Your rants here.

wolfsbane2k

pangolin wrote:

Stopped driving 25 minutes from home yesterday to have a coffee and a bit of fresh air. Felt silly stopping so close to home but I'd have felt really stupid dozing off so close to home.

Don't feel sorry for that. you never know what those last 25 mins might hold, or if it will, indeed be 25 mins away.

A previous business I worked for had a very hard line on their working day - while not quite tacograph level, if you hit the working hour limit while behind the wheel you'd get a reprimand, so I ended up staying a hotel 6 miles away from home for the night once after a 6 hour drive.

xbnm

Nearly taken out by a left turning non indicating van as we pulled away from traffic lights who proceeded to cal me a ..... for shouting indicate at him in Durham so will likely bat my head against the wall with the police.

roger_merriman

TGOTB wrote:

^ these points all highlight the problem, which is that most people will avoid drinking in order to be safe, but won't avoid driving in order to be safe.

Drinking alcohol, being very tired, and being very ill can all have a serious detrimental impact on someone's ability to drive safely. Drinking alcohol is a choice, so it's fairly easy to avoid drink driving, whereas being ill or tired generally aren't choices. You can still avoid driving whilst very ill or very tired, but most people aren't prepared to make that choice. Pick the kids up from school by car after a boozy lunch and you'll rightly be vilified; do the same after dragging yourself out of bed with a fever and you'll more likely be praised for struggling in. You could probably have avoided driving (public transport, call in a favour, taxi) but you chose not to.

Due to the brain injury, I have to manage fatigue, and attempting to explain that it’s really not a good idea that I drive if tired, as driving is far more cognitively demanding that most other forms of travel my commute I can cut out almost all roads if I want to by bike. Yet people be that family/friends/work really just don’t seem to be able to *get* it ie they just think of the physical ie just sit in the car. Can be totally infuriating to be honest!

itboffin

last week bout of flu has turned into the a hacking slimy chest cough, also trying to ride on the turbo was a super bad idea just what i need when i have a few days off

drhaggis

Got a visit from the fairy (nail went straight through brand new GP4S) 2km from afterschool club, with just 20 minutes to closing time, and with no backup available. Yeah, yeah, should have left work earlier.

I somehow made it only one minute late, but darn that was close. Maybe I really should get a CO2 cannister for these situations

redvee

Several work colleagues told me it was raining and that I was going to get wet on the ride home cause it was raining, I had my Gabba and Nanofle armwarmers so wasn't too worried. All good until 10 minutes into the ride when the rain started to wash the sweat from the helmet pads into my eyes which stung a little :x

wolfsbane2k

Picked up a rotten cold meaning I can hardly breathe, my balance has gone a little off, and I've a cracking headache just before the Wessex gridiron this weekend; a ride I've been planning for 3 months.

Not sure if I should try it anyway, but don't really fancy getting half way around and completely running out of steam.

itboffin

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Picked up a rotten cold meaning I can hardly breathe, my balance has gone a little off, and I've a cracking headache just before the Wessex gridiron this weekend; a ride I've been planning for 3 months.

Not sure if I should try it anyway, but don't really fancy getting half way around and completely running out of steam.

If its causing breathing problems then dont risk it trust me i'm starting week 3 and foolishly rode 25 easy miles yesterday and paid dearly for it at 2am this morning, coughing so bad i was unable to get back to sleep :?

slowbike

Nah - don't bother - if it's the cold that's going around - any exercise will turn it into a bad cough... as I found out ....

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Picked up a rotten cold meaning I can hardly breathe, my balance has gone a little off, and I've a cracking headache just before the Wessex gridiron this weekend; a ride I've been planning for 3 months.

Not sure if I should try it anyway, but don't really fancy getting half way around and completely running out of steam.

If it's what I have and is doing the rounds in Southampton, I'd be very wary of doing much at all. Physically very tired; tickly throat; headaches; becoming chesty cough.

Started last Sat, seemed to be improving, but been much worse since yesterday and now feels like it's gone below the neck. Did a 30min turbo session earlier at what should have been very easy settings (z1 power) and came away with my legs and lungs feeling like I'd just done some z4 intervals.

wolfsbane2k

NitrousOxide wrote:

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Picked up a rotten cold meaning I can hardly breathe, my balance has gone a little off, and I've a cracking headache just before the Wessex gridiron this weekend; a ride I've been planning for 3 months.

Not sure if I should try it anyway, but don't really fancy getting half way around and completely running out of steam.

If it's what I have and is doing the rounds in Southampton, I'd be very wary of doing much at all. Physically very tired; tickly throat; headaches; becoming chesty cough.

Started last Sat, seemed to be improving, but been much worse since yesterday and now feels like it's gone below the neck. Did a 30min turbo session earlier at what should have been very easy settings (z1 power) and came away with my legs and lungs feeling like I'd just done some z4 intervals.

Since I was in soton on tuesday, I'm blaming you.

I think I'll have to follow this advice though, it's already hit my chest and I struggled just walking the dog today :-(

Balls, that was the first days riding all to myself I've had booked into the diary for over 7 years...

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

Wolfsbane2k wrote:

Picked up a rotten cold meaning I can hardly breathe, my balance has gone a little off, and I've a cracking headache just before the Wessex gridiron this weekend; a ride I've been planning for 3 months.

Not sure if I should try it anyway, but don't really fancy getting half way around and completely running out of steam.

If it's what I have and is doing the rounds in Southampton, I'd be very wary of doing much at all. Physically very tired; tickly throat; headaches; becoming chesty cough.

Started last Sat, seemed to be improving, but been much worse since yesterday and now feels like it's gone below the neck. Did a 30min turbo session earlier at what should have been very easy settings (z1 power) and came away with my legs and lungs feeling like I'd just done some z4 intervals.

Since I was in soton on tuesday, I'm blaming you.

I think I'll have to follow this advice though, it's already hit my chest and I struggled just walking the dog today :-(

Balls, that was the first days riding all to myself I've had booked into the diary for over 7 years...

If you're not feeling any better, that is rough timing. If you have to cancel, hope you get a chance to do an alternative ride soon.

I had nothing specific planned this weekend, but given I rarely get Saturdays off work, it's frustrating to have another one written off this year. About the only vague positive out of it is the weather is rubbish this weekend and if I'd been rostered to work today, I would have to have called in sick and have it contributed towards the attendance procedure.

redvee

Pulling away from a set of lights I've got a 1 series BMW behind me, ten seconds later BMW driver finds the horn and again afte afnother five seconds but it seems to have stuck down given the duration of the blast. I'm riding at 20mph in the middle of the lane avoiding the pointless cyclelane in the doorzone and drain covers. After indicating I stop and turn onto the central divide as there is a traffic free route I can use, Mr BMW driver who was in such a hurry and being held up by me stops to chat and tells me I'll get run over cause I wasn't using the cycle lane at which I pointed out the cycle lane was in the doorzone and he drove off admitting defeat. Even if I was in the cycle lane the road isn't wide enough for a car to pass with sufficient space.

cruff

Rain can f**k right off

Tashman

The cyclist I spotted this morning riding his fat bike incredibly slowly as he didn't want to spill his Cafe Nero flat white. The pace he was riding was makin him wobble trying to keep the thing upright. Get off and push it or drink the coffee then ride.

gbsahne001

not really a rant but why are so many cyclists wrapped up, as though it's the middle of Winter with, waterproof coats & trousers, thick gloves & even balaclavas.... can't help but think they're going to really suffer when some cold weather comes along.

rower63

Tashman wrote:

The cyclist I spotted this morning riding his fat bike incredibly slowly as he didn't want to spill his Cafe Nero flat white. The pace he was riding was makin him wobble trying to keep the thing upright. Get off and push it or drink the coffee then ride.

I once had to brake hard and suddenly while holding a bag of fish and chips in my left hand. Needless to say, it didn't end well: me and my chips scattered all over the road...

slowbike

gbsahne wrote:

not really a rant but why are so many cyclists wrapped up, as though it's the middle of Winter with, waterproof coats & trousers, thick gloves & even balaclavas.... can't help but think they're going to really suffer when some cold weather comes along.

It's not just cyclists - we had people in the office yesterday wrapped up in blankets ... blankets?! it's not even cold !!

elbowloh

rower63 wrote:

Tashman wrote:

The cyclist I spotted this morning riding his fat bike incredibly slowly as he didn't want to spill his Cafe Nero flat white. The pace he was riding was makin him wobble trying to keep the thing upright. Get off and push it or drink the coffee then ride.

I once had to brake hard and suddenly while holding a bag of fish and chips in my left hand. Needless to say, it didn't end well: me and my chips scattered all over the road...

Open or wrapped?

cjcp

1. Idiots who ride Santander bikes whilst holding an umbrella in a vain effort to keep their hair and suit dry in the rain.

2. Idiots riding these trike things for tourists who hold an umbrella out in front of them to try to keep the rain off.

3. Idiots who pootle at a speed which barely sees them stay upright, take up much of the lane, and then suddenly accelerate when they see the lights in the segregated bike lane go red, or who just ride through when it's on red any way.

Grrrr.

tgotb

cjcp wrote:

Idiots

ftfy

elbowloh

Spent ages trying to fixthe front brake on my commuter yesterday trying to get ready for my commute this morning, which would have been my first for weeks.

It just wasn't working properyly took it apart and cleaned all the gunk out, re-greased and it still wasn't great. Then realised the spring was broken. Tried to get a replacement spring. Managed to find a few outlets that sold them, but for £12! finally saw on gbbutler that they sold a pair of the same calipers, with blocks (campag veloce) for £21! So bought those instead.

Then got woken up pretty much hourly trough the night by little elbow and was too tired to ride in.

itboffin

cjcp wrote:

1. Idiots who ride Santander bikes whilst holding an umbrella in a vain effort to keep their hair and suit dry in the rain.

2. Idiots riding these trike things for tourists who hold an umbrella out in front of them to try to keep the rain off.

3. Idiots who pootle at a speed which barely sees them stay upright, take up much of the lane, and then suddenly accelerate when they see the lights in the segregated bike lane go red, or who just ride through when it's on red any way.

Grrrr.

How many years have you been commuting by bike in the big smoke now?

tgotb

itboffin wrote:

cjcp wrote:

1. Idiots who ride Santander bikes whilst holding an umbrella in a vain effort to keep their hair and suit dry in the rain.

2. Idiots riding these trike things for tourists who hold an umbrella out in front of them to try to keep the rain off.

3. Idiots who pootle at a speed which barely sees them stay upright, take up much of the lane, and then suddenly accelerate when they see the lights in the segregated bike lane go red, or who just ride through when it's on red any way.

Grrrr.

How many years have you been commuting by bike in the big smoke now?

To be fair, it has got worse in the last year or so. And those tourist trike things are fairly new.

As for people who stand, waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and won't actually start crossing until you've come to a complete halt: Grrr.....

itboffin

i think i bailed out just in time, 2.5 years now and not missing the London section of my old commute one bit, i do miss the fitness i had from the Wiltshire section, not the rain & ice mind.

pangolin

TGOTB wrote:

itboffin wrote:

cjcp wrote:

1. Idiots who ride Santander bikes whilst holding an umbrella in a vain effort to keep their hair and suit dry in the rain.

2. Idiots riding these trike things for tourists who hold an umbrella out in front of them to try to keep the rain off.

3. Idiots who pootle at a speed which barely sees them stay upright, take up much of the lane, and then suddenly accelerate when they see the lights in the segregated bike lane go red, or who just ride through when it's on red any way.

Grrrr.

How many years have you been commuting by bike in the big smoke now?

To be fair, it has got worse in the last year or so. And those tourist trike things are fairly new.

As for people who stand, waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and won't actually start crossing until you've come to a complete halt: Grrr.....

I'm conflicted about the zebra crossing people, it is very annoying, but they must be very used to some people just looking at them and riding though anyway.

backo

[/quote]
To be fair, it has got worse in the last year or so. And those tourist trike things are fairly new.

As for people who stand, waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and won't actually start crossing until you've come to a complete halt: Grrr.....[/quote]

TBH with the standard of driving and cycling in London I wouldn't be stepping out until I was sure cars and bikes had stopped. had many a near miss with cyclists riding through as if the crossing didn't exist

Longshot

backo wrote:

To be fair, it has got worse in the last year or so. And those tourist trike things are fairly new.

As for people who stand, waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and won't actually start crossing until you've come to a complete halt: Grrr.....

TBH with the standard of driving and cycling in London I wouldn't be stepping out until I was sure cars and bikes had stopped. had many a near miss with cyclists riding through as if the crossing didn't exist

Much as I hate to side with the general Daily Mail reader, the number of cyclists in London who consistently ignore any form of traffic control is disappointingly high. The majority do seem to be either Santanderers or Ninjas. They piss me off because they give the vast majority a bad name.

awavey

backo wrote:

TBH with the standard of driving and cycling in London I wouldn't be stepping out until I was sure cars and bikes had stopped. had many a near miss with cyclists riding through as if the crossing didn't exist

that maybe so but if Im clearly slowing down to stop...why do I still get the evil eye and total distrust from them about it, do other riders slow and at the last second shout "Ha! Ha!" point and ride through anyway ? I never see these people glance at all at cars in the same way,

the other week there was a woman just started crossing on a zebra crossing from the right hand side of a fairly wide road, the car directly behind me (white Audi of course) then overtook me and just went straight through the crossing without even pausing to note there was a pedestrian crossing, but I slowed to stop, by which time she was about half way across, but then she stopped gave me the look, then ran across the bit in front of me, and Im like almost considering shouting "dont b***dy run theres no rush" as it was wet and she was in heels and Im thinking shes going to trip or slip and theres utterly no need to be doing that, though I could already tell the next car behind me was itching to get going but I wasnt going to move till she was safely across and back on the pavement.

she gets there, I get given another evil eye look for some reason, fine whatever so I start pedalling again & 5 seconds later the car behind then punish passes me, one of those not just ultra close passes, but where they cut in on you as well to force you over to the gutter

and Im just left thinking why am I getting so much grief for this :roll:

elbowloh

awavey wrote:

backo wrote:

TBH with the standard of driving and cycling in London I wouldn't be stepping out until I was sure cars and bikes had stopped. had many a near miss with cyclists riding through as if the crossing didn't exist

that maybe so but if Im clearly slowing down to stop...why do I still get the evil eye and total distrust from them about it, do other riders slow and at the last second shout "Ha! Ha!" point and ride through anyway ? I never see these people glance at all at cars in the same way,

the other week there was a woman just started crossing on a zebra crossing from the right hand side of a fairly wide road, the car directly behind me (white Audi of course) then overtook me and just went straight through the crossing without even pausing to note there was a pedestrian crossing, but I slowed to stop, by which time she was about half way across, but then she stopped gave me the look, then ran across the bit in front of me, and Im like almost considering shouting "dont b***dy run theres no rush" as it was wet and she was in heels and Im thinking shes going to trip or slip and theres utterly no need to be doing that, though I could already tell the next car behind me was itching to get going but I wasnt going to move till she was safely across and back on the pavement.

she gets there, I get given another evil eye look for some reason, fine whatever so I start pedalling again & 5 seconds later the car behind then punish passes me, one of those not just ultra close passes, but where they cut in on you as well to force you over to the gutter

and Im just left thinking why am I getting so much grief for this :roll:

Maybe, it wasn't the evil eye she was giving you. Maybe you just have a funny looking face?