And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Filtering yesterday past a stationary line of traffic and the driver of a 7.5t wagon decides to open his cab door when I'm about a bike length away. I wasn't going that quick so just managed to stop.
f
king
He got some abuse but as I had my engine running and my helmet on and visor down I'm not sure he actually heard any of it.
f
king He got some abuse but as I had my engine running and my helmet on and visor down I'm not sure he actually heard any of it.
CAPP0 - we may have been in the same convoy - some shocking riding on display yesterday on way out towards M11, big groups in traffic always seem to act stupid. Personal favourite idiot was the scooter taking huge risks to keep up with some kids on pushbikes in cyclelane along embankment..
Highlight today is not doing it to be honest. Kept forgetting to refit the muffs after cleaning the bike last weekend and got gradually colder... palms melting, back of hands freezing. Need to dig out the thermals I think.
On the plus side the KTM was a safe pair of hands filtering from Oxford to Didcot last night. Did have to pull over to switch from sport to rain modes (hark at her!) as the hair trigger throttle wasn't making life easy with greasy white lines and dozy drivers. The riding position is so much better for that kind of thing than being strapped to the blade or blackbird (getting old).
On the plus side the KTM was a safe pair of hands filtering from Oxford to Didcot last night. Did have to pull over to switch from sport to rain modes (hark at her!) as the hair trigger throttle wasn't making life easy with greasy white lines and dozy drivers. The riding position is so much better for that kind of thing than being strapped to the blade or blackbird (getting old).
Today, a bus driver taking it upon himself to prevent progress by filtering. Positioning himself in such a way to squeeze the gap between the lanes. I could see him watching me in his mirror, it was definitely intentional.
As the traffic gets moving we pull level, and I would have had the opportunity to nip in front of him and around the person to his right and leave them both behind, but he was also intent on preventing this from happening by getting so close to the guy in front of him to prevent a gap forming. He was probably 3 feet from the guy in front of him @ 20mph, dabbing the brakes and accelerating to try and maintain as small a gap as possible just to stop me from getting ahead. I felt sorry for his passengers, it must have been rocking back and forth inside the bus at this point.
When it finally opened up a bit and I could make the filter, I get beeped at by the bus driver. fking pointless behaviour.
As the traffic gets moving we pull level, and I would have had the opportunity to nip in front of him and around the person to his right and leave them both behind, but he was also intent on preventing this from happening by getting so close to the guy in front of him to prevent a gap forming. He was probably 3 feet from the guy in front of him @ 20mph, dabbing the brakes and accelerating to try and maintain as small a gap as possible just to stop me from getting ahead. I felt sorry for his passengers, it must have been rocking back and forth inside the bus at this point.
When it finally opened up a bit and I could make the filter, I get beeped at by the bus driver. f
king pointless behaviour. 
Mac. said:
Hit a pheasant tonight, they’re bloody stupid things. Thankfully it was just my knee as it tried to fly towards me as I rode past ??
Wouldn’t fancy taking one to the face though
I had one fly in front of my face by about an inch or so - fresh underwear was required. I had a squirrel cross in front of me which head butted me, almost breaking my foot - I don't know if it resulted in his concussion or death. Wildlife can be extremely stupid! Wouldn’t fancy taking one to the face though
Biker 1 said:
I filtered past a van & went into a gap in front of him when the traffic started to move. Full horn, 'wker' arm signals, closing the gap to dangerous tailgating. I just don't understand these tts....
In the summer a van objected to me overtaking him in a line of slow traffic, squeezed in to my left by going up the bank and tried to push me in to the middle of the on coming traffic. There's no rhyme nor reason, they're just fker' arm signals, closing the gap to dangerous tailgating. I just don't understand these tts....k heads.Bikesalot said:
Cold.
-1 when I left, warmed to 3 degrees by the time I neared the office.
Heated grips are crap on the africa twin.
Aye, if it has one single flaw, it's that! I'm planning getting muffs for it. I find the grips heat well for the first 15mins then get rotten. Def not just me imagining it. No idea why that is because at the start they are almost burny.-1 when I left, warmed to 3 degrees by the time I neared the office.
Heated grips are crap on the africa twin.
So not the best morning...
Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
kiethton said:
So not the best morning...
Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
I assume as you don't mention it that you are not hurt from this altercation?Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
Dakkon said:
kiethton said:
So not the best morning...
Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
I assume as you don't mention it that you are not hurt from this altercation?Came out to the garage to find a flat rear tyre...again - got a slow puncture somewhere I think....5 mins frantically pumping it up with the loudest, sqeaky foot pump and was good enough to go....
3 minutes later, in the dark, my headlight bulb goes = me having to use full beam to make sure I’m showing some decent light at the front
Then on the OKR a C4 Picasso decides it wants to change lanes...into the side of me...a quick “I’m here” beep gets a long honk from them and they continue coming....they now have a dented front wing
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