Your Anti-Rants here

cyclopsbiker

nice one HB. the trick is to change down the gear before you stop, anticipate what gear you need to be in to set off....you'll end up just using 2-4 gears once you're legs are used to cycling a bit.

my anti-rant, since I must balance out the rant....is a thank you to the lorry at the top of Tooley St turning right onto LB...you gave me and the other cyclists loads of road to get round the corner safely. thanks

suzyb

Thought I was going down today when a bus that passed me (to close I have to say) blew an empty bottle into my path. There was no way to avoid hitting it so I was expecting to loose the fornt wheel when I simply rolled over it squishing it.

Then on the road home a car pulled into the right hand lane (is that inside or outside) of the dual carrigeway giving me the left one to myself so I could avoid the flooded section of it. Not that he really had a choice as I was already in the middle of the lane in preparation for cycling around the puddle but thanks MR VW anyway.

el_presidente

Last night I was the victim of a horrendous "overtake" by a Merc at speed through a pinch point that was mere centimetres from taking me out.

I chased the guy down at the next lights and tapped on the window. Forcing myself to be calm and polite I said did he realise how close he had come to hitting me. To my surprise he held his hand up, looked completely mortified and really apologetic and admitted his error. "No problem" said I in surprise, "no harm done just take it easy and remember you can always overtake safely just 5 seconds down the road". He apologised again and we went our separate ways.

Well done to the driver for admitting his error, also well done to me for remaining calm, polite and non-confrontational

Wallace1492

To the WVM last night pulling out of Taggarts Garage on Garscube Road. You hesitate when you clearly saw me, but when you realised it was a bike, you simply pulled out, forcing me to brake as you turned right across me.

Whe i raised my arm and shoulted, you had the affront to shout abuse at me! Do I not deserve to live, am, I not a compassionate and kind human being?

Wallace1492

Wallace1492 wrote:

To the WVM last night pulling out of Taggarts Garage on Garscube Road. You hesitate when you clearly saw me, but when you realised it was a bike, you simply pulled out, forcing me to brake as you turned right across me.

When i raised my arm and shouted, you had the affront to shout abuse at me! Do I not deserve to live, am, I not a compassionate and kind human being?

Oops - should have been in Rants.... can't be ar5ed changing!

Marcus_C

Isn't this weather lovely! Just the thing for starting a new commute, alright it's a bit cold, but I haven't been rained on or blown off my bike yet at all.

Here's to tempting fate before i've completed the route without getting lost!!!

SimonAH

It's completely subjective, (not been using the cycling computer program on my iphone) but I really feel way faster on these cold rides. Slicing up the tarmac. Lovely.

essex-commuter

Back on the bike today for the first time since I tore a ligament in my ankle last Tuesday whilst running. Don't think I've ever not ridden for a whole week. My foot is well bruised (black along the bottom and yellow across the top - lovely!), but it was OK to cycle as long as I didn't push it too hard. Scabby bits on my knee and elbow (from the fall, I'm not usually like that!) irritated me as clothing rubbed against it though!

Probably shouldn't have ridden but, well you know.

Not an anti-rant but it didn't warrant it's own thread. I'm happy today.

Hot Orange

Marcus_C wrote:

Isn't this weather lovely! Just the thing for starting a new commute, alright it's a bit cold, but I haven't been rained on or blown off my bike yet at all.

I'm loving the cold, clear, still evenings. So much so that I've been indulging in some naughty homeward commutes this week, putting in a little detour or two instead of getting straight home to help with the getting-the-children-to-bed routine.

Meanwhile, an anti-rant: Thanks to all the drivers on the back-road section of my route into Diss this morning, who, without exception, slowed down and moved towards the edge of the road to let me pass. Man in a blue van even waved thanks to me when I hadn't really done anything.

Aidy

Saw a policeman on a bike chastising a motorcyclist who'd stopped within the cycle box.

Good job.

And for the people that are going to hate this post - I've seen lots of cyclists stopped and fined for jumping red lights. This is the first time I've ever seen a motorcyclist rebuked for this.

Kieran_Burns

We've fitted a new printer in the office and every time you print it sounds JUST like a Cylon Centurion from the original BG series.

It's so cool. 8)

notsoblue

Kieran_Burns wrote:

We've fitted a new printer in the office and every time you print it sounds JUST like a Cylon Centurion from the original BG series.

It's so cool. 8)

I need to know the make and model of this printer.

Kieran_Burns

HP 9500 hdn (not NEW new, but new to the office new)

dhope

Red wine yesterday night, fuzzy head and ravenous today. Plan for this evening, get out of work on time, cycle home quickly collecting a few scalps, nap, food, beat housemate at SSF4, go out to gig, drink with mates. Should be a good evening.

Clever Pun

A car today was being really pushy and tried to squeeze past a bus where there really wasn't space and almighty scraping noise ensues as his little silver peugeot 306 or nissan micra gets shown than it isn't a match for a buses rear end

I caught up about 20 metres down the road as he's in a queue with a sodding great dent with a lovely red accent I gave it the full nelson and rode off


beautiful

nich

i love bikes i do

nich

I let a taxi pull out this morning when none of the cars would.

He waved at me.

Love on the roads, baby!

dhope

The weather. Crisp but not cold, was in shorts this morning. Lovely.

CiB

Both boys were at Scout camp all weekend, which left plenty of "me time" for me + other half, which was prematurely curtailed when the Scout Commandant phoned to say Boy Sr needed to come home due to his leg [what? missing, snapped off?]. Ended up having a really nice Saturday evening / Sunday with just the one boy about the place instaed of two.

Shame about the me time though.

dhope

Cozy merino socks that it looks like tinternet supplier forgot to charge me for. Nice

Lancslad

I'm posting this for my o.h. She would like to thank whoever is responisble for arranging just desserts for the driver who couldnt wait 5 seconds and squeezed past her whilst he was conducting a phone call who then proceeded to hit the kerb on the corner resulting in him having a flat tyre all whilst it was raining hard. She smiled muchly and was full of joy :twisted:

dhope

dhope wrote:

Cozy merino socks that it looks like tinternet supplier forgot to charge me for. Nice

Ah, they seem to have seen the post and charged me twice instead.
First I order something, then they tell me it's out of stock, then they agree to swap for something of similar price, then realise that's out of stock too, then find something else, then finally send it, then charge me twice. Maybe this should have been a rant.

Mr Plum

My P7 bike light turned up after an 8 week wait!!! It was so late that I had already been given a refund for it being lost in the post...

Kieran_Burns

-3 on the way in.

The grass verges were all white. The roads almost empty, I was warm inside my nightvision and they've fixed the shower at work so I can leave the damn' thing on and have a warm soak.

Gods that was great.

(Oh yeah, and I'm still chilling / buzzing from seeing Einaudi again on Monday night, sublime evenings music)

suzyb

My boss has just arrived at work and got stuck getting into the car park. I managed to get myself unstuck and into a space, he, the amateur race car driver has called and asked for a push

hatbeard

Thank you Sky for my free £10 m&s voucher to organise a sky+HD party at my house for my friends (that i honestly sent to 3 real people and not 3 other email addresses on domains I also own no not at all, not me, nosiree) you just bought my lunch for the next three days

in other news very berry smoothie sweets are awesome. but I just had to give them away on the other side of the office to stop myself partaking of any more.

dhope

Bloke riding a Boris Bike in a suit and crash helmet. Made me smile

suzyb

Woohoo...boss is letting us leave a bit early today as one of the guys has been moaning about having to drive home in the dark snowy conditions

Kieran_Burns

Cycling home this evening... my morning choice of clothes was bit light then but perfect on the way home, so I was really comforttable cycling along.

Aaaaanyway...

just approaching the exit to the British Gypsum depot and a lorry is waiting to pull out. I shoulder check (clear behind) so I take primary and wave him out. He pulls out with a friendly wave and off he goes.

2 reasons for the anti-rant:

1. I got kudos from the driver for letting him out. I knew that he'd be stuck behind me for 3/4 mile to the next junction where he'd go right and I go left.
2. I got one HELL of an awesome tow off him I swear he kept off the gas just so I could keep up. It was uphill and I was spinning out in 5th which would be about 22-23mph and I bloody flew up that stretch where I would normally struggle at 1/2 that speed.

God that was fun!

roger_merriman

new commute bike SS, might be a little harsh, and over geared for park pottering but by golly don't half shift, I was freewheeling after the cars, and once the traffic cleared mr lycra'd RLJ was left like he was standing still.

yup very much a faster commute bike!