Your rants here.

wolfsbane2k

Milliseconds from being taken out by side swipe after ar$e hole decided to overtake on a blind corner in excess of the speed limit. Cue car being careful coming the other way, and the overtaker decided not to wear the accident, but pull back across to me.
Thank god I'd seen the oncoming split seconds before the driver and had already stood on the brakes and slammed left to the kerb.
Now need a front wheel truing.
Yes, it's on video. No, driver didn't stop.

asprilla

Why is it so hard to find bib tights without a chamois?

The answer is probably because it means you have to buy more of them, but I don't want a flippin' pad in my tights.

mosheehan

Asprilla wrote:

Why is it so hard to find bib tights without a chamois?

The answer is probably because it means you have to buy more of them, but I don't want a flippin' pad in my tights.

Howies do a nice set of bib tights with no chamois

itboffin

I think asso do as well or did

itboffin

I have several pairs of Castelli full length tights without a pad which I wear over the top when it's super cold

djfleming22

Should have told him speed limits do not apply to bicycles

corriebee1 wrote:

Had my worst (possibly first) near death experience this morning when a stagecoach bus pulled across the road I. Front of me as I was travelling @ 25-26 mph. I managed to swerve round the front of the bus and hit the pavement on the other side of the junction. Thankfully nothing was waiting at the junction on the left. Ended up up quivering in a pile on the pavement. I got roundd him by an inch.

The road was completely empty but pedestrians everywhere. Loads of peopl shouting at the driver and checking I was ok. He got out and was initially massively apologetic. Then his self-presevation kicked in and he started on "its 20mph roundd here and you were going too fast. That's why I didn't see you". After a while he went to get back in his bus (full of passengers) and I went to look at the road signs nearby. I went to his bus and heard him explaining that I was over the 20mph speed limit. When I invited him to come and view the 30moh limit sign a mere 15 yards from his parked bus he declined. "If you say so".

I'm still shaking in the office now and when I phoned Stagecoach to leave a message my voice sounded like I was going to cry! Shock is a nasty thing and after 4 years of commuting I'm rather glad this is my first time!

greenroadmachine

Only a Ginger wrote:

18 month suspended sentance. Abysmal.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/louise-wright-s-mum-speaks-out-as-lorry-driver-found-guilty/story-29752087-detail/story.html

It wasn't 18 months suspended, but only 8 months according to the linked article. And in spite of what was quite clearly careless driving (no indicating, self-admitted not bothering to check his mirrors, changing his story, and pleading not guilty), he was only found guilty by a majority verdict.

Here's another case (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24240127) where, in spite of killing two cyclists, the motorist escapes without a jail sentence.

It's hard to draw any verdict other than that the courts consider cyclist lives to be basically worthless.

gbsahne001

Almost took out a cyclist last night; approaching a traffic calming (i.e. road narrowing to single lane) section last night at 10pm, saw a cyclist in front signified by the red light, carried on but not at speed, as I didn't want to overtake the cyclist in the narrow section.

All of a sudden I had to do an emergency stop, as the cyclist has the rear light on the front of his bike and is coming towards me; any other section of road and I'd have seen it clearly, as he'd have been on the other side of the road.

j_mcd

Rant against myself but wow, I REALLY didn't need my winter top and beanie on this morning!

redvee

A work colleague said a close pass on a cyclist is OK, it's only a problem if you hit them. He then followed up that stupid statement with another regarding Ched Evans saying the girl gave consent when she accepted a drink from him. Luckily I'd finished my food so could escape from anymore of his crazed thinking.

rick_chasey

redvee wrote:

A work colleague said a close pass on a cyclist is OK, it's only a problem if you hit them. He then followed up that stupid statement with another regarding Ched Evans saying the girl gave consent when she accepted a drink from him. Luckily I'd finished my food so could escape from anymore of his crazed thinking.

Should have offered him your drink and then told him to bend over and drop his pants. :evil:

asprilla

3" nail through the tyre which locked up the back wheel against the mudguard. Quick tube change and then my co2 pump freezes the valve core and subsequently removes it letting all the air out. I'm out of co2 and no pump (by this time around 20 cyclists have been past and not one has even acknowledged me) so I start walking to Sigma. Eventually one kind Gent stops and offers me use of his mini pump which gives me enough pressure to ride to Sigma.

I forgot that Sigma doesn't open until 9 and by now it's around 7.40.

So, I ride the remaining 8 miles to work taking it steady, keeping the weight on the front wheel and avoiding every crack and bump. The work track pump tells me I've got 15psi.

Very unsatisfactory ride.

kayodot

The junction at Abbey Road and Jamaica Road is always a total cluster f*ck in the evenings - drivers not really paying attention to the sequence of lights, and just blocking up the entire junction.

Tonight I'm heading east along Jamaica Road, turning on to Abbey Street. The lights turn red, so I stop in the ASL, and make it known verbally to a car driving straight through that it's a red light. Another driver in the car behind took umbrage at my comment - "what are you a fucking copper mate?", before proceeding through the red light in to the junction himself, only to stop about 2 metres ahead, due to the clog of other buses and cars in the junction. I reiterated, "it's a red light". He carried on f'ing and blinding. The light began to turn green, to which he said "yeah and it's f*cking green now!", by which point I sailed past him on to Abbey Road - he then passed me continuing to shout "you're a c*nt mate, I hope you go under a lorry you f*cking c*nt."

