And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
Todays commuting highlight was was realising at about 10:30 that I probably should commute back to the bedroom and get dressed.
My bike's currently parked in the work bike shed waiting for a new number plate, registration document came through the other day but I'm not sure if the motorfactors will be open by the weekend to get the plate made up (I've moved to the Netherlands and registering the bike here).
My bike's currently parked in the work bike shed waiting for a new number plate, registration document came through the other day but I'm not sure if the motorfactors will be open by the weekend to get the plate made up (I've moved to the Netherlands and registering the bike here).
ts today on the way to work, they did a u-turn when they saw me but they then vanished 
So, I've been commuting into London still by bike as I'm a key worker who cannot work from home and has no other real alternative but to ride in as sod the train at the best of times let alone when the black death is creeping about.
It has been an interesting time; roads have generally been pretty quiet and bar the first week of lockdown, not too many people going crazy fast or driving erratically (week one was the wildwest though). This week has steadily felt like things getting more and more like normal with regards to traffic, complete with Addison Lee minicabs doing weird and random things as always.
Today I think I got all my 'good guy harley rider' points in for this month though; on the ride into work along the A2 I pulled over to help a young lad; turns out his rear bulb had blown and taken the fuse with it; fortunately I carry an assortment of spare fuses and bulbs and was able to rig him up to get home. Then on the way home, almsot exactly the opposite side of the road to where I helped that lad in the morning I stopped for a chap who had picked up a puncture in the rear so I lent him my repair kit so he could patch it and limp it the 5 miles or so he had to go to get home. Yeah, cool story and all that; but its nice to help other bikers and since I ride a harley I know I need all the good karma for roadside help that I can get. If either of you chaps are on here; hope you got to where you needed to go ok.
It has been an interesting time; roads have generally been pretty quiet and bar the first week of lockdown, not too many people going crazy fast or driving erratically (week one was the wildwest though). This week has steadily felt like things getting more and more like normal with regards to traffic, complete with Addison Lee minicabs doing weird and random things as always.
Today I think I got all my 'good guy harley rider' points in for this month though; on the ride into work along the A2 I pulled over to help a young lad; turns out his rear bulb had blown and taken the fuse with it; fortunately I carry an assortment of spare fuses and bulbs and was able to rig him up to get home. Then on the way home, almsot exactly the opposite side of the road to where I helped that lad in the morning I stopped for a chap who had picked up a puncture in the rear so I lent him my repair kit so he could patch it and limp it the 5 miles or so he had to go to get home. Yeah, cool story and all that; but its nice to help other bikers and since I ride a harley I know I need all the good karma for roadside help that I can get. If either of you chaps are on here; hope you got to where you needed to go ok.
Back at work today, so good to finally be back on 2 wheels! Had to go put my winter jacket away, winter gloves and waterproof trousers and try to dig out all my summer stuff.
Bike wouldn't start yesterday when I went to check on it, probably largely the fault of the Datatool immobilser and alarm that I stupidly didn't put into winter mode when we went into lockdown. Tried to jump start it with the car which was a huge fail, but was able to borrow a trickle charger and after 3 hours it roared into life.
Suburbs nearly as busy as normal, but central London remains a ghost town. 1hr commute comfortably done in 40 mins all done quite sedately.
Now counting down the hours until I can ride home again and enjoy the weather
Bike wouldn't start yesterday when I went to check on it, probably largely the fault of the Datatool immobilser and alarm that I stupidly didn't put into winter mode when we went into lockdown. Tried to jump start it with the car which was a huge fail, but was able to borrow a trickle charger and after 3 hours it roared into life.
Suburbs nearly as busy as normal, but central London remains a ghost town. 1hr commute comfortably done in 40 mins all done quite sedately.
Now counting down the hours until I can ride home again and enjoy the weather
CAPP0 said:
I had a commuting lowlight today. Came up behind a cruiser of some sort ridden by a lady with lots & lots of flowing red locks all billowing out from under her hat. I'm a sucker for long hair, so I was happy....until I caught her up, when I saw that her muffin midriff was making a break for freedom from between the back of her jacket and trousers, exposing far too much ice-white, stretchmarked skin. 'Twasn't nice.
That’d hurt if something caused her to come off. Approaching a crossing with a take out next to it. A few you girls, probably early teens walk out and look toward me. I’m slowing down as I got the moose walking into the road feeling. The first ran straight out before stopping at the crossing and the rest followed. The last stopped in the road.
I’m going slow enough, 15ish and 3-2 car lengths away when I slowed to a stop.
Hearts never been in mouth before, it was a good distance away, but if you’ve ever ran competitively it was the feeling you get when the gun goes
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 26th May 20:36
Jaetten said:
CAPP0 said:
I had a commuting lowlight today. Came up behind a cruiser of some sort ridden by a lady with lots & lots of flowing red locks all billowing out from under her hat. I'm a sucker for long hair, so I was happy....until I caught her up, when I saw that her muffin midriff was making a break for freedom from between the back of her jacket and trousers, exposing far too much ice-white, stretchmarked skin. 'Twasn't nice.
That’d hurt if something caused her to come off. Approaching a crossing with a take out next to it. A few you girls, probably early teens walk out and look toward me. I’m slowing down as I got the moose walking into the road feeling. The first ran straight out before stopping at the crossing and the rest followed. The last stopped in the road.
I’m going slow enough, 15ish and 3-2 car lengths away when I slowed to a stop.
Hearts never been in mouth before, it was a good distance away, but if you’ve ever ran competitively it was the feeling you get when the gun goes
Edited by Jaetten on Tuesday 26th May 20:36
Not commuting but it's my first close encounter
Less than a mile from home on a country lane, an idiot pulls out of his drive on my right, when I'm maybe 50m away, doing 50mph
I immediately move out to overtake and as I'm at his back bumper he signals and starts moving right, he's got an in and out drive and is going back in !
FFS !
He starts pulling across the road and I see the available tarmac shrinking, thankfully he stopped leaving 2' for me to get past
I suspect he heard the bike
Less than a mile from home on a country lane, an idiot pulls out of his drive on my right, when I'm maybe 50m away, doing 50mph
I immediately move out to overtake and as I'm at his back bumper he signals and starts moving right, he's got an in and out drive and is going back in !
FFS !
He starts pulling across the road and I see the available tarmac shrinking, thankfully he stopped leaving 2' for me to get past
I suspect he heard the bike
Well this thread died an abrupt death with Covid...
Anyone still commuting? I've been into London a couple of times since March, usually park at Minories and thought it might be busy, with people not wanting to use the trains. Nope - about 10 bikes in the whole bike area, even at 10am when it's normally pretty full.
Anyone still commuting? I've been into London a couple of times since March, usually park at Minories and thought it might be busy, with people not wanting to use the trains. Nope - about 10 bikes in the whole bike area, even at 10am when it's normally pretty full.
mikey_b said:
Well this thread died an abrupt death with Covid...
Anyone still commuting? I've been into London a couple of times since March, usually park at Minories and thought it might be busy, with people not wanting to use the trains. Nope - about 10 bikes in the whole bike area, even at 10am when it's normally pretty full.
Yep, still commuting into London every day and back.Anyone still commuting? I've been into London a couple of times since March, usually park at Minories and thought it might be busy, with people not wanting to use the trains. Nope - about 10 bikes in the whole bike area, even at 10am when it's normally pretty full.
Roads are noticeable busier now - I'd even go so far as to say at times they are busier than pre-lockdown as I have a feeling lots more from Kent are driving up to the outskirts of London before jumping on the tube rather than taking the trains up. Driving standards are all over the place - some days are great, others its the wild west - will say that there are definately more bikes about and general skill levels way down to immediate post-winter sorts of wobble levels - love the chaps who blast by on straights and then cannot filter for toffee and don't buggering move - if a gaps big enough for a harley with saddlebags to fit through, your little naked can fit through twice!
As above I’ve commuted in and out all through the lockdown. Roads noticeably busier now but I’d guess sort of normal August traffic. When it was really quite it was great, you almost felt guilty that you were on the road.
What I’m finding now though is that they have cocked up some of the roads to take into account all the extra foot traffic they haven’t got, not a huge problem on a bike but I wouldn’t want to be in the car.
What I’m finding now though is that they have cocked up some of the roads to take into account all the extra foot traffic they haven’t got, not a huge problem on a bike but I wouldn’t want to be in the car.
DirtyHarley said:
Yep, still commuting into London every day and back.
Roads are noticeable busier now - I'd even go so far as to say at times they are busier than pre-lockdown as I have a feeling lots more from Kent are driving up to the outskirts of London before jumping on the tube rather than taking the trains up. Driving standards are all over the place - some days are great, others its the wild west - will say that there are definately more bikes about and general skill levels way down to immediate post-winter sorts of wobble levels - love the chaps who blast by on straights and then cannot filter for toffee and don't buggering move - if a gaps big enough for a harley with saddlebags to fit through, your little naked can fit through twice!
Same experience on my Surrey into London commute. Had my first proper crash (and I hope last!) about a month ago when a woman in a golf turned right and wiped me out (I had been filtering and was just slightly in front of her). She hit my left calf, it was fairly unpleasant but thankfully nothing broken. I went many deep shades of purple and was limping for about 3 weeks but more or less back to normal now.Roads are noticeable busier now - I'd even go so far as to say at times they are busier than pre-lockdown as I have a feeling lots more from Kent are driving up to the outskirts of London before jumping on the tube rather than taking the trains up. Driving standards are all over the place - some days are great, others its the wild west - will say that there are definately more bikes about and general skill levels way down to immediate post-winter sorts of wobble levels - love the chaps who blast by on straights and then cannot filter for toffee and don't buggering move - if a gaps big enough for a harley with saddlebags to fit through, your little naked can fit through twice!
So my consensus is there were fewer cars on the roads, but generally the standard of driving got worse.
I have also been commuting in throughout though when I had free parking and there was minimal traffic I did drive a fair bit.
Now traffic seems almost normal to me. I agree driving standards are very variable.
I am debating what to in the autumn as I will be doing 25 miles each way from Surrey to Kensington including ferrying my son to school. My existing 300cc scooter is great in town and solo but with him on the back and needing to look after his boots and lid during the day I think a proper bike might be a better option. Just don't really want to sell my Scrambler which can't carry secure luggage.
I suppose trading the scooter for an NC750 is probably the obvious answer but that is too sensible so looking at KTM 1090 Adventures at the moment.
Now traffic seems almost normal to me. I agree driving standards are very variable.
I am debating what to in the autumn as I will be doing 25 miles each way from Surrey to Kensington including ferrying my son to school. My existing 300cc scooter is great in town and solo but with him on the back and needing to look after his boots and lid during the day I think a proper bike might be a better option. Just don't really want to sell my Scrambler which can't carry secure luggage.
I suppose trading the scooter for an NC750 is probably the obvious answer but that is too sensible so looking at KTM 1090 Adventures at the moment.
GM182 said:
I suppose trading the scooter for an NC750 is probably the obvious answer but that is too sensible so looking at KTM 1090 Adventures at the moment.
I have an NC750x, it's a decent bike- quite boring but dependable. Should be fine if you've got a second bike (I don't and am always thinking of changing!)Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff