And today's commuting highlight is...

And today's commuting highlight is...

Author
Discussion

bigkeeko

1,370 posts

142 months

Sunday 22nd October 2017
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Resurfacing the main road on my daily commute. The temporary surface is lethal when raining (guy that also commutes dropped his bike).

It's was like riding on ball bearings. Needless to say I took a lift from my other half this morning.

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Sunday 22nd October 2017
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supercommuter said:
Sorry to hear that

Where in London was it?
Bonnington Square, Vauxhall. It’s been parked at the same place for the past four years.

Bikesalot

1,833 posts

157 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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Took the van today - travelling about a bit for work today and didn't fancy the on/off with gear.

Plus it's half term so roads aren't horrendous.

Commute is a bit dull when not on the bike.

kiethton

13,883 posts

179 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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Nearly took out a woman on the way to work this morning that seemed to think it was a good idea to run across the 3 lane section of the Old Kent Road without even looking for traffic (just me and a few other cars driving along)

Thing is it was dark, she was black, wearing a black coat and shoes and was less than 50 yards from a crossing.....luckily spotted the ginger in her wig and had enough room to swerve around her, would have ruined my fairing that would.

CAPP0

Original Poster:

19,533 posts

202 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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kiethton said:
Nearly took out a woman on the way to work this morning that seemed to think it was a good idea to run across the 3 lane section of the Old Kent Road without even looking for traffic (just me and a few other cars driving along)

Thing is it was dark, she was black, wearing a black coat and shoes and was less than 50 yards from a crossing.....luckily spotted the ginger in her wig and had enough room to swerve around her, would have ruined my fairing that would.
eek

Are you saying that only white people are allowed to run across a road?






( wink )

fergus

6,430 posts

274 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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kiethton said:
it was dark, she was .... wearing ... black
Or as is the vogue among cyclists, "safety black". FFS

outnumbered

4,067 posts

233 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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Cbull said:
Thanks for all the advice chaps, much appreciated clap

I'll certialy have a look into all of the suggestions. Still wet but feeling much better after a couple of cups of tea down me ha ha.
If you need a cheap solution to waterproofing for commuting, a pair of waterproof overtrousers is about 20 quid in Decathlon or many other places, and a thin waterproof shell jacket to fit over your existing one is maybe £50-100.

CAPP0

Original Poster:

19,533 posts

202 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
quotequote all
Gotta love a school-holidays commute. 35 miles into central London and I think my feet went down less than 5 times.

sjtscott

4,215 posts

230 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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CAPP0 said:
Gotta love a school-holidays commute. 35 miles into central London and I think my feet went down less than 5 times.
Def less traffic on some of my commute. Limehouse link still solid to Butchers Row junction though, once passed it significantly lighter than a usual weekday.

308mate

13,757 posts

221 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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Chap on a Ducati Hypermotard I see pretty regularly popping the front up a couple of times on the way out. Then another chap riding well on a KTM1190 gives me the "steady there fella" sneaky hand wave when I did same, as he had spotted the paddy wagon up ahead. Fun times.

ClaphamGT3

11,269 posts

242 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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paralla said:
Bonnington Square, Vauxhall. It’s been parked at the same place for the past four years.
On the upside, you get to live in Bonnington Sq, one of the coolest places in London!

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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ClaphamGT3 said:
On the upside, you get to live in Bonnington Sq, one of the coolest places in London!
It is awesome here, I think the quiet, almost secret location and the community is the only reason it’s not been stolen sooner.

Your upside is that you get to drive a GT3 while I’m slumming it in a GT4, I’m on the list for a 3 next year but not very hopeful.

Davemc37

36 posts

78 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
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The traffic was about a third of its usual for me going to London today but I slowed down to enjoy it changed my route and took more time on the way in.
On the way back a learner (girl) kept up with me all the way from Kensington to Canary Wharf and I couldn't shake her off.

Still nice day all round during half term and the weathers pretty pretty good as well

black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
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Traffic was surprisingly busy this morning with long delays down the M11 from the M25 to the A406. Once onto the A406 someone in a BT van decided I shouldn't be filtering and moved directly into my path. It took a couple of minutes to find an alternative way passed him (that was safe from any other attempted block) and resulted in much shouting and arm waving from said van driver. Why? I don't know! Perhaps PMS? (pretty mindless st-head!)

sjtscott

4,215 posts

230 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
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Well seems Police closed the Highway and the Limehouse link tunnel east bound due to a serious accident around the Wapping area on the Highway this morning. Luckily its a school half term week - traffic completely cluster f**ked as it is would have been even worse on a normal weekday. lol
Everything was effectively being directed down the A13 Commercial Road so full gridlock. Again being on the bike was slow going but able to make progress - all the other bikes and scooters all trying to make progress but hampered by idiot boy commuting with double panniers besides his topbox on his CBF500 just getting in everyones way - this requires clue stick education to beat into him that panniers simply don't work in London and even less so with gridlocked traffic. If you must use them at least have the common sense to see you've got 10+ bikes stuck behind you and get the f**k out of the way!
Back to the journey, I got caught out because I wrongly assumed the accident was in the Limehouse link so ended up having to double back on myself a couple of times.
Anyway I got to Wapping area only to be turned back off the highway down into wapping with no other option heading west - knowing the area quite well followed round the road system in a loop and was able to bypass the closure and get back on the highway towards Tower Bridge eventually - pretty much zero traffic then until south side of Southwalk bridge.

Deranged Granny

2,313 posts

167 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
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Last night, an R1M pulling a first gear minger standing up, going up Brixton Hill.

This morning, an MT10 pulling a second gear minger, going down Brixton Hill.

Also this morning, an R1 pulling a first gear minger, going up Brixton Hill.

I think it's a Yamaha/Brixton thing.

Angrybiker

557 posts

89 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
quotequote all
sjtscott said:
Well seems Police closed the Highway and the Limehouse link tunnel east bound due to a serious accident around the Wapping area on the Highway this morning. Luckily its a school half term week - traffic completely cluster f**ked as it is would have been even worse on a normal weekday. lol
Everything was effectively being directed down the A13 Commercial Road so full gridlock. Again being on the bike was slow going but able to make progress - all the other bikes and scooters all trying to make progress but hampered by idiot boy commuting with double panniers besides his topbox on his CBF500 just getting in everyones way - this requires clue stick education to beat into him that panniers simply don't work in London and even less so with gridlocked traffic. If you must use them at least have the common sense to see you've got 10+ bikes stuck behind you and get the f**k out of the way!
Back to the journey, I got caught out because I wrongly assumed the accident was in the Limehouse link so ended up having to double back on myself a couple of times.
Anyway I got to Wapping area only to be turned back off the highway down into wapping with no other option heading west - knowing the area quite well followed round the road system in a loop and was able to bypass the closure and get back on the highway towards Tower Bridge eventually - pretty much zero traffic then until south side of Southwalk bridge.
Yep I came across it coming the other way; Luckily the cordons stopped just before the limehouse link and the detour wasn't too onerous - but it was a pretty big section of the Highway that they blocked off.

squirdan

1,082 posts

146 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
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Deranged Granny said:
Last night, an R1M pulling a first gear minger standing up, going up Brixton Hill.

This morning, an MT10 pulling a second gear minger, going down Brixton Hill.

Also this morning, an R1 pulling a first gear minger, going up Brixton Hill.

I think it's a Yamaha/Brixton thing.
last Friday Triumph speed triple R pulled 3 wheelies all the way from Blackfriars Bridge to Elephant and Castle. All this wheelie action is making me feel inadequate.

bigkeeko

1,370 posts

142 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
quotequote all
There's roadworks on my commute with a convoy system and passing the line of cars sitting waiting at the lights always takes the edge of the ste weather. Not much to cheer about in the pissing rain on two wheels but a decent perk.

kiethton

13,883 posts

179 months

Wednesday 25th October 2017
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Another uneventful commute for myself however arrived to the bike bay this morning to find the guy on the ratty 600cc GSXR (standard can) having an argument with a bloke next to the bay, a little strange....

Turns out the bloke is a busybody from the adjacent Barbarian block and is waiting for the bikes coming in, deciding which ones he thinks sound "too noisy" before confronting the owners and writing the registrations for S59/noise enforcement reasons. Very annoying as I was being targeted for the same myself earlier this year and ended up with that vehicle rectification notice (for the 5" rusty hole in my downpipes admittedly)

Hopefully nothing comes of it for the bloke - say hi and chat briefly daily as we arrive at the same time, thing is it'll just make us arrive in the bay some where up the rev's in 1st instead of the 2nd/3rd we currently pull up in....

Whats most annoying is these people buy (or are given) a flat in the middle of the City and then complain if there is ever any noise....couldn't make it up