And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Well, I had a couple of highlights last night.
It seems to be a universal truth that commuter coach drivers are, to a man/woman, a bunch of tnucs. They drive aggressively, they sit in the outside lane, they block people, they're nobs.
Last night as I went to turn onto the slip down to the Blackwall from Commercial Rod, the traffic was as usual at a standstill. The coaches can't make that turn without using both lanes, so they have to take a wide turn. Coach partially turned into the slip, everything else stationary with a queue of cars n front of it.
The bike in front of me wiggles a bit and nips through the gap between the front of the coach and the stationary car in front. Nothing dangerous about that, you can see down the slip so you would know if things were starting to move. Coach driver hurls a load of verbal at him out of his open window - no idea why.
I've already lined myself up for the gap, so I start through it. Coachie decides it would be funny to release his brake so that the coach lurches forward at me whilst I'm between him and the car in front. Looked up at him, and he yells "yeah, and you lot wonder why you get knocked off". What a complete canute. Told him to go forth and left it, but I kinda wish I had the coach details to report him. It was a dark dove-grey colour.
Next one, a sign-written 3.5t pickup in the outside lane of the M20. "My mate" said he checked how fast the pickup was going and it was in excess of 100mph. Driver was tailgating everything in his way, at that sort of speed, and then things started to fly out of the back. I saw a hard hat fly out and clout a car, and something else which I didn't recognise, but p(r)ickup boy just kept going. I dropped back for fear or something else coming out and walloping me. Do these people think that nobody will take notice of the signwriting and mention it to their employers
It seems to be a universal truth that commuter coach drivers are, to a man/woman, a bunch of tnucs. They drive aggressively, they sit in the outside lane, they block people, they're nobs.
Last night as I went to turn onto the slip down to the Blackwall from Commercial Rod, the traffic was as usual at a standstill. The coaches can't make that turn without using both lanes, so they have to take a wide turn. Coach partially turned into the slip, everything else stationary with a queue of cars n front of it.
The bike in front of me wiggles a bit and nips through the gap between the front of the coach and the stationary car in front. Nothing dangerous about that, you can see down the slip so you would know if things were starting to move. Coach driver hurls a load of verbal at him out of his open window - no idea why.
I've already lined myself up for the gap, so I start through it. Coachie decides it would be funny to release his brake so that the coach lurches forward at me whilst I'm between him and the car in front. Looked up at him, and he yells "yeah, and you lot wonder why you get knocked off". What a complete canute. Told him to go forth and left it, but I kinda wish I had the coach details to report him. It was a dark dove-grey colour.
Next one, a sign-written 3.5t pickup in the outside lane of the M20. "My mate" said he checked how fast the pickup was going and it was in excess of 100mph. Driver was tailgating everything in his way, at that sort of speed, and then things started to fly out of the back. I saw a hard hat fly out and clout a car, and something else which I didn't recognise, but p(r)ickup boy just kept going. I dropped back for fear or something else coming out and walloping me. Do these people think that nobody will take notice of the signwriting and mention it to their employers
With another biker Beckenham - Lewisham this morning who seemed to be in a huge mood, every bus/lorry that wasn't perfectly in a lane (near the Catford bus garage) got treated to the full rev treatment, at 6:15am from his fireblade....alot easier to just let them get on with it and pass when you can...
When I caught him up he then proceeded to do a near emergency stop in front of me, odd......I passed him and continued on my way
When at the lights a little further along the reason was apparently my headlight being on full beam (it wasn't). The headlight is a bit out of adjustment I'll concede but a full emergency stop was just weird (in defence the adjustment screws don't work, it passed an MOT as is and as I ride solely on fully lit roads if it helps dozy drivers to see me it won't be fixed any time soon...)
When I caught him up he then proceeded to do a near emergency stop in front of me, odd......I passed him and continued on my way
When at the lights a little further along the reason was apparently my headlight being on full beam (it wasn't). The headlight is a bit out of adjustment I'll concede but a full emergency stop was just weird (in defence the adjustment screws don't work, it passed an MOT as is and as I ride solely on fully lit roads if it helps dozy drivers to see me it won't be fixed any time soon...)
Angrybiker said:
So rammed this morning, totally rammed from the A3 all the way to Vauxhall Bridge. Few ambulances trying to make headway, but passed no accidents. So unusual I checked the news when I got in to see if something had happened. It hadn't. Odd day..
Rammed in my direction coming from the East at CW into town - I bailed and used the Rotherhithe tunnel this morning for my Bermondsey route to work the difference in traffic levels and overall lack of bikes (not cyclists) is amazing. Takes a bit longer but is much less stressful once through the tunnel.sjtscott said:
Rammed in my direction coming from the East at CW into town - I bailed and used the Rotherhithe tunnel this morning for my Bermondsey route to work the difference in traffic levels and overall lack of bikes (not cyclists) is amazing. Takes a bit longer but is much less stressful once through the tunnel.
So much quieter with Tooley Street being closed, to traffic especially heading eastbound - use it on my commute home now they've closed Broadgatesjtscott said:
Angrybiker said:
So rammed this morning, totally rammed from the A3 all the way to Vauxhall Bridge. Few ambulances trying to make headway, but passed no accidents. So unusual I checked the news when I got in to see if something had happened. It hadn't. Odd day..
Rammed in my direction coming from the East at CW into town - I bailed and used the Rotherhithe tunnel this morning for my Bermondsey route to work the difference in traffic levels and overall lack of bikes (not cyclists) is amazing. Takes a bit longer but is much less stressful once through the tunnel.https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/female-cycl...
2wheelsjimmy said:
Filtering really is a bit Russian roulette.
You need to be hyper vigilant, it can become quite tiring. Always keep the front brake covered. Always be looking several cars ahead, not just for indicators but for any sign of movement.
Never go between a lorry and a car, just wait. If you haven't seen the video on youtube then do, it just won't end well.
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? ThanksYou need to be hyper vigilant, it can become quite tiring. Always keep the front brake covered. Always be looking several cars ahead, not just for indicators but for any sign of movement.
Never go between a lorry and a car, just wait. If you haven't seen the video on youtube then do, it just won't end well.
smiles1 said:
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? Thanks
This is the one I was thinking of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7mHEjpsexs
2wheelsjimmy said:
smiles1 said:
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? Thanks
This is the one I was thinking of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7mHEjpsexs
Bad news. Dropped my bike for the first time today since I passed my test in July. Dropped in on my empty driveway after driving 33 miles back across London during rush hour.
Good news. It fell onto grass so no damage and I was so conscious of trying to recover it before a neighbour saw I lifted it up first go before I had a chance to think about how heavy it is.
Good news. It fell onto grass so no damage and I was so conscious of trying to recover it before a neighbour saw I lifted it up first go before I had a chance to think about how heavy it is.
2wheelsjimmy said:
smiles1 said:
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? Thanks
This is the one I was thinking of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7mHEjpsexs2wheelsjimmy said:
smiles1 said:
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? Thanks
This is the one I was thinking of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7mHEjpsexsDavemc37 said:
Bad news. Dropped my bike for the first time today since I passed my test in July. Dropped in on my empty driveway after driving 33 miles back across London during rush hour.
Good news. It fell onto grass so no damage and I was so conscious of trying to recover it before a neighbour saw I lifted it up first go before I had a chance to think about how heavy it is.
Youtube on how to pick up a bike - could save your back in the futureGood news. It fell onto grass so no damage and I was so conscious of trying to recover it before a neighbour saw I lifted it up first go before I had a chance to think about how heavy it is.
Pothole said:
2wheelsjimmy said:
smiles1 said:
Do you have a link to the video I can't find it? Thanks
This is the one I was thinking of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7mHEjpsexs
Poor judjment from the biker all day long. Plenty of room too.Left work at peak time yesterday. My God, it added an extra 20 minutes to my journey and that's filtering for 15+ miles. Glad I wasn't in the car
Struggling with pin lock though. Messed with it a couple of times and it's just not sealing 100%. Not like its old either :\
So my update is from Monday morning, my first proper bike crash 
Going into London, heavy traffic as we are approaching the elevated section about 8:15am where the M4 goes from three lanes to two and then rises up as you get into Chiswick.
I am filtering between lanes 2 & 3 and there is a biker in front of me going slowly, he nips through a gap in lane two to start filtering between 1 & 2 and I carry on, as I am going quicker I move ahead of him, but I am also looking to get across to filter between 1 & 2 for when it becomes two lanes.
I see a gap ahead between a car and a van and pull across, but I am very aware that this other biker is behind me and I don't wan't to cut him up etc, so I am checking over my shoulder as I move left across lane two and I don't know if the van braked or what, but the the right hand side of my bike clips the left hand read corner of the van, I and the bike fall to my left....game over......sigh.
So negligible damage to the van, broken light and bent the bumper a little bit, but the right hand side of my bike is destroyed.
Thankfully no injuries, I ache on my right hand side and my right hand, but i'm good.
Just annoyed with myself to be honest.
I was warned about MCE insurance and I understand why now, excess is more than the bike is worth, so no payout, so I am picking up another VFR today and will use my old bike as spares for it, only just out a new rectifier on my bike.
Ho hum, lessons to be learned.
Going into London, heavy traffic as we are approaching the elevated section about 8:15am where the M4 goes from three lanes to two and then rises up as you get into Chiswick.
I am filtering between lanes 2 & 3 and there is a biker in front of me going slowly, he nips through a gap in lane two to start filtering between 1 & 2 and I carry on, as I am going quicker I move ahead of him, but I am also looking to get across to filter between 1 & 2 for when it becomes two lanes.
I see a gap ahead between a car and a van and pull across, but I am very aware that this other biker is behind me and I don't wan't to cut him up etc, so I am checking over my shoulder as I move left across lane two and I don't know if the van braked or what, but the the right hand side of my bike clips the left hand read corner of the van, I and the bike fall to my left....game over......sigh.
So negligible damage to the van, broken light and bent the bumper a little bit, but the right hand side of my bike is destroyed.
Thankfully no injuries, I ache on my right hand side and my right hand, but i'm good.
Just annoyed with myself to be honest.
I was warned about MCE insurance and I understand why now, excess is more than the bike is worth, so no payout, so I am picking up another VFR today and will use my old bike as spares for it, only just out a new rectifier on my bike.
Ho hum, lessons to be learned.
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