Your rants here.

awavey

fat daddy wrote:

Tashman wrote:

people aren't going to change their driving behaviour just because of a 15cm sq of plastic

you say that ..... but there is no way I would park next to a car with a baby on board sticker .... ever tried getting a baby in or out of a car with someone parked in the space next to you ?

of course you could leave the baby on the floor whilst you move the car around .... but to be honest I would rather risk scratching the other persons door

thats what all those parents & kids spaces are for, and I why I park the furthest point away from everyone

the story goes they were originally invented in the US to let emergency service workers know there might be a kid on board who could have been hidden in a car crash if the driver (parent) was incapacitated and not able to tell them that point, over here they seem more a gamers medal achievement at how some folk like to make babies

wolfsbane2k

KingstonGraham wrote:

In this situation, when your car takes the first punch against the front wing, it is an indication that it would be safest for you to reduce speed rather than carrying on overtaking. It is unfortunate that your wing mirror only bent back and did not come off from the second.

Hope your hands ok. Friend of mine is on the line for criminal damage for doing similar, and third party liabilty has backed out of covering the damage due to it being intentional. Heated wing mirror in pieces, so not cheap.
I'm sure it'll go to a court someway or other, and i believe they aren't going after the driver.
Argh.

KnightOfTheLongTights

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

In this situation, when your car takes the first punch against the front wing, it is an indication that it would be safest for you to reduce speed rather than carrying on overtaking. It is unfortunate that your wing mirror only bent back and did not come off from the second.

Hope your hands ok. Friend of mine is on the line for criminal damage for doing similar, and third party liabilty has backed out of covering the damage due to it being intentional. Heated wing mirror in pieces, so not cheap.
I'm sure it'll go to a court someway or other, and i believe they aren't going after the driver.
Argh.

It is a high-risk strategy folks - chances of either unbalancing, coming off and looking an idiot, or getting into a v.unpleasant altercation, or getting done for it, or breaking a bone in your hand, or any combination thereof, make it not worth it for me....

BobMcbob

Imbecile resolutionist wobbling off at the lights accuses me off going too fast and cutting him up when I overtook him,
1) This was for self preservation as the junction at Aldgate is lethal
2) If you can't deal with someone overtaking you shouldn't be on a bike.

He subsequently cut directly in front when I slowed behind a HGV, to spew inventive, then went straight up the 50cm gap on the inside of it.

He won't live long.

MrSweary

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

It is a high-risk strategy folks...

Indeed. People think they are invincible. However, having been deliberately run over by someone who had done a punishment pass on me, had to stop, then accelerated through the back of me, I can assure you all that you are not. All I'd done was wave angrily at him. This was in heavy traffic and he was never caught.

I was lucky and escaped with minor injuries (saved by a sloped bonnet and landing largely on my rucksack). If I'd bounced the other way I'd probably be dead, my wife would be a widow and my daughter fatherless.

Think on before you provoke someone you don't know who is in charge of a ton of metal. Them deserving it suddenly becomes less important when you're lying on the tarmac.

kingstongraham

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

In this situation, when your car takes the first punch against the front wing, it is an indication that it would be safest for you to reduce speed rather than carrying on overtaking. It is unfortunate that your wing mirror only bent back and did not come off from the second.

Hope your hands ok. Friend of mine is on the line for criminal damage for doing similar, and third party liabilty has backed out of covering the damage due to it being intentional. Heated wing mirror in pieces, so not cheap.
I'm sure it'll go to a court someway or other, and i believe they aren't going after the driver.
Argh.

It is a high-risk strategy folks - chances of either unbalancing, coming off and looking an idiot, or getting into a v.unpleasant altercation, or getting done for it, or breaking a bone in your hand, or any combination thereof, make it not worth it for me....

In this situation, it was a case of directing the attention of the driver to the fact that they were driving into me. Nothing more, nothing less. I really don't think she even thought there was anything wrong with what she did, and I'm not convinced she would have noticed if she'd knocked me off.

The wing mirror bending back stopped it taking my handlebars. That was how close it was.

wolfsbane2k

KingstonGraham wrote:

The wing mirror bending back stopped it taking my handlebars. That was how close it was.

Yep, that what happened to him. Bonus is it's all on helmet camera, and you can see the fold, shatter, unfold all occuring as it went past the handlebar. Lucky. Even though the driver was a complete arse and launched into one, it probably saved his life on a 50mph rural road, as he suffered 3 slightly closer passes in quick succession , each pushing him closer to the kerb. Shame it's only the driver he took out that's being considered for charging, the first one is terrifying due to the speed, but at least half crossed the white line, the 2nd and third had slowed down 'some', but oncoming vehicles meant they didn't even touch the white line.

On the same road, I've had 3 collisions in the last 4 weeks with wingmirrors where the drivers take umbridge to the prime position I'm in to ensure I'm visible in the fog etc. Many drivers have been very courteous, but you always get the one or two Muppets.

rick_chasey

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

The wing mirror bending back stopped it taking my handlebars. That was how close it was.

Yep, that what happened to him. Bonus is it's all on helmet camera, and you can see the fold, shatter, unfold all occuring as it went past the handlebar. Lucky. Even though the driver was a complete ars* and launched into one, it probably saved his life on a 50mph rural road, as he suffered 3 slightly closer passes in quick succession , each pushing him closer to the kerb. Shame it's only the driver he took out that's being considered for charging, the first one is terrifying due to the speed, but at least half crossed the white line, the 2nd and third had slowed down 'some', but oncoming vehicles meant they didn't even touch the white line.

On the same road, I've had 3 collisions in the last 4 weeks with wingmirrors where the drivers take umbridge to the prime position I'm in to ensure I'm visible in the fog etc. Many drivers have been very courteous, but you always get the one or two Muppets.

I'm sure you know this already but if that's the case you need to ride further out from the curb. Same for your mate.

wolfsbane2k

Rick Chasey wrote:

I'm sure you know this already but if that's the case you need to ride further out from the curb. Same for your mate.

Indeed, I normally try and sit in prime, but idiots around here are just complete aholes.

Vid of this would be an interesting case on "contributory causes". Starts with him in prime, and the first pass is so fast and close he swerves left into secondary, car behind then close passes in secondary, pushes him into the kerb, third car then aims to pass while he's one the white kerb line, which pushes him into a drain cover when which he moves out of to avoid.
All in about 6 seconds.
I feel quite bad, as i convinced him to get back on the road!

LukeTC

Why do swimming sessions cost so much? £4.15 a time at my local pool, if I was to go twice a week it works out cheaper to take out a gym membership there which i'll never use because they don't open early enough just to use the pool for "free"

Just seems mental to me

Walls82

Riding to school with my 5 year old son on a quiet residential road Business looking woman in Audi TT decides she can't wait 5 seconds behind a parked car so speeds up and forces us into the curb.

On the plus side my son thought it was hilarious as I screamed idiot at the top of my lungs as she passed us.

vpnikolov

Surelu it must be mandatory for elderly drivers to clearly mark their cars - same principle as for learners.

At least this way I will know who is a definite death threat on the road. :roll:

tangled_metal

Silver grey cars, typically Honda jazz or similar, scare me. Not on the bike but at a light controlled crossing near me. My reason for this fear is elderly drivers. A Honda jazz driven by an elderly man with another old man in the passenger seat went through 2 red lights and nearly run me over turning right at the second jumped lights where the crossing was.

After picking my heart out of my mouth at my near miss i started to cross again. Got almost halfway out and another silver grey car of the same size as a jazz jumped tyre lights in the same way. Two elderly ladies in the car with the driver only just visible through the steering wheel.

Since i was going the same way i angrily walked straight towards where both cars had parked to tell them what they had just done. They were together BTW so the second car was following the first including bad driving. I saw they looked as old as my gran and i just couldn't say anything. Respect your elders is just too deeply ingrained.

I guess this rant is as much about how i could not tell those elderly drivers about the two red lights they went through and one still shaking pedestrian who nearly got run over by them. Having known old drivers who were involved in accidents that caused great injury to people who we all knew were not safe driving i regret not telling them about their lack of hazard awareness.

That was a good few years ago now but the above story reminded me of it. Also worth pointing out that if anyone has family or friends who you think shouldn't be driving due to reactions or hazard awareness or whatever age or other reason then do speak up. People should be honest to their family or friends that they should relinquish their driving licence. Ask yourself if you're scared when they're driving you around. If the answer is hell yeah! Then they need to give up driving.

bendertherobot

DPD deliveries.

I'm not in apparently. Great photo of my door mind. Save that it's not my door.

tangled_metal

bendertherobot wrote:

DPD deliveries.

I'm not in apparently. Great photo of my door mind. Save that it's not my door.

I'm surprised at how many complain about DPD. Our DPD guy is outstanding. The DPD service in general is the best out of all delivery services I've dealt with. It really must be down to your area and the guy serving it.

bendertherobot

Tangled Metal wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

DPD deliveries.

I'm not in apparently. Great photo of my door mind. Save that it's not my door.

I'm surprised at how many complain about DPD. Our DPD guy is outstanding. The DPD service in general is the best out of all delivery services I've dealt with. It really must be down to your area and the guy serving it.

Ours is. Just not on Saturdays. Which is why it's so galling really. 5 since November with cock up after cock up. He's said he's going to pop in on the way home though.

tangled_metal

I must admit i plan purchases to get deliveries when people are around. I'll buy on certain days and pay for special deliveries such as next day.

bendertherobot

Tangled Metal wrote:

I must admit i plan purchases to get deliveries when people are around. I'll buy on certain days and pay for special deliveries such as next day.

I've been around! They went to the street next door, entirely different postcode (DPD system sat nav works on postcode and planning route between all deliveries). Took a photo of a different door and buggered off. Really odd as his sat nav would have told him he was in the wrong place.

awavey

Tangled Metal wrote:

I must admit i plan purchases to get deliveries when people are around. I'll buy on certain days and pay for special deliveries such as next day.

Ive tried that as my DPD delivery is fine if Im in, but completely hopeless if Im not, like they delivered to a completely random address half way down the street just before Christmas.

But last two times from different online shops I ordered from to deliver on certain days when I knew Id be in, they then part cancelled my orders due to lack of stock, so Id only get half the stuff Id ordered and paid for, assuming acceptance of order and payment had in effect reserved it, but obviously not as they basically only put the order items together the day before delivery and treated it like a next day order. and you dont get that notification anythings wrong till after youve got the parcel and are thinking hold on I thought Id ordered etc etc as well. fine you get a refund eventually, but its not the point you feel youve lost out

redvee

First PF visit of 2017 today. No big deal, knew it was going to happen sooner or later, just wish it was later. Anyhow, I invert the bike after taking the pannier off and dig out the saddlebag and get out a new tube and tyre levers etc. Only problem with that is there were no tyre levers in my saddlebag it looks like I didn't put them back in when I had a sort out. Got round the lack of tyre lever by using my Cool Tool to lever the tyre off.

D Max

Wobbly Wider wrote:

Keep thinking about getting fater/thinner tyres but will be sticking to marathon plus for the time being.

Have you though about just getting tire liners? Works great in my case. I've rode on terrible road with no issue and it's less expensive to replace the tire when needed.

shycho

D lock jammed. Couldn't be arsed to fiddle with it in the wet and dark, so bike is currently stored under the stairs at work.
Probably serves me right for leaving it out in the cold and wet all week.

vpnikolov

Tangled Metal wrote:

Since i was going the same way i angrily walked straight towards where both cars had parked to tell them what they had just done. They were together BTW so the second car was following the first including bad driving. I saw they looked as old as my gran and i just couldn't say anything. Respect your elders is just too deeply ingrained.

This is exactly what stopped me from getting into an argument. I was on Kings Rd westbound (in Fulham) and approaching the junction at Lots Rd just before the bridge that goes over the rail tracks. The road narrows to a single lane straight after the junction with a cycle lane as well in place. The car in question was a Ford Galaxy and I was cycling in close proximity to it. From being in the left lane, it continued straight and cut across the cycle lane, completely occupying it for a brief moment. From that point on I was quite wary of it, although of course I could not catch up initially. Further down the road there is a small chicane-type of bend just before Kings Rd/Harwood Rd junction. I caught up with the Galaxy and managed to overtake (in this case undertake on the cycle lane) it, but then it got in front of me again just before the chicane. At that point I realized it was the same car and slowed down with a bit of caution. And of course... as we were coming out of the bend (left turn), the Galaxy swerved towards the kerb and completely closed the space on the inner side with no regard for my presence on the road.

I got really pissed off and knocked on the rear window to seek an explanation for the behavior. As space freed up I managed to actually see who is driving and it was a 70-75 year old lady whose head was barely popping above the steering wheel. At that moment I realized it was pointless and just let go of it. But I completely agree with your full comment.

itboffin

You could have calmy pointed out what she just did, might be old but that doesn't mean stupid, relatively speaking

vpnikolov

At the time I found it rather pointless as traffic just started moving. But I do agree.

adam0bmx0

Missed out on owning a ridiculously cheap, 2015 Legend HT 9.5 in my size with full Dura Ace 9000 and decent finish kit and wheels. converting to £ from $ (I'm in Australia) it was £1226

Thought i replied to the post 1st, turns out someone beat my by seconds and actually put a deposit on it without seeing it, then promptly picked it up later the same day, even though I was arranging with the owner to come and view it, gutted.

wolfsbane2k

4 month old to us, 7 years/60k miles recovery wagon's gear box has died.
My aspirations to have a single, high reliability single car to save money in the long run has catastrophicly failed.

gbsahne001

redvee wrote:

First PF visit of 2017 today. .

2 so far this year; one flint and one snakebite yesterday, hands were frozen by the time I'd swapped tubes

dinyull

To the tw@ in our street that almost pulled out on me this morning and then gave me a punishment pass - we shall be having words when I next see you.

davis

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

4 month old to us, 7 years/60k miles recovery wagon's gear box has died.
My aspirations to have a single, high reliability single car to save money in the long run has catastrophicly failed.

Unusually bad luck there. What car?