And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Crossflow Kid said:
Fleegle said:
Undertaking a van !!
That's allowed yer know.I always squirm when I see bikes, and for that matter scooters slipping up the inside of slower moving vehicles
I've just read the article again. How the feck was the low adhesion paint ever approved? WTF were TfL thinking? Making things look pretty for the cyclists ( cheap shot I know) puts every road user, including cyclists at risk. I hope heads roll for this f
k upEdited by Fleegle on Tuesday 14th March 00:24
No heads will roll, in fact I imagine someone probably got a bonus out of it for making life more difficult for those who don't want to travel round town on a community peace bicycle.
TfL are a law (with a small L) unto themselves and will stop at nothing to discourage private vehicle owners from town. I mean own your own motor vehicle? What kind of right wing capitalist pig would want to do that?
To give you an idea, when I worked for them, I had to park my bike in the open where it got rained on. There was a little undercover bit in the parking area formed by a natural overhang of the building, which would've made an ideal bike park.
Tried it once, and after much debate got told simply "Look, you'll just have to park in the open and that's it".
I suggested this was simply to make life unpleasant for bikers and the facilities manager wouldn't disagree....."Well maybe, but it's what Director of Roads has decreed"
TfL are a law (with a small L) unto themselves and will stop at nothing to discourage private vehicle owners from town. I mean own your own motor vehicle? What kind of right wing capitalist pig would want to do that?
To give you an idea, when I worked for them, I had to park my bike in the open where it got rained on. There was a little undercover bit in the parking area formed by a natural overhang of the building, which would've made an ideal bike park.
Tried it once, and after much debate got told simply "Look, you'll just have to park in the open and that's it".
I suggested this was simply to make life unpleasant for bikers and the facilities manager wouldn't disagree....."Well maybe, but it's what Director of Roads has decreed"
Fleegle said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Fleegle said:
Undertaking a van !!
That's allowed yer know.k upEdited by Fleegle on Tuesday 14th March 00:24
Vauxhall Astra man seemed to take offence after sneeking in front of him when traffic started to move. He put his foot down and moved over to the thrird lane, only to realise a car had stopped to take a right. Needless to say I nearly shat myself when he opted to nearly mow me down squeezing in the gap to get back into the second lane rather than stopping. He then proceeded to call me a wkr when passing him again 30 seconds later.
Other than that, a lovely ride ride in.
Other than that, a lovely ride ride in.
Last few days have been completely uneventful and dry! Biggest issue I have is my GF confusing noise with speed and having a go at me when I passed her and carried on going on the way home last night...the problem with very rusty, holed downpipes...
Getting far more confident on the CBR though (first big bike), so much as to have a play with a few others (and only to sensible-ish) speeds on the OKR home last night
Getting far more confident on the CBR though (first big bike), so much as to have a play with a few others (and only to sensible-ish) speeds on the OKR home last night
Andy XRV said:
Quote
A coroner has demanded an “urgent” safety review of the blue paint used on cycle superhighways after a motorcyclist skidded into a bollard in the rain and suffered fatal injuries.
Dr Fiona Wilcox issued Transport for London with a prevention of deaths report months before she concludes an inquest into Milan Dokic’s death.
Mr Dokic, 49, crashed in Battersea Park Road, at the junction with Forfar Road, on March 1 last year after losing control of the motorbike in wet conditions at about 1pm.
He had entered the CS8 lane — one of the first non-segregated superhighways introduced by Boris Johnson — to undertake a van.
In her report to TfL, Dr Wilcox wrote: “The CCTV clearly shows the motorcycle losing grip and sliding along the road. Sadly, Mr Dokic came off and hit a bollard, sustaining injuries that led to his death at the scene.”
Full story http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/coroner-call...
k people up. 308mate said:
Andy XRV said:
Quote
A coroner has demanded an “urgent” safety review of the blue paint used on cycle superhighways after a motorcyclist skidded into a bollard in the rain and suffered fatal injuries.
Dr Fiona Wilcox issued Transport for London with a prevention of deaths report months before she concludes an inquest into Milan Dokic’s death.
Mr Dokic, 49, crashed in Battersea Park Road, at the junction with Forfar Road, on March 1 last year after losing control of the motorbike in wet conditions at about 1pm.
He had entered the CS8 lane — one of the first non-segregated superhighways introduced by Boris Johnson — to undertake a van.
In her report to TfL, Dr Wilcox wrote: “The CCTV clearly shows the motorcycle losing grip and sliding along the road. Sadly, Mr Dokic came off and hit a bollard, sustaining injuries that led to his death at the scene.”
Full story http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/coroner-call...
k people up. ked Milan Dokic’s up so it looks like it's workingCrossflow Kid said:
No heads will roll, in fact I imagine someone probably got a bonus out of it for making life more difficult for those who don't want to travel round town on a community peace bicycle.
TfL are a law (with a small L) unto themselves and will stop at nothing to discourage private vehicle owners from town. I mean own your own motor vehicle? What kind of right wing capitalist pig would want to do that?
To give you an idea, when I worked for them, I had to park my bike in the open where it got rained on. There was a little undercover bit in the parking area formed by a natural overhang of the building, which would've made an ideal bike park.
Tried it once, and after much debate got told simply "Look, you'll just have to park in the open and that's it".
I suggested this was simply to make life unpleasant for bikers and the facilities manager wouldn't disagree....."Well maybe, but it's what Director of Roads has decreed"
So you've basically confirmed first hand how TFL themselves don't give a flying f**k for motorcyclists! It can also clearly be seen from the lower Thames street heading east monstrosity i.e. narrow single lane with almost no chance for motocycles to filter. They still haven't responded to my formal complaint/enquiry on their poor road planning here pointing them to their own article on how road designers can make roads better and safer for motorcyclists in London. TfL are a law (with a small L) unto themselves and will stop at nothing to discourage private vehicle owners from town. I mean own your own motor vehicle? What kind of right wing capitalist pig would want to do that?
To give you an idea, when I worked for them, I had to park my bike in the open where it got rained on. There was a little undercover bit in the parking area formed by a natural overhang of the building, which would've made an ideal bike park.
Tried it once, and after much debate got told simply "Look, you'll just have to park in the open and that's it".
I suggested this was simply to make life unpleasant for bikers and the facilities manager wouldn't disagree....."Well maybe, but it's what Director of Roads has decreed"
sjtscott said:
They still haven't responded to my formal complaint/enquiry on their poor road planning here pointing them to their own article on how road designers can make roads better and safer for motorcyclists in London.
Ah but you're looking at it all wrong....The roads are so s
t that eventually you'll give up on biking altogether, and you can't get much safer than that, can you?Then, when you clunk along on a Commie bike the roads..err...I mean cycle network.....will be lovely and empty and green and fluffy and everything will be lovely....the trees will be in blossom, birdsong will fill the air, the parks will be full of children laughing as they play.
Now f
k off to Gumtree and sell that bike. Safest way, innit?Andy XRV said:
Well it certainly fked Milan Dokic’s up so it looks like it's working
It's crazy because I've been associated with TFL before and speccing products for the trunk road network in greater London. My experience was that a lot of standards had to be met, trials done and hoops jumped through. So fked Milan Dokic’s up so it looks like it's workingk knows what happened here. 
Crossflow Kid said:
Ah but you're looking at it all wrong....
The roads are so st that eventually you'll give up on biking altogether, and you can't get much safer than that, can you?
Then, when you clunk along on a Commie bike the roads..err...I mean cycle network.....will be lovely and empty and green and fluffy and everything will be lovely....the trees will be in blossom, birdsong will fill the air, the parks will be full of children laughing as they play.
Now fk off to Gumtree and sell that bike. Safest way, innit?
LOL Of course I'm under no illusions. In any case they'll indirectly win because for family/personal reasons I'm starting on my exit plan from London.The roads are so s
t that eventually you'll give up on biking altogether, and you can't get much safer than that, can you?Then, when you clunk along on a Commie bike the roads..err...I mean cycle network.....will be lovely and empty and green and fluffy and everything will be lovely....the trees will be in blossom, birdsong will fill the air, the parks will be full of children laughing as they play.
