Your Anti-Rants here

rick_chasey

Some of you may remember the angry guy who decided to overlap between me and the curb - and how he was an angry chap when I suggested he pass on the right.

Suffice to say, I caught up with him today. When he burned off the lights - I was so tempted to comment - something like "you took my advice!" or some sarky clapping.

I did neither - since I am a better person than him.

*winner*

deptfordmarmoset

Riding into town yesterday I went up Tooley Street/Duke Street? to get onto London Bridge. I was astonished to see that while there were road works causing the closure of one lane they had put up temporary illuminated signs saying ''DO NOT OVERTAKE CYCLISTS,'' to discourage bikers being harassed on the way up the ramp. And when I came back south, I noticed that there was a narrow cycle path separated from the now opposite direction one-way traffic.

I got the very reassuring impression that someone had realised that this is an important route for cyclists and that they'd provided for two-way cycling where there was no longer room for two-way car traffic. Ok, it's far from perfect, but I reckon it marks a significant step towards including cyclists. Congratulations!

flimflam_machine

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

Ok, it's far from perfect, but I reckon it marks a significant step towards including cyclists. Congratulations!

In a similar vein, I've noticed one street (two-way, single carriageway) which now has large white bikes painted slap-bang in the middle of the lane in both directions, rather than miniature bikes painted way over to the side in perfect door-ing range of the parked cars. Hardly a massive step, but I do like the implication of "cyclists can cycle in the middle of the lane if they want."

Anyone else spotted more of these?

velocestrapture

Thoughtful driving from a lorry recently.

I was approaching a set of lights with the option to go straight on or turn left, with two traffic lanes that merged into one after the lights. A lorry was in the left hand lane, indicating left. As I approached the lights, they went green, and anticipating being quicker away than the lorry, I moved into the right-hand lane. I was surprised that the lorry, rather than moving off, started to indicate right. I was all prepared for a rant at him changing his mind, and a quick evasive manoeuvre, until I realised that he just needed to swing out a bit to make the turn, and had spotted me coming up behind him, so was actually making sure that I had the chance to react and keep out of his way. I got a friendly wave too as soon as he saw me drop back and give him space.

rick_chasey

For all the phone-slamming down I get, I got complimented on my approach by someone I spoke to today

CiB

Overshoes, in this weather. Nothing more needs saying.

Torvid

Not sure if this is an anti rant or a rant...

Almost got door'd on the way home last night but luckily they had parked head on to the direction of the traffic so as the door swung out towards me hard on the breaks and bumped the door back on the legs and emerging head of the daft bint who was hualing herself out.

Made me smile and hopefully she will be more careful next time.

bails87

torvid: Don't ride so close to parked cars, ALWAYS at least a dorrs width away from them.

bails87

My Cateye computer packed up, I've had it for about 15 months, so I sent it back to Wiggle. Put it in the post yesterday morning, I've just received an email saying I've been refunded the postage and a replacement is on it;s way to me

I blame Wiggle!

Torvid

bails87 wrote:

torvid: Don't ride so close to parked cars, ALWAYS at least a dorrs width away from them.

I wasn't they had pulled across the road and stopped in front of me, thats what made it more satisfying. If I hadn't have wacked her door it would have been in the rants thead about them trying to park on top of me.

bails87

Ah, fair do's...... stupid drivers! :roll:

redvee

Posting about CityLink here rather than the Rants thread :shock: Received a text from them yesterday with notification of proposed delivery today, phoned the depot up and told them I leave for work after 12noon so before then would be best. 10:30 this morning my mobile rings, it's CityLink downstairs with my box from Portsmouth

Kieran_Burns

Thanks to the British Gypsum driver this morning - he was so patient waiting behind me, I'm going to be firing an email off to the company when I get home (with link to vid) - 'cos his overtake when he was finally able, was superb (as per usual for these guys)

Followed shortly afterwards by a really attractive lady in a mini who was overtaking me as a car in front slowed down to turn right - she hung out behind the car in front, forcing herself to stop and wait for me to pass by the car before she pulled in behind me and followed. It would've been so easy for her to accelerate into the shrinking gap and cause me trouble, but she waited.

So, she got a big wave of thanks and a smile for her consideration.

Oh, and what a bleeding gorgeous morning!!!

bails87

Wasn't it just?! Only hit one patch of frost on the roads, which was no bother, and I took it slow round RABs, but it was just a glorious morning. Still on the way in, tailwind for the ride home

Applespider

redvee wrote:

Posting about CityLink here rather than the Rants thread :shock:

Scarily, I'm doing the same with Parcelforce :shock: Upgraded to Sky HD on Weds night online with an expected delivery date of Monday. Came home tonight to a card through the door which could only be the Sky box and noticed it was Parcelforce. Expected to have to hike to Woolwich or try to sort out a new delivery - but no, they've left it at the Post Office at the end of the road. Efficient service from both Sky and Parcelforce... what's the world coming to!

suzyb

I'm working from home the rest of the week. So my car doesn't need to leave the space I finally managed to get it into after a few oh crap moments when it skidded quite near a neighbours car.

Gallywomack

Applespider wrote:

redvee wrote:

Posting about CityLink here rather than the Rants thread :shock:

Scarily, I'm doing the same with Parcelforce :shock: Upgraded to Sky HD on Weds night online with an expected delivery date of Monday. Came home tonight to a card through the door which could only be the Sky box and noticed it was Parcelforce. Expected to have to hike to Woolwich or try to sort out a new delivery - but no, they've left it at the Post Office at the end of the road. Efficient service from both Sky and Parcelforce... what's the world coming to!

They did that for a delivery of bike gear for me as well. Except the bloke just put 'Bromley Rd' on the card, which didn't give me much to go on. I thought he meant the royal mail sorting office place just off the Bromley Rd in Catford. So I drove down there to find it was shut. On the way home, I noticed a post office in Downham, on the Bromley Rd, quite close to where I live. 'I wonder...' I thought, parked up, went inside, waved the card, and found that sure enough, my box was there! Huzzah, a happy ending!

Except that a week or so later, an envelope dropped through the door with a ticket for parking on a red route. I thought those boxes meant you could park there! Gah! I'd been picked off by a CCTV camera - they must catch hundreds there as there are always cars parked where I did. Surely CCTV operators in Downham have actual crimes they could be looking at?! Grumble grumble etc. So add £60 to the cost of my gear.

Hmmm, on reflection that's actually a rant. Apologies for sullying the thread.

redvee

Got a £6 credit applied to my mobile bill when I was only asking for 50p, thanks VirginMobile

davis

well if we're praising good service... Washing machine gave up the ghost on Sunday. Being a commuter cyclist means my second hobby is washing clothes (third is eating). New washing machine purchased at 09h03 on Monday morning, being installed at 09h13, finished and working at 09h40. Win.

Gallywomack

This morning seemed to be a long succession of me getting myself into silly positions with pointless filtering, and cars & vans patiently letting me get back to safety. Bad me, but thumbs up to everyone else.

DrLex

J E James Cycles & DPD couriers - thank you both!
Former for performing a warranty replacement by return of post & DPD for texting a one hour delivery slot notification and arriving within a few minutes of the window "opening".
Now if only all my on-line transactions were so buttery smooooth.

jomoj

North Tyneside Council - thanks for finally linking up the missing 500m of bike path on my commute that now removes the need to either ride on the verge or dice with the morning rush hour fools who think a bit of urban dual carriageway means it's worth getting up to 60 to reach the queue at the roundabout 5 secs early.
This now means I could ride the entire 12 miles to work on a traffic free route if I chose. It would take a lot longer than my mixed route but it's nice to have option.

cheers NTC!

bails87

Also a cyclepath related one

There's a bit of pavement/cycle path that I use instead of riding on the stretch of NSL road between a village and a dual carriageway. I think people are pre-empting the dual carriageway up ahead, so drive too fast and too close. Anyway, the council have cut back all the overgrown bushes, scraped the mud and moss from the edge of pavement and swept everything away so no thorns were left behind. It's made the path about 4 feet wider in places.

redvee

The attractive blonde postperson who buzzed my intercom at 11:30 this morning with my Magicshine lights just in time for me to put them in my bag for the ride home tonight.

Topaxci

The joys of having my road bike back on the road, new free wheel hub installed and running smoothly.

Plus the fun of a tail wind home last night with a additional benefit of overtaking a work colleague on his electric bike. He reckons it will do 20-22mph but I came freewheeling past him on the flat at around 25 with enough time to tip my helmet give a cheery greeting before zooming off. Made me smile.

And a bonus this morning when I actually saw another cyclist, and one who actually overtook me. Though I was pulling away after stopping at a roundabout and he had all the momentum. Overtook him again on the next section and unfortunately wasn't really trying. But it was fun while it lasted.
I don't see many other commuters in Norwich.

mudcow007

tailwinds dont cha just love em!

coming home last night i was speeding along the river at 33mph (which for me is a biblically fast speed)

so thank you Mr/ Mrs Wind god

DrLex

Along the river? Now that's what I call aquaplaning!

Another good customer services experience, this time from Planet-X. Large box (tyres) arrived, but thanks to lack of fully-taped edges, the rear skewer had made an exit in transit. Emailed PX, and a reply promising replacement arrived within 5mins, followed by an automatic one from the order going on the system. Excellent!

SimonAH

Flew into LHR last night at about eight in the evening. Due to scheduling issues the plane was put in a very low holding pattern over the city for about thirty minutes. The air was gin-clear, every light in the metropolis was on and I sat with my nose to the window like a small boy :-D

Kieran_Burns

SimonAH wrote:

Flew into LHR last night at about eight in the evening. Due to scheduling issues the plane was put in a very low holding pattern over the city for about thirty minutes. The air was gin-clear, every light in the metropolis was on and I sat with my nose to the window like a small boy :-D

One of my favourite memories is taking off from LHR to fly to Palma. I was in the jump seat of a DC9. You have no idea how different it is when you are in the cockpit of a jet as opposed to a seat in the back. The runway is HUGE!!!

Oh yeah, and driving over the runway is a hoot as well... you sit at a set of lights and have to belt over the runway between flights - you have a tiny window between them as you can't go too soon or get caught in the jet wash of the previous plane. Oh and a 747 is fecking massive when it hurtles past a 100 foot away at 100mph. Talk about rock your world....

veronese68

Kieran_Burns wrote:

SimonAH wrote:

Flew into LHR last night at about eight in the evening. Due to scheduling issues the plane was put in a very low holding pattern over the city for about thirty minutes. The air was gin-clear, every light in the metropolis was on and I sat with my nose to the window like a small boy :-D

One of my favourite memories is taking off from LHR to fly to Palma. I was in the jump seat of a DC9. You have no idea how different it is when you are in the cockpit of a jet as opposed to a seat in the back. The runway is HUGE!!!

Oh yeah, and driving over the runway is a hoot as well... you sit at a set of lights and have to belt over the runway between flights - you have a tiny window between them as you can't go too soon or get caught in the jet wash of the previous plane. Oh and a 747 is fecking massive when it hurtles past a 100 foot away at 100mph. Talk about rock your world....

A few years back I was driving round the M25 in an old Triumph Spitfire with the roof down. Passing Heathrow, Concorde took off directly over me. I thought the world was coming to an end. The noise was incredible, the whole car felt like it was going to get blown to pieces.
What a fabulous machine. No, I don't mean the car.