying to squeeze down the inside) is that you're often sat right by exhaust.

jimmypippa

Rick Chasey wrote:

Guy at the club run told me that his doctor was convinced that commuting by bike through central London was as bad as smoking - all the lead particles and other sh!te being breathed in deeply was bad news.

Can't get it out of my head, but nor do I want to ride around like a gimpy darth vadar.

There is precious little lead now. Diesel particulates, yes.

rower63

similarly I've read the tube is one of the worst places to be - passengers breathe in brake dust particles

rjsterry

rower63 wrote:

similarly I've read the tube is one of the worst places to be - passengers breathe in brake dust particles

The majority of tube dust is iron oxide with some human hair and skin. Not pleasant, but unlikely to shorten your life. PM10s and NO2 are much nastier.

gimpy darth vader

Rick: I find it helps if you hum the Imperial March to yourself - helps you get into character

rick_chasey

Chris Bass wrote:

I heard you actually breath in less fumes than if you were in a car, was something about the air intake being about the same place as the exhaust pipe for the car in front (i could be wrong though).

In fairness, when you're my height that advantage is mitigated somewhat.

Drew123

Daytime rides. Who knew they were so dangerous? I thought with less cars on the road it would be safer. At least in rush hour, people try to kill you in predictable ways; during the day the pensioners with their hats and driving gloves come out and aim at you from all angles.

Compulsory annual driving tests for over 70's please.

And in the meantime I'm sticking to commuting.

martincroxall

Not entirely sure how this car didn't hit the oncoming one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgNFg88Pi8I

daveski12

I cycle down there every day and see the same thing.

Koncordski

My rant? This.....just this. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/deal/news/van-driver-cleared-of-causing-33772/

GiantDance

Shocking, time and time again drivers get away with murder literally. RIP Rider

veronese68

That's disgraceful, and really quite depressing. Is it possible for one of the campaign groups to appeal that decision? At least the comments below the article seem to be more against the driver.

sswiss

Koncordski wrote:

My rant? This.....just this. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/deal/news/van-driver-cleared-of-causing-33772/

Just read that...that is shocking.
I feel for the family. They must feel so let down by the judicial system.