And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
PTF said:
The c**t in the little flat-bed lorry on the outside lane of the A14 this morning who sat with his left wheels on the centre line and refused to move over to let me lane split. Traffic was crawling at 5-10 mph and both lanes at same speed. Could see him looking over at me in his left mirror, but he simply wouldn't get over! Only got past when the inside lane went slightly quicker so made a gap so i could slip past and signal my displeasure.
Most of the truck drivers in London are pretty good with not blocking bikers - not all though and some just don't care. I actually see a fair number who spot you and do make efforts to give you space, I always thank anyone car drivers included who does this for me.You do have to pay attention when space is really tight between two lanes when you have coaches, artics or tipper trucks.. there are a ton of tipper trucks all around london given all the building going on.
sjtscott said:
PTF said:
The c**t in the little flat-bed lorry on the outside lane of the A14 this morning who sat with his left wheels on the centre line and refused to move over to let me lane split. Traffic was crawling at 5-10 mph and both lanes at same speed. Could see him looking over at me in his left mirror, but he simply wouldn't get over! Only got past when the inside lane went slightly quicker so made a gap so i could slip past and signal my displeasure.
Most of the truck drivers in London are pretty good with not blocking bikers - not all though and some just don't care. I actually see a fair number who spot you and do make efforts to give you space, I always thank anyone car drivers included who does this for me.You do have to pay attention when space is really tight between two lanes when you have coaches, artics or tipper trucks.. there are a ton of tipper trucks all around london given all the building going on.
Most are really good though. Given the commute this morning involved filtering around thousands of cars i suppose one idiot isn't a bad ratio.
Since changing jobs and having to commute into London on the M4, I have had my first incident.
Waiting at the lights on Chiswick roundabout and a guy just drives into the back of my bike. Thank fully at slow speed, so I kept the bike upright. He hit the exhaust, but I can see virtually no damage, he has scratched his paint on his wing.
I was more surprised than anything, sat there waiting for the lights to change and bang.
Ah well, it justifies the reason a I bought a cheap VFR for commuting off eBay in the first place and i'm chalking it up to experience. A very minor incident compared to Dibble's.
Waiting at the lights on Chiswick roundabout and a guy just drives into the back of my bike. Thank fully at slow speed, so I kept the bike upright. He hit the exhaust, but I can see virtually no damage, he has scratched his paint on his wing.
I was more surprised than anything, sat there waiting for the lights to change and bang.
Ah well, it justifies the reason a I bought a cheap VFR for commuting off eBay in the first place and i'm chalking it up to experience. A very minor incident compared to Dibble's.
Being bumped from behind while stationary by absent minded drivers is catching I see - I've had that from a Minicab one morning a few years ago - I wasn't impressed but kept my bike upright. No damage as he hit the rear tyre first about 5mph I'd guess and punted me forward a metre or so as I wasn't on the brakes when stationary. Driver refused to even acknowledge me when I got off went to his window and asked him WTF he was doing. Hindsight I should have photographed the car/plate but in the heat of the moment didn't bother - was just thankful to stay upright. Lights went green and I just carried on.
I watched a hardley rider basically touch the rear of a 3.5 ton small box truck relatively forcefully this morning with his front tyre - basically rider not paying attention and assumed the truck had pulled away on the green light and also was gassing it away however it stopped and he only did after the front tyre contacted the bar under the loading step again slow speed and stayed up but a nice brown trouser moment for him zero damage - truck driver didn't even notice. Bike so heavy/rider so small he couldn't move the bike backwards he had a number of attempts to try to rock it back off the truck. For some reason he rode a little bit more timidly after that as I didn't see him at all past that junction.
I watched a hardley rider basically touch the rear of a 3.5 ton small box truck relatively forcefully this morning with his front tyre - basically rider not paying attention and assumed the truck had pulled away on the green light and also was gassing it away however it stopped and he only did after the front tyre contacted the bar under the loading step again slow speed and stayed up but a nice brown trouser moment for him zero damage - truck driver didn't even notice. Bike so heavy/rider so small he couldn't move the bike backwards he had a number of attempts to try to rock it back off the truck. For some reason he rode a little bit more timidly after that as I didn't see him at all past that junction.