Now f
k off to Gumtree and sell that bike. Safest way, innit?I fully intended to be gone within the next two years max.
sjtscott said:
So you've basically confirmed first hand how TFL themselves don't give a flying f**k for motorcyclists! It can also clearly be seen from the lower Thames street heading east monstrosity i.e. narrow single lane with almost no chance for motocycles to filter. They still haven't responded to my formal complaint/enquiry on their poor road planning here pointing them to their own article on how road designers can make roads better and safer for motorcyclists in London.
Infuriates me every single day. Except on the very occasional day when it looks like all the other traffic has decided fk that I'm going somewhere else and I'm left with a free run!This, and Lambeth council who want motorbikes to pay £120 a pop to travel in what everyone else in the world calls the safest place to be (the bus lane).
Potholes and slippy manhole covers? Just stick them on the motorbikes' line.
Truly we are very bottom of the food chain.
E36GUY said:
New tyres this morning. Lovely! Fitted PR4s again as I got nearly 9000 miles from the previous set albeit it's only the middle that's worn out!
New tyres are always good Remind us what bike thats on please? 9k from a set is good.. so you got 9k from the rear and front?
I'm on PR4s on my Speed Triple and the rear/front are showing signs of wear in the middle just about at 3 and a bit K miles so far from new. My commuting is about 14 miles a day round trip though so compared to some short
Next month this will be 10 years of this relatively short commute.sjtscott said:
New tyres are always good
Remind us what bike thats on please? 9k from a set is good.. so you got 9k from the rear and front?
I'm on PR4s on my Speed Triple and the rear/front are showing signs of wear in the middle just about at 3 and a bit K miles so far from new. My commuting is about 14 miles a day round trip though so compared to some short Next month this will be 10 years of this relatively short commute.
Both Tyres. Front had a little left in it but not enough to hang on to and I have MoT tomorrow. Bike is Bandit 1250 commuting 50 miles round trip daily. Mostly A1 and A505 so consistent running which is why they've just worn in the middles. Tyres wear more from stop start which I am not doing I don't have to brake hard too often on my journey either so it's pretty easy on the bike all round. It and I am heavy though so I think I've done well at 9k. I know the milage is accurate as I set my Trip 2 when the last set was fitted specifically to record it!Remind us what bike thats on please? 9k from a set is good.. so you got 9k from the rear and front?
I'm on PR4s on my Speed Triple and the rear/front are showing signs of wear in the middle just about at 3 and a bit K miles so far from new. My commuting is about 14 miles a day round trip though so compared to some short
Next month this will be 10 years of this relatively short commute.E36GUY said:
Both Tyres. Front had a little left in it but not enough to hang on to and I have MoT tomorrow. Bike is Bandit 1250 commuting 50 miles round trip daily. Mostly A1 and A505 so consistent running which is why they've just worn in the middles. Tyres wear more from stop start which I am not doing I don't have to brake hard too often on my journey either so it's pretty easy on the bike all round. It and I am heavy though so I think I've done well at 9k. I know the milage is accurate as I set my Trip 2 when the last set was fitted specifically to record it!
Thanks - interesting info and feedback.My journey is a lot of stop start being London so I'd suspect less ultimately irrespective of the bike - I've never ever got more than 6k out of a rear 'modern' sport touring tyre but then that was from 7.5 years of Blackbird ownership using that for year round commuting, fun and euro touring.
For reference PR2, PR3, Roadsmart 1 and 2. The dunlops generally wearing quicker than michelins by around 1000miles for me. Roadsmarts for me giving overall better handling in the dry for that slightly shorter life. i.e. more aggressive front profile
So I've changed bike to a Speed Triple since Feb 2016 and these are my first set of PR4s - new bike new tyres still a learning/data gathering experience.
I even took out the thermal lining from my jacket!!!Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff