And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Come to work in the car for the first time since having my Ninja due to the wife feeling uneasy about the yellow weather warnings. Left much earlier so traffic wasn't too bad but the 2 low tyre pressure warnings and having a really crap pump meant it took me about 30 minutes to sort out :/. Very annoying especially as the weather wasn't as bad as it was predicted, wish I'd come in on the bike.
No more news but it was absolute bedlam on the roads around the Greenford area. Does make you stop and think...squirdan said:
Angrybiker said:
My commuting highlight coming home on Friday:
Lights on York Road, Wandsworth, intersection of plough road. Going towards Wandsworth roundabout.
Scooter in front of me went off the lights the millisencond it turned amber and raced away. I made off on green together with a Fazer on my left. Car raced through its red from the side road on the right, slammed into my side - apparently pushing me sideways about 2 yards and into the Fazer who also came off. I'm told I did a rather spectacular cartwheel and bounced a few times before getting up immediately.
Woman tried telling us and 3 other witnesses that she went through on Amber - to which all 5 of us said "No, love, don't think so".
Unquestionably jumped the red - and not only just. a) scooter had time to clear the way so she hit numbers 2 and 3; b) 4 witnesses say our light was green. Police mandated to attend because I was injured so they will be doing their own investigation. I guess there's maybe a good chance of a dangerous driving charge; and if they're feeling mean they could also do red light - in which case if they do both then that's her license.
Nothing broken but right leg hurt like hell; and the obligatory 'felt like 2 rounds with Mike Tyson' on Sat and today. Advised by the quack to stay home keep it elevated for a few days with frozen peas and nurofen, to reduce swelling and stop 'compartment syndrome', which I didn't know about until yesterday.
sorry to see this and what a near miss injury wise...whilst I'm sure it doesnt feel that way I think you've had a result considering how much worse it could have been.Lights on York Road, Wandsworth, intersection of plough road. Going towards Wandsworth roundabout.
Scooter in front of me went off the lights the millisencond it turned amber and raced away. I made off on green together with a Fazer on my left. Car raced through its red from the side road on the right, slammed into my side - apparently pushing me sideways about 2 yards and into the Fazer who also came off. I'm told I did a rather spectacular cartwheel and bounced a few times before getting up immediately.
Woman tried telling us and 3 other witnesses that she went through on Amber - to which all 5 of us said "No, love, don't think so".
Unquestionably jumped the red - and not only just. a) scooter had time to clear the way so she hit numbers 2 and 3; b) 4 witnesses say our light was green. Police mandated to attend because I was injured so they will be doing their own investigation. I guess there's maybe a good chance of a dangerous driving charge; and if they're feeling mean they could also do red light - in which case if they do both then that's her license.
Nothing broken but right leg hurt like hell; and the obligatory 'felt like 2 rounds with Mike Tyson' on Sat and today. Advised by the quack to stay home keep it elevated for a few days with frozen peas and nurofen, to reduce swelling and stop 'compartment syndrome', which I didn't know about until yesterday.
riding around London it seems to be the case that red lights are now seen as optional by many drivers. including buses. Elephant and Castle is virtually daily. Its a real issue for bikers as we are naturally at the front of the lights. When you consider how many speed cameras and cctv there are, I dont know why they cant install more traffic light cameras
Keep a record of all medical support needed and details of work missed etc, walking away from that is fortunate.
Have you had an X-ray? A mate had a similar one a few years ago - he thought it was just heavy bruising to his leg but in fact had a hairline fracture in his femur. Didn't make much difference to his recovery but good to be aware and for insurance purposes.
kiethton said:
So, looking out the window and it's now snowing quoted heavily onto the prior sleet....what's everyone thinking for tomorrow's commute?
Hmm, MrsC is already waving the black flag at me. Thing is, I genuinely don't want to ride in snow, but then again I have resorted to the mobile hellhole in the past when snow has been forecast and there has been none and I've wished I'd just used the bike as usual.All bikes are pretty crap in the snow but mine would be even crapper, I think. I could take the TS250 which is on trials-ish tyres but they'd have it away before I even stopped moving, let alone parked it up somewhere.
tom_e said:
I'll be jumping on the train into work tomorrow, although lets face it once it drops to minus 7 tonight and really freezes over I'm sure the trains will be buggered as well.
Down here in Kent there was a very light dusting this morning which has already melted and it's just raining now. I'll be on the bike tomorrow.
One benefit of living down south.
kiethton said:
Well I rode in, arrived in one piece but with a soaked crotch.....again!
That weather is f
king grim :/
I was having this problem with my furygan textiles, after 40k+ miles they started giving me a wet crotch and wet t-shirt - nikwax was the answer. That weather is f
king grim :/In the biblical rain/sleet this morning in Kent (and the wind! Still, rather a this than 6 inches of snow...) only my arms got damp and a tiny wet patch on my trousers which has already dried, I'd have been soaked before the nikwax treatment.
I arrived from 30deg heat to 0deg stepping outside heathrow term2 at 9am last night. I knew the payback would be brutal 
We had snow - my car still had evidence on the roof, weather was grim - continued to be grim with cold rain this morning - I left the bike given lack of sleep and jetlag and got the tube this morning.
Def was not in a fit state to ride the bike this morning less so given the weather.
I might try the bike weds - Xmas party tomorrow night which will assist in timezone retransition.
My highlight was finding my heated gloves and wiring harness at 7:30am this morning whilst looking for a hat and gloves - I can't find anything easily thanks to my wife.. she is having none of this, before i met her I knew exactly where everything was and where it could be found lol
We had snow - my car still had evidence on the roof, weather was grim - continued to be grim with cold rain this morning - I left the bike given lack of sleep and jetlag and got the tube this morning.
Def was not in a fit state to ride the bike this morning less so given the weather.I might try the bike weds - Xmas party tomorrow night which will assist in timezone retransition.
My highlight was finding my heated gloves and wiring harness at 7:30am this morning whilst looking for a hat and gloves - I can't find anything easily thanks to my wife.. she is having none of this, before i met her I knew exactly where everything was and where it could be found lol
Train today as still a fair bit of snow on our unadopted road and a steep hill to get to the main road with no gritting, so wasn't worth the grief .... warm taxi and then its just been a rainy old day in London ... still office is warm, just me in so peace and quiet as many have cried off ....
That was interesting this morning
Started my 120 mile commute on the hill outside my house which was sheet ice. Slid my 240kg africa twin down there quite nicely and kept it upright. Heated jacket was blazing all the way in, got a bit of water down my collar that was about it. Was grim tho!
I cannot deal with a wet crotch, it is the most annoying thing about biking, so I wear a thin pair of Army surplus goretex trousers under my textiles, they keep me dry. Coupled with a cheap ebay over jacket it keeps me lovely and dry.
Saw one other biker this morning, all the way in!
Started my 120 mile commute on the hill outside my house which was sheet ice. Slid my 240kg africa twin down there quite nicely and kept it upright. Heated jacket was blazing all the way in, got a bit of water down my collar that was about it. Was grim tho!
I cannot deal with a wet crotch, it is the most annoying thing about biking, so I wear a thin pair of Army surplus goretex trousers under my textiles, they keep me dry. Coupled with a cheap ebay over jacket it keeps me lovely and dry.
Saw one other biker this morning, all the way in!
As mentioned yesterday, SWMBO, who to be fair doesn't complain much about anything I do on a bike even though she doesn't like it, continued to wave her black flag at me this morning so I ended up back in the pits.
The pits of doom that is. Car to Sidcup, train to London Bridge, walk to SKD. The bike commute is usually about 50 mins. This morning took me me 2 1/4 hours door to door. Plus, I was an hour late. Plus I was cold and wet on the walk. Plus I have sheetloads of work on. So I'll be getting a very late train home.
It did snow quite hard on the way in, on the top of the M20 around Brands, so I was momentarily glad of my decision. Very few bikes out actually, including one who didn't filter at all but just sat in the traffic queue with the cars. Why bother? If you're going to do that then just take the car anyway.
The pits of doom that is. Car to Sidcup, train to London Bridge, walk to SKD. The bike commute is usually about 50 mins. This morning took me me 2 1/4 hours door to door. Plus, I was an hour late. Plus I was cold and wet on the walk. Plus I have sheetloads of work on. So I'll be getting a very late train home.
It did snow quite hard on the way in, on the top of the M20 around Brands, so I was momentarily glad of my decision. Very few bikes out actually, including one who didn't filter at all but just sat in the traffic queue with the cars. Why bother? If you're going to do that then just take the car anyway.
Edited by CAPP0 on Monday 11th December 12:52
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