And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Thankfully my commutes have been largely uneventful recently.
Highlight & Lowlight from the past couple of weeks has been.
Highlight.
Filtering between to lines of traffic waiting at a set of lights which were on red.
The 2 cars at the front of the queue were close together so I had to stop in between the cars behind.
As I'm stopped I see a kid of about 5 or 6 years old looking excitedly between my bike and his dad who was driving.
I gave the kid the thumbs up and his dad lowers the passenger side window so the kid could hear the bike.
With my bike being so close to their car the kid could easily reach out and blip the throttle of the bike so I let him do so.
Never seen a kid look as happy.
Lowlight.
Filtered to the front of a queue of traffic lights in the pissing down rain just on the entrance to the industrial estate I work on.
I should have known better, but the car at the front was a Mk4 Golf TDi with a stereotypical Mk4 Golf TDi driver.
No beeping or swearing (that I can hear), while we are both sat there stationary.
But as soon as we move off this doyle is glued to my rear as we head through the estate, right up to the point where he turns off, gives it the full blast on the horn and the coffee beans.
Highlight & Lowlight from the past couple of weeks has been.
Highlight.
Filtering between to lines of traffic waiting at a set of lights which were on red.
The 2 cars at the front of the queue were close together so I had to stop in between the cars behind.
As I'm stopped I see a kid of about 5 or 6 years old looking excitedly between my bike and his dad who was driving.
I gave the kid the thumbs up and his dad lowers the passenger side window so the kid could hear the bike.
With my bike being so close to their car the kid could easily reach out and blip the throttle of the bike so I let him do so.
Never seen a kid look as happy.
Lowlight.
Filtered to the front of a queue of traffic lights in the pissing down rain just on the entrance to the industrial estate I work on.
I should have known better, but the car at the front was a Mk4 Golf TDi with a stereotypical Mk4 Golf TDi driver.
No beeping or swearing (that I can hear), while we are both sat there stationary.
But as soon as we move off this doyle is glued to my rear as we head through the estate, right up to the point where he turns off, gives it the full blast on the horn and the coffee beans.
Amazingly quick commute in today despite it being a Monday. Traffic flowing better than usual and I left home later than normal but still arrived to my office at the usual time 
More L plate wobbling and general summer induced pansy timid filtering to contend with - nothing out of the ordinary.
More L plate wobbling and general summer induced pansy timid filtering to contend with - nothing out of the ordinary.
Another good run in this morning with nothing to report.
Separately I took the GF out on the bike yesterday for the first time, god it's uncomfortable having her on it! Although she isn't particularly big (5'6"/size 8/10) she kept on sliding down the seat, crushing my nuts against the tank!
Also when she asked me to give it a little the bike was rather lighter at the front than normal under acceleration (expected but not to that degree!), thankfully the front wheel can't have got more than an inch or 2 up and then back down without her noticing, got away with that one!
Separately I took the GF out on the bike yesterday for the first time, god it's uncomfortable having her on it! Although she isn't particularly big (5'6"/size 8/10) she kept on sliding down the seat, crushing my nuts against the tank!
Also when she asked me to give it a little the bike was rather lighter at the front than normal under acceleration (expected but not to that degree!), thankfully the front wheel can't have got more than an inch or 2 up and then back down without her noticing, got away with that one!
kiethton said:
Another good run in this morning with nothing to report.
Separately I took the GF out on the bike yesterday for the first time, god it's uncomfortable having her on it! Although she isn't particularly big (5'6"/size 8/10) she kept on sliding down the seat, crushing my nuts against the tank!
Also when she asked me to give it a little the bike was rather lighter at the front than normal under acceleration (expected but not to that degree!), thankfully the front wheel can't have got more than an inch or 2 up and then back down without her noticing, got away with that one!
GF can recognise 2 inches eh? Separately I took the GF out on the bike yesterday for the first time, god it's uncomfortable having her on it! Although she isn't particularly big (5'6"/size 8/10) she kept on sliding down the seat, crushing my nuts against the tank!
Also when she asked me to give it a little the bike was rather lighter at the front than normal under acceleration (expected but not to that degree!), thankfully the front wheel can't have got more than an inch or 2 up and then back down without her noticing, got away with that one!
Broke down on the M11 Southbound in rush hour this morning. Riding along happily, put indicator on and LCD dash went blank (2001 Fireblade). Engine started to get a bit juddery, I turned the lights off and carried on for half a mile, juddery again, pulled into inside lane, cut out. Clutch in, onto the hard shoulder. Nothing when pressing the engine start button.
Guessing Battery shagged, though could well be as a result of Regulator / Rectifier. Just had it's 32k service over the weekend and was running sweet as a nut !
Guessing Battery shagged, though could well be as a result of Regulator / Rectifier. Just had it's 32k service over the weekend and was running sweet as a nut !
Awesome.TNJ said:
Traffic back to normal today in London - solid traffic all the way from Penge High Street until Euston. Must have added 10 mins onto the journey today
I had the opposite, breezed in - clear all the way from Beckenham to Moorgate - even New Cross was ok!Did misplace my bike keys though so turned the flat upside down looking for them, only to go down to the bike and find them in the ignition, locked inside the garage.....second time I've done that now!
Edited by kiethton on Tuesday 13th June 08:52
TNJ said:
Traffic back to normal today in London - solid traffic all the way from Penge High Street until Euston. Must have added 10 mins onto the journey today
Agreed after yesterdays relative peace and quiet full normality resumed today.Why the f**k don't some bikers look f**king left when there are two lanes on our side of the road and they can't pass traffic to the right? No I'll just block all the other bikes behind me from making any progress because I can't look fully around me. I mean I wouldn't mind if it was occasionally but every bloody day - guess that explains why some bikers really just struggle with filtering/commuting in London because they really do have such p*ss poor spacial awareness and poor planning ahead lol
AAAAARGH.
OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I
have to slow down occasionally.
But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I
have to slow down occasionally.But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
CAPP0 said:
AAAAARGH.
OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I have to slow down occasionally.
But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
Oh you noticed it too this morning...OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I
have to slow down occasionally.But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
sjtscott said:
CAPP0 said:
AAAAARGH.
OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I have to slow down occasionally.
But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
Oh you noticed it too this morning...OK, I get it. Not everyone is a filtering god. Even I
have to slow down occasionally.But if you can't filter. get out of the way.
If someone beeps their horn at you a few times politely, get out of the way.
if someone beeps their horn at you a few more times, look in your mirrors, have a quick count of how many bikes are being held behind you, and get out of the way.
If someone behind you sounds their horn constantly, THEY PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET OUT OF THE FIRKIN WAY.
Don't just wibble along blocking everyone. Don't stop and put your feet down when there's a gap which a Smart car would fly through. And lastly, next time don't buy another bloody GS which you can't manage.
Mornin' all!
Only one person didn't see me and they moved with a few short beeps! Traffic was a b
d though. All the way in from the M25 to Oxford StreetFollowed three MET Police (real ones, not tossers POLITELY pretending) on BMW's from Chelsea to about Acton on the A40. Its my regular commute and my Vespa GTS 250 doesn't need as much space to filter as a Police bike. They didn't seem to mind when I filtered past them on the inside and left them behind at traffic lights. I kind of expect to get pulled on a Vespa these days since they are so associated with crime in London but no problem today.
Saw a Honda Grom rider on his arris this morning. No other car around so at a wild guess tried turning right a little too quickly for his little wheels to cope with.
I did notice though his leg was a little pink. Maybe down to wearing shorts. Also noticed no gloves and no socks under his trainers. I'm not one to normally call out peoples attire when riding a bike but sometimes it's just not cool to try and be cool !!
Fortunately he came off opposite the hospital entrance
Fleegle said:
Saw a Honda Grom rider on his arris this morning. No other car around so at a wild guess tried turning right a little too quickly for his little wheels to cope with.
I did notice though his leg was a little pink. Maybe down to wearing shorts. Also noticed no gloves and no socks under his trainers. I'm not one to normally call out peoples attire when riding a bike but sometimes it's just not cool to try and be cool !!
Fortunately he came off opposite the hospital entrance
I'm the same people can wear what they want when riding but I personally do wince at the lack of gloves.. SV extra loud exhausts just observed on my lunch break jeans and t-shirt, NO gloves.. throttling off up to the lights both hands off the bars and coasting - so also yes WTF is it with the hands off the bars I'm too cool for school brigade coasting??? It only takes a special minicab move to spoil things.I did notice though his leg was a little pink. Maybe down to wearing shorts. Also noticed no gloves and no socks under his trainers. I'm not one to normally call out peoples attire when riding a bike but sometimes it's just not cool to try and be cool !!
Fortunately he came off opposite the hospital entrance
sjtscott said:
Fleegle said:
Saw a Honda Grom rider on his arris this morning. No other car around so at a wild guess tried turning right a little too quickly for his little wheels to cope with.
I did notice though his leg was a little pink. Maybe down to wearing shorts. Also noticed no gloves and no socks under his trainers. I'm not one to normally call out peoples attire when riding a bike but sometimes it's just not cool to try and be cool !!
Fortunately he came off opposite the hospital entrance
I'm the same people can wear what they want when riding but I personally do wince at the lack of gloves.. SV extra loud exhausts just observed on my lunch break jeans and t-shirt, NO gloves.. throttling off up to the lights both hands off the bars and coasting - so also yes WTF is it with the hands off the bars I'm too cool for school brigade coasting??? It only takes a special minicab move to spoil things.I did notice though his leg was a little pink. Maybe down to wearing shorts. Also noticed no gloves and no socks under his trainers. I'm not one to normally call out peoples attire when riding a bike but sometimes it's just not cool to try and be cool !!
Fortunately he came off opposite the hospital entrance
Loads of bikers on the way to work today, I normally see a couple of regulars going the opposite direction but this morning there was at least 4 or 5 going the same way as me, which for rural Kent is a lot!! Is it ride to work week or something?
I'm not used to having to share the front of traffic lights with 2 other riders, especially when they block the whole of the front by not pulling forward enough to let others through...
I'm not used to having to share the front of traffic lights with 2 other riders, especially when they block the whole of the front by not pulling forward enough to let others through...
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