How pleasant. He was in a silver Porsche. Spoke pwopa cockerney. Quite a few pedestrians about who were a little taken aback. I didn't catch his number plate unfortunately. Hopefully some saintly witness thought faster than I did, noted it down and will report him to the police for me. Oh look, there's a pig sailing across the sky.

redvee

Have sort out the drawer with the long sleeve jersies in over the weekend, not wearing them yet but the time will come soon. Want to last till the end of the month in short sleeves, been in short sleeves since April.

redvee

Rick Chasey wrote:

redvee wrote:

A work colleague said a close pass on a cyclist is OK, it's only a problem if you hit them. He then followed up that stupid statement with another regarding Ched Evans saying the girl gave consent when she accepted a drink from him. Luckily I'd finished my food so could escape from anymore of his crazed thinking.

Should have offered him your drink and then told him to bend over and drop his pants. :evil:

To show his level of intelligence, he's just got an iPhone7 but I did offer some advice and tell him to get a new screen asap

bikegangster

Finished work and about to ride my bike home. Oh look, the extend cable has been cut. Someone tried to rob my bike. Thank the D lock. Kryptonite series 2, thank you for saving my beautiful hybrid. I'm surprised the thief didn't even try and take the front wheel, its quick release after all and nothing to secure it now since he cut the cable. For cutting my Kryto Flex Cable I want to cut his throat as retribution so he can't steal another bike ever again. Not even in hell. R.I.P. Kryto Flex cable, you served me well for the past three and a half years. You will be remembered.

bendertherobot

DPD have never been an issue for me. It's why I use Wiggle and get them to price match. You can set your watch by DPD in my case. Never failed. Until.

Thursday, order Garmin. Out for delivery Friday, gets lost. Doesn't make it to the depot.

Wiggle ring, replace it, expedite another, get it out for Saturday, same story, doesn't make it to depot. They recall the original.

Both are in the depot this morning, one can't be delivered today as Wiggle have recalled it. The other is out for delivery tomorrow.

Quite what happens to each of them in the 24 hours that they leave the Birmingham DPD hub before arriving in Cardiff is anyone's guess.

Though one of them appears to have left Birmingham, headed towards Cardiff, then went to the Leicester depot instead.

timothyw

Boo, Wiggle Platinum Rate discount expired, no warning email, and they don't do British Cycling discount anymore.

I might have to start buying my own Haribo.

BobMcbob

Seems i have been riding for the last 100 miles on an incorrectly fitted chain.. wondered why it was a bit nosier than usual in some gears, the chain has gone around the outside of the first spindle and is rubbing on the steel its meant to be on the other side of. Only myself to blame for a dodgy installation.

slowbike

BobMcbob wrote:

Seems i have been riding for the last 100 miles on an incorrectly fitted chain.. wondered why it was a bit nosier than usual in some gears, the chain has gone around the outside of the first spindle and is rubbing on the steel its meant to be on the other side of. Only myself to blame for a dodgy installation.

are you my wife?

Just sorted out her bike with an incorrectly routed chain - only myself to blame though - so perhaps you're not my wife afterall! :phew!:

kleinstroker

Pedestrians waiting until road green to walk out- check
Bus swerving right as I'm overtaking - check
Taxi opening off side door 15 yards from red light as I'm filtering left - check
Taxi stopping dead 10 yards after pulling out without indicating- check
Just another morning commute - check

MrSweary

To add the usual shenanigans this morning I saw a black cab use a ped crossing to do a U-turn circumventing the raised pavement that separated the carriageways. Think we may have accidentally entered Grand Theft Auto.

dinyull

Talking of GTA, some chav in an Astra gave me the fright of my life last night as he pulled a handbrake turn around a corner as I was riding past. Nearly shat myself thinking he was gonna crash, but no he and his mate behind carried on racing.

elbowloh

Dinyull wrote:

Talking of GTA, some chav in an Astra gave me the fright of my life last night as he pulled a handbrake turn around a corner as I was riding past. Nearly shat myself thinking he was gonna crash, but no he and his mate behind carried on racing.

I got overtaken by a Chav in an Astra on Sunday night. I was doing 20mph in a 30, slowing for a bus that was pulling out. I estimate he was doing well over 60mph and overtook me by going on the wrong side of a set of traffic islands.

porlyworly

Grannies overtaking you in slow motion only to indicate to stop ten metres after they've passed you, forcing you to slam the anchors on

MrSweary

elbowloh wrote:

going on the wrong side of a set of traffic islands.

It has now become an 'acceptable thing' in much the same way that not indicating became an 'acceptable thing' a couple of years ago.

rick_chasey

MrSweary wrote:

elbowloh wrote:

going on the wrong side of a set of traffic islands.

It has now become an 'acceptable thing' in much the same way that not indicating became an 'acceptable thing' a couple of years ago.

In fairness, I do it on the rare occasion when there's nose-to-tail traffic and some moped has blocked the path on the left-side of an island.

rower63

Rick Chasey wrote:

... In fairness, I do it on the rare occasion when there's nose-to-tail traffic and some moped has blocked the path on the left-side of an island.

on your bike or in a car?

rhodrich

So.... I know I say this EVERY year, around this time of year, but it's never been busier in terms of number of cyclists, has it? Normally, as the nights draw in, and we have the first fog and frosts in the morning, the numbers tail off, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen this year. The queue at the pedestrian gates in Richmond Park to get in and out after dark are ridiculous. It was only a couple of years ago that you'd barely see anyone else on a winter morning or evening in the park.

hopkinb

Rhodrich wrote:

So.... I know I say this EVERY year, around this time of year, but it's never been busier in terms of number of cyclists, has it? Normally, as the nights draw in, and we have the first fog and frosts in the morning, the numbers tail off, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen this year. The queue at the pedestrian gates in Richmond Park to get in and out after dark are ridiculous. It was only a couple of years ago that you'd barely see anyone else on a winter morning or evening in the park.

Eeeeh, when I started doing this, this were all trees.

Definitely worse than when I started, and that's only three years ago. The only rant I really have as a Johnny-Come-Lately is that the pressure on the bike racks and showers at work never really eases.