Had a lady in a 4x4 go through a red light yesterday. I stopped then about 3 or 4 seconds later she went through at speed. Strangely I didn't notice the red light camera flash either. Caught up to her and she looking down at the phone. Needless to say she got the customary beep and wnkr hand signal.
Not happened to me in a while thankfully, although both times it has happened it's been a scooterist
First time when fulling to a T junction (my give way), I stopped as there was a car coming....well that and it's a blind turn anyway (woods), he obviously didn't care.
Second time in Deptford, again a scooter....I stopped at a red light :/ - both on my old CBR125R, most annoying was the first incident bent my chain adjuster thing and I didn't notice at the time, they were a right b
h to get hold of.
First time when fulling to a T junction (my give way), I stopped as there was a car coming....well that and it's a blind turn anyway (woods), he obviously didn't care.
Second time in Deptford, again a scooter....I stopped at a red light :/ - both on my old CBR125R, most annoying was the first incident bent my chain adjuster thing and I didn't notice at the time, they were a right b
h to get hold of.Cbull said:
Had a lady in a 4x4 go through a red light yesterday. I stopped then about 3 or 4 seconds later she went through at speed. Strangely I didn't notice the red light camera flash either. Caught up to her and she looking down at the phone. Needless to say she got the customary beep and wnkr hand signal.
In open flowing traffic and or coming up to lights the ones on the phones are obvious. Moving around in the lane, not keeping up with traffic flow, randomly slowing down for no reason and the one you saw the red light ignoring ones. Was a discovery driver the other morning on the highway - normally it wouldn't have been an issue despite being illegal as its solid queued but being school holidays its flowing very nicely on certain parts - this guy randomly slowed for no reason, no indication or brake lights... the traffic in front all doing the same speed pulled away from him as I pass him he's holding his phone staring down at it texting/whatsapping 
sjtscott said:
Cbull said:
Had a lady in a 4x4 go through a red light yesterday. I stopped then about 3 or 4 seconds later she went through at speed. Strangely I didn't notice the red light camera flash either. Caught up to her and she looking down at the phone. Needless to say she got the customary beep and wnkr hand signal.
In open flowing traffic and or coming up to lights the ones on the phones are obvious. Moving around in the lane, not keeping up with traffic flow, randomly slowing down for no reason and the one you saw the red light ignoring ones. Was a discovery driver the other morning on the highway - normally it wouldn't have been an issue despite being illegal as its solid queued but being school holidays its flowing very nicely on certain parts - this guy randomly slowed for no reason, no indication or brake lights... the traffic in front all doing the same speed pulled away from him as I pass him he's holding his phone staring down at it texting/whatsapping Got back to my bike last night for the journey home and some little scrotes has tried to nick it.
Broken the steering lock and as a consequence the ignition lock is now all bent out of place. Had a look last night at home and seems like I'll have to dismantle the majority of the bike to get at it to straighten it out. It's still ridable but will no doubt take a day out of my life to get it all sorted.
Daft thing is it had a bloody great chain on it and an immobiliser so why they attempted to defeat the weakest bit of security first I've no idea. Unless of course they were the pre-nick gang and the van to lift it in too was waiting round the corner. Some builders noticed what they were up to opposite the bike bay and shouted at them so they cleared off on their push bikes
BARSTIDS !!!!
Broken the steering lock and as a consequence the ignition lock is now all bent out of place. Had a look last night at home and seems like I'll have to dismantle the majority of the bike to get at it to straighten it out. It's still ridable but will no doubt take a day out of my life to get it all sorted.
Daft thing is it had a bloody great chain on it and an immobiliser so why they attempted to defeat the weakest bit of security first I've no idea. Unless of course they were the pre-nick gang and the van to lift it in too was waiting round the corner. Some builders noticed what they were up to opposite the bike bay and shouted at them so they cleared off on their push bikes
BARSTIDS !!!!
BuzzBravado said:
Got bumped into from behind in a queue this morning at less than 1mph. Got off the bike and went to her window where her phone was on the passenger seat but lit up 
I would have lost it. Called the police there and then. I literally have no tolerance for brain dead morons like that. Pisses me off something chronic.Albeit on a lowly CBF125 (can't get a Mod 2 date to suit my timetable for love nor money, here's hoping for later this month!) I've enjoyed my 5 months or so commuting on 2 wheels and been mostly incident free.
I'll be honest...the most knobbish behaviour I've actually come across is other bikers! The vast majority are fine but there is always one that feels the need to show off and make a point that his bike is 'proper'. I am not talking about me holding up their progress, I am talking about full bore launches alongside me at traffic lights and engine revving (often while looking over at me!).
I get it, yours IS bigger than mine, but let's remember I'm on the 125 for a reason and not necessarily for much longer! It's not a reflection of my actual manhood or my bank balance as seems to be the assumption.
I'll be honest...the most knobbish behaviour I've actually come across is other bikers! The vast majority are fine but there is always one that feels the need to show off and make a point that his bike is 'proper'. I am not talking about me holding up their progress, I am talking about full bore launches alongside me at traffic lights and engine revving (often while looking over at me!).
I get it, yours IS bigger than mine, but let's remember I'm on the 125 for a reason and not necessarily for much longer! It's not a reflection of my actual manhood or my bank balance as seems to be the assumption.
supercommuter said:
BuzzBravado said:
Got bumped into from behind in a queue this morning at less than 1mph. Got off the bike and went to her window where her phone was on the passenger seat but lit up
I would have lost it. Called the police there and then. I literally have no tolerance for brain dead morons like that. Pisses me off something chronic.I CAN'T fkING BELIEVE IT! Earlier on I mentioned how I got hit in traffic. Well on my way home tonight....... It fking happened again! Had to check my lights and sanity but they seem to be fine so who knows. Never had any incidents before and now two in one day! Exact same situation different woman.
kING BELIEVE IT! Earlier on I mentioned how I got hit in traffic. Well on my way home tonight....... It fking happened again! Had to check my lights and sanity but they seem to be fine so who knows. Never had any incidents before and now two in one day! Exact same situation different woman. Just me or are people on something this evening...
Firstly a deliveroo on ropemaker street, decided to pull out from a sideroad on me, not stop mind, he just decided to carry on, pulling out to pass on my NS before crossing back to the proper side of the road...
Then on gracechurh street a phone paying more attention to that than trying to cross the road and filtering bikes....
Just another day!
Firstly a deliveroo on ropemaker street, decided to pull out from a sideroad on me, not stop mind, he just decided to carry on, pulling out to pass on my NS before crossing back to the proper side of the road...
Then on gracechurh street a phone
paying more attention to that than trying to cross the road and filtering bikes....Just another day!
kiethton said:
Then on gracechurh street a phone paying more attention to that than trying to cross the road and filtering bikes....!
I very nearly collected one on my way home too, glued to bright shiny slab of metal and plastic, headphones in, no sense of any moving traffic as he crossed the road south of Blackfriars bridge. paying more attention to that than trying to cross the road and filtering bikes....!BuzzBravado said:
supercommuter said:
BuzzBravado said:
Got bumped into from behind in a queue this morning at less than 1mph. Got off the bike and went to her window where her phone was on the passenger seat but lit up
I would have lost it. Called the police there and then. I literally have no tolerance for brain dead morons like that. Pisses me off something chronic.
Maybe i need to chill out a bit
Finished early today as it's Friday. Got to works car park and seen the small light was on at the front of the bike. Thought the worst and yes the battery was flat. No idea how that's happened, took the key out this morning and the bike was in the locked position.
Couple of lads helped bump start it but it didn't work and was extremely jumpy when it briefly started but that might have had something to do with the choke.
Eventually I phoned recovery, had a brew and went to take it down to ground floor. On the bike going down the slippy ramp I tried again and hey presto it worked. Phoned up and cancelled the recovery. Currently on charge in the garage.
Lesson learnt. Double check the lights have gone off, no idea why they hadn't in the first place. Cool story I know, flipping 2.5 hrs of pissn around feels worthy though
Couple of lads helped bump start it but it didn't work and was extremely jumpy when it briefly started but that might have had something to do with the choke.
Eventually I phoned recovery, had a brew and went to take it down to ground floor. On the bike going down the slippy ramp I tried again and hey presto it worked. Phoned up and cancelled the recovery. Currently on charge in the garage.
Lesson learnt. Double check the lights have gone off, no idea why they hadn't in the first place. Cool story I know, flipping 2.5 hrs of pissn around feels worthy though
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