Getting a tow?
Discussion
So....I cycle in London most days, and from time to time as I'm setting off from the lights I wonder what it would be like if I was just to grab hold of the vehicle just alongside me for a tow. It's usually a van or a slow HGV they'd never notice!
Now I'm far too old and sensible to do it, but I just wondered if anybody had? And what happened?
I've never seen anybody trying it BTW
Now I'm far too old and sensible to do it, but I just wondered if anybody had? And what happened?
I've never seen anybody trying it BTW
Nope, but I have slip-streamed from the lights quite a few times and that can work well! Best I have had is almost 50 mph out of the slipstream of a horsebox from some lights a couple of years ago, took ages to get its speed up so I found the sweet spot about 15ft back and went with it! Biggest issue (aside from it doing an emergency stop) was the drain covers and pot holes that just appeared from under the back of the truck, not time to avoid them so took quite a few hits and at that speed they resonate!
Exhilarating, and in hindsight very dangerous - don't do it anymore......
Exhilarating, and in hindsight very dangerous - don't do it anymore......
Not for many years!
When I lived in France (from the age of 11 to 14), we used to cycle to school. Over there, you can ride a moped at the age of 14, and a couple of my friends did. On the straight road in to school, we'd often hitch a lift just by grabbing one of their shoulders.
The most I can remember was two hanging off each shoulder. We must've looked like some sort of bizarre flock of Canada geese migrating on wheels!
With hindsight, 50cc mopeds haven't got much juice to them even before you hang a bunch of teenagers onto them, so we could almost certainly have cycled faster than we got towed, but it was fun at the time!
When I lived in France (from the age of 11 to 14), we used to cycle to school. Over there, you can ride a moped at the age of 14, and a couple of my friends did. On the straight road in to school, we'd often hitch a lift just by grabbing one of their shoulders.
The most I can remember was two hanging off each shoulder. We must've looked like some sort of bizarre flock of Canada geese migrating on wheels!
With hindsight, 50cc mopeds haven't got much juice to them even before you hang a bunch of teenagers onto them, so we could almost certainly have cycled faster than we got towed, but it was fun at the time!
In the summer of 1987 I remember getting a tow up this hill on the Gower peninsular... http://goo.gl/maps/JF6r9 ...holding onto the back of one of these...
being actively encouraged by the four delightful young ladies within.
The hill is the 'up' toward Kittle, after a cheeky descent from Bishopston which I tackled regularly on my lap of the Gower route as a teenager, on my old Carlton Continental. I had flown down the hill, and the girls passed me nearing the bottom, then slowed down and gleefully encouraged me to grab on tight. It was my last summer at home before I joined the Army, and I thought I was 'in there' with these girls. Unfortunately (for them
) they broke the tow near the Post Office in Kittle and roared of toward the beaches at Three Cliffs. A little further on I remember passing their car, parked at Park Mill.
An amazingly crystal clear memory retrieved from the depths of my subconscious by a thread on an internet forum, and a reminder of simpler times.
The last time I got a 'tow', I wasn't expecting it, and certainly didn't want it. I was on a short section of the A505, between Flint Cross and the Thriplow turn... http://goo.gl/maps/GuUCM ...when I got dragged along in the negative air pressure in the wake of an articulated lorry that had overtaken me rather too close for comfort. It was a shock to say the least. I knew the truck was coming up fast, but I just didn't expect it to pull me along quite so much as it did. Proper 'brown trousers' moment. It was just about the only time I recall 'slipstreaming' a fast moving vehicle.
As far as I know, the act of 'getting a tow' is illegal, and even if it wasn't/isn't it wouldn't be something I would be keen to try today. I'm far more risk averse/risk aware than I was in those days.
being actively encouraged by the four delightful young ladies within.
The hill is the 'up' toward Kittle, after a cheeky descent from Bishopston which I tackled regularly on my lap of the Gower route as a teenager, on my old Carlton Continental. I had flown down the hill, and the girls passed me nearing the bottom, then slowed down and gleefully encouraged me to grab on tight. It was my last summer at home before I joined the Army, and I thought I was 'in there' with these girls. Unfortunately (for them
) they broke the tow near the Post Office in Kittle and roared of toward the beaches at Three Cliffs. A little further on I remember passing their car, parked at Park Mill.An amazingly crystal clear memory retrieved from the depths of my subconscious by a thread on an internet forum, and a reminder of simpler times.
The last time I got a 'tow', I wasn't expecting it, and certainly didn't want it. I was on a short section of the A505, between Flint Cross and the Thriplow turn... http://goo.gl/maps/GuUCM ...when I got dragged along in the negative air pressure in the wake of an articulated lorry that had overtaken me rather too close for comfort. It was a shock to say the least. I knew the truck was coming up fast, but I just didn't expect it to pull me along quite so much as it did. Proper 'brown trousers' moment. It was just about the only time I recall 'slipstreaming' a fast moving vehicle.
As far as I know, the act of 'getting a tow' is illegal, and even if it wasn't/isn't it wouldn't be something I would be keen to try today. I'm far more risk averse/risk aware than I was in those days.
I would never grab hold of a vehicle but frequently get an aerodynamic tow if I can. Black cabs are best as they are tall enough to provide a shield and you can see through the back window and windscreen for any signs of slowing down. I can also get a mild tow from buses as I position myself on the offside rear corner so I can see down the road - the bus shifts a lot of air and there is still a pocket beyond the sides of the bus.
I did a regular route between East and West London, and for certain stretches I'd try and slipstream van/lorry, especially along Embankment, but also from tower bridge up through the limehouse tunnel - for some reason there were always large tipper trucks heading out of the city which were perfect to follow. However had to be really careful on my road bike on the A13 - there were some scary pot holes!
Yeah, usually if they have an accident that has absolutely nothing to do with towing. Mind those nasty stairs now.Used to get a tow occasionally as a yoof - only ever on mates' cars who knew I was there though.
I used to do it on roller blades in my teens too, a mate's dad had a Land Rover 90, with a ladder on the back. I melted a set of wheel bearings on one occasion, got up to about 60-70mph indicated apparently!
I used to do it on roller blades in my teens too, a mate's dad had a Land Rover 90, with a ladder on the back. I melted a set of wheel bearings on one occasion, got up to about 60-70mph indicated apparently!
Used to do it a lot, purposely hang back to find a vehicle that was easy to hang on to...
Why did I stop...
When I held on to the strap of an Artic and my glove got stuck/jammed, the lorry pulled away quicker than I expected, pulling my hand down and jammed it, wobbled, felt like I was going to go under the rear wheels, heart in mouth moment as I got my hand free.
Lost the glove.
Often sit behind stuff, and yes i'm a bit of an idiot. I never run reds or ride on pavements, so not a complete bellend.
Why did I stop...
When I held on to the strap of an Artic and my glove got stuck/jammed, the lorry pulled away quicker than I expected, pulling my hand down and jammed it, wobbled, felt like I was going to go under the rear wheels, heart in mouth moment as I got my hand free.
Lost the glove.
Often sit behind stuff, and yes i'm a bit of an idiot. I never run reds or ride on pavements, so not a complete bellend.
Ha, I'm usually fairly prone to making some silly decisions on the bike (not someone you'd call 'risk adverse', at least when it comes to cycling or whatever) but always bottled grabbing onto a builders truck, or bus etc.
Tempting though it is at the time!
Never picked up any decent slipstreams either, mainly because, in town, I'm usually going, or able to go, faster than the blasted traffic!
Tempting though it is at the time!
Never picked up any decent slipstreams either, mainly because, in town, I'm usually going, or able to go, faster than the blasted traffic!
Living in central London I used to get a tow from buses a lot, when they had open backs and poles.... Did it down the wall worth road on bikes, skateboards and roller blades...with a sensible head on now don't think I would.
That said, when I lived in the alps and rode some of the classics cols frequently mrs m would give me a few hours head start and then drive the route.... When she caught up she'd often drive besides me and I'd hold on whilst she passed over food and fresh water bottles.... If these feeding stops were on a long steep climb they could last for a very long time.
That said, when I lived in the alps and rode some of the classics cols frequently mrs m would give me a few hours head start and then drive the route.... When she caught up she'd often drive besides me and I'd hold on whilst she passed over food and fresh water bottles.... If these feeding stops were on a long steep climb they could last for a very long time.
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