Silly commuting racing

girv73

First day back on the commute for a couple of weeks today (well I did Lap The Lough 140k last week). It's a bright autumnal morning, I've a lot of cargo and my gammy hip is acting up so I'm pootling (20mph) along the A6 bus lane in Belfast beside a static lane of traffic. A Volvo XC-90 driver decides that his journey is more important than the others' and ninjas out of the right hand lane as I'm passing in the bus lane on the left, squeezing me up against the kerb. Bad times. The car behind me (in the bus lane, naughty) sees it coming and sounds his horn in warning. I have to punch his passenger door to deflect myself away and somehow manage to simultaneously hop the BeOne on to the pavement to escape. He gives a SMIDSY wave and drives off. I didn't get his full registration, unfortunately

This was after a SRM* got out of her 4x4, saw me coming, paused, then opened the back door to let The Precious out (on to the road instead of on to the footpath she was parked up), forcing me to swerve around them.

Ranty ranty ranty Monday.

* School Run Mom

will3

Yup this morning seems to have had crazy in the air. Lots of fast close overtakes (Magnatom would have been doing overtime with his utube) and pointless passing just before a junction etc. I guess the school run is back on

choirboy

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Any one else found the joy that is a recently resurfaced constitution hill - NICE Do you get double points for scalping a roadie while not actually pedalling?

Resurfacing fairy has been very active in the last couple of weeks - Const Hill was one of two hideously pitted sections of tarmac on my commute and both are now black velvet.

cjcp

I'm already finding that the increased car traffic has given The Detritus (scooters) less space, so they're in the bike lanes more often now. Grrrr.

MonkeyMonster

there was a right moped muppet this morning on embank that thought he was the width of a bike in already tight conditions. Found himself unable to move forward and then blocked a good 10 or so cyclists in behind him with no escape routes cos traffic was all too tight. GONK!

Bassjunkieuk

I can only assume there is some sort of even going on this evening as I spotted 2 chaps with rather nice road bikes today fitted with aero bars - the first even had the full-on aero helmet! The worst bit was tho that I was in my bl00dy car :-( Shame as the aero helmet clad guy had a nice turn of pace and I was rather impressed until the twunt RLJ'd by the
Sainsburys in Colliers Wood.....

Also heard on the radio this morning that RP is being re-surfaced? 2 weeks they reckon it will take with stretches of road being closed to allow for work - just wondered it this effects anyone here, I'm assuming it's gonna completely c0ck up cycling around the park as laps will be a go no?

blu3cat

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Also heard on the radio this morning that RP is being re-surfaced? 2 weeks they reckon it will take with stretches of road being closed to allow for work - just wondered it this effects anyone here, I'm assuming it's gonna completely c0ck up cycling around the park as laps will be a go no?

When they going to begin the resurfacing? Supposed to be doing the duathlon on Sunday round the park, might be a little tricky with red triangles and resurfacing machines getting in the way?

No roadies for me today, although the traffic is certainly on the wrong side of terrible. Make the little darlings walk (moves off into ramble about how I used to etc.....) :roll:

Bassjunkieuk

blu3cat wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Also heard on the radio this morning that RP is being re-surfaced? 2 weeks they reckon it will take with stretches of road being closed to allow for work - just wondered it this effects anyone here, I'm assuming it's gonna completely c0ck up cycling around the park as laps will be a go no?

When they going to begin the resurfacing? Supposed to be doing the duathlon on Sunday round the park, might be a little tricky with red triangles and resurfacing machines getting in the way?

No roadies for me today, although the traffic is certainly on the wrong side of terrible. Make the little darlings walk (moves off into ramble about how I used to etc.....) :roll:

Chap on LBC traffic news said re-surfacing started later today, with the section between Kingston Gate - Robin Hood Gate being closed.

cjcp

From the RP 3 Lap Challenge thread:

Q

Road closures. September will see some disruption to Park roads. The Park will be closed to all road traffic on Sunday 13th September for the entire day to allow annual London Duathlon to be staged. Road repairs will also be undertaken in September. Crack and pothole repairs will be undertaken in the week 7th-11th September which will require single lane traffic with stop/go boards for short periods of time. The in the week 14th-18th September some stretches of road will be closed (1 stretch at a time) to allow new surface dressing to be applied. They will be closed for no more than 1 day. Plans are all susceptible to change depending on weather etc but we trust you appreciate the need to improve the badly degraded roads.

UQ

Hopefully, the planned work includes improvements to the patchwork quilt of a road between Ham and Kingston Gates. A man could get sea sick riding even primary towards Kingston Gate. More importantly, however, a smooth surface is surely worth a few more seconds on a 3 Lap blast. :P

MonkeyMonster

Coming down from barbican area ish onto embankment returning west - what is blackfriars like for getting back on it? Googlemaps and its street level image's are quite frankly crap for that area. All other joinings look like faff and pita to get to.

gb155

No SCR today, Recovery day after riding the Manchester 100 yesterday ( http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/2009/09 ... -with.html )

Passed quite a few peeps yesterday, Dont suppose they count tho lol

tgotb

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Coming down from barbican area ish onto embankment returning west - what is blackfriars like for getting back on it? Googlemaps and its street level image's are quite frankly crap for that area. All other joinings look like faff and pita to get to.

Easy peasy. Head as if to go over Blackfriars Bridge, and then filter right at the lights immediately before the bridge.

Avoid the extremely right-hand filter, as that does a complete U-turn. It's fairly obvious when you get there...

MonkeyMonster

Aye - I got that much from ye olde map ta, twas more of how nasty can it be... or do I just go through as car and it really is piece of piss?

tgotb

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Aye - I got that much from ye olde map ta, twas more of how nasty can it be... or do I just go through as car and it really is piece of wee-wee?

There's a set of lights about every 50 yards after Fleet Street, so plenty of opportunity to get yourself in the right lane. I do it every day, and I hardly ever get run over...

MonkeyMonster

Groovy!

Testing out the run home + beering opportunities @ Morpeth

lost_in_thought

Well, I may be rejoining the commuting ranks... just went to/from Mayfair for a meeting with an ex-boss. Ah well, it's been fun!

Had an hilarious scalpy moment on the way back though, I'm wearing a smart dress and heels on the Tifosi (with a basket) so god knows what my FCN is, but the guy I overtook on a very smart black condor roadie decided it was definitely lower than his, and came whipping past me spinning like a demon.

I was on the way home, you'll recall, so wasn't worried about being sweaty. How does it feel to be overtaken by a girl... twice? Sting a little? Go back to Condor and complain - your bike seems to be broken! :twisted:

Also, toe clips suck. I admit, they're not designed for heels, but still.

will3

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

itboffin

will3 wrote:

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

+1

Fingers crossed for the job

jonginge

itboffin wrote:

will3 wrote:

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

+1

Fingers crossed for the job

+1
Just a temporary one before ATC?

lost_in_thought

JonGinge wrote:

itboffin wrote:

will3 wrote:

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

+1

Fingers crossed for the job

+1
Just a temporary one before ATC?

Well, yes, the thing is that the ATC school may not start for 6-8 months, so I need something in the interim...

Oh and your wish is my command, forumites...



The sharp-eyed among you will also spot the kickstand... :oops:

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

itboffin wrote:

will3 wrote:

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

+1

Fingers crossed for the job

+1
Just a temporary one before ATC?

Well, yes, the thing is that the ATC school may not start for 6-8 months, so I need something in the interim...

Oh and your wish is my command, forumites...



The sharp-eyed among you will also spot the kickstand... :oops:

Oh Lord! That poor, poor bicycle. What on earth have you done to it?

cjcp

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Groovy!

Testing out the run home + beering opportunities @ Morpeth

What time can we expect to see you on Embankment?

No reason.

cjcp

lost_in_thought wrote:

The sharp-eyed among you will also spot the kickstand... :oops:

The least of its problems.

I'm with G66. Why would you do that to a bike?

lost_in_thought

Weeeeell, the pannier rack and the kickstand were to make touring easier. I also had a bar-bag on it for touring, very useful indeed, so when I needed to arrive at a meeting today looking like someone you'd give a job to, I, put the toe-clips on it, popped a basket on the bar bag's klick-fix, put my handbag in it, and set off!

It's OK, I'll take it off again.

(and put it on the Bowery)

Aidy

lost_in_thought wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

itboffin wrote:

will3 wrote:

Was it a big wicker one? I think we need pictures.

+1

Fingers crossed for the job

+1
Just a temporary one before ATC?

Well, yes, the thing is that the ATC school may not start for 6-8 months, so I need something in the interim...

Oh and your wish is my command, forumites...



The sharp-eyed among you will also spot the kickstand... :oops:

Where are the streamers and horn?

itboffin

:shock:

redvee

Bad 24 hours in Brizzle for me, nothing major but it seems I've found a couple of local nutters on the roads. Yesterday I got doored by a nearside door :shock: Coming to a set of TLs with a car in the RH lane the rear passenger decides to get out just as I pass, luckily slowly. As I do so he hits my right thigh with the door, low speed so no injury etc just anger on my part. I give him a round of applause and some verbals about looking next time as it could have been a lot worse but he just wanders off totally unaware of the dangers of his actions.
Coming into Broadquay in Brizzle which is a bus only zone I get to the lights, where I get my Metro and the well trained 'paperboy' is there today, on red and call him over and grab the paper as the lights change caused by the bus which then attempts an overtake with bus stops less then 100yds ahead. I can see what could happen as there are people waiting so give it some and leave Mr Bus in the middle of the road who, as I predicted, pulls into the bus stop.
Now the good news, I've cured the toe overlap by dropping from 700x32s down to Conti Ulttragator 25s but found out that with 95psi in them and cobbles it isn't the best bit of the commute.

Yorkshire11

I decided to count the number of drivers on mobile phones on my way home today.

I commute 14 miles each way from Shepherds Bush to Chessington, 1/3rd of the journey is through the 20mph Richmond park so nothing major happens here, so, in 2/3rds of my journey I counted, 35, thats right, 35 drivers on phones whilst driving.

Never any police around when you need them.

Yorkshire11

blu3cat wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

Also heard on the radio this morning that RP is being re-surfaced? 2 weeks they reckon it will take with stretches of road being closed to allow for work - just wondered it this effects anyone here, I'm assuming it's gonna completely c0ck up cycling around the park as laps will be a go no?

When they going to begin the resurfacing? Supposed to be doing the duathlon on Sunday round the park, might be a little tricky with red triangles and resurfacing machines getting in the way?

No roadies for me today, although the traffic is certainly on the wrong side of terrible. Make the little darlings walk (moves off into ramble about how I used to etc.....) :roll:

They have started it, but the roads are not closed, they are doing sections at a time, but not the whole width of the road. To tell you the truth, they are doing a pretty awful job of it.

flicksta

Snapped chain fail tonight. Heard a couple of grumbles from the fixed gear when out of the pedals, thought I'd nurse the bike for a couple of miles then *ping*, chain in two bits.