And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
SteelerSE said:
Lanes were closed off on the way in (A40 and Embankment) but no roads closed. The standing water going through the back roads was nasty though. Very easy to make a mistake there.
And as regards commuting highlights, last night a nob on a Z1 (new one) decided that he wanted to prove that he was the fastest. That's fine - away you go. He then proceeded to filter like he was riding a gold wing and got upset as I went past (and I'm not someone that goes for the tiniest gap).
People are strange.
Who are these people that get upset when you pass them in traffic? I've not encountered one yet. The only people that get pissed off with me are occasionally owners of clipped wing mirrors, pedestrians and, very very early, the odd driver who gets uppety when I filter to the front at a set of lights.And as regards commuting highlights, last night a nob on a Z1 (new one) decided that he wanted to prove that he was the fastest. That's fine - away you go. He then proceeded to filter like he was riding a gold wing and got upset as I went past (and I'm not someone that goes for the tiniest gap).
People are strange.
Tribal Chestnut said:
Who are these people that get upset when you pass them in traffic? I've not encountered one yet. The only people that get pissed off with me are occasionally owners of clipped wing mirrors, pedestrians and, very very early, the odd driver who gets uppety when I filter to the front at a set of lights.
It was a very shiny bike so I can only assume he wasn't a regular commuter? Otherwise a bit of a twunt.
Not the usual "into town" highlight this morning but a pigeon committing suicide by bouncing off my crash helmet while I was travelling at around 80 (kmh – obviously) certainly added to the excitement. It shot across the road at eye height and I just had time to drop me head before it bounced off the top of my helmet. Goodness knows what happened to the pigeon but I felt like Mike Tyson had just landed a left hook on the top of my head.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I’d be surprised if a helmet was damaged to the point of needing replacement by hitting a pigeon. The pigeon probably weighed around 2 kilos and the impact area would have been spread over most (all?) of the top of the helmet. Add to that the fact that a pigeon is basically a flying crumple zone and it should mean that the energy transfer through the helmet padding will have been minimal.It was my neck that mainly felt the impact. As I managed to drop my face so I was effectively looking at the tank, I luckily didn’t get much of a whiplash effect but I could feel the impact right down my neck and back.
Edited by black-k1 on Tuesday 28th June 11:03
black-k1 said:
I’d be surprised if a helmet was damaged to the point of needing replacement by hitting a pigeon. The pigeon probably weighed around 2 kilos and the impact area would have been spread over most (all?) of the top of the helmet. Add to that the fact that a pigeon is basically a flying crumple zone and it should mean that the energy transfer through the helmet padding will have been minimal.
It was my neck that mainly felt the impact. As I managed to drop my face so I was effectively looking at the tank, I luckily didn’t get much of a whiplash effect but I could feel the impact right down my neck and back.
2 Kilos???It was my neck that mainly felt the impact. As I managed to drop my face so I was effectively looking at the tank, I luckily didn’t get much of a whiplash effect but I could feel the impact right down my neck and back.
Edited by black-k1 on Tuesday 28th June 11:03
You'd be unlucky if it weighed 500g wet through. But i bet it would still smart!
Today's commuting highlight was "wow, I didn't realise the school holidays had started already". Really quiet on the roads. 
Last night's
goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.
Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
Last night's
goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
CAPP0 said:
Today's commuting highlight was "wow, I didn't realise the school holidays had started already". Really quiet on the roads.
Last night's goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.
Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
Every day I see this. In the main, I try and ride assuming everyone is trying to kill me. If I'm filtering in traffic doing 20, I'm at 25 tops. Always amazed how many bikers pile through the middle at 50-60. All it takes is one car changing lanes....Last night's
goes to the rider of the silver VFR on the A20 between Fiveways and Sidcup.Sonny, if you hadn't gone been slicing in and out of every other vehicle at well in excess of 80mph in a 50mph (no I don't have a speed gun, yes I do know how fast I was going and how much faster you were going) then the poor young lass in the blue Merc might have had more than 0.1s to see you coming at her, on her inside, from behind another car, in your latest undertake, as she went to (correctly) change lanes. After you'd finished your self-induced high-speed stoppie, going on to leap all over your bike waving your arms in a flouncing fit of which even the most dubious PHers would be more than proud, doesn't absolve you from having been entirely to blame.
I really did think you were going to bin it. And it would have been 100% your fault. Calm it right down. Or, just stop riding like an utter tw@t.
Sea Demon said:
CAPPO what bike are you riding? Sounds like your on the same route as me, I think I was behind this grey VFR yesterday - have a black/green lid?
I hope I don't have to hand in my BB membership card - I commute on a TDM900 
The name is apt, although in fairness it's not a bad tool for the 30 mile commute, now I have finally sorted the front brakes out. Quite light, reasonably nimble, but not nearly grunty enough. You??I can't honestly remember what colour lid this joker was wearing, I was too busy tensing myself for HIS impact
This was after the main RH bend as you run up towards Queen Mary's. He was virtually stood up on the pegs waving both arms around, a proper hissy fit! I'll keep an eye out for him. 
(came with the bike)Sea Demon said:
cant say I remember any TDM's on my route
There's one other who I actually know (works right by me) and another I've seen which appears to be ridden by a retired geography teacher Couple of 850s around too, but if you commute the same time every day you tend to always see the same bikes!
Many thanks to the driver who managed to pre-empt what action I would take when that stupid 
of a car driver pulled out of the petrol station near Mitcham this morning. Why the fk would you actually stop, look for traffic, and then when you see its not actually clear to pull out, proceed to attempt to cause carnage.
To say I shat myself is an understatement. One has to wonder what the fk goes through these tts heads. Today it was nearly 100kg of motorcyclist
of a car driver pulled out of the petrol station near Mitcham this morning. Why the fk would you actually stop, look for traffic, and then when you see its not actually clear to pull out, proceed to attempt to cause carnage.To say I shat myself is an understatement. One has to wonder what the f
k goes through these tts heads. Today it was nearly 100kg of motorcyclistFleegle said:
Many thanks to the driver who managed to pre-empt what action I would take when that stupid of a car driver pulled out of the petrol station near Mitcham this morning. Why the fk would you actually stop, look for traffic, and then when you see its not actually clear to pull out, proceed to attempt to cause carnage.
To say I shat myself is an understatement. One has to wonder what the fk goes through these tts heads. Today it was nearly 100kg of motorcyclist
Its very close ones like this that you have absolutely no control over sometimes its just luck.. had a few of them sadly of a car driver pulled out of the petrol station near Mitcham this morning. Why the fk would you actually stop, look for traffic, and then when you see its not actually clear to pull out, proceed to attempt to cause carnage.To say I shat myself is an understatement. One has to wonder what the f
k goes through these tts heads. Today it was nearly 100kg of motorcyclist
It appears some drivers are absolutely blind to motorcycles even with lights on.
Worst still is the type of arrogant/a**hole driver who clearly sees you but pulls out anyway knowing exactly what they're doing and basically requiring you to do something about the situation they caused even though they have no right of way. I think you can probably work out the type of driver I'm talking about when I say my last example was a BMW X6M who stopped looked at me coming and then having seen me just pulled out anyway from a side street turning right and stopping blocking my side of the road because it wasn't clear to proceed in the other lane either.
I seem to have an invisibility cloak on this week.
Worst was yesterday when some donut waiting to turn right out of a junction lets the three cars in front of me pass and then lurches out right in front of me. Luckily there was nothing coming the other way and I swerved around the front of him.
After a moment to calm down I turned around and went after him. He apologised immediately but gave the classic SMIDSY line then told me he was a biker of 30 years experience but he was just tired. I accepted his apology because I didn't want to get in argument but really. I'm tired and I didn't see you. What a pathetic excuse.
Worst was yesterday when some donut waiting to turn right out of a junction lets the three cars in front of me pass and then lurches out right in front of me. Luckily there was nothing coming the other way and I swerved around the front of him.
After a moment to calm down I turned around and went after him. He apologised immediately but gave the classic SMIDSY line then told me he was a biker of 30 years experience but he was just tired. I accepted his apology because I didn't want to get in argument but really. I'm tired and I didn't see you. What a pathetic excuse.
Lowlight: Poor chap on a Triumph Sprint who pulled up next to me at the lights and promptly fell over, ending up under the bike. Couple of us lifted it off him and he appeared fine, left a small amount of trim on the road.
Highlight: The traffic is so light at the moment. That and having the Laydee on the Kawasaki with the Red Ponytail for company all through London yesterday.
Highlight: The traffic is so light at the moment. That and having the Laydee on the Kawasaki with the Red Ponytail for company all through London yesterday.
My most recent highlight was southbound through the Blackwall. Traffic was heavy and even those who usually ignore the solid whites and slice through were baulked. Chappie on some sort of sportsbike, with lovely shiny white & neon yellow leathers, was obviously getting concerned about his sector time on the run up to Kidbrooke, so he spent the whole length of the tunnel doing the "GP Weave" to keep his tyres warm 
My, how I chuckled. Nob.
My, how I chuckled. Nob.
Agreed traffic is lighter but didn't seem to affect traffic weight up to tower hill on the highway this morning. My commuting highlight being held up or worse still cut up by L plated scooters.
Which then prompts my standard retort that if one wishes to ride inconsiderately towards other powered two wheelers like that you get it back equally
Which then prompts my standard retort that if one wishes to ride inconsiderately towards other powered two wheelers like that you get it back equally
anonymous said:
[redacted]
It was an oldy but a goody. Multiple sets of nice flat traffic lights then this one which was a set of lights on a right hand bend and reasonably cambered. So I think his left foot went down a couple of inches higher than he was expecting and his right went down a couple of inches lower than he was expecting and the combination of the two caused the big trumpet to get a lean on that he couldn't stop. Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff