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How was your cycle commute?

I know they can be a problem sometimes, and dogs are particularly scary, but I wonder if the true arbiters of road and path behaviour should be pedestrians.
I feel particularly embarrassed in a park I ride through where I've had to tell off speeding cyclists more than once - as well as witnessing the after-effects on several sets of pedestrians - and their reluctance to trust me as a cyclist.

pedestrians.jpg

I was happy today to encounter two confident groups walking 3 abreast on either side of the narrow lane where I repeatedly have altercations with car drivers.
I've seen them several times recently - perhaps hospital staff...



Yes - as the road narrowed I realise I was a bit too close and too fast.

... and then I happily stopped for a survey about cyclists versus pedestrians on the railway path.

It's been a horrible few weeks for me. I'm still in pain from the "accident" and the 5 miles home is the most I can bear.

Touch wood I made the right decision to shift my day back half an hour, but it will take a while to trust any other cyclists again.
It had been steadily creeping up on me over several years.
 
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It was pissing down and getting dark on the way home, and some nugget in a Fiat Panda decided to stop to let a passenger out on a blind bend, then as if that wasn't bad enough he tried to pull out as I and the car behind me were overtaking him :facepalm: :mad: and he can't have the excuse that he didn't see me as I had my lights on already.
 
Today I bought a new-ish car and then rode the 22 miles from home to the dealer to pick it up. He found it hard to believe that anyone would ride that far! I explained that was not in any way far and that I planned to ride 150 miles on Saturday. I don't think he believed me though.
 
a_chap said:
Today I bought a new-ish car and then rode the 22 miles from home to the dealer to pick it up. He found it hard to believe that anyone would ride that far! I explained that was not in any way far and that I planned to ride 150 miles on Saturday. I don't think he believed me though.
Click to expand...
I bet he would have been surprised if you'd only cycled 5 miles to collect a car.
For most people that's a Sunday ride.
 
Still amazingly warm down here in the humid South West and any rain should have cleared in time, just a swine that my right shoulder is giving me sufficient gyp to spoil a pleasant autumn ride home.

Not even an easy 20 miles in 4 weeks now. :(
 
hey there - shoot me if you like but here's a bit of cycling spam.. Wheels for Wellbeing "We can help you enjoy cycling whatever your disability, health condition or age" is a charity that used to operate out of Brockwell Park. I have zero connection with them (other than having tried out their bikes a few times and spoken to them on occasion in my local park) but I think they're really great. They want to win a grant from Lloyds and you can vote for them to do so here if you have a moment.. https://communityfund.lloydsbank.com/voting/cf_org_vote_profile.asp?cfr=98AA6C

A few years ago some vandals broke into the building (in Brockwell park) where they stored all their bikes and burned the lot. It was really awful. I'm so impressed they're still going, although I believe they're not in Brockwell Park any more - but several other venues in S. London. It's such a great initiative - I still feel now, in my 40s, the same immense sense of freedom and joy I felt as a teenager when I could cycle and go for miles away from my home, despite being too young to drive, or not having the money for the bus/train. There's nothing like it really, that sense of freedom and independence riding a bike gives.

Anyway, it's late night and I'm sentimental, but if anyone has some moments to vote, please do.
 
Went out on the Pashley yesterday. Managed a round route of 150 miles from Worcester to Daventry and back. Cotswolds stunning and beautiful at this time of year but still very hilly. :(

Got completely soaked by a passing "shower". More like a downpour - heavy, cold wet rain - but I found the thunder and lightening managed to take my mind of it somewhat. :D
 
I avoided the rain this morning, but there was a hell of a lot of standing water on the road, so I got pretty soaked anyway.
 
It clearly rained quite a bit today, but by the time I left for home, it was a pleasantly mild ride in tee shirt and shorts to make up for this morning's waterproofs.

:)


wallfall.jpg
 
Bit of a headwind both ways today, wind switching from a south-easterly to a south-westerly during the course of the day, the shit.

I've found myself slowing down a bit now we're getting into autumn proper, with wet roads and diminishing light. For the next six months it'll just be a case of getting in as comfortably as I can, not so much zipping around or going for personal best times.

I think I've also slowed down a bit since someone crashed into me back in August, still nervous around junctions or anywhere else cars are likely to not see me (though I was barely moving when I was hit, having just pulled away!). Mitigating this is the fact I've bought one of those bright Cree LED front lights which is great, and that's giving me a bit more confidence that I will be seen - I'm even using it in good daylight, particularly in situations where I'm filtering through traffic and am at risk of not being seen by a lane-changer in front.
 
Wet roads but no rain again today. I am winging it so far, as I've still not sorted waterproofs/change of clothes/shoes etc. It's bound to tip it down sometime soon.

How horrible/pointless would cut-off waterproofs be?!
 
With it being so mild, I'm still wearing shorts, so cut off "rain legs" would seem to be ideal just to stop my shorts getting soaked - but they're supposed to be sufficient even with long trousers.
With biting cold rain, I don't find full leggings too awful.
 
Very excited about my ride today. I'm off to London with my bike on the train. Just about to arrive and then dash off to a pub.

It used to be a bit of a mare finding my way about but I'm starting to get to know a few routes - and the sat nav on my phone is a great help.
 
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