Back on the saddle...
Discussion
Council said:
Dear Liquid Knight
Thank you for contacting Norfolk County Council in regards to potholes.
I am sorry to hear that you were injured when you came off of your bike. Thank you for providing us with the description of the potholes and photos, I have forwarded your information to the Highways department for their attention and they will do an inspection and add any work that is needed to their routine programmes.
The time taken to complete the work will depend on priorities and the resources they have available. Norfolk County Council cannot take action in every instance and in some cases the job will not be the responsibility of Norfolk County Council but we will send it on to the right organisation for you.
Yours sincerely
Rucksack tonight. Thank you for contacting Norfolk County Council in regards to potholes.
I am sorry to hear that you were injured when you came off of your bike. Thank you for providing us with the description of the potholes and photos, I have forwarded your information to the Highways department for their attention and they will do an inspection and add any work that is needed to their routine programmes.
The time taken to complete the work will depend on priorities and the resources they have available. Norfolk County Council cannot take action in every instance and in some cases the job will not be the responsibility of Norfolk County Council but we will send it on to the right organisation for you.
Yours sincerely
Yesterday was...
...well...
...a pain in the faff.
When I left it was sunny, clear blue skies, a bit of a head wind but nothing to worry about. At the first third it started to spit with rain, then the wind picked up and the rain became a torrent. The final third as sunny and a three quarter tail wind.
It's late April early May weather. If you get fed up of it just wait for five minutes.
19:30 at work...
20:08 from the same location...
20:41 the next heavy shower front...
21:15 five minutes to sunset...
I like it when it gets like this. On a bike you are as wet as you'e going to get after a mile so it makes little difference rain or dry. At least it's nowhere near as hot as last year. That was ridiculous.
So a combination of a few things. The return of the rucksack, Saturday morning so it was pretty quiet, tailwind behind me and another approaching storm formation meant...
30.03
...for my ride home.
Not ideal as I couldn't get to sleep until close to ten o'clock and I have to do it all again tonight.
...well...
...a pain in the faff.
When I left it was sunny, clear blue skies, a bit of a head wind but nothing to worry about. At the first third it started to spit with rain, then the wind picked up and the rain became a torrent. The final third as sunny and a three quarter tail wind.
It's late April early May weather. If you get fed up of it just wait for five minutes.
19:30 at work...
20:08 from the same location...
20:41 the next heavy shower front...
21:15 five minutes to sunset...
I like it when it gets like this. On a bike you are as wet as you'e going to get after a mile so it makes little difference rain or dry. At least it's nowhere near as hot as last year. That was ridiculous.
So a combination of a few things. The return of the rucksack, Saturday morning so it was pretty quiet, tailwind behind me and another approaching storm formation meant...
30.03
...for my ride home.
Not ideal as I couldn't get to sleep until close to ten o'clock and I have to do it all again tonight.
Highways Agency said:
Dear Liquid Knight
We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status:
New Status: We are investigating the problem.
Address: 30m from the driveway you ended up on
Edited for data protection but they got a wriggle on eh? We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status:
New Status: We are investigating the problem.
Address: 30m from the driveway you ended up on
County Council said:
Dear Liquid Knight
We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status: We are investigating the problem.
New Status: This problem has already been reported and action identified to resolve the issue.
Customer Service Team
Norfolk County Council
All it took was a polite email and a few photo's of the scene. Faith almost restored and certainly improved my mood. So much so I won't give the toss pot who tried to kill me today blog space. :P We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status: We are investigating the problem.
New Status: This problem has already been reported and action identified to resolve the issue.
Customer Service Team
Norfolk County Council
Yesterday morning was an arse! Headwind for the first section, side wind and thenit shifted so it was a headwind for the final stint. 
I was two minutes late.
The ride home was the opposite. Tail wind, side wind and headwind. I was taking it easy until I got bored. Overtaken by a Lycarist who didn't notice he was being overtaken by a bus at the time and was nearly taken off...
Always look over your shoulder before doing anything on the road.
...too busy swearing for conversation and too quick for me to bother trying to catch.
Made it home in thirty four minutes so 18-ish mph average. I'm tempted to go for a bendy bar bike or recumbent next but even after my off there is nothing notably wrong with my bike.
I was two minutes late.
The ride home was the opposite. Tail wind, side wind and headwind. I was taking it easy until I got bored. Overtaken by a Lycarist who didn't notice he was being overtaken by a bus at the time and was nearly taken off...
Always look over your shoulder before doing anything on the road.
...too busy swearing for conversation and too quick for me to bother trying to catch.
Made it home in thirty four minutes so 18-ish mph average. I'm tempted to go for a bendy bar bike or recumbent next but even after my off there is nothing notably wrong with my bike.
Last night was a forty three minute struggle. The headwind was enough to keep in from my top four gears and when I stopped I was literally dripping sweat. Bleaugh!
This morning was hilarious fun. Unlike the last three major headwind rides in the wind hadn't shifted so I made it home in a record smashing...
26.47
...averaging 26.9 mph I was flashed at by both thirty warning signs and the one in the forty zone said 36, 37, 36, 35 as I went past it.
But as it was a near gale force tailwind that time does not count.
This morning was hilarious fun. Unlike the last three major headwind rides in the wind hadn't shifted so I made it home in a record smashing...
26.47
...averaging 26.9 mph I was flashed at by both thirty warning signs and the one in the forty zone said 36, 37, 36, 35 as I went past it.
But as it was a near gale force tailwind that time does not count.
So yesterday didn't count and the forecast is blisteringly hot for when I go back to work this weekend so this morning was probably the last chance I was going to have to set a fast time before Winter.
29.12
With no wind assistance and a bit of head wind as I got close to home.
I experimented with leaning over the bars and resting my forearms on the grips and it was okay for about a hundred yards, hit a bump in the road and jarred my back so triathlon bars can stay in the shop for now.
29.12
With no wind assistance and a bit of head wind as I got close to home.
I experimented with leaning over the bars and resting my forearms on the grips and it was okay for about a hundred yards, hit a bump in the road and jarred my back so triathlon bars can stay in the shop for now.
Having just my bottle on my rack and stuff in my rucksack appears to be working. I'm posting bloody good times, a little sweatier than with the panniers but if I replace them they'll be hi-viz ones and have the plastic clips or straps to hold them to the uprights better.
I am a Winter rider and this thirty something degree heat is just crap. I go fast enough for the wind cool me a little, any faster and I sweat buckets and stink. The reason being this time of year there is a lot more airborne dust and it's closer to body temperature.
Nothing wrong with dust but it isn't just dust.
Anything that leaks from vehicles, sulfuric acid, petrol, diesel, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, water, coolant, washer fluid, asbestos brake dust, rust, tyre rubber and grease.
Anything that had been on the road, animal urine, animal faeces, fur, feathers, blood, saliva, bile, soft tissue, ground hard tissue, insects/insects matter/waste and other parts associated with death.
Human waste fly tipped from vehicles, food, drinks, nappies, urine, faeces and various fast food establishment packaging and tobacco products.
Chemical over spray from farm land, pesticides, herbicides, manure, growth hormone, organic and in-organic materials.
Some miscellaneous stuff like, ash from bonfires/barbecues/other fire souses, rotten bio-matter from deciduous trees, cut grass/verges and so on.
Why the list and why is it more of an issue this time of year? Well as it's closer to body temperature any bacteria or spores in the dust will survive longer. Long enough to make contact with us as we ride through it. Due to the increased amount of sweat on our bodies also due to the heat surface tension means more of this compound of matter sticks to us. Our bodies react to bacteria on the skin by producing more acidic sweat and body odor is the net result.
If you do not have shower facilities at work consider taking the bus instead. Just don't bio-test the seats or handles as you are sat in a cocoon filled with thousands of peoples dry skin flakes, urine, sweat, blood, pus, vomit, digested food, faeces, mucus and you have to walk through the dust cloud to get to the bus stop anyway.
I am a Winter rider and this thirty something degree heat is just crap. I go fast enough for the wind cool me a little, any faster and I sweat buckets and stink. The reason being this time of year there is a lot more airborne dust and it's closer to body temperature.
Nothing wrong with dust but it isn't just dust.
Anything that leaks from vehicles, sulfuric acid, petrol, diesel, oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, water, coolant, washer fluid, asbestos brake dust, rust, tyre rubber and grease.
Anything that had been on the road, animal urine, animal faeces, fur, feathers, blood, saliva, bile, soft tissue, ground hard tissue, insects/insects matter/waste and other parts associated with death.
Human waste fly tipped from vehicles, food, drinks, nappies, urine, faeces and various fast food establishment packaging and tobacco products.
Chemical over spray from farm land, pesticides, herbicides, manure, growth hormone, organic and in-organic materials.
Some miscellaneous stuff like, ash from bonfires/barbecues/other fire souses, rotten bio-matter from deciduous trees, cut grass/verges and so on.
Why the list and why is it more of an issue this time of year? Well as it's closer to body temperature any bacteria or spores in the dust will survive longer. Long enough to make contact with us as we ride through it. Due to the increased amount of sweat on our bodies also due to the heat surface tension means more of this compound of matter sticks to us. Our bodies react to bacteria on the skin by producing more acidic sweat and body odor is the net result.
If you do not have shower facilities at work consider taking the bus instead. Just don't bio-test the seats or handles as you are sat in a cocoon filled with thousands of peoples dry skin flakes, urine, sweat, blood, pus, vomit, digested food, faeces, mucus and you have to walk through the dust cloud to get to the bus stop anyway.
Edited by Liquid Knight on Tuesday 19th July 14:26
A little bit somber today. I set of early yesterday so I could enjoy the sunshine instead of enduring the heat but I was still late for work.
The Police had blocked the road on the outskirts of town because someone had jumped a red light in front of an HGV and a cyclist was hit. I arrived just as the air ambulance left. I don't know if it was a fellow commuter or one of the local cycle club who train on that road every Tuesday nor do I know if the cyclist made it but it was a stark reminder of how futile moaning about the weather and crap is.
The ride home this morning was a revelation. Darwinian thinking suggests "survival of the fittest" but on the road it is more a case of survival of the best Faraday cage with the most airbags.
On the same road that was closed thirteen hours before only one safe distance overtake and two idiots decided to overtake within fifty yards of a roundabout the second had to do an emergency stop to avoid the back of the first.
I'm going to have to start using my camera again.
The Police had blocked the road on the outskirts of town because someone had jumped a red light in front of an HGV and a cyclist was hit. I arrived just as the air ambulance left. I don't know if it was a fellow commuter or one of the local cycle club who train on that road every Tuesday nor do I know if the cyclist made it but it was a stark reminder of how futile moaning about the weather and crap is.
The ride home this morning was a revelation. Darwinian thinking suggests "survival of the fittest" but on the road it is more a case of survival of the best Faraday cage with the most airbags.
On the same road that was closed thirteen hours before only one safe distance overtake and two idiots decided to overtake within fifty yards of a roundabout the second had to do an emergency stop to avoid the back of the first.
I'm going to have to start using my camera again.
Oh, another thing that happened this morning. Just as I was about to turn left for the bridge over the A47 there was a metal strip in the road bent and waiting to take someone's tyre(s) out. I turned around and slowed traffic as it was headed towards it. The first driver of a Citroen Belingo looked at me for blocking his precious road as if I had stood in dog crap and wiped it on his mothers head stone. Until I picked the metal up and threw it on to the footpath. Thumb up, smile and wave. Good deed for the day.
Sunday morning was nearly perfect. Chill in the air, gentle breeze and hardly any traffic. Sunday night was much hotter but the breeze helped and everyone else on the road was a tool.
Today was okay until I reached the Cambridgeshire boarder and the usual Monday morning autopilots and lemmings took over. I was close to record pace on the way home but stopped after a PoB threw a cigarette into the dry grass verge. I called him and his pal back and make sure it was extinguished. The farmer who owns the land wondered what we were up to. When I explained he suggested it was lucky I stopped the PoB's and mad them double check because if he had seen it he would have used the PoB's face to put it out.
I nodded to see if he was joking. He wasn't.
Today was okay until I reached the Cambridgeshire boarder and the usual Monday morning autopilots and lemmings took over. I was close to record pace on the way home but stopped after a PoB threw a cigarette into the dry grass verge. I called him and his pal back and make sure it was extinguished. The farmer who owns the land wondered what we were up to. When I explained he suggested it was lucky I stopped the PoB's and mad them double check because if he had seen it he would have used the PoB's face to put it out.
I nodded to see if he was joking. He wasn't.
Good deed update.
A lady driving a 206 was making a loud clattering sound as she overtook me on my way into work last week.
She stopped at a driveway a few hundred yards later so I stopped to tell her. The poor thing first refused to get out or open her window, probably thinking I was going to have a go for the overtake (that was fine). I took my sunglasses off, smiled and she got out. I thought it was suspension or subframe bushes. I got under the car and gave everything a tap only to find it was the spare wheel bolt that hadn't been put back by a mechanic.
She was thankful I stopped and I was relived it was nothing to worry about.
Stopped for a Bambi.
That's about it apart from the last couple of days but that will be on YouTube soon enough.
A lady driving a 206 was making a loud clattering sound as she overtook me on my way into work last week.
She stopped at a driveway a few hundred yards later so I stopped to tell her. The poor thing first refused to get out or open her window, probably thinking I was going to have a go for the overtake (that was fine). I took my sunglasses off, smiled and she got out. I thought it was suspension or subframe bushes. I got under the car and gave everything a tap only to find it was the spare wheel bolt that hadn't been put back by a mechanic.
She was thankful I stopped and I was relived it was nothing to worry about.
Stopped for a Bambi.
That's about it apart from the last couple of days but that will be on YouTube soon enough.
Another week out of the way and it was sublime, ridiculous and just plain weird.
I have a couple of new additions.
A Claude Butler BION Solar 27 tail light.
This is an awesome bit of kit. The red light comes with three settings. One for DRL use, two for normal night and all 100 Lumens for fog. Also three different strobe speed, slow, medium and Warehouse circa 1992
USB charged so no need to buy batteries every week and it comes with a seat mount and a seat post mount. I'll probably get another one so I can have one on and the other slow flashing or a tail and fog combination. I'm looking forward to using it and feeling a little safer riding in fog or mist. I haven't had chance to test durability yet but for £16.99 this could well be the best tail light on the market right now.
The other less useful addition was this...
...helmet mounted rear view mirror.
On paper it sounds like a good idea. There is less vibration than bar mounted ones, the weight is hardly noticeable and due to perspective it's not a bad size. In the right position you can see over your shoulder; but in direct light it's not a lot of use especially if what's behind you is dark grey, silver, charcoal, black, dark blue, dark green etc, etc. Picks up DRL's and side lights well and isn't a much of a distraction as I was expecting. If I had to fault it the only thing I thought of after a mile or two was...
"If I get knocked off where will this impale me?"
...but it's held on with sticky backed Velcro so before it snaps I imagine it would fall off.
Sublime. The weather hasn't been as hot as I expected and the cool breeze in the mornings combined with sunshine or refreshing rain has been something to enjoy not endure.
Ridiculous. Oh right it's the school holidays so the number of PoB's is pandemic and some people have simply forgotten how to drive.
Weird. I was riding with a Lycraist the other day and they asked if I was new. I said no I have been riding to work on and off for the last five years. Are those new shorts? No; I've been wearing shorts since January. So how come your legs are so white? Sure enough my legs look like the contents of Brian Warner's make up bag. How odd.
I have a couple of new additions.
A Claude Butler BION Solar 27 tail light.
This is an awesome bit of kit. The red light comes with three settings. One for DRL use, two for normal night and all 100 Lumens for fog. Also three different strobe speed, slow, medium and Warehouse circa 1992
USB charged so no need to buy batteries every week and it comes with a seat mount and a seat post mount. I'll probably get another one so I can have one on and the other slow flashing or a tail and fog combination. I'm looking forward to using it and feeling a little safer riding in fog or mist. I haven't had chance to test durability yet but for £16.99 this could well be the best tail light on the market right now.
The other less useful addition was this...
...helmet mounted rear view mirror.
On paper it sounds like a good idea. There is less vibration than bar mounted ones, the weight is hardly noticeable and due to perspective it's not a bad size. In the right position you can see over your shoulder; but in direct light it's not a lot of use especially if what's behind you is dark grey, silver, charcoal, black, dark blue, dark green etc, etc. Picks up DRL's and side lights well and isn't a much of a distraction as I was expecting. If I had to fault it the only thing I thought of after a mile or two was...
"If I get knocked off where will this impale me?"
...but it's held on with sticky backed Velcro so before it snaps I imagine it would fall off.
Sublime. The weather hasn't been as hot as I expected and the cool breeze in the mornings combined with sunshine or refreshing rain has been something to enjoy not endure.
Ridiculous. Oh right it's the school holidays so the number of PoB's is pandemic and some people have simply forgotten how to drive.
Weird. I was riding with a Lycraist the other day and they asked if I was new. I said no I have been riding to work on and off for the last five years. Are those new shorts? No; I've been wearing shorts since January. So how come your legs are so white? Sure enough my legs look like the contents of Brian Warner's make up bag. How odd.